Many options with initiative and the University Major By Fletcher Durant Recent wespeaks promoting the addition of Asian American Studies to the Wesleyan curriculum caused me to ask some questions. I read the columns and wondered incredulously, how could this school not offer the exact same courses as other “liberal” and “progressive” schools? And what else could be added to supplement the pathetic offering of courses? But having continued to read the uncompromising viewpoints and unreasonable arguments made me ponder the options offered to students here. I was forced into agreeing that Wesleyan University does not have an Asian American Studies department, but I did some checking and neither do most of the schools listed in the wespeaks. The majority of those schools have Ethnic or Multicultural Studies departments, in which a wide range of topics are studied, not simply Asian Americans. The tirades paraded before our eyes in the past weeks have decried the lack of diversity and focus on Asian Americans. For all of their well-meaning intentions, the even more startling lack of Chicano Studies, Native American Studies, South Asian Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Scandinavian Studies, or Celtic Studies was never pointed out. To argue for the implementation of a single topic of personal interest in the name of diversity is misleading, if not downright selfish. The long list of ethnicities denied access at this oppressive university only serve to focus our attention on the realization that we attend a “ small liberal arts university.” Hopefully, we all knew this when we agreed to come to Wesleyan, where we would be showered with personal attention by some of the best professors in the nation as we sought-out our prestigious educations and degrees. In agreeing to attend this small school, we placed limitations upon what we could easily study within the classroom (I say easily because the University Major at this very liberal school allows you to study any topic, provided you take the effort to show that you’re serious). This intimacy also means that some areas of study may not be within the immediate expertise of our professors. In the invectives published in this fine paper, few ideas were proposed for the addition of an Asian American Studies professor to the faculty. The one suggestion provided by Jessica Chan is that the History department should replace its early-American history position with an Asian American history professor in its upcoming search. As a history major myself, I feel Ms. Chan’s suggestion would leave a gaping hole in our history department that would severely curtail the courses offered by the department. Personally, I could care less if we tossed out a Neuro-Biologist or an Econ professor, but I’d wager that the students and faculty would argue against the wisdom of such a move. Still, if the money could be found within the budget for an additional slot, it would be great to add an Ethnic Studies position. I would like a Scandinavian Studies professor (there are and have been a grand total of 0, yes, zero, classes covering that region and people), but I realize that it is my own personal interests that create my feelings on the subject. Luckily, there are options available for students to pursue their interests in Asian American Studies. Students can easily pursue a University major. It may seem daunting, but, for a dedicated student, it shouldn’t be any problem. Since there are professors interested in the field here at Wesleyan (note the presence of several course offerings in the past), it shouldn’t be too hard to find advisors to start forums and tutorials. Shockingly, students can even pursue their interests outside of the classroom. The most important aspect of the liberal Wesleyan education is that students learn how to learn outside of the classroom. I would encourage anyone to take advantage of Olin. Look through the stacks and the online-journals. Asian American Studies is still a new fad and lots of work is published and available to anyone who bothers to look. If these helpful options are not enough, then perhaps students should look elsewhere to schools that specialize in their fields. Transferring is challenging, but believe me, it can be an academically inspiring experience. If a student feels that their interests are not available here, then transferring is probably the best thing to do. Just be aware that other schools simply do not offer the same type of education that Wesleyan does. I hate to be the one to defend this school, but it needs to be done. I’ve almost said enough for now, but please recognize the variety of options at this school. Unfortunately, not every undergraduate’s wishes can be met. Unlike Berkeley or SFSU or Columbia, Wesleyan University cannot have its hand in every field of study. I could rattle off another long list of departments that Wesleyan does not offer, but it’s more important to realize the diverse offerings that we do have. Durant is a member of the class of 2003.

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