Montana News
The University of Montana breaks ground on new dorm
With Montana News, I'm Eleanor Smith. The University of Montana broke ground this week on construction of its newest student residence hall, the first on the Missoula campus since 1994. MTBR's Edward O'Brien reports. - There we go. - Let's go, Michelle. - Yay! - [cheering] - University of Montana executives, housing officials and students gathered Tuesday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the school's 10th residence hall. The new 174,000 square foot facility is set to open in three years on the campus's southwest corner. UM President Seth Bodner says the decision to build a new residence hall comes on the heels of the state's acute housing crisis. - This housing challenge has been exacerbated by one of the good things happening at our university, which is three straight years of enrollment growth. - While UM's enrollment has increased in recent years, it remained short of its peak a decade ago. Bodner says students on average can live in UM housing for about half of what it would cost off campus. UM Housing Director John Nugent tells MTPR the $80 million 600-bed residence hall will offer modern conveniences such as community kitchens and feature a variety of social and private spaces. The as of yet unnamed facility is the latest example of UM's push to refresh its infrastructure, part of a broader effort to further improve student recruitment and retention rates. Reporting from the Zula, I'm Edward O'Brien. - This is MTPR.