Taiwanese American Students Association 2007-2008

TASA University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

FAQ's | Page 1 | Page 2

How can I become a member?

Attend any of our events, sign up, and purchase a membership card for $5, which will not only give substantial discounts at certain TASA events, but also at Hua Xing Asian Grocery, Saigon Garden, New Age Hair Salon, Panchero's, Stucchi's, T.K. Wu, Bubble Island, NYPD, Lucky Kitchen, Kai Garden, Mr. Spot's, Oriental Express, Rod's Dinner, and Sadako. The MICHIGAN TAIWANESE shirt can be purchased for $5.

What is a tasa family?

TASA splits up its members into "families" and assigns the family members to two officers who are to be their "TASA parents" for the year. Throughout the year, families will hold their own family events and compete against other families in family competitions. TASA families are a great way for officers and members to get to know each other better.

What are the mission and vision of tasa?

Basically we want foster a sense of community while helping individuals determine what Taiwanese-American identity means to them by providing various resources, such as cultural activities, topical discussions, and an environment to share personal experiences. Here's the formal mission/vision:

"The Taiwanese-American Student Association [TASA] at the University of Michigan exists to preserve and to promote understanding of the Taiwanese culture for second generation Taiwanese-American students at the U of M, and to foster networks among fellow Taiwanese-Americans on campus and in the community.

What is tasa's Mission Statement?

TASA shall endeavor to develop each member's Taiwanese-American Identity, explore the Taiwanese heritage and culture, reach out to other student organizations as well as the community, and establish a supportive and unified network of Taiwanese Americans on campus. We welcome the membership of all persons who shall respect the spirit of TASA. Though TASA serves to engender consciousness of Taiwanese American issues, we espouse no particular political viewpoint."

Why are there three Taiwanese organizations at the University of Michigan? How are they different?

The three Taiwanese organizations are the Michigan Taiwanese Students Association [MTSA], the Taiwan Students Association [TWSA], and the Taiwanese-American Students' Association [TASA]. MTSA's members are primarily graduate international Taiwanese students. They conduct both social and cultural events with a stronger emphasis on culture. Most of their events are conducted Mandarin Chinese with some Taiwanese and English. TWSA's events are mostly conducted in Mandarin Chinese. TWSA does not hold to any particular political viewpoint. Their events and activities are more socially and culturally-oriented. Members are a mix of undergrad and grad students who have lived in Taiwan for at least part of their lives. TASA mainly focuses on issues that affect Taiwanese-Americans, which is a group whose identity varies across the board. TASA does not cling to a certain political viewpoint; however, some may argue that the term "Taiwanese" is a political statement in it of itself. Many of our members were born in North America, or spent most of their lives here. Our meetings are conducted in English, but we sponsor activities that promote learning of the Taiwanese language. TASA also works closely with other APA organizations on campus. This year MTSA, TWSA, and TASA hope to collaborate more frequently, in addition to our annual Taste of Taiwan dinner.

 

 

 

We are a non-profit student organization, and we are not politically affiliated.