The future of the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs (APASA) Center at the University of Arizona is uncertain, but students say the center is vital for building community and cultural understanding on campus.
Mokshi Joshi, a senior at UA and an employee at APASA for 4 years, said the center has helped her find lasting friendships and connect with her culture.
“It’s a space where you can come in every single day, regardless if there’s a meeting or not,” she said. “Having the APASA Center means that the center holds events, allowing people to get in touch with their culture and learn about others’ cultures.”
She recalls a Pacific Islander dance performance hosted by the center: “It was really important for people to realize that there’s a cultural aspect to dance,” she said.
But those benefits could be at risk.
Cultural resource centers like this one are among the diversity and inclusion programs that could be cut as leadership at the University of Arizona works to comply with federal and state demands to root out DEI practices that have come under the scrutiny of the Trump administration.
APASA has been relocated several times over the years, and students fear it may be moved again. In Fall 2024, the university held a town hall after word spread that the center might lose its current space in the Student Union Memorial Center.
A directory guide on the fourth floor of the UA Student Union Memorial Center helps students navigate the various offices and facilities available in the building.
The APASA Center, which has been moved four times since its founding in 1933, was most recently relocated in 2022 to the fourth floor of the union. It now shares a space with other cultural and resource organizations, a setup meant to bring people together, but that has also led to concerns about crowding and the arrangement being only temporary.
Catherine Pham, also a senior at UA, was initially hesitant about sharing the space with other cultural organizations but said she now sees the benefits.
“Honestly, when we first got moved here, I was a little bit hesitant, I was like, ‘NASA has their own building,’” she said. “But having been here, I do like it a lot. I think it makes that intersectionality easier.”
Pham said the center brings together different groups and fosters a collaborative environment.
“It’s not just us and the LGBTQ center. It’s all of us,” she said. “Everyone on the floor is friendly. The coordinators, counselors, and directors know each other, making sure we know we can always have resources.”
For Joshi, the APASA Center has offered more than just a place to hang out. It’s been a place of support and community.
“The best way I made long-lasting friends was through the center,” she said. “I’ve truly found my community that made it feel like a home away from home.”
She believes the center is crucial for student retention and overall well-being.
“Student spaces like this are incredibly valuable, not just for the community but also for retention and resources. They signify that a space is willing to house the unexpected or the unusual,” she said.
Pham agreed and said cultural centers should be accessible to all students.
“Just because you’re not a part of the culture or demographic doesn’t mean you can’t show up and use the space,” she said. “These spaces exist through student fees and scholarships, so why not show up to an event or two and see what it’s about?”
If the APASA Center were to relocate, Joshi could lose a community that’s been a major part of her college experience.
A whiteboard inside the APASA Center’s main hub lists upcoming events and meetings for student clubs, serving as a central point for Asian Pacific American student organizations.
“Having this space or this center go away means that I no longer have a job, and finding a job on campus is already hard enough as it is,” she said. “It’s not just a physical thing. It affects people individually, in terms of having a space to go to eat lunch, a sense of belonging.”
Students have advocated to keep the APASA Center through town halls, such as the one in Fall 2024 that raised concerns about its possible displacement.
“The university itself can feel isolating,” Pham said. “But places that have student centers like this tend to be more open and tend to have people from other countries doing grad work. They build community and do better by their students.”
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
