Former Sacramento State Library Dean Patricia Larsen ? who resigned Feb. 8 after the University received numerous complaints about a comment she made in a speech ? is still waiting for her new university assignment from Provost Bernice Bass de Martinez.

Larsen is currently on paid administrative leave and is receiving her full salary of $121,476.

Larsen was pressured to submit her resignation after she made a derogatory comment on Jan. 30 at a public exhibit commemorating the treatment of Japanese Americans endured in WWII internment camps. During her speech, Larsen used the phrase “Jap Town” when recounting a story her husband told her about his experiences growing up in Loomis.

The “Time of Remembrance” exhibit where Larsen made her speech was held at the Golden State Museum and was sponsored by various organizations, including the Sacramento and Florin chapters of the Japanese American Citizen?s League.

Larsen claims she was caught off-guard by the reactions of her comment and has since written a letter of apology to the sponsoring groups.

Larsen?s resignation came in the wake of numerous complaints to the University prior to her remarks. President Donald Gerth had received letters from prominent members in the Japanese American community expressing their disappointment with Larsen?s handling of the Japanese American Archival Collection.

Larsen came to Sac State in August 1997, after being the Library Dean in El Paso, Texas, and has since been the focus of repeated complaints from the members in the JACL in the past year.

The president of the Sacramento JACL, Dick Ikeda, said that he was “pissed off” when he got a flood of calls, hearing of what happened at the reception. He also said that Larsen?s action was not an isolated incident.

“I was not surprised that the person in question had made this insensitive statement. We have encountered this kind of insulting behavior before from Larsen,” Ikeda said.

Those who attended the event were taken aback when they heard Larsen use the “J-word,” considering her background in working with the JAAC for the past three years, said Marielle Tsukamoto, chair of the JAAC advisory committee.

“I think that we both failed to help her understand how sensitive the impact of a single word could raise so many negative images. My mother used to say that whenever someone would say that word, it feels like someone stabs me in the heart,” Tsukamoto said.

Tsukamoto, who has worked side-by-side with Larsen, feels that this whole incident is a sad blow.

“I don?t think that the dean was intentional with her insult. You know the name Larsen is respected because that family has done so much for the Japanese American community in Loomis. This whole time must be such a blow for them,” Tsukamoto said.

In her defense, a choked up Larsen said that she was devastated that she offended anyone.

“My speech was very brief, but by using that term, it never occurred to me that I would offend anyone. I am truly saddened by all this,” Larsen said.

Larsen also mentioned that she and her husband have a long history of supporting people of different races. She has been personally involved with the JAAC for the past three years. Despite the uproar her use of terminology has caused, Larsen said that she did not get any negative attention that night at the exhibit.

“At the reception, I got nothing but positive feelings and comments after I made my speech,” Larsen said.

Another attendee that night, Georgette Imura, disputes that the overall mood in the audience was positive. If anything, people were shocked and angry, she said.

“We could not believe it. Many people talked about it afterwards. I mean, if she were talking to a group of African Americans, would she use the ?n-word? to illustrate a point in a story? I don?t think so,” Imura said.

Among the disappointment over the choice of words the dean used that night in the museum, Ikeda, Tsukamoto and Imura all agree that the Sac State officials did a commendable job of handling the consequences of the dean?s actions.

“The dean was representing the University that night and her job is one of leadership and great influence. The University needed to send a message that racial insensitivity cannot be tolerated. I don?t think Gerth had a choice,” Tsukamoto said.

President Donald R. Gerth ? who reportedly pressured Larsen for her resignation in February ? was unavailable for comment about when Larsen?s new job assignment would be revealed.