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Panel urges larger professional role for MSU

A planning committee suggested Tuesday that Montana State University build its reputation on the engineering, agriculture, science and other professional programs with liberal arts playing a supporting role.

Associated Press Billings Gazette

The recommendation by the Strategic Planning Committee immediately ran into criticism from some members of the budget committee.

Jim McMillan, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences, called the relegation of the humanities and social sciences to a subservient role "a glaring omission."

He argued that it would be contrary to the federal Morrill Act of 1862, which created land-grant colleges like MSU to better the lives of the people of the states. The act calls for providing citizens with education in "the classics," he said.

Marilyn Wessel, museum dean, and Tom McCoy, vice president for research, also opposed making the liberal arts a lower priority at MSU.

McCoy said the idea would be "somewhat offensive" to faculty in the social sciences, humanities and arts. The history department has a major grant to improve teaching American history, he said.

Bruce Morton, libraries dean and head of the 12-member strategic committee, defended his group’s recommendation. Morton said members didn’t want to "pander" to every group on campus by having a laundry list naming everything as a priority. He said Geoff Gamble, MSU president, has said the university can’t be all things to all people.

The 21-member budget committee has been struggling over two years to come up with a strategic plan that will choose MSU’s priorities and future direction. That plan is then expected to guide decisions about where money does and doesn’t get spent on campus.

The strategic committee’s first report last month recommended that MSU’s growth should be limited and that recommendation was repeated Tuesday.

Jerry Bancroft, arts and architecture dean, said it was essential that MSU recognize that it depends on tuition dollars from students and must be responsive to its "customers."

Morton disagreed, saying MSU should decide where it wants to grow and not place too much reliance on the changing student market.

Provost Dave Dooley, who heads the budget committee, said the group will continue to discuss the strategic plan in coming weeks.

Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.

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