In Carleton's early history, most Asian students enrolled in the school were international students from China and Japan. Under the direction of the Department of International Relations students were given support and community as international students. It wasn't until 1977 that ASIA (Asian Students in America) was created, giving Asian and Asian-American students their own space and community to host speakers, meals, and cultural events. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, new groups were formed to support specific groups in the Asian community and celebrate diversity within the larger community. 

Organizations for which the archive contains a wealth of information have received their own pages here, while other important organizations have limited documentation and are featured on the "Additional Asian Student Organizations" page.