The newly created Center for American Intercultural Studies – the only program of its kind in Iowa – will be formally inaugurated Monday.

The opening ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. in 208 Carver Hall with a speech from ISU President Gregory Geoffroy.

The Center will pull together four programs into one – American Indian Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies and U.S. Latino Studies.

“It will create an academic and cultural environment where minorities feel comfortable,” said Eugenio Matibag, associate professor of foreign languages and interim director for the center. “There should be a campus climate congenial to a diverse student body. This will be dedicated to promoting cultural and ethnic diversity on campus.”

Earlier this year, all seven members of the American Indian Studies Program resigned to protest what they said was the decline of their program and the consolidation of the program with other multicultural studies programs, which they said contradicted national American Indian Studies standards. Remaining American Indian Studies program member and director Sidner Larson later said, however, he believed the integrity of his program would remain intact in the center and his focus would be on “helping the center to support the individual and unique issues of each of the four ethnic studies programs,” according to Daily staff reports.

Other speakers attending the opening ceremony will include Michael Whiteford, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Rose Vasquez, member of the Board of Regents.