A ribbon cutting for the University of Southern Indiana’s UC expansion project, dubbed the “UC East,” will take place on Thursday beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Students at USI have awaited the completion of UC East for nearly two years, and now the building is finally open to the public.

UC East provides new eating opportunities for students, faculty and visitors in the form of two new restaurants: Salsa Rico and Cyclone Salads. UC East also provides a spot for student organizations to meet and for students to gather and relax.

At the ceremony, the USI board of trustees, legislators, local company officials whose products were used in the building and student organizations will gather to view a short presentation led by USI’s President Linda Bennett and SGA President Hope Fussner.

USI’s student guides, the Amigo’s, will be in attendance to distribute maps and to guide guests on tours around the building. Various student organizations will be sponsoring activities for the event.

Cindy Brinker, vice president of government and university relations, said the location of the ceremony is dependent of the weather. Unpleasant elements will move the ceremony within the food court inside of the cone.

Brinker said the affair will be very similar to the Business and Engineering ribbon cutting that took place at the beginning of the school year.