Montana State University
PA-7: Affordability and Access

As a land-grant university, Montana State University is committed to ensuring that education is available to students from all backgrounds. MSU works to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students through various programs and policies that reduce tuition and fee costs and provide financial guidance to low-income and first generation college students. In addition to MSU policies and programs, academic departments may also offer scholarships and need-based assistance to their students.

Dinner and Dialogue: These events are aimed at bringing together students, faculty and staff in discussions focused on increasing awareness and understanding of issues facing the MSU community ranging from food insecurity, cost of living, mental health issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, etc.

Admissions: 1. MSU defers application fees for any Montana family for whom paying the application fee is a hardship. 2. MSU sends out detailed information about applying for scholarships and need based aid to all students. 3. Financial Aid staff offers FAFSA ‘nights’ to help students/parents fill out FAFSA forms. 4. MSU admission counselors calls all those who have not responded to a need based aid offer and helps to walk them through the steps needed. 5. The Office of Financial Education works one on one with families and individuals to counsel them about financial aid and options available to them. 6. MSU Admissions presents ‘financing your education’ sessions at all major programs (MSU Fridays and Orientations). 8. MSU Admissions developed a financial road map web-page and will be building a PR campaign (print and email) to push people to this page: http://www.montana.edu/admissions/financial-roadmap/ TRiO Student Support Service: The TRiO Student Support Service program at Montana State University - Bozeman is committed to increasing the rates of academic achievement, retention, and graduation among historically underrepresented students. This is accomplished by providing holistic and individualized support services that maximize students' innate abilities and draw upon available resources within, and outside of, the University to benefit students, families and the larger community. The SSS program is available to undergraduate MSU students who meet the following criteria: Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States Be an admitted MSU undergraduate student Demonstrate academic need In addition, SSS participants must meet at least one of the following three requirements: Have a low income as defined by the U.S. Department of Education Be from a family from which neither parent has a bachelor’s degree Be registered with MSU Office of Disability Services. http://www.montana.edu/triosss/

McNair Scholars program: The McNair Scholars Program at MSU serves the needs of 25 undergraduate students annually who are either first-generation/low-income or minorities traditionally underrepresented (e.g. Native American, Latino, Alaskan Native, and African American) in graduate school. Eligible scholars are selected who have demonstrated strong academic potential and are committed to attending graduate school and pursuing a doctoral degree. A particular focus of the MSU McNair program is providing research/project opportunities and financial support for summer projects for each student who is paired with a faculty mentor. This is a TRIO program that is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Hilleman Scholars Program: MSU is committed to shaping and supporting the educational experience of recent Montana high school graduates who want to play an active and deliberate role in advancing their futures. The MSU Hilleman Scholars Program is by invitation only. Hilleman Scholars should be eager to build something better for themselves and their communities through service to others. http://www.montana.edu/hillemanscholars/index.html Hilleman Scholar Program invitations are based upon: Montana residency. Graduation from a Montana high school in 2018. Pell eligibility Horatio Alger Montana Scholarship Program: Since 1984, Horatio Alger Association Members and Friends have funded need-based college scholarships for low-income youth to pursue their dreams through higher education. So far the Association has awarded more than $125 million to approximately 20,000 students.Through its many scholarship programs, the Association supports students pursuing career and technical certificates and degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate studies.In addition to scholarship support, the Association offers a number of services and opportunities to Horatio Alger Scholars: Financial Aid and Scholarship Counseling College Readiness Tools Support and Referral Services Internship and Job Opportunities Alumni Association Graduate Grants Montana American Indian Tuition Waiver: The Montana Tuition waiver is available to eligible Montana resident freshman and transfer students. Students must be a resident of Montana, 1/4 American Indian or be an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized tribe located in the state of Montana (proof of enrollment or affiliation is required), and demonstrate financial need through FAFSA.

Admissions counselors travel to all Montana high schools which will allow them in. They also meet with campus visitors daily. Part of their messaging is about costs and need based aid as well as available scholarships.

At MSU, the tuition and fees paid by students for more than 12 (twelve) credits is the same as for 12 (twelve) credit. The department of Education, Health, and Human Development (EHHD) provides meal passes for students who express a need and qualify for the program. EHHD provides an application that asks students why they want to be considered for food support which takes the form of a 50 pass meal plan to campus dining options. https://montana.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_552aNEtEiCwHRT7 Bounty of the Bridgers — also known as BoB — is a food pantry on the MSU campus that serves any students, faculty, or staff. The program is student run and was developed in conjunction with the Sustainable Food and Bio-energy Systems program. Crashpad provides students in need of housing assistance with temporary housing on MSU's campus.

The MSU Child Development Center offers a year-round early education program for Bozeman area young children, ages 3 to 5 years. A university laboratory site for research and learning, the center is licensed by the State of Montana and by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). http://www.montana.edu/hr/family_resources/family_care.html The Associated Students of MSU (ASMSU) Day Care provides childcare and educational activities for preschoolers aged 2½ to 6 years. The center is open to children of MSU students, staff and faculty, and is accredited by the National Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NAEYC) and funded by student fees. http://www.montana.edu/hr/family_resources/family_care.html

Policy for pregnant and parenting students: MSU will not apply any rule concerning a student's actual or potential parental, family, or marital status which treats students differently on the basis of sex. MSU will not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests voluntarily to participate in a separate portion of the program or activity. MSU will not require such a student to obtain the certification of a physician that the student is physically and emotionally able to continue participation unless such a certification is required of all students for other physical or emotional conditions requiring the attention of a physician. MSU shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy and recovery therefrom in the same manner and under the same policies as any other temporary disability with respect to any medical or hospital benefit, service, plan or policy which MSU administers, operates, offers, or participates in with respect to students admitted to MSU's educational program or activity. MSU shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy and recovery therefrom as a justification for a leave of absence for so long a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by the student's physician, at the conclusion of which the student shall be reinstated to the status which she held when the leave began. http://www.montana.edu/equity/documents/titleix/Title%20IX%20-%20pregnant%20and%20parenting%20students.pdf Family Advocate: MSU's Family Advocate position was established in 2009 with support from the President's Office, the Provost's Office, and the Women's Faculty Caucus. First titled "Parent Advocate", the name changed in 2011 to better reflect the diversity of family issues experienced by faculty, students and staff across the lifespan. The role of the Family Advocate is to: Help parents and other family members navigate the University System and learn about MSU's policies and programs available to meet their individual and family needs. Serve as a "first stop" for faculty, students, and staff to receive information regarding who to contact with questions about current programs such as: Family and medical leave across the lifespan Child-birth and adoption Breastfeeding The Family Care Room Child Care on Campus https://www.montana.edu/provost/family-advocates/index.html

http://www.montana.edu/opa/students/performance/retentiongraduation.html http://www.montana.edu/triosss/ http://www.montana.edu/native/finance/NAI%20Scholarships2016.pdf