Fellowship with one’s professional peers brings many benefits, including job prospects, networking and workplace dialogue.

For Asian American staff and faculty, the Asian Pacific American Systemwide Alliance offers a forum to discuss the particular challenges and opportunities facing this increasingly large population at UC Davis.

Sabrina Sewell, co-chair of the alliance and research analyst for Student Affairs Research and Information, explains that leadership and professional development are hot topics at its monthly meetings.

“Asian Americans have been historically underrepresented in the staff and faculty ranks at UC Davis, and so APASA was formed out of necessity. It is an active organization that, when needed, can provide the tools and voice in order to advocate for its members and the potential challenges they may face,” Sewell said.

Established 20 years ago, the alliance finds itself today more relevant than ever. From 2006 to 2008, the number of Asian American faculty members increased from about 15 to 16 percent, according to the Office of Resource Management and Planning. Similarly, the number of Asian American employees rose from 21 to 22 percent. Altogether, about one in four campus employees and about 40 percent of undergraduates are Asian American.

Open, candid dialogues

“Powerful mechanisms.” That is how Sewell describes the tools of communication — the meetings, dialogue and storytelling — that the group’s participants use to talk candidly about workplace issues. It is a great opportunity for people to speak up about problems that they might not otherwise, she added.

“We try to be socially conscious of these challenges,” Sewell said.

That sense of openness is the driving force behind the group. As a result, some faculty and staff have remained devoted members of APASA for years. Theresa Montemayor, APASA member and associate director of Campus Unions Programs and Marketing, has been involved in the group for 15 years.

“I think APASA gives opportunities to Asian American staff and faculty to come together in a different type of setting,” Montemayor said. “It highlights what issues are important to the Asian American community at UC Davis.”

As the number of Asian American staff continues to grow, she noted, this organization helps young staff transition into the campus community. It provides mentorship for new faculty and staff and helps them feel more comfortable in their position.

“I think for the most part it’s a good way to connect with the young staff who are just trying to build a sense of community on the UC Davis campus,” Montemayor said. “It’s good to see if there are ways to come together and provide some insight for the issues that young faculty and staff might face.”

Job networking

Julienne Ratanasen, co-chair of APASA and gender education specialist at the Women’s Resources and Health Center, said that APASA makes an effort to encourage hiring of Asian American faculty and staff at UC Davis by sending out job announcements to specific ethnic organizations and encouraging professional development opportunities.

Ratanasen said the alliance primarily serves faculty and staff, but also believes it is important to support students as well. This helps to build bridges among Asian American students, staff and faculty, she explained.

“For instance, this year we co-sponsored an event during Asian Pacific Culture Week called Secret Identities, and we will be co-sponsoring the upcoming Asian American Studies Senior Awards Banquet,” she said.

The Asian American community, like any ethnic group on campus, faces issues specific to their cultures, Ratanasen said.

“One challenge is the simplistic stereotype of Asian Americans as ‘model minorities’ who are academically high-achieving, economically healthy, and well-assimilated into the dominant culture,” she said. “However, many Asian Americans are not like this, and many differences exist within our own various cultures.”

Beyond the weighty issues, there are just fun reasons to get involved. Billie Gabriel, the group’s treasurer and a program coordinator in Asian American Studies, revels in the opportunity for dialogue among friends.

“I like the break at lunch time, I like to meet with other members and I enjoy the social aspect of it,” Gabriel said about the lunchtime meetings. “I work all day, and the meeting is an enjoyable release.”

During these meetings, the group discusses their goals and plans for the academic year, Gabriel said. Meetings are held in a casual environment so that if people just want to vent about problems, they are comfortable doing so, she said.

‘Depends on involvement’

Sewell, the co-chair, believes that the Asian Pacific American Systemwide Alliance is an invaluable resource to the UC Davis community in the way it provides its members a nurturing, supportive approach to professional development.

“The organization definitely gave me a way to become part of the campus community,” she said. “In 2007, I was a new staffer who wanted to connect with others who shared similar values. And it did just that.”

But like any organization, participation is sometimes an issue itself.

“The biggest challenge of the organization,” Sewell said, “is getting all the members to attend the meetings. On average we get about 15 to 17 members at each meeting, out of about 97 members.”

Indeed, they welcome more turnout, she added. “A group like ours depends on involvement.”

For more information about the Asian Pacific American Systemwide Alliance, send an e-mail to apasa-info@ ucdavis.edu

Caitlin Cobb is a Dateline writing intern.