History
In 1971, the first coalition of Asian students on the Binghamton campus was formed as the Hong Kong Student Association (HKSA). This charter was formed to serve the needs of students from Hong Kong. In 1974, the Chinese Student Association (CSA) was created for non-Hong Kong Chinese. Despite attempts at equal representation, CSA could not provide a unified voice for Chinese students. Ideological views clashed within CSA, causing waves of tension. Two years of differences within the CSA led to its offspring, the Student Association of the People's Republic of China (SAPRC) in 1976.
As the three Chinese organizations grew, other Asian American groups on campus began to foster a healthy sense of purpose. In 1981, the Korean Student Association (KSA) was formed due to a steady increase in the number of Korean students on campus. KSA was formed to bring "harmony among the Korean students." in that same year and after much debate, HKSA renamed themselves the Chinese American Student Union (CASU), expanding its recognition of other Chinese groups.
Then in 1985, a new group, the Asian Student Union (ASU) was conceived with the purpose of achieving the solidarity of the Asian community and "providing the student government with a needed Asian perspective." The formation of an inclusive ASU, foreshadowed big event to follow: the "Great Leap Forward."
In 1986, CASU, KSA, CSA, SAPRC, the Indian Student Union (ISU), ASU and China Night all decided to work together in coalition. The groups realized that as a unified body, their voice on campus would have more strength. Although each of the seven groups involved represented different perspectives and cultures, they all shared the common goal of culturally educating the campus community. The groups worked in unified efforts while retaining their individual identities in a variety of co-sponsored events. As they struggled to work together, they realized that the inhibiting factor in their functioning was a major budget problem. Attaining an appropriate funding level became the number one priority.
During the 87-88 term, a wiser and more experienced Asian Coalition, now called the Asian Council, made a point of increasing their budget. Sixty-eight Asian American students attended the SA budget meeting and presented their demands in a powerful unified voice. In the face of such strong pressure, the SA Budget Committee was forced to provide a more equitable budget. In February 1988, CSA and SAPRC incorporated into CASU to provide a unified voice for Chinese students.
1988 also saw the introduction of Filipino Americans as a major force on campus with the establishment of the Philippine American League (PAL). The PAL sought "to form an organization with the intention of spreading the Filipino culture within the college community." in addition, Asian Outlook and its companion publication, Conscience, were first published as the "art, literary and news magazine by the Asian Student Union at SUNY-Binghamton."
The Philippine American League was officially chartered by the Asian Student Union in the fall semester of 1989.
Until the fall of 1990, the ASU consisted of four separate entities, KSA, PAL, CASU and China Night. Each group functioned by separate hierarchies under the same overall constitution. But many ASU members were dissatisfied with the unequal distribution of power under a unified, but decentralized organization. A new ASU Constitution was drafted to accommodate the matter.
During the fall of 1990, the Committee-At-Large (CAL) was formed to accommodate the needs of Asian/Asian Americans who did not feel CASU, KSA or PAL represented them. CAL changed its names to the Pan Asian Student Association (PASA) in 1991.
In 1993, the Asian Student Union (ASU) Executive Board approved the proposed constitution for the Binghamton University Japanese Association (BUJA) on October 19,1993. "It was founded on the concepts of cultural appreciation and unification of native Japanese/Japanese-Americans and non-Japanese who are interested in Japanese culture." Later that fall, the Vietnamese students at SUNY-Binghamton united to create the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA), chartered by the ASU, "as a cultural group whose purpose is to promote Vietnamese culture to the university students as well as to the Binghamton community."
In 1994, the Taiwanese students on campus gathered and organized the Taiwanese American Student Coalition (TASC). Officially chartered by the Student Association on November 1994. "It was formed to provide a support group, to educate about one's own Taiwanese American identity and to offer an opportunity to actively address the issues and concerns of Taiwan and Taiwanese-Americans."
The current incarnation of the Asian Student Union here at SUNY-Binghamton is an umbrella organization with six cultural subgroups under its charter. It includes the Binghamton University Japanese Association (BUJA), the Chinese American Student Union (CASU), the Korean American Student Association (KASA), the Philippine American League (PAL), the Taiwanese American Student Coalition (TASC) and the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA). Other groups associated with ASU include the Indian International Student Union (IISU), the Hong Kong Exchange Square (HKES), the Asian Greek Council (AGC), the Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity and Chinascope.
The Asian Student Union, with a total membership of over 750 students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds is the largest cultural organization in the SUNY-Binghamton campus by far. ASU is the administrative arm' which brings these organizations together in accomplishing common interests while at the same time maintaining a diversity of Asian cultures. The ASU accommodates multiple conceptions of community and acknowledges that its strength comes from the cooperation and mutual support of students, faculty and staff committed to supporting Asian/Asian American initiatives.
With this strength, the ASU is an educational and action-oriented group with the purpose of achieving solidarity among the various groups of Asian/Asian American Community and providing the student government and college administration a needed Asian perspective. The ASU will work with any organizations that are supportive of this cause.