The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) populationcontinues to obfuscate the discourse on diversity and highereducation institutions. The historical and contemporary experiencesof AAPIs in higher education clearly indicate that their presencehas influenced and reinforced the importance of diversity ineducational environments. To contextualize AAPIs'participation in postsecondary education, this monographprovides:* A historical overview of the "model minority"stereotype* The affirmative action debate and AAPIs* Their involvement in the education pipeline* A discussion of their experiences in college.Implications for future research, practice, and policy arefurther discussed. Educators, administrators, faculty, policymakers, and researchers who are concerned with diversity issues andthe AAPI population will find this monograph an engaging andvaluable resource.

Executive Summary viiForeword ixAcknowledgments xiiiIntroduction 1Chapter Summaries and Outline 3Defining "Asian American" 5Research Literature on Race and Asian America 8Limitations of the Review and Analysis 11Historical Overview of the Model Minority Concept 13Are Asian Americans Considered Racial Minorities in HigherEducation? 13The Various Shades of the Yellow Peril 15The Modern "Model Minority" Emerges 18The Model Minority Goes to School 22Asian Americans and the Educational Pipeline: TenuousCitizenship 31Asian American Access to the Educational Pipeline 34Higher Education and Segregation 38Asian American Demands for Equal Representation in HigherEducation 40Affirmative Action and Asian American Admissions 49Affirmative Action Defined 49Affirmative Action Toward the Turn of the Century: (Re)DefiningMerit 52Negative Action Versus Affirmative Action 56The Model Minority Goes to Court: The Impact of Bakke, Gratz,Grutter, and Fisher 58Affirmative Action in Contemporary Asian America 61Potential Implications of the Fisher Ruling 67Influential Factors in the Asian American and Pacific IslanderCollege Student Experience 69Campus Climate 70Identity Development 73Family and Intergenerational Concerns 76Mental Health 78Leadership and Involvement 81College Choice 82Community College 85The Emergence of Asian American and Native American PacificIslander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) 88Conclusions and Recommendations 95Recommendations for Future Research: Purposeful Disaggregationof Data 96Multiracial AAPIs 97Research Beyond the Model Minority 98Implications for Policy 98Implications for Practice 99Challenges Looming on the Horizon: Conflation of AAPI CollegeStudents and Asian International Undergraduates 101Concluding Thoughts 105References 107Name Index 123Subject Index 129About the Authors 135