History
SEASSI was established in 1983 to provide high quality intensive language
instruction in at least eight of the major Southeast Asian languages
at one location during the summer. It was and remains a unique program
of area language training that combines institutional, federal, and
foundation funding to bring faculty and students together in a single
location every summer.
SEASSI is an integral part of a nationwide network of language teaching
faculty from the institutions that are members of the SEASSI Consortium: Cornell
University, Michigan State University, Northern
Illinois University, Ohio
University, University
of California-Berkeley, University
of California-Los Angeles, University
of Hawaii-Manoa, University
of Michigan, University
of Washington, and University
of Wisconsin-Madison.. Representatives from these institutions meet annually
to discuss SEASSI, and all major decisions regarding the institute must
be approved by the SEASSI Board.
SEASSI has been hosted by institutions known for their strong Southeast
Asian Studies programs. The first full-scale institute was held at the
University of Michigan in the summer of 1984. From 1984 through 1999, SEASSI
moved every two years to a different campus. Since 2000, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been the host of SEASSI. Host institutions,
years, and enrollment statistics are summarized below:
University of
Michigan - 1984 ( 84); 1985 (110)
Northern Illinois
University - 1986 (117); 1987 (113)
University of
Hawaii - 1988 (165); 1989 (158)
Cornell
University - 1990 (136); 1991 (169)
University
of Washington - 1992 (193); 1993 (172)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- 1994 (185); 1995 (206); 2000-2014 (average 130 students per summer)
Arizona State
University - 1996 (120); 1997 (120)
University of Oregon - 1998 (137); 1999
