Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education

Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education Conference to Include Focus on Virginia Tech Tragedy and Student Mental Health Issues

Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) will hold its 20th anniversary conference in Oakland from May 3 through May 5. The event will be held at Laney College, 900 Fallon Street, and the Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway.

The APAHE conference will include a special May 4th 10:30 a.m. workshop addressing the horrible events of April 16 at Virginia Tech. Leading university psychologists will address what campus faculty, staff and students can and should do when responding to distressed and/or potentially dangerous students. Challenges for the Asian Pacific American community posed by the media spotlight on this tragedy will be discussed.

The conference theme, Going Back to Our Roots—A 20th Anniversary Celebration of Activism and Empowerment, reflects APAHE’s leading role in addressing issues that affect Asian Pacific Americans in higher education, said APAHE president Frank Chong, who also serves as president of Laney College.

“Students’ safety and well-being, university admissions, faculty tenure cases, under-representation in hiring and promotion, affirmative action, and Asian American Studies continue to be pressing issues for our communities,” said President Chong. “APAHE is the leading national organization to address these concerns.”

Tracing the historical roots of APAHE will be featured speakers Professor Emeritus of Cal Berkeley, Ling-chi Wang and San Francisco Superior Court Judge Lillina Sing during the opening afternoon plenary scheduled for Thursday, May 3, at Laney College.  A banquet honoring the founders of APAHE will be held on that same day in the evening at Silver Dragon Restaurant in Oakland’s Chinatown.  A panel of college presidents will speak on Friday morning, May 4, at the Marriott Oakland City Center, to include President Chui Tsang, Santa Monica College, President Mohammad “Mo” Qayoumi, Cal State East Bay, and President Frank Chong, Laney College.  The Friday evening reception will honor the new Chancellor of the University of California, Merced campus, Sung-Mo “Steve” Kang at Peony Restaurant.  Also speaking Friday evening will be Assemblymember Alberto Torrico, the chair of the Calfiornia Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

The conference is co-sponsored by Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP), a national nonprofit that provides leadership training, publishes public policy research and organizes efforts to increase community empowerment.

APAHE conference information about registration, advertising, and exhibit space is available at http://www.apahe.net or by contacting Joy Soukhaseum at (909) 594-5611 ext. 4530 or jsoukhaseum@mtsac.edu