[KS] Re: Help needed: Korean Studies program

[Edward J. Shultz]

Dear Mr. Oh and other colleagues,
    When I visited Madison last fall, I met with a number of administrators and
faculty in East Asian studies. I tried to point out the need for Korean studies
is very real, and given Madison's premier position in Wisconsin, they should
seriously consider building up their programs. It strikes me that three
components are necessary for success. First there must be a student body that
is large enough to support the demand for courses in Korean studies. Second,
there must be faculty recruited or on board to teach these courses.  Finally,
there must be community support that can also convince the university that
Korean studies is important. In Milwaukee I met a number of members of the
Korean community who were very supportive of the concept of Korean studies in
Wisconsin. Perhaps through this community and others you can assert pressure to
bring a greater focus on Korea. In Hawaii of course we are very fortunate
because of our long tradition supporting Korean studies, coupled with a large
student body that gravitates towards things Asian, and finally very strong
community support. Currently the chairman of the Board of Regents for the
University of Hawaii is a Korean-American named Donald Kim. Obviously it is
difficult to duplicate in Wisconsin the conditions in Hawaii, but these are
goals toward which you can aim. 
All of us, I am sure, support your aspirations.

Edward J. Shultz
Director and Professor of History
Center for Korean Studies
University of Hawaii at Manoa

(T) 808 956-7041
(F) 808 956-2213


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