Public Forums On Montana University System, 8/28-29, Bozeman, Livingston, Belgrade
| August 17, 2007 |  View for printing |
The first in a series of community conversations about the future of the Montana University System will be held Aug. 28 and 29 in Bozeman, Livingston and Belgrade.
Hosted by Montana State University President Geoff Gamble, the public forums will be attended by two members of the Montana Board of Regents, Commissioner of Higher Education Sheila Stearns and Associate Commissioner for Fiscal Affairs Mick Robinson, said Cathy Conover, director of communications and public affairs at MSU. The attending regents will be Steve Barrett of Bozeman and Todd Buchanan of Billings.
"This is the first of a number of visits across the state and is an opportunity for representatives of the university system to open a dialogue with community leaders about the future of the system and how we can best meet the needs of our students and the state," Conover said.
The community conversations will continue through October with other schools in the university system as hosts, Conover said. Future forums will be held in Havre, Great Falls, Miles City, Glendive, Helena, Billings, Butte, Dillon and Missoula/Bitterroot.
Stearns and Dave Gibson, associate commissioner of higher education at the time, traveled around Montana last year to learn how the university system could address the state's healthcare needs, but this year's meetings will take a broader approach, Conover said. The input will be incorporated into the regents' strategic planning.
"Once you develop a strategic plan, you have to continue reviewing and updating the plan so that it continues to be current and is addressing needs as they evolve," Conover said.
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education: http://mus.edu/che/che.asp
The schedule and location of the first round of forums are:
Tuesday, Aug. 28:
9 a.m. -- Bozeman at the Holiday Inn, 5 East Baxter Lane.
3 p.m. -- Bozeman at the Strand Union Building, Ballroom B, on the MSU campus.
Wednesday, Aug. 29:
7 a.m. -- Livingston at the Yellowstone Inn, 1515 West Park.
10 a.m. -- Bozeman at the Farm Bureau building, 502 S. 19th Ave.
1:30 p.m. -- Belgrade at the Community Library, 106 N. Broadway.
Evelyn Boswell, (406) 994-5135 or evelynb@montana.edu 
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