Penn State announced the establishment of an American Indian Education Research Center on Tuesday in an attempt to increase research into American Indian and Alaskan Native heritage and culture.

The center, which will be housed in 300 Rackley, does not yet have a scheduled opening date, though it will likely be sometime in mid-July, said John Tippeconnic, one of the center's directors.

Tippeconnic, who currently serves as director of the American Indian Leadership Program (AILP), and Susan Faircloth, who is the assistant professor of educational leadership, will direct the center.

The center is meant to address significant problems in American Indian research by conducting additional research to improve education for American Indians nationwide, Tippeconnic said.

"We hope to serve as a clearinghouse for American Indian education," Tippeconnic said. "We hope to be a resource for others around the nation."

Tippeconnic's and Faircloth's positions as co-directors will also require them to expand research activities within the university.

"We will be the people who will be in charge of day-to-day operations, looking for sources of funding, conducting research projects and working with students," Faircloth said.

The university has been planning the center's establishment for about four months.

"We've been talking about it for the last few months, and as we reach the 40th anniversary of the American Indian Leadership Program, we've been thinking about ways to expand the program," Faircloth said.

The directors have been in contact with David Monk, who is the dean for the College of Education, who in turn speaks with the university's provost, which is Rodney Erickson, Faircloth said.

Tippeconnic said that there will be a working relationship between both the center and the AILP despite the fact that the programs' focuses and goals are significantly different.

"The leadership program has been here a long time, and it prepares leaders in Indian education, primarily like principals and superintendents," Tippeconnic said. "The research center will be closely related but the focus will be more on research."

Tippeconnic added that the center's establishment is a step toward Penn State becoming a national leader in American Indian education research.

"It's a nice step for Penn State to establish this," Tippeconnic said.