March 8th, 2019
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It's Friday afternoon and it has been a challenging week on our campus. I want to thank all you parent and family members for reading our campus emails and keeping up on yesterday's event. This is my last update to you before the weekend, but please keep checking our campus website as additional information will be posted as it becomes available. One bright spot has been the response of our students. They have been incredibly resilient and supportive. I know that our Recreation Sports and Fitness Center programs are an invaluable resource for our students and they have been extremely patient as we work through all of the safety issues associated with the South Gym roof collapse yesterday. Following yesterday's incident, we commissioned nearly two-dozen structural engineers from companies across southwest Montana to evaluate more than 40 flat-roofed buildings on campus. It is important to note that, outside of the fitness center area, no concerns have been raised about the stability of other structures on campus. Presently, a major focus for the MSU team working on this situation has been the roof of the North Gym of the fitness center, which is adjacent to and connected to the South Gym. The North Gym is part of the same structure and was built at the same time, using the same methods and type of materials as the South Gym. An assessment of its structure indicates that the North Gym's roof is likely to fail as well. There is no reliable way to predict when--or if--a failure may happen, but the university is preparing for this possibility. Utilities will be isolated to prevent disruptions. Our MSU team will continue to monitor and assess the surrounding portions of the fitness center. Out of an abundance of caution and as a precautionary measure against the potential of the second roof to fail, Grant Street past the fitness center has been closed. The fitness center complex, including the Shroyer Gym, remains closed for the time being. All activities and classes in the building today are canceled. Classes based in the building have been rescheduled and relocated through March 15. Students and instructors will be contacted by email with the details of the course changes and future building operations.Thank you for reading,
Matthew R. Caires Dean of Students |
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Bobcat Parent & Family Program |
