Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Campus Reorganization: How Have The Campuses And Communities Fared? Study Bill Aims To Find Out

The Montana State Capitol building in Helena.
Jackie Yamanaka
/
Yellowstone Public Radio

The House Education Committee approved an interim study bill to review the current structure of the Montana University system.

In 1994, the Montana Board of Regents took the separate campuses and consolidated them under either the University of Montana or Montana State University.

Representative Kathy Kelker, D-Billings, said House Joint Resolution 27 would look at how that reorganization has fared over the past 2 dozen years.

“I think it’s of great importance because as you probably realize some of the units in the university system are struggling right now,” Kelker said. “And I think we have an obligation, as the funders of that system, to take a look at what works and what doesn’t work and come up with some good suggestions.”

No one spoke in favor of or against HJ 27.

During executive action in the House Education Committee, Representative Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, spoke in support of the study resolution. He said his family has had long ties to MSU-Northern.

“And in talking with a lot of the professors I’ve gotten to know over the years who have worked there for 30 years, they’ve said that the day that they changed the structure of the university system was the day that a lot of things kinda went downhill,” he said.

Representative Bryce Bennett, D-Missoula, said as a legislator from a community with a struggling campus, this issue is timely.

“I know that on campus and in our community, they’re having these discussions about how we can be more effective, how we can do more to connect to the needs of the workforce that exists right now and I think having the legislature as a partner in those conversations is a good step,” Bennett said.

U-M is just one of the campuses struggling with falling enrollment and as a result, falling revenue and program and staff cuts. Another is MSU Billings.

Representative Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, also supported the bill because it would look at how higher education restructuring has served the workforce development needs in the communities and the region.

“I think it really needs to be the heart and soul of this study,” he said.

He said the world has changed significantly since 1994.

HJ 27 now goes to the House floor for debate. If approved, an interim study committee would be formed. Any findings, conclusions, comments or recommendations would be reported to the 66th Legislature that convenes in 2019.