MSU Student Guide 2023

2023

MONTANA STATE

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The trees surrounding Montana Hall change color on campus, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.

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The trees surrounding Montana Hall change color on campus, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.

CONDUCT PHYSIOLOGIC AND BIOMECHANICAL ASSESSMENTS FOR U.S. BIATHLON

By ANNE CANTRELL MSU News Service

Three Montana State University exercise science students recently received hands-on research experience while simultaneously providing valuable data for the U.S. Biathlon national team.

The students – graduate student Ashlyn Baird and undergraduates Tim Cobb and Riley Hagger – traveled to Lake Placid, New York, along with MSU associate professor James Becker from the MSU Department of Food Systems, Nutrition, and Kinesiology, to conduct tests assessing both the physiology and ski technique of 12 biathletes on the U.S. national team. The group also conducted tests on three athletes from Project X, the national team’s development group. The testing took place at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center over four days during a training camp.

Biathlon is a sport combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Athletes ski through a course carrying a rifle on their

back, and they must stop at a shooting range each lap to hit metal targets. Missed shots result in penalty laps or time added on to each athlete’s result.

The majority of Becker’s and the students’ time was spent conducting VO2 max tests, a measurement generally considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance. The test is typically performed on a treadmill or bike while the athlete is connected to a machine capable of analyzing the athlete’s expired air. The test provides data on how much oxygen an athlete uses as they exercise and determines the maximum amount of oxygen an athlete can use during intense exercise.

For these tests, the athletes used a highly sport-specific mode, having their VO2 max measured while they roller skied on a large treadmill.

As the test went on, the students increased the speed and grade of the treadmill to boost the intensity of the activity, changing settings every few minutes until athletes reached their maximal

oxygen consumption and could not continue. As athletes took brief pauses from roller skiing, the students took blood lactate samples from the athletes to gather data. Blood lactate concentrations can be used to help determine training zones, as well as provide insight into how much the athlete is relying on aerobic or anaerobic systems for energy production.

Becker said that while a high VO2 max is important for Nordic skiers and biathletes, it’s also important how efficient and economical the skier is, which is largely dependent on skiing biomechanics.

“If your VO2 max isn’t as high, but you’re efficient, you might be a faster skier (than someone with a higher VO2 max but less

efficiency),” he said.

In addition to the VO2 max tests, the team performed an efficiency test on each biathlete. For this test, the athlete’s oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were monitored while they skied for five minutes at a fast but submaximal pace. The researchers could then evaluate what percentage of their maximum VO2 the athletes were using to ski at this pace.

“A more economical skier will use a lower percentage of their VO2 max,” Becker explained.

The researchers also evaluated the athletes’ skiing biomechanics to help determine their efficiency.

Pressure sensors in boots measured how much force the biathletes applied to their skis, as well as how and where the

Photo courtesy U.S. Biathlon Montana State University exercise science students, from left, Ashlyn Baird, Riley Hagger, associate professor James Becker and student Tim Cobb place instruments on athlete Vincent Bonacci at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York. The MSU students worked to conduct physiologic and biomechanical assessments with athletes for the U.S. Biathlon national team.

force was distributed under their feet, and accelerometers on the athletes’ poles and pelvis measured their poling cadences and whole body center of mass motion.

“It was a pretty comprehensive assessment of both physiology and ski technique,” Becker said.

Becker noted that all of the data gathered is valuable to the athletes because it helps them create their training plans as well as identify areas of ski technique that they can improve.

“This testing provides really detailed feedback that helps them decide how intense they should be going in a given training session based on their goal for training that session,” he said. “In addition, sometimes someone can become a faster skier by fixing technique alone, without any real changes in physiology metrics.”

Becker said he and the students routinely conduct similar testing at an MSU lab for both skiers and runners, and – with the exception of the treadmill – brought all of their own equipment to Lake Placid.

Becker said he and some students started out working with biathletes who ski for the Crosscut Mountain Sports Center’s team, which led to the collaboration that took them to Lake Placid. Crosscut is a local nonprofit organization that operates a mountain sports center in Bridger Canyon.

Lowell Bailey, director of high performance for the U.S. Biathlon team and a former

Olympic biathlete who previously served as the executive director of Crosscut, said Becker and the MSU students are providing a “critically important” set of data to U.S. Biathlon.

“Without these valuable tests, it’s hard to really understand how athletes are improving and how the training program is working,” he said. “Already with these initial tests, we have learned so much about how our athletes are progressing in the training year. We’ve used the data to inform how we set up the training, and it’s definitely made a difference already.”

Bailey added that the team plans to replicate the tests later in the year to monitor progress over time.

“It is our hope that every athlete is improving from test to test, but if they are not, that tells us something too, and in that case, it gives us a chance to make an adjustment in a proactive way, before we are in the middle of the competition season,” Bailey said. “All in all, we are ever grateful to MSU for providing the opportunity to work with Jim and his team and we look forward to what’s to come.”

The MSU group plans to return to Lake Placid in September to conduct follow-up testing for the biathletes, allowing them insight into how their bodies have adapted to continued training.

Baird, who has a bachelor’s degree from MSU in exercise science and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in exercise and nutrition science, said she

had been planning to focus her graduate research on the biomechanics of uphill trail running, but her experience in Lake Placid led to a desire to broaden her work. She now plans to focus her research on biathletes, whose training programs include skiing in the winter and trail running in the summer.

Becker noted that the students’

travel expenses were funded by an MSU Faculty Excellence Grant.

“We very much appreciate the support this grant program provides for projects like ours,” Becker said. “Certainly for the students, being at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center and working with some of the best athletes in the world was a really interesting and unique opportunity for (the students).”

Photo courtesy U.S. Biathlon. Montana State University students, from left, Riley Hagger, Ashley Baird and professor James Becker are pictured at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York in 2023. The team from the MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development worked to conduct physiologic and biomechanical assessments for athletes with the U.S. Biathlon national team.

Bozeman’s TRANSIT SERVICE USING

Bozeman has a free public bus system that picks up passengers on Montana State University’s campus. It has a fleet of buses that zip all around town and to Belgrade, Livingston and Big Sky.

Streamline’s canary yellow buses follow five fixed routes around and out of town every day. There’s also a late-night service that runs until 2 a.m. The service offers bidirectional routes — meaning the service will travel in both directions instead of a loop, as it has done for more than a decade — and with multiple stops in west Bozeman.

THE FARE-FREE SERVICE

The local nonprofit Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) operates Streamline at no cost to passengers. All buses are wheelchair accessible. The bus service also accommodates cyclists. Buses are equipped with bike racks and Streamline rents bike lockers on MSU’s campus to keep bikes safe for commuters.

Streamline’s Blueline travels north and south and stops at MSU, downtown, Walmart, Target and Gallatin Center. The Goldline goes from MSU to west Bozeman, including stops at the Gallatin Valley Mall and in neighborhoods on Fallon Street, North Ferguson Avenue, West

Street. The Purpleline stops at Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital, in downtown Bozeman, at the Gallatin Valley mall and west to Cottonwood Road. The Brownline stops downtown, at

the Gallatin County Fairgrounds then west along Durston Road and Oak Street to Gallatin High School.

Weekday service in Bozeman runs from around 7 a.m. to around 9:30 p.m., depending

on the stop. Weekend service operates from around 9 a.m. to around 5 p.m.

Streamline also offers at Latenight route, which runs between MSU and downtown with stops on 19th and 8th

avenues from around 8 p.m. to around 2 a.m.

The Pinkline to and from Belgrade — the home of Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport — stops at Walmart in Bozeman, a park and ride in Belgrade and Belgrade High School. Streamline also offers trips to Livingston, a town of about 8,000 and gateway to the Paradise Valley along the Yellowstone River. The service runs seasonally Monday through Friday from 5:50 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. from Oct. 18 through April 15.

A full schedule of Streamline’s daytime and late night stops are available online at streamlinebus. com. The app RouteShout, available on Apple and Android

phones, gives up-to-the-minute information on when buses will arrive or if they’re delayed.

Connecting to the mountains

Skyline is a year-round bus service that connects Gallatin Valley to Big Sky Resort. It stops in Bozeman at Walmart, MSU, Four Corners and Gallatin Gateway Inn before heading up Gallatin Canyon.

The route is called The Link Express and is scheduled to make two trips back and forth from Big Sky in the morning and the evening every day until Nov. 21.

Skyline also offers routes that make stops in Mountain Village in Big Sky, at area hotels and at Moonlight Basin. More information and pass prices can be found at skylinebus.com.

Pallets pollute.

A BETTER

Future

MSU PRESIDENT LOOKS AHEAD TO NEW SCHOOL

YEAR

CHRONICLE STAFF

Ahead of the new academic year, the Chronicle connected with Waded Cruzado, president of Montana State University, to reflect on the prior year and look at what all’s in store for the Bobcats moving forward. This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Looking back at the ‘22-’23 year, what accomplishments from students, faculty and staff stand out?

Waded Cruzado: It was a year of achievement for Montana State on all fronts. In the classroom, our students earned honors and recognitions at the national level. We had a new Truman Scholar, a Newman Civic Fellow, a Udall Scholarship and two additional Goldwater Scholars, who solidified our place as the top producer of Goldwater Scholars in the West. Beyond those, we had Fulbright fellows, a Boren Award and 11 National

Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.

We are also welcoming this fall the latest class of MSU Hilleman Scholars. Each year more than 50 students from across Montana join this program, which provides substantial financial and academic support. The MSU Hilleman Scholars are students who show great potential for success but who might not have considered college as an option. It’s named for MSU alumnus Maurice Hilleman, who in his youth in Miles City, also didn’t think college was an option until he earned a scholarship to MSU. After earning his degree here, he went on to be the world’s foremost vaccinologist, saving hundreds of millions of lives worldwide. If the MSU Hilleman Scholars program produces graduates who live up to even a fraction of that potential, think of the good it will do for our country and our world!

Among the faculty, we honored four of our professors with the

MSU Presidential Medallion for Achievement: Dana Longcope, Joan Broderick, Alexandra Adams and Peter Buerhaus. Each of them earned election by their peers to national academies in their fields. Regents Professor Neil Cornish was part of a team of astrophysicists that discovered evidence for low-frequency gravitational waves, a major discovery based on 15 years of data that furthers human understanding of gravitational waves.

Our faculty continue to pursue and receive grant awards. Those include $5 million from the USDA to study Indigenous food sovereignty, $1 million to study the potential economic impacts of quantum computing, $4.1 million to train counselors for working rural Montana schools,

$4 million to increase the number of clinical nursing faculty across the West, and $6.5 million to continue the NASA eclipse ballooning project to help bring hands-on science to schoolkids across America. And MSU will continue as the host institution for the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program for a further 10 years, during which time the program will distribute $100 million in grants to agricultural producers and researchers across our state and region.

In all, MSU’s research expenditures for last year topped $200 million, an all-time high. We are the largest research enterprise in the state by far, creating knowledge to help transform communities and lives. We can hardly wait for the

Montana State University President Waded Cruzado leads the Fall 2022 Montana State University commencement ceremony on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.

new academic year! On Aug. 22, we will welcome Stephanie Land as the speaker for MSU’s First Year Student Convocation in the Fieldhouse. She is the author of “Maid,” a powerful memoir about her experience with food and housing insecurity as a single mother. The book was a bestseller and has been made into a Netflix series, and it is a testament to how hope, combined with determination, can help individuals conquer challenges and forge new paths for themselves.

A little later in the semester, we will also welcome author and poet Javier Zamora to deliver a keynote address to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month at MSU. He is the author of “Solito,” which tells of his nine-week journey from El Salvador to the U.S. to reunite with his parents at the age of 9. His talk will address the subjects of immigration, family, culture and language and will be on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in the SUB Ballrooms.

BDC: How did the athletic teams follow up from the big ‘21’22 year, the “Year of the Bobcat”?

WC: What about those Bobcats! Our student-athletes have had one of the greatest periods of sustained success in MSU history. Our teams claimed their second straight Big Sky Men’s All-Sports Trophy and finished second in the standings for the Women’s AllSports Trophy for 2022–23. We won conference championships for men’s and women’s basketball during the most recent academic year, finished in the top three

in men’s and women’s crosscountry, indoor and outdoor track, golf and men’s basketball. Our skiing and rodeo programs also finished among the top 10 teams in the nation. That led us to win our third-ever Big Sky Conference Presidents’ Cup, which is a tremendous accomplishment. And let’s not forget that Cat-Griz victory at the Brawl of the Wild that gained national notoriety thanks to ESPN College GameDay making its first ever stop in Montana at MSU, at what the broadcasters said was the coldest GameDay in the history of the ESPN program.

BDC: What’s the outlook for the various construction projects on campus as MSU continues to expand its facilities?

WC: Progress continues on our MSU Student Wellness Center. When we open this coming spring, this 160,000-squarefoot facility will be a one-stop shop for student wellness needs, whether that means exercise, medical or dental treatment, or mental health services. Wellness is important to student success, and this facility will help our students stay healthy and stay in school. That project is being funded by student fees, which the students voted to support and which were approved by the Board of Regents.

While on the subject of the MSU Student Wellness Center, I’d like to touch on the mental health support that MSU provides for its students.

To meet student demand for mental health service, MSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services offers short-term counseling specifically designed and staffed to meet students’ needs. Students work with a counselor to determine the right treatment for them individually and students experiencing a mental health crisis are always seen immediately. In fact, MSU leads the state in the number and quality of suicide prevention resources available. In the past 12 years, MSU has made significant investment in Counseling and Psychological Services, increasing its funding from $330,000 supporting eight staff in FY12 to

Rachel Leathe/Chronicle

Montana State University President Waded Cruzado leads the Fall 2022 Montana State University commencement ceremony on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.

$1.23 million supporting 21 staff today. In short, we support our students’ wellness needs, both physically and mentally.

In 2024, we’re also looking to break ground on Gianforte Hall, another addition to the South Campus District. The hall will be located near Norm Asbjornson Hall along Seventh Avenue and will be the home of computer science, cybersecurity, electrical and computer engineering and related creative fields, providing a collaborative space where students and faculty from these areas can work together and create knowledge and art. That project is funded by a $50 million donation from the Gianforte Family Foundation.

We are also making plans for the new on-campus nursing building, to be located near the corner of 11th and Grant, which will be the home of the College of Nursing, helping MSU to help the state meet its nursing workforce needs by 2030. You’ll recall of course that this building, and new buildings on each of the other nursing campuses MSU maintains around Montana, is funded by the historic $101 million philanthropic investment from Mark and Robyn Jones.

BDC: Are there any highlights from efforts that were made during the Legislative session earlier this year, in terms of advancing the legislative agenda of the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education and Board of Regents?

WC: Some of the highlights

from the Legislature included the passage of the state employee pay plan, which is one of the largest biennial wage increases to state employees in recent times. It provides increases of $1.50 per hour or 4%, whichever is greater, in FY24 and FY25, and that went into effect July 1. The legislation also included a one-time bonus for employees as well.

The state infrastructure bill included $23.5 million funding for Gallatin College MSU, provided that the university raises another $22.5 million in private donations. This is a major step forward in securing a dedicated building for Gallatin College, which sorely needs the space to continue growing to serve the workforce needs of southwest Montana.

Other highlights included the appropriation of $10 million for life-safety and program improvements at the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station BART Farm and $352,000 to the Fire Services Training School, part of MSU Extension.

BDC: How is MSU approaching staffing, employee retention and housing (for employees and students) in the coming semesters?

WC: We are a growing university. Since 2011, when about 24% of our 13,300 students lived in MSU housing, the university has spent more than $115 million on expanding and improving student housing, increasing the overall capacity on campus considerably while building new facilities that are

highly efficient and sustainable. Now, approximately 30% of the 16,700 MSU students live in university housing, and overall campus housing has been at or near capacity for a decade: A larger percentage of a large base of students now live on campus. In addition, the university is exploring options for another new residential facility. These planning efforts were approved by the Board of Regents in November.

A new facility would not only accommodate the demand that we currently have – remember that freshmen students must live on campus their first year – but also allow for enrollment growth and provide flexibility in so MSU has space to begin renovating older housing facilities. Student housing has been at or near capacity for a decade, leaving almost no room to both deal with increased demand and the need for maintenance and renovations.

In terms of filling vacant faculty positions, the university has seen great success, filling all of the approximately 50 available faculty positions for this school year. It’s a sign that MSU is an attractive place for teachers and researchers, and which provides competitive pay and benefits.

In terms of administrative and support staff, we are working diligently to fill open positions and doing what we can do improve wages across the board and retain employees. We recently implemented pay increases authorized by the Board of Regents and Office of

the Commissioner of Higher Education as part of the negotiated pay plan for the state of Montana approved by the Legislature in 2021. That went into effect in November.

BDC: With the understanding that official enrollment figures won’t be available until later, how are the preliminary figures looking?

WC: You’re correct that it’s early. Official figures will not be released until after our annual fall census after the 15th class day. Our trend has been consistently upward in terms of numbers the past decade, of course. A lot of that growth has been led by Gallatin College , our two-year college that offers career technical education and vocational technical programs. Gallatin College has been our fastest growing college for several years in a row, going from 228 students in 2012 to some 750 students last fall, an increase of 229%. Open access and affordable workforce development, like that which Gallatin College provides, support a vibrant local economy.

Overall, enrollment at Montana State University looks strong once again. I am humbled by the number of students who choose to invest not only their tuition dollars but also years of time and effort in Montana State. It speaks to the value they see in a degree from MSU, that the opportunities they can find here will transform their lives for the better. And, I believe, that will lead to a better future for Montana and the nation as a whole.

HOW TO

IN FOUR YEARS

PICK A MAJOR EARLY ON

While this step is not required to graduate in four years, knowing what you want to major in early in college can help in a big way. Having a specific or even general idea of what you wish to focus on will lead you in the right direction toward taking classes needed for your degree. If you know what you want to do, don’t be afraid to declare early and find an adviser.

TAKE GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FIRST

Getting required core classes out of the way can help you focus on major-specific classes down the road. Additionally, taking a wide array of subjects in the beginning of your college career can help you decide a major. Some of the general classes are also prerequisites for higher-level courses.

DOUBLE DIP CORE CLASSES

Some general education courses fulfill multiple core requirements, which allows students to knock out core requirements quicker and frees up time to take major-specific classes. For

example, a student could take the introductory biochemistry class, which satisfies both the university’s research and natural science inquiry requirements in lieu of taking a course for each requirement. It’s possible for a student to complete up to three requirements in a single class.

Meet with your adviser

Advisers are your resource to use, so make sure to ask for help. Academic advisers can help you plan your schedule, talk about your college path and help you overcome bumps in the road. Try to meet with an adviser at least once a semester to stay on track for graduation.

LOAD UP

Don’t shy away from signing up for a full load of courses. As a general rule, five classes a semester is a good way to set yourself on track for a four-year degree. However, it is important to pay attention to the number of credits offered per class, because some classes have more or less than the average of three credits. Try to take at least 15 credits a semester.

USE YOUR AP SCORES

Doing well on advanced

placement tests in high school can give you a boost in college.

Scoring a three or above on AP tests can earn you credit at MSU. Furthermore, some AP class-equivalent courses are prerequisites for higher level classes, which means you can take them earlier in college and not repeat something you have already learned. Be sure to send in your scores to the registrar to receive credit.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUMMER CLASSES

Attending school in the summer might sound like a bore, but summer classes are a great way to further your progress toward a degree. Summer classes are typically shorter than their fall and spring counterparts and can help you efficiently work toward completing your major. For students who work or leave Bozeman for the summer, try an online class.

Main Street

Serving Breakfast & Lunch

20%

Samuel Wilson/Chronicle Students walk around the Montana State University campus on Monday, April 10, 2023.

GETTING Out

A GUIDE TO SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING AROUND

PICK A MAJOR EARLY ON

While this step is not required to graduate in four years, knowing what you want to major in early in college can help in a big way. Having a specific or even general idea of what you wish to focus on will lead you in the right direction toward taking classes needed for your degree. If you know what you want to do, don’t be afraid to declare early and find an adviser.

BRIDGER BOWL SKI

AREA — A 30-minute drive from Bozeman, Bridger Bowl Ski Area is the closest ski area to Bozeman, boasting 2,000 acres of skiable terrain in the Bridger Range.

Popular among locals and families, Bridger Bowl lies on leased U.S. Forest Service land and is run by a nonprofit. People can ride eight chairlifts, three surface lifts and, in some places, hike to access expert terrain. Bridger Bowl sees about 300 inches of snowfall a year on average. There is plenty of terrain

BOZEMAN

for beginners and intermediate skiers on the lower mountain, but challenging expert terrain draws droves of experienced skiers to the upper mountains. A chunk of expert terrain called the “Ridge” is ungroomed and only accessible by foot from the tops of Bridger and Schlasman’s lifts. Avalanche beacons are required to ascend the ridge and Schlasman’s lift. Shovels and probes are highly recommended.

Season passes:

- Adult season pass — $975 after Aug. 1 or $1,075 starting on

Nov. 1.

- Young adult season pass — $925 after Aug. 1 or $1,025 starting on Nov. 1.

- Value pass (season pass with some blackout dates) — for adults: $800 after Aug. 1 or $875 starting on Nov. 1.

- Midweek pass — for adults: $475.

BIG SKY RESORT — About an hour south of Bozeman, opportunities abound for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels at Big Sky Resort.

Samuel Wilson/Chronicle

A group of four fills a chair on the Sunnyside lift during opening day at Bridger Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021.

Fifteen percent of the terrain is geared toward beginners, 25% toward intermediate skiers, 42% for advanced skiers and 18% for experts. The ski area lies on, below and around the dramatic Lone Peak, which rises 11,166 feet up from the Madison Range. Visitors can ride 26 chair lifts and 12 surface lifts to access the resort’s 5,850 acres of skiable terrain.

On average, over 400 inches of snow falls on the ski area per year. Expert, thrill-seeking skiers and snowboarders who sign in with patrol can ride the Big Couloir — a narrow run that drops 1,400 vertical feet from just below the top of Lone Mountain at a 35 to 50 degree pitch.

Avalanche gear and a partner are required to descend it. The resort’s new tram will carry a per-ride fee.

Season passes:

- Gold season pass (unlimited skiing and tram rides) — $2,400, for an adult.

- Double black season pass (all-access pass to mountain with 25 tram rides) — $2,000 for an adult.

- Black season pass (access to the mountain every day of the season) — $1,470 for an adult.

CROSSCUT MOUNTAIN SPORTS CENTER —

During the winter months, people who don’t want to downhill ski can cross-country ski, snowshoe or ride a fat bike through this 500acre tract of private land just north of Bridger Bowl. There are about 30 miles of trails of varying difficulty levels.

Season passes:

Adult season pass: $260

Student season pass: $230

Five-pass punch card: $135 BACKCOUNTRY

SKIING

— For people who don’t want to pay to ski or snowboard and are willing to put in a little more effort, great turns can be found in the mountain ranges that surround the Bozeman area — most notably, the Gallatin, Madison and Bridger ranges. Skiers and riders should always have a knowledgeable partner, the proper gear and sufficient avalanche training before heading into the backcountry. They should always check and assess forecasts from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center before venturing out.

We’ve aptly been called the “Weirdo Store!” and we’re proud of it.

Music, Vinyl Records, Toys, Apparel, Gifts, Souvenirs, Incense, Body Jewelry

TO WELCOME STUDENTS WITH ACTIVITY FAIR, FOOD TRUCK RODEO

By CLAIRE BERNARD For the Chronicle

As the slow summer days of Montana begin to set, the new school semester rises on the horizon. All summer people traveled from across the country to tour Montana State University and its programs. Now, MSU is preparing to welcome students back with its beginning-of-theyear activities.

“We want to help students settle in and connect with campus and each other,” said Chris Pruden, student engagement advisor. “Having programs like these helps build connections and the feeling of home for the student.”

MSU has been holding its debut for over 10 years, but this year, like every year, will have some unique ventures.

New this year, the fun kicks off at the Strand Union Activity Fair on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Located at the Strand Rec Center on campus, the fair will include a showing of the movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and various yard games. The

SUB — built in 1937 as the “heart of campus” — includes a bowling alley, the cheapest movie theater in Bozeman and a bookstore.

The bookstore is partnering with MSU engagement for this event and will have various sales on books and other school supplies. For new students, the event is free to attend, and food will be

catered. This event is for students only.

“The Strand Union Building is such a great resource for students, it’s one of the busier buildings on campus,” Pruden said. “Having this event helps introduce students to this valuable multiuse area.”

Following the SUB Fair, MSU

will host its Food Truck Rodeo on Sunday, Aug. 20 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Romney Lawn off of Grant Street and Romney Hall. Also new this year, the Food Truck Rodeo will feature different local food trucks sampling Mexican food, burgers, Southern food and barbecue. The MSU Rodeo team will be in attendance to teach students how to rope and other cowboy skills. Along with more yard games and various student organizations, MSU will hold a raffle for prizes. This event is for students only.

“The (food truck rodeo) is a good way for students to get to know each other in a laid-back environment with no pressure,” Pruden said.

Classes at MSU officially begin Wednesday, Aug. 23. The 16th annual First Year Student Convocation will take place the night before at 7 p.m. at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse off of Bobcat Circle. The convocation, organized every year to welcome new university students, will host speaker Stephanie Land. Land,

Samuel Wilson/Chronicle

A group of students walk through the Montana State campus on the first day of classes on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022.

who released her bestselling memoir “Maid” in 2019, will discuss her experience as a single mother living with food and housing insecurity all while pursuing her college degree.

“Maid” saw mainstream success after its release and has been turned into a Netflix series.

“’Maid’ is a story of hope and it’s a story of relentlessness in the face of odds,” said Mike Becker, MSU news director. “We think

that’s a really positive message for our students.”

According to Becker, convocation is the first formal welcome for the new freshman class. Unlike other debut activities, convocation focuses on the academic and intellectual side of things, preparing the students for their first college year.

New freshmen do not need tickets to attend, and members of the public can attend for free with

a ticket. Tickets can be found at the Bobcat Ticket Office or at www.ticketswest.com.

At the end of the first busy school week, MSU’s 24th annual Catapalooza begins from 10 a.m. and runs to 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25. Held at the Romney Oval and Michael P. Malone Centennial Mall, Catapalooza will host various campus organizations from sports groups, to Greek life, to academic clubs. Local

community nonprofits and MSU offices will also be in attendance. Students can attend and speak with various groups, discover what kind of clubs MSU has to offer and find what activities catch their attention.

“Catapalooza is the quintessential event of the priorities of MSU,” Pruden said. “It’s the peak example of students interacting with other students.”

Rachel Leathe/Chronicle

Crowds of students check out booths in front of Montana Hall during Catapalooza on Montana State’s campus in 2019.

MSU’s

Voice CENTER

provides confidential support to students

The VOICE Center offers a 24hour hotline and a confidential space on campus for anyone experience sexual, relationship or interpersonal violence or stalking.

The hotline, which you can call or text, connects people to trained advocates who can provide confidential support, resources and information, according to the center’s website. It also offers trainings, education and prevention presentations and great volunteer opportunities for people who are interested in helping survivors and preventing relationship and interpersonal violence on campus and in the Bozeman community.

The VOICE Center is centrally located on the third floor of the Student Union Building, one of the busiest hubs on campus. It offers walk-ins between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays during the regular academic semester. Appointments can be made outside of those times as needed. Education and prevention are two major pieces in the puzzle to end relationship and genderbased violence. The VOICE Center offers presentations and resources for individuals and groups to learn more about

how to avoid victim-blaming, learn how to intervene safely and effectively and continue to work to change the culture around interpersonal and sexual violence. The center’s workshop topics include consent, gender stereotypes and how they play into our day-to-day lives, bystander intervention and the components of a healthy and unhealthy or abusive relationship.

In addition to supporting survivors of relationship violence or sexual assault, the VOICE Center offers trainings and resources for people who want to be supportive of friends, family members or other loved ones who are survivors of violence.

The VOICE Center also hosts Student Against Sexual Assault, an MSU student ground that focuses on building healthy relationships and recognizing and speaking out against all forms of violence. SASA sponsors and hosts events like film screenings, marches and art displays for both the campus community and Bozeman as a whole.

More information about the VOICE Center can be found on its website, www.montana.edu/ oha/voice.

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