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Montana State University President Geoff Gamble praises governor and legislature, unveils new university magazine at spring address

Montana State University President Geoff Gamble praised the Montana Legislature and Gov. Brian Schweitzer for financially supporting the Montana University System at his annual spring state-of-the-campus address Tuesday.

Anne Pettinger, MSU News Service

The governor’s proposed College Affordability Plan is "almost unprecedented," Gamble told about 125 faculty, staff and students gathered for the 45-minute address.

"This funding, if it stays in our budget, will enable all of our campuses to freeze tuition — a huge step forward in our efforts to address affordability."

Gamble also praised a bill the legislature passed and Schweitzer signed that provides salary increases for MSU employees. Acknowledging that many MSU employees work several jobs to make ends meet, Gamble pledged to continue to work for higher salaries for MSU employees.

The president noted that funding for several MSU building projects is still alive in the legislature. Earmarked in a pending bill is $28.5 million for the renovation of Gaines Hall, and there is $5 million set aside for projects on the university’s Ag Research stations and $3.5 million designated for the Animal Bioscience building.

"This budget right now is looking very positive, certainly one of the best I’ve seen. If it sticks, we’ll have something to celebrate," Gamble said.

New facilities and improvements to existing ones will ensure that MSU students have the resources they need, Gamble added.

The new chemistry building, the renovated fitness center and the blackbox theatre are all within their budgets and on schedule to be completed in July, while renovations to the Strand Union Building have begun and are expected to be completed in August of 2008, he reported.

Gamble predicted that once the building projects are complete, it will allow faculty and students to accomplish even more.

"We’re going to see an explosion of research and creativity," he said.

Gamble also predicted that recruitment and retention issues are challenges the university must address.

MSU must be very aggressive in recruiting Montana students because the number of college-aged students from the state is falling, he said.

Further, once a student enrolls at MSU, "we have an absolute commitment to that student to make sure they get a degree," he said.

The president also mentioned a recent review of MSU’s athletic programs conducted by the NCAA at his request.

While the NCAA committee’s written report released in February "indicated that we are doing a lot of things very well," Gamble said, it also recommended that the university make improvements in the way it recruits, selects and academically supports many of its student athletes.

Gamble welcomes those suggestions, he said, noting the report, "provided a road map for ways to improve in some specific areas."

"We have already implemented numerous changes that will enable us to better support student athletes," he said. The president noted that he is assembling a group of people to study the report and help carry out its recommendations.

Gamble also unveiled the new university magazine during his address.

"We’ve got Rolling Stone at one end, Newsweek at another," he said. "Now I’d like to present to you Mountains & Minds, for friends of Montana State University."

The magazine represents the best in teaching, research and outreach at MSU and covers the spectrum of the MSU community, Gamble said.

"It has been named Mountains & Minds to reflect the unique duality of MSU — excellent faculty who teach and do research, students who get hands-on learning experience in a spectacular education setting," he explained.

Other recent MSU highlights that Gamble mentioned in his speech included:

Ellie Rudy, an MSU student who is the new national champion in pole vaulting. Rudy is not only a tremendous athlete, but also an outstanding student, Gamble said.

Luke Oltrogge, a chemistry student from Absarokee, who is MSU’s 47th student to be named a winner of the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship.

Brian Johnsrud, an English major from Big Sandy and 2006 graduate, who was named a Rhodes Scholar.

Sarah Codd, an engineering professor, who earned a National Science Foundation Career Award.

MSU was also one of 14 schools — others included Boston College and Yale — selected to receive funding through the Beckman Scholars Program. The program funds five undergraduates $19,300 each to conduct research over two summers and the academic year.

Cathy Conover, (406) 994-4571

http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=4736

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