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

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PROBABLE EXTINCTION by D. Boyd The College of Arts and Archicure mai headed for extinction on the Monts :! extinction on me Monts a University campus. With the propose bu cuts mandated by Governor Ted Schwijj President William Tietz announced n cember 12, 1986 that the College of Arts Architecture would be phased out by 1991. proposal also included a plan to term ate Architecture program also by 1991. The Coi of Arts, (including the schools of ar: m film tv. and theatre arts) would lx rr with the College of Letters and Sciences c ing a new College of Arts and Sciences, h the December speech, student, face ty community support have joined forces to the Architecture program at MSU. In 1975, MSU was growing very rapidly.' the increase in student enrollment, the Col of Professional Schools grew too large and manageable. There were just under 3 00 dents enrolled in this College that inc d« schools of business, nursing, home-e , m film tv, theatre arts. art. architecture industrial art. A decision was made o ci three seperate colleges: the College of Nun the College of Business, and the Colic • of and Architecture. Home-lie joined th Col of Education and Industrial Art joined the( lege of Agriculture. Cheever Hall was milt became the home base for the Deans ffic the College of Arts and Architects e included the remaining three disciplir s. It: remained intact since that time. But Montana has seen some ver economical times. Student enroilmen is down. Agriculture, Montana's 1 revenue has been hit very hard, minir exploration is at an all time low, and have been pulling out of Montana more tap than businesses entering the state. Monti tax base has dwindled and the univers :y syl has become the major bearer of the surd In President Tietz's attempt to co ply the first 9 million dollar cuts requir J by Governor s office, he decided to cut ie art tecture program at MSU, dissolve the adm trative office of the College of Arts a J Art lecture, and proposed other cuts and terif tions throughout the campus. Although P« dent Tietz voiced deep personal anguish at tb proposals, he held strongly to his d isioo But the Architecture students at MSU not lie down and die without a fight I Be dents and faculty joined forces and ani? political upheaval to save one of the St tecture programs in the country. The collc j almost 3000 names on campus in drive to show support for the prog delivered the petition to the Board Rc£ during a regular meeting, overflowin. the room and creating their first show supr and unity for their theme ArchiteoJte • ters. cliff at M ur« : and isine vC J 32

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Banners decorated Cheever Hall with messages depicting the theme. Crosses were constructed with the names of the six remaining colleges printed across them with a hypothetical date of termination included. A mock funeral with a black casket, mourners and a procession through downtown Bozeman, finally ended on campus in the commons area where the eulogy for the architecture program and education in general was heard. The very next day approximately 1500 students from all over the state, arrived at the Office of Higher Education and marched one mile to the Capitol's steps chanting Montana's students' support for higher education in this March for the Future. With President Tictz's plan to go ahead and phase-out architecture a MSU, the National Architecture Accreditation Board (NAAB) de- cided to cancel it's regular planned accreditation visit until an approved phase out plan could be Filed and approved. Without the NAAB approval. there would be no accrctitation. Without continued accretitation, seniors graduating would not be allowed to take the licensing exams to become a registered architect. More and more fuel was added to this already very heated fire. Finally, the architecture students voted on a proposed plan for a $200 per quarter super tuition fee to save the $81,000 per year architecture program cost. Although this amount is in addition to regular tuition fees, most architecture students are relieved that concentrate on academics instead of politics. Dean Ed Grocnhout believes that the program is “over the biggest hurdle”. He is not sure of his and his office's fate in the continued plan to phase out the College of Arts anc rchitr ture. He remarks that he is a patient nani will be watching for reorganization on c pus. As it stands now. Architecture ill hi alone as a professional program. Th Arts i still expected to join Letters and Scie: ?$ wfl four years. The fate of the College of Arts and rchin ture is probably in the hands of the )87 s legislation. In July they will be comi: up the biennial budget that could eith help hurt education. As each day passes, a erniti are examined and challenged. All o Monti will be eagerly watching and wain . for: outcome of one of the most controv; ial its to ever face Higher Education in M ntaw. 34