Dear Friends of the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library,
It’s with great concern that we send you what is very distressing news about developments still unfolding at the University of Toronto and solicit your support. The Faculty of Arts and Science has recently proposed in its strategic plan to eliminate the Department of East Asian Studies, starting from the fall of 2011.
The Department of East Asian Studies, with a history for more than 70 years, has been very successful in promoting multi-disciplinary studies in the history, culture and society of the East Asian region. With an enrollment of over 1,000 students, it is one of the largest and most respected East Asian Studies Programs in North America.
The decision by the Faculty of Arts and Science to eliminate this successful department in the biggest university in Canada and at a time when Canada’s political, economic and cultural relations with East Asia are expanding and strengthening is truly regrettable and very unsettling.
The disestablishment of the department will not only harm Canadian research on East Asia, but will also dismantle an important education centre to teach and inform young Canadians about Asian culture and traditions. This will inevitably erode the chance for Asian Canadians to have their culture represented in Canadian society as a whole.
We need your help immediately to reverse and prevent this ill-conceived decision from going forward. If you value East Asian culture, if you care about strengthening East Asian Studies in Canada, and believe in cross-cultural dialogue, please help us with the following efforts:
1. Sign the online petition, ‘Save the East Asian Studies Program at the University of Toronto’ at http://www.petitiononline.com/saveeas/petition.html, and
2. Write to the President OR Vice President with a copy to the Dean of the University to oppose the dissolution of the Department of East Asian Studies. The relevant email and postal addresses appear below. Many thanks for your help and support.
Write a hard copy letter to:
Dr. David Naylor, the President of the University of Toronto
Mailing Address: Dr. David Naylor
Office of the President
University of Toronto
27 King's College Circle, Room 206
Toronto, ON Canada
M5S 1A1
OR
Professor Cheryl Misak, Vice-President and Provost of the University of Toronto
Email: provost@utoronto.ca
Mailing Address: Prof. Cheryl Misak
Simcoe Hall, Room 225
27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
Tel: 416.978.2122 Fax: 416.978.3939
With other contact info for cc:
Meric Gertler, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science
email: officeofthedean.artsci@utoronto.ca
Mailing Address: Dean Meric Gertler
University of Toronto
Faculty of Arts & Science
100 St. George Street
Toronto, ON CANADA M5S 3G3
You can find more information about this decision and the developing situation by following these links:
Save East Asian Studies at U of T:
URL: http://saveeastasianstudies.wordpress.com/
Against the integration of the EAS into the new School of Languages and Literatures
URL: http://saveeastasianstudies.wordpress.com/manifesto/
The Varsity article about the A&S changes:
http://thevarsity.ca/articles/31644
（星島日報）多大東亞系將與他系合併.師生震驚發起聯署盼收回成命
http://news.singtao.ca/toronto/2010-07-15/headline1279183583d2606480.html
（星島日報）東亞系一旦湮沒.損失難以彌補
http://news.singtao.ca/toronto/2010-07-15/headline1279183575d2606479.html
（世界日報）多大擬併東亞系 教授不滿
（明報）多大擬砍東亞研究系逾900師生簽名反對文理學院面對6000萬財赤困擾
http://www.mingpaotor.com/htm/News/20100717/tba1.htm
Please also help us spread the message among your friends and whoever may be interested. Thank you all for your support!
Sincerely,
The Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library Team
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