A Brief History of UM Research

The University of Montana campus is comprised of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School, the College of Technology, the College of Forestry and Conservation, the College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences, and the professional schools of business administration, education, fine arts, journalism, law, physical therapy and rehabilitation science, social work, and (the Skaggs school of) pharmacy.

The College of Technology, formerly the Missoula Vocational-Technical Center, merged with UM as part of the restructuring of the Montana University System, which took effect July 1, 1994. The University of Montana now includes four affiliate campuses: The University of Montana - Missoula, Western Montana College of The University of Montana, Dillon; Montana Tech of The University of Montana, Butte; and, Helena College of Technology of The University of Montana.

The Office of Research Administration at The University of Montana was formed July 1, 1968, when the position of Vice President for Research was created. This position was retitled several times over the years. In Fiscal Year 1976, a Director of Sponsored Program Administration was appointed prior to the hiring of an Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. In 1990, this position became the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. It was retitled in 1991 to the Associate Provost for Research & Economic Development and Dean of the Graduate School. In 1995, the position was retitled Vice President for Research and Economic Development; the title today is Vice President for Research and Development.

From 1968 to 1973, grant activity was relatively level as reflected in the FY77 and FY85 volume figures which were $4.2 M and $4.8 M, respectively. In the Vision published in 1984, it was reported that UM had 460 scholars working with some 8,000 undergraduates and 1,500 graduate students.

Another decade brought grant volume to $22.5 M in FY95. That year, 555 proposals were submitted and the University awarded 26 Ph.Ds. In 1994, The University of Montana was reclassified from a Doctoral I Institution, under the nationally-recognized Carnegie Classification, to a Doctoral II to accurately reflect Ph.D. production.