Frequently Asked Questions

No, courses and labs will continue to be delivered via distance, remote and online means through the end of the spring semester. There will be no classroom instruction.

In a very small number of specific and exceptional circumstances, where learning can only be achieved through hands-on methods (e.g., welding, off-campus nursing clinicals), in-person instruction will continue. In those situations, responsible social distancing and cleaning practices will be implemented in order to promote a safe teaching and learning space.

If you are unclear about your courses, communicate with your instructor directly via email.

If you are unclear about your courses, communicate with your instructor directly via email.

As part of MSU's emergency coursework accommodations, we are implementing an expanded Pass/Fail (P/F) grading option for all undergraduate courses, effective Spring 2020 Semester. The Graduate School also has a modified pass/fail grading option for graduate students.

See the Internet Access Options posted by University Information Technology.

Please see UIT's File Storage page.

Please see the Brightspace Help page.

Please see the Webex Meetings for MSU Students page.

MSU offers McAfee anti-virus software to students at no additional cost.

If you are having difficulties with technology, or lack access to the required technology, please contact your professor right away.

If you have absolutely no other place to go for internet connectivity for your courses and homework, there are resources available on campus, including computer labs. We must stress, however, we are asking you to remain away from campus, if you have other options.

Call the Help Desk at 406-994-1777 or email helpdesk@montana.edu.

The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education is strongly urging all students to not return to their campuses or campus communities from spring break.

This is a strong recommendation based on evidence that demonstrates the best way to slow the COVID-19 pandemic is to stop people from congregating in their communities and around the country.

We ask that all students take this request very seriously. The spread of the virus will only become more severe in coming weeks if we are not able to stop the spread now.

It is a known fact that people who have no symptoms can carry this disease. While you may feel perfectly fine, you may be a carrier. Each of us has a responsibility to prevent others from getting very sick.

*Note — To discuss your personal residence hall housing situation, please contact Residence Life at housing@montana.edu.

We urge students to please find other, less-dense living arrangements for their own health and safety as well as that of others.

The higher density living of the residence halls is not recommended by health officials. This is a very hard, but necessary, message to transmit and we urge you to consider it.

*Note — To discuss your personal residence hall housing situation, please contact Residence Life at housing@montana.edu.

Please do not return to campus to retrieve your belongings, even if you live in Montana.

Residence Life will be communicating directly with students on how they can get their absolutely most essential items.

For students who need critical items from their residence hall rooms but are not immediately returning to campus, the university has set up a request form.

*Note — For other questions, or to discuss your personal situation, please contact Residence Life at housing@montana.edu.

To be clear, all campuses of the Montana University System are open and students who need to live on campuses will be able to do so, if absolutely necessary for their circumstances. But please, if you can disperse to less-dense living arrangements, do so.

For those students who must continue to live on campus because of their personal circumstances, social distancing will be enforced in the residence and dining halls.

Montana Governor Steve Bullock has made a strong recommendation that all travelers returning to Montana from anywhere outside the United States self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival and call their local public health department to notify them of their self-quarantine. In Bozeman and Gallatin County, our local health department is the Gallatin City-County Health Department and its phone number is: 406-548-0123.

Unfortunately, MSU has no capacity to quarantine students returning from overseas spring break travel.

If you traveled outside of the United States during spring break and live in one of MSU's residence halls, we urge you to not return to campus. Please stay with your family and loved ones until your 14-day self-quarantine period is over. Your family and loved ones are best able to provide you care should you need it.

The Montana Commissioner of Higher Education has authorized campuses to begin the process of providing prorated refunds, to the extent possible, for room and board to those students who have departed the residence halls and/or canceled meal plans based on recent guidance from the Montana University System regarding the COVID-19 situation. For more information, please visit the Residence Life website. 

A limited number of computer labs are open on campus. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, only the labs listed here will be available.Please observe social distancing and hygiene in each lab.

University Health Partners is open. Students must call ahead for any visit before coming into the clinic at 406-994-2311. Counseling & Psychological Services is open, but again, students must call ahead at 406-994-4531. CPS has an excellent webpage for managing stress and anxiety during this time.

While the MSU campus is open, a number of buildings, including the fitness centers, are closed. The MSU Library will provide online access, but the Renne Library building is closed to foot traffic. 

On April 3, Commissioner of Higher Education, Clayton Christian, notified campuses that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Montana University System will not be able to hold large-scale, university-wide commencement ceremonies on their previously planned dates. Learn more about MSU's plans for spring 2020 commencement.

Yes, the Graduate School recently provided guidance that the requirement to be physically present for the thesis/dissertation defense could be waived. Work with your advisor to discuss options, and contact the Graduate School if there are questions or concerns.