Culture at a Cost

The American Indian Studies department at CSULB is on the verge of downsizing--yet there continues to be a growing interest for the annual CSULB Pow Wow event on campus.

Current student enrollment for the American Indian Studies program on campus roughly holds about 170-180 students according to Troy Johnson, the American Indian Studies’ program director. CSULB holds an average of 35,557 enrolled students according to Rand California.

The American Indian Studies program itself does not offer a major within its discipline because the school cannot afford more classes for such a small number of students. The department offers a minor and certificate in American Indian studies.

“If the California tax increase does not get passed, there may be a new realignment of departments,” said Johnson, “into one grouped department relating to ethnic studies.”

This may be comprised of the Africana Studies, the Asian and Asian-American Studies, the Chicano and Latino Studies and the American Indian Studies. “We don’t want that,” said Johnson.

The potential realignment is due to a lack of enrollment and a lack of financial support. The department’s numbers do not reflect the turnout from the 42 annual American Indian Pow Wow. The event obtained higher attendance this year compared to previous years, according to vendors from the event.

“It is rather amazing to consider that one of the oldest and largest continuously running student sponsored campus events, with over six-thousand people in attendance, is organized by a few members of one of the smallest student populations at CSULB,” said Craig Stone, an American Indian Studies’ professor and liaison for this year’s Pow Wow event.