Montana State University Bozeman - Montanan Yearbook (Bozeman, MT)

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“Moo U, the Udder University.” Montana’s “Cow College.” “Silo State.” MSU has many nicknames chiding its agrarian background. But Montana State University has experienced a change o face and a change of pace in recent years. Always smaller than cross-state rival UM, MSU featured strong agricultural and engineering schools with little emphasis on the liberal arts: drama, English, dance and fine arts. But, Thank God, time has changed that. Growing faster than the weeds in the Experiment Station, MSU's enrollment blossomed from 7800 students in the fall of 1972 to just short of 10.000 in 1977. Housing occupancy hit 106% to 123% capacity in some dormitories. Off-campus rental rates soared. The theatre department, under consideration for closure in 1976, expanded and was the host for Festivention ’78, a convention for theatre departments at various universities and colleges in the Rocky Mountain Region. Students showed more interest in dance in 1977, and the School of Art gained accreditation through NASA, the National Association of Schools of Art. Guitar classes in classical style performance increased in enrollment ten-fold, caused in part by Christopher Parkening moving to Bozeman and teaching in MSU’s School of Music. MSU’s changing face ... changing pace- in enrollment, in people, in academic programs, in athletics ... dominated the year in 1977-78.

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“Once upon a time there was an ugly duckling ” You could call it an “ugly duckling”. Or “black sheep”. Or. more harshly, “bastard child”. By whatever handle you choose. MSU's Department of Film and Television has been in the midst of a controversy and a predicament. The small program gained ground in popularity and publicity and now is a major prize in the program swapping battle. Classified under the College of Arts and Architecture. MSU’s Department of Film and TV was. and still is. desired by University of Montana's School of Journalism. Feeling that it would more effectively augment the radio and televi- sion classes in Missoula than the art classes in Bozeman, th Board of Regents suggested that the program be transferred t the University of Montana. They also felt that the program woul help to attract students to the UM campus that has been expe iencing declining numbers in enrollment during the past fe A years. 18