In response to a program that is said to be declining, all seven members of the American Indian Studies Program advisory committee resigned last week, sparking a debate about the future of the program at Iowa State.

The resignations came after a plan was announced to consolidate four multicultural studies programs at Iowa State into the Center for American Intercultural Studies.

“We didn’t feel the mission and goal of the new center would fit in with the methodologies and research of American Indian Studies,” said Lawrence Gross, assistant professor of religious studies and former committee member. “Before the forced movement into this new center, the program was one of the best in this area with our peer institutions.”

In a letter the committee sent to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, members wrote, “The American Indian Studies Program … is a disgrace to both Iowa State University and Indian people across the nation.”

American Indian Studies is planned to merge with African-American Studies, Asian-American Studies and U.S. Latino/a Studies in the new center. An interdisciplinary major in American Intercultural Studies is planned.

Michael Whiteford, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said the decision was meant to strengthen the programs.

“This is one of my priorities; by no means has anybody ever said this is a cost-saving method,” he said. “And we see this as an opportunity to develop a cutting-edge center.”

Gross said former members of the advisory committee were not adequately consulted before the consolidation.

Whiteford said the discussions on consolidation had been going on since the term of former LAS Dean Peter Rabideau in 2001. He said the advisory committee should have been informed about the consolidation through its program’s head, Sidner Larson, associate professor of English.

Larson could not be reached for comment.

“We felt it was up to the programs themselves to communicate to the faculty or to the advisory councils,” Whiteford said.

Gross said the decision of members to resign was because of the decline of the program, in addition to the denial of tenure to two American Indian Studies faculty members was also a cause for concern within the committee.

“We felt our department had an unwarranted, substantial share of negative tenure decisions,” he said. “We’ve gone from five faculty last year, to three this year and now to one.”

Sidner Larson recently signed a contract to continue as the director of the American Indian Studies Program. He will be the only returning faculty member in the program.

According to the ISU catalog, American Indian Studies offers 12 undergraduate courses.

Whiteford said the two openings because of negative tenure decisions would be filled, in addition to any other hires the new center makes.