Universities... long the bastions of white males... in the not distant past departments at Stony Brook had reputations as "old boys clubs"... and the English Department was among its clubbiest...

And tenure for those who did not fit into the club... well let's see... how well do you think an Asian American woman would fit in?

Denied tenure, a female Asian American English Department professor takes a position at another university... not only one that nurtures her... but one with a reputation SB's English Department would die for... and she gets tenure there.

Her retribution? The only monetary award the SB English department has to give out... is open to all students but... with a special emphasis on encouraging and rewarding those of Asian heritage.

Fifteen years after it happened one would think... times have changed... we even have a female President. But have they?

How many Asian American women have ever gotten tenure in SB's English Department? How many role models?

Hmm... never mind women... since it was an old boys club... how many Asian American men have ever gotten tenure in SB's English Department? But they did at least hire one of this gender so there is a possibility in the future.

Maybe if she had not chosen to be anonymous... maybe if SB's English Department had ever been forced to acknowledge why the prize was established... do you think it might have embarrassed them enough to add some more color to the department?

I suppose there just aren't any qualified Asian American female writers/ professors... not one single Woman Warrior...

Hypothetical musings...

Ja Young
Alumni Editor