Lindley Cultural Center
Lindley Cultural Center serves as a place where cultural teaching and learning are the focus of all programs and activities. Its focus is intercultural, and provides a place where members of the university community, representing a variety of backgrounds, participate in programs and activities. All programming in the Center is designed to increase human understanding through the study and expression of culture.
Multicultural Programs' Mission Statement
The Office of Multicultural Programs seeks to provide a diverse range of programs and opportunities that are educational, recreational, social and cultural. Committed to supporting and promoting multicultural awareness, the staff develops programs that increase understanding and appreciation of cultural differences by familiarizing the campus community with the contributions and histories of African American, Hispanic/Latino American, Asian American, and Native American cultures.
Other services include:
a. Support systems to address academic social, and individual needs of minority students
b. Advising and networking for such student organizations as the Black Student Cultural Programming Board (BSCPB), the Ohio University chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), Hispanic Scholars Support Program (HSSP), Native American Awareness Coalition, Asian American Students Organization (AASO), and many others;
c. Sponsorship and involvement in planning professional, educational, and cultural programs such as the annual KWANZAA celebration, Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Awareness Week, Asian American Awareness Week, and various leadership development conferences
Achieving an open, respectful, diverse, yet connected community is our challenge. We invite you to join us.
History of Lindley Cultural Center
During the 1997-1998 academic school year, many meetings were held between and among the President, the Provost, the dean of Arts and Sciences, faculty in African American studies, faculty, staff and students on the advisory Council for Minority Recruitment and retention, Vice President for student Affairs and Administration, the Dean of Students, student leaders from Student Senate and its Black Affairs Commission, Council of African American Student leaders (CAASL), Ohio University's chapter of NAACP, and other interested students faculty and staff.
Theses communications were initiated through a campus forum hosted by Student Senate's Black Affairs Commission (October 1997) and continued through two additional events hosted by CAASL (February 1998) and NAACP (October 1998). The Final gathering featured a presentation by Dr. Fred Horde, executive director of the National Association of Black Culture Centers.
The purposes of these conversations were to determine the most effective ways to improve University support for the African American Studies Department and to improve the quality of campus life for African American and other minority students with a specific emphasis upon recruitment and retention. Student leaders felt strongly that University support needed to be improved, and, as a result, changes have been initiated. The major commitments arising from this effort were:
1. Two additional, tenure track faculty positions were approved to be added to African American Studies Department in order to strengthen the academic program available to students and the University community.
2. Funds in excess of $220,000.00 were provided by the Provost and the Vice President for Administration to renovate and refurbish the Lindley Arts & Cultural Center in order to improve the quality and usefulness of the space.
3. The Division of Student Affairs agreed to provide professional staff support to operate the Lindley Cultural Center, expand its hours, and allow its operations to meet the needs of students. The Provost provided additional support for this specific purpose.
4. The College of Arts & Sciences provided funding to add to the programming and operating account for the Lindley Cultural Center.
5. The Colleges of business, Osteopathic Medicine, and Health & Human services (with others anticipated) provided funding to equip the computer laboratory and resource library in the Lindley Cultural Center.
The Department of Facilities Management, with support from the Vice president for Administration, agreed to manage the renovation of the Center and perform certain work in house, reducing the overall renovation cost.
