MontPIRG to host forum for students today

The Montana Public Interest Research Group used to be a political force to be reckoned with. But last year, students narrowly voted to cut its funding. Now they want it back.

Students voted 1,395 to 1,327 last spring to discontinue MontPIRG's student fee in the wake of a Kaimin report on accounting problems, a wave of resignations, internal conflicts and a power-mapping strategy that included profiling the group's allies and enemies on campus. Since its inception in 1982, MontPIRG, a student-run nonprofit organization, has promoted several social and political reforms ranging from a cleaner environment to civic engagement in government affairs. It also helped create a number of Montana laws, including the state's first campaign finance law, a tenant-landlord guide and a lemon law for cars.

Over the past two years, the organization has struggled with an unclear accounting policy and a lack of effective leadership.

During the spring of 2011, campus organizer Jamie Ebert was fired after a long internal conflict with board member Jeff Edmunds, who is now vice president of the Associated Students of The University of Montana. The group also encountered problems accounting for its own finances, in part because the group was ordered by its parent national organization to use an out-of-state accountant. When ASUM requested MontPIRG submit an audit of its budget, the organization submitted an audit done by attorney and MontPIRG founder Jon Motl, not a licensed CPA.

Despite problems last year, some students and faculty members believe the organization, which has existed at the University of Montana for 30 years, should be reinstated.

Dave Shively, a faculty sponsor of the MontPIRG forum and Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Montana, believes the organization is important and should be given a second chance.

"Given what happened last year and the efforts on the part of the organization to restructure and become a little more accountable and transparent, we feel that it's worth the University and the students in particular to consider having MontPIRG back," Shively said.

The ‘new' MontPIRG wants to become active on campus again. Tyler McRae is a student supporter of a campus forum to take place 6 p.m. Tuesday in UC 330. He believes MontPIRG will be able to avoid the problems of the past.

"The forum is an opportunity for students to actually understand what MontPIRG is and what they do," McRae said. "And to see how the organization has changed since last year. It will be less of an intrusive, faceless entity and more of a student-run service with all students' interests as a focus."

The forum is open to the public and will allow students to ask questions about the organization, which currently operates as an unofficial campus organization after the student body elected not to continue its funding.

jacob.mchugh@umontana.edu