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SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah is adding a new Pacific Islander studies program, as it pushes to have the largest college program for Pacific Islander studies in the U.S.
“That’s our aim,” said Adrian Bell, assistant professor for anthropology and the co-director of the university’s Pacific Islander studies initiative. “We already have so many pieces in the community and the job would be to put it together and to coordinate our efforts toward our common interests.”
Two new professors will be hired as a part of a new initiative. After those positions are filled, the college will have six Pacific Islander faculty members. In addition, a new scholarship will be awarded to Pacific Islander students looking to further their education.
The hope with the initiative will be to serve the state’s large Pacific Islander community, increase diversity within the U.’s faculty and providing scholarships or mentorship opportunities for Pacific Islander students.
“Eventually this center for Pacific Islanders studies program — whatever we call it — it will be a place where they can have their voice heard,” Bell said. “If there are issues, whether it’s social or with health, we can help facilitate that discussion and help either get students internships with community groups or have them interested in real interesting problems or be trained to confront real interesting problems from a variety of different angles.”
While the initiative will focus on many aspects, one of the more crucial aspects will be to give opportunities for Pacific Islander students to further their education.
According to the U., the percentage of Pacific Islanders enrolled at the university is disproportionate to the trends seen in Utah high schools. And while graduation rates are similar to other racial and ethnic groups, many aren’t getting the opportunity to further their education even with the success in school.
Bell said there is a dropoff between students graduating and then going to college or even remaining in college.
That said, the U. reported nearly 700 students attending a recent high school conference for Pacific Islander students looking at collegiate opportunities that show an interest in pursuing higher education.
“We hope that having a face to Pacific Islanders here — whether faculty or teaching and research — that would decrease that dropoff,” Bell said. “So that they find a place, they find interesting questions that Pacific Islanders can focus on, can be a part of for education and so on.”
The program itself has been in the works for a few years, but has recently gained traction. The initial submitted proposal included hiring more Pacific Islander faculty members, and while that proposal was originally denied, it did increase the university’s awareness toward focusing more on the Pacific Islander demographic.
The university began funding for a symposium about Pacific Island studies, which was held on Nov. 11. The symposium included a wide range of topics, such as art, education, business and athletics for Pacific Islander students.
Money also went to helping create an initiative for Pacific Islander students.
Utah has the sixth-largest population of Pacific Islanders in the U.S. and the largest per capita population rate of Pacific Islanders among the continental U.S. states, according to 2010 U.S. Census data. Salt Lake County is also among the top 10 counties in Pacific Islander population.
According to the university, Pacific Islanders have continuously lived in Utah since 1870.
“Pacific Islanders have been an integral part of Utah’s sociohistory, but not much is acknowledged in terms of our substantial, ongoing contributions to the state. The U’s Pacific Islander studies initiative is an exciting first step in expanding this knowledge base on campus and throughout the community as a whole,” Jake Fitisemanu, associate instructor in Ethnic Studies and member of the coalition for the U., said in a news release.
With such a high population centered in the state, Bell said it was important for the state’s flagship university to provide resources for Pacific Islander students. It’s also an important demographic that should have access to the education, he said.
“We think it can become the greatest reach into research and education for Pacific Islanders in the U.S. and outside,” he said. “Of course, having so many Pacific Islanders here close to Salt Lake — it’s a bonus. But even if we didn’t have that, this is sort of the central place where many initiatives should be, given that it’s better equipped for doing research and interdisciplinary research — not just for the social sciences, where I am housed, but also in health.
“We have the structure to look at Pacific Islander issues from many different points of view even including law … and across different departments to social work,” he added.
Whenever the hires are completed, the committee is hopeful that it will increase the amount of Pacific Islander students at the university.
“We are fortunate to have a large and dynamic community of Pacific Islanders in Utah who are interested in working with the university,” said Matt Basso, associate professor in gender studies and history at the U. and co-director of the initiative, in a news release.
“We want this program to be defined by a collaborative and reciprocal relationship with the local Pacific Islander community and driven by their desires.”
