With The September 29th Movement’s controversial mission and student Allan Nosworthy’s hunger strike to “raise awareness about multiculturalism and diversity at Iowa State,” multiculturalism has become a much-debated issue on campus.

Now, the question of whether ISU needs a multicultural center on campus is open to official discussion.

The Government of the Student Body Cabinet is sponsoring a “think tank,” or a discussion, titled “A Multicultural Center on Campus — Do We Need One?”

Members of the GSB Cabinet are asking for all students who are interested to attend and express their opinions on the matter.

The discussion will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at noon in the South Ballroom of the Memorial Union.

Leonard Bell, director of minority relations for the GSB Cabinet and a junior in journalism, will make the opening remarks at the forum.

“It will be a forum for all students to talk,” Bell said. “Nobody’s opinion will go unheard. It’s not a preach-at-you-for-hours thing.

“It is more of the students getting a chance to interact and to come up with solutions.”

Bell said he believes students are interested in making the ISU campus more cohesive.

“[The forum] will be one of many steps that the university will probably take, and if it’s something I believe that the students will want it to happen, I believe the majority of the student body will support it,” Bell said.

Bell said no matter what direction the forum will take, he believes it will be a positive event for ISU.

“I really believe it will be a positive experience because the main purpose [of the forum] is for the students to realize their voice matters on this campus,” Bell said.

Bell said since multiculturalism has been a controversial issue throughout history, it is no surprise not many students are comfortable discussing this issue.

“Most students I know won’t really even talk about it,” Bell said.

“Maybe we have varying views, but that’s what diversity is.”

Bell said though the GSB Cabinet welcomes any faculty or staff who wants to attend the discussion, the forum is first and foremost for the students.

“I encourage all the students to attend. It’s for them, not anybody else. This is their campus,” Bell said.

“I think everyone is trying to work together — we just all need to try at the same time.”

Other members of GSB agreed a multicultural center is an issue of much interest to students.

“Everyone talks about a multicultural center a lot, but there’s has never been a proposal as far as I know,” GSB President Rob Weise said.

“What we want to accomplish [with this forum] is to start out on that process to find out what people want from a multicultural center. We’re open to ideas and input on what people want, he said.”

Weise said he hopes with this level of organization, the forum will help to get the ball rolling for a multicultural center that gives students what they want, not “just a place for people to hang out.”

Weise said President Martin Jischke has been calling GSB headquarters to check on the progress of the planning for the forum.

He said several university officials have expressed their interest in the forum and in the center.

Weise said he hopes for a large turnout.

The direction of the meeting, he said, will be determined largely upon the amount and the opinions of students who attend.