Montana State University research grants remain high at $96 million

Research spending at Montana State University in 2008 totaled $96.1 million, a $6 million drop from the year before, but university officials said MSU did quite well considering that federal research money has tightened and competition has become fiercer.

“Every university has seen a decrease in federal grants and contracts,” MSU President Geoff Gamble said. MSU’s performance, Gamble added, “is very good, from the national perspective.”

Research spending at MSU hit a peak in 2006 of $103 million. In 2007, it slipped to $102.1 million and in the 2008 fiscal year ending June 30, the total declined to $96.1 million. This year’s drop of nearly 6 percent was the university’s largest setback in two decades.

“We’re definitely still very proud of the ability of our faculty to remain competitive and actually keep our expenditures at a level near $100 million during a time that’s seen precipitous drops in funding and a substantial increase in faculty … applying for a much smaller pie,” said Tom McCoy, vice president for research http://www.montana.edu/wwwvr/index.html .

By GAIL SCHONTZLER Chronicle Staff Writer

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