Contrary to what some believe, Asian and Pacific American students enrolled at the University of Arizona are not an underrepresented minority, and that means the Asian population on campus is not always getting the support it needs, a campus administrator said.

Because the group is not an underrepresented minority, some students don't qualify for scholarships, and some affirmative action programs are unavailable for Asian students, said Cecilia Lou, assistant dean for Asian Pacific American Student Affairs.

In addition, the Asian Pacific American Student Center on campus is underfunded, Lou said.

To be classified as an underrepresented minority at the UA, the minority student population on campus must be a smaller percentage than the group's state population.

The Asian student population on campus, however, exceeds that requirement.

Of the more than 34,000 students on campus, 5 percent are Asian, making it a total of 1,754. In Arizona, Asian residents make up 1.5 percent of the state's population, which is a total of about 54,000.

Lou said that in the past five years, the Asian student population has continued to increase on campus.

They are the second largest minority on campus, she said. A Hispanic student population of 4,342 makes it the largest minority group at the UA.

A problem that Asian students encounter, Lou said, is that they are not seen as an "at risk" group.

These students are not targeted because people stereotype Asians as successful, Lou said. This causes departments that could provide assistance to minorities to overlook Asian students, she added.

These are issues that need to be addressed because students are not being fully served, Lou said.

Some students struggle and get frustrated, and they don't know their resources, Lou said. They don't understand why they can't get the same help that other minorities receive, she said.

Students are intimidated, and they have to realize they have power and have to let their voices be heard, Lou said. If they don't, they will lose out on opportunities, she added.

"Students must not get disappointed and realize that underrepresented does not mean underserved," Lou said.

Susan Hong, chemical engineering sophomore, said that it is hard for Asian students to find scholarships. "I just haven't seen many," she said.

Hana H. Mo, management information systems sophomore, said Asian students need to take action as a group. "We need to make ourselves known, perhaps by participating in more student activities," she said.

Business Senior Grace Torigoe said she has not had problems with her financial assistance due to her ethnic background.

Phyllis Bannister, director of student financial aid, said financial assistance is based on need, and the ethnic background of a student does not make a difference.

Additional support is now also being given to the Asian Pacific American Student Center.

Lou said the center is underfunded, and most of the materials there are used. The only new materials are the computers, but all the minority centers got new computers, she said.

When the center was first established in 1993, the budget was less than $20,000, and the center was coordinated by the students, Dean of Students Melissa Vito said.

Today, the center's budget has tripled and now has one full-time and one part-time staff member, Vito said. Other minority centers on campus have three full-time staff members, she said.

Lou said this year's budget runs from $60,000 to $70,000, and that the center does not receive funding and resources equal to that of the other centers.

Vito said she is committed to equaling the Asian Center to the other minority centers on campus in resources and budget. The center currently receives only 70 percent of the funding that the other centers receive, she added.

"We do our best. This is why we need active students," Lou said.

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