APIFSA History
LEADERSHIP EDUCATION OF ASIAN-PACIFICS (LEAP)
ASIAN-PACIFIC ISLANDER FACULTY & STAFF ASSOCIATION (APIFSA)
Historical Background
Founding Members: Martin Shibata, Career Services
Joy Harkins, Student Life & Leadership
Janis Eto, Housing
Abe Lynn, Architectural Engineering Department
Kathy Chen, Materials Engineering Department
History
In the Summer Quarter of 2007, Joy Harkins and Janis Eto had just returned from a Leadership Development Program in Higher Education (LDPHE) conference, held at Cal Poly Pomona Conference Center. LDPHE promotes Asian-Pacifics in higher education, providing a week-long professional development training session. Career Services through the Student Affairs Division had awarded scholarships to Joy and Janis to attend the conference. The following year Kathy registered as a faculty member.
Martin Shibata and Abe Lynn had attended the LDPHE conference in earlier years. In the Fall of 2007, we met to discuss establishing a Leadership Education for Asian-Pacifics (LEAP) group at Cal Poly. Martin Shibata was elected as Chairperson to lead this new emerging group. The founding members would assist with program development. Career Services would contribute funds to initiate this effort in support of diversity at Cal Poly.
APIFSA Development
On November 9, 2010, a request was sent to David Conn or the Inclusive Excellence Office to establish the Asian Pacific Islander Faculty & Staff Association (APIFSA) as a formal organization. Our request was forwarded to Dan Howard-Greene and the President’s Office. On December 17, 2010, President Glidden provided provisional approval for establishment of the APIFSA.
On November 23, 2010, a request for a New Campus Program was approved by the Student Affairs Division (Cornel Morton) and submitted to the Cal Poly Foundation Campus Programs. On December 21, 2010, Cal Poly Corporation approved opening a new account for APIFSA (organization key number: 80552). Initial source of funds were provided from Career Services ($5,000).
In the Fall Quarter of 2011, Sharon Anderson worked with Information Technology Services (ITS) to establish the APIFSA Website: