Mission Statement

The Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies (CMALS) at the University of Houston was established in 1972 as an interdisciplinary academic program encompassing the liberal arts, education and social sciences focusing on the Mexican American and broader Latino experience in the U.S. Its mission is to advance knowledge, promote critical thinking and foster the value of service to the community. This involves designing a broad spectrum of public and scholarly programs. Located within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, CMALS has evolved into an academic unit with several major components: teaching,  research and publications, recruitment and retention, leadership training, academic advising and community service.