She said that while she had three different advisors and other means at Harvard available to assist her in her writing, she said she was forced to look outside the University in order to learn about the cutting-edge scholarship surrounding the Asian American experience.

"There were resources [at Harvard]," she said, "but I felt like the heart of my issue fell through the cracks."

At the meeting, students distributed packets that included both a mission statement for the Campaign for Ethnic Studies at Harvard and a listing of different ethnic studies courses which could be integrated into the Harvard curriculum.

Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures Dorris Sommer, who is a member of an ad hoc Faculty of Arts and Sciences Committee on Ethnic Studies (CES), emphasized that there is grant money currently available for professors who want to create new courses dealing with ethnic studies.

"If the course is good, the money is there," she said.

Sommer encouraged students to urge their professors to take advantage of this opportunity, calling teachers "putty in the hands of fans."

Professor of Chinese Literature Leo Ou-fan Lee, also a member of CES, said consolidating student and faculty efforts is crucial in confronting the administration with their request for the creation of an ethnic studies concentration.