Kanchi Uttamchandani | Assistant News Editor
Featured image: Declining enrolment rates have left the future of the program uncertain. | Michael Zusev
York’s South Asian studies program, or SAST, is facing an uncertain future as rumours swell that the program may be shut down.
Shobna Nijhawan, professor in the Department of Language, Literature and Linguistics and former program coordinator, says the Department of Social Science is not giving out accurate information. The certificate program is not closed down and neither is the South Asian studies program, according to Nijhawan.
“This academic year, however, no program coordinator was appointed and they have decided to no longer offer the Introduction to South Asian Studies course,” Nijhawan adds.
“The program doesn’t have any of its own faculty — all the professors are in other departments. Last I heard, the core courses were no longer being offered, which essentially means no new students could do the program,” says humanities professor Sailaja Krishnamurti, who used to teach the introductory course to South Asian studies.
While there have been no official proposals to shut down the program, enrolment figures are alarmingly low.
“As for the numbers, we have handed out about 10 [to] 15 certificates, but at least as many students were turned away even though they fulfilled the requirements or were about to or would have [fulfilled] them,” says Nijhawan.
“The number of South Asian studies majors and minors is low — about 5 [to] 8. It is true that the program may be discontinued, but this is not yet the case,” she adds.
Third-year history student Faith Rajasingham recounts her attempt to register for the certificate, saying it was frustrating trying to enrol in South Asian studies.
“No professor or staff member had a straight answer when asked about the state of the program. I am appalled that a university with such a high South Asian demographic can’t even keep this program afloat,” says Rajasingham.
Rajasingham expresses her disappointment with the apparent institutional neglect of diaspora programs at York. “I’ve been told that the South Asian studies program is in a limbo state due to decrease in enrolment. In that case, the onus should be on the university to provide adequate funding and advertising for the South Asian program,” she says.
Fourth-year psychology student Roshni Raveenthiran is still awaiting her confirmation of enrolment for the SAST certificate.
“I’ve not been turned away, but have been constantly receiving empty or inconsistent answers about my South Asian studies certificate. If this were about any other degree concern, like psychology, it would be far more prioritized,” says Raveenthiran.
South Asian studies at York is offered through the Department of Social Science, which is housed in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.
York was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
