In the mid-1980s a number of new minors were created on campus in order to establish more diverse teaching and learning opportunities. The Multidisciplinary Center for Minority and Women’s Studies was formed in 1985 to oversee several of these emerging and existing minors.

Programs within the Center included African-American Studies, Latin-American Studies, Jewish Studies (though this program was proposed and adopted in the early 1970’s), and Women’s Studies. Following its inception, new programs were established which included Native-American Studies and Asian Studies. Aside from coordinating minors, the Center also helped deal with larger campus concerns involving racism or homophobia. Special events and student activities were fostered to address these concerns.

The Lesbian and Gay Concerns Committee was created in 1987-1988 to offer not only broader representation through an inclusive space, but also seek to change policy language and structure. Over time, the Center changed names several times most recently in 2008 when it was restructured as the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies (CGIS) its current form.