Occasional student-initiated seminars taught by visiting professors on a one-time basis (which continued throughout the eighties and nineties).

On November 15, 1988, newly-installed President Harold Shapiro had a roundtable discussion at which Asian American students stated "our long range goal is to have Asian American Studies taught on a permanent basis at Princeton."

In the April 3, 1990 Report on Asian Pacific American Students Director of the International Center Paula Chow and Associate Dean of the College Eva Grossman urged the university to "encourage departments to ofer courses focused on the Asian Pacific American experience."

Establishment of the Asian American Student Task Force.

In its March 26, 1993 report the Asian American Student Task Force recommended the university "create a tenure-track position in an academic department or program for a specialist in Asian American studies."

In the April 16, 1994 Open Letter tothe Princeton University BOard of Trustees the Task Force reiterated its recommendation that the University create a "tenured position in any humanities or social science department for a specialist in Asian American Studies."

The May 17, 1994 report of the Committee on Diversity and Liberal Education recommended that Princeton "represent more fully on the faculty scholars with expertise on emerging fields of studies such as Asian American and Latino Studies."

In his June 3, 1994 response to the Asian American Student Task Force, President Harold Shapiro indicated that there may be "the addition to the curriculum of significant content related to Asian American life."

In the fall of 1994, Asian American students formed a coalition with Latino students to work jointly for Asian American and Latino studies.

Over the course of the 1994-1995 academic calendar, the Asian American and Latino coalition had one meeting with President Shapiro, three meetings with Vice Provost Ruth Simmons, five meetings with the Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel, two meetings with an Associate Dean of the College, one meeting with an Associate Dean of the Faculty, two meetings with the outgoing and incoming directors of the American studies program, and numerous other meetings with department heads and faculty members.

On April 20, 1995, a group of 17 students occupied One Nassau Hall in demonstration of the importance of Asian American and Latino Studies and the frustration at the University's lack of action in spite of verbal promises, during which eight rounds of discussions were held.

At the end of the sit-in, the University agreed to earmark $6 million for the hiring of faculty with specialty in Asian American and Latino studies, to form search committees to hire 2-4 permanent professors in Asian American and Latino studies, and to accelerate the search for an expert in Caribbean history whose position would be tied to Latino studies.

Search committees were formed to hire new professors in Asian American and Latino studies.

Professor Grace Hong hired as an expert in Asian American Studies.