In January 2000, the team of JGA Architects-Engineers-Planners of  Billings, and HNTB Corporation, Kansas City, Missouri, was selected to develop a comprehensive Campus Master Plan for Montana State    University in Billings, Montana.  The design team worked closely with the Campus Master Plan Steering  Committee to develop a process and schedule, which was inclusive and timely.

 Draft Master Plan goals were developed with the Steering Committee and validated with information from focus groups.  The focus groups were formed from members of the University, civic leaders, and surrounding neighborhoods to gather input from all viewpoints, and to clarify the issues, needs and desires of all concerned. Data was gathered about specific aspects of the campus to assist in decision-making, including space utilization and needs. This information formed the basis of the planning work.

Information also was gathered regarding the physical infrastructure of the campus.  A detailed analysis phase examined the campus by components to determine inherent constraints and opportunities.

Following the data analysis, various master plan options were explored for campus development.  Pros and cons were reviewed for each option and thoroughly discussed by the Steering Committee.  The options were presented along with the Master Plan goals to the focus groups for comment.

A Campus Master Plan was developed in the fall of 2000.  The plan includes documentation of process, issues and needs.      Presented in the plan are 23 specific recommendations, a three-dimensional rendering of the site plan, and a prioritized implementation plan with associated costs.

The proposed Campus Master Plan strives to serve the needs of the University, the surrounding community, and the region to assure the University's role as an educational and cultural resource.  Implementation of any campus master plan can be a difficult process if the intent of the document is not understood or if the reality of change is not accepted.  For MSU-Billings, this Master Plan is meant to be a guide for the phased orderly development of the campus.  Often institutions not prepared for the realities of growth will implement “emergency” measures to absorb the surges of expansion.  This also can be referred to as “vacant lot planning”.  Without a plan for the future, these moves are reactions that seem necessary in the context of their related problems, but cumulatively they encumber logical patterns of development.

The Campus Master Plan is a dynamic tool for the long-term development of the campus.  Its purpose is to guide, not dictate, the inevitability of change.  The recommendations can fulfill the mission of the University, realize goals, and enhance it as a place of architectural and landscaping excellence.

 Future decisions can, of course, vary from the direction of this study.  They should be made with careful evaluation so that the implications of variance can be fully understood regarding the vision that this Master Plan represents.

The following pages illustrate the overall planning process, list the planning goals, summarize focus group comments, and review the Campus Master Plan recommendations.