While looking at the pie charts reflecting diversity at Iowa State (“Ethnic, gender diversity part of ISU student recruitment,” Jan. 19), I could see slivers of blue, green and two shades of orange corresponding to percentages of African-American, Asian, Hispanic, and international students. By the key, American Indians were assigned the color white, which I could not see at all.

In fact, the pie chart is accurate. American Indian Studies at Iowa State, which was flourishing in all respects just two years ago, and which offered a rich and varied curriculum both popular and respected by students, has now been almost entirely eliminated.

For example, one member of the American Indian Studies faculty, who will receive an award this spring for publishing five articles in leading journals in four years — an almost unheard-of feat — did not receive tenure due to lack of publication.

Another faculty member snapped up a great position at a flagship school nearby with a reputation for hiring excellent people Iowa State has failed to retain, after publicly stating he was made to feel unwelcome here.

A third faculty member sailed through the tenure process all the way to the provost level, usually a pro forma acknowledgement of departmental and college decisions, only to be rejected there.

Although there is more, I think it is probably clear why there are so few American Indian students at Iowa State, and why there are now even fewer courses available to fulfill the diversity requirements of some 27,000 students.

The elimination of the program seems almost intentional, resulting in the American Indian Studies Program Advisory Committee recently asking the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for his opinion regarding what is wrong with this picture, as well as for remedies to halt the loss of desperately needed diversity at Iowa State.

To date, there has been no reply.

Sidner Larson

Director

American Indian Studies