Northern starts limited opening of campus buildings

Montana State University-Northern started re-opening its campus in phases for summer school Monday.

“I have approved a plan that will provide our community with more access to the MSU-Northern campus than was available in Phase One, while maintaining social distancing measures and capping events at no more than 50 participants,” Chancellor Greg Kegel said in his May 29 update.

The following buildings’ conference rooms are currently open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but are restricted to a certain capacity to follow social distancing.

Cowan Hall room 202 is limited to six people, Brockmann Center - second floor conference room eight people and as for the first floor conference room is restricted to six people, and the Student Union Building Fireside Room is 10 people.

Other activity and event rooms on campus are subjected to social distancing capacity as well. The Armory Gymnasium, The Little Theatre in Cowan Hall, Student Union Building Ballroom, Hensler Auditorium and Hagener 101 are all limited to a capacity of 50 people with hours of use are subject to availability.

The lower lobby of the Diesel Technology Center is constricted to 30 people with hours of use subject to availability.

The Fitness Center in the Student Union Building will only be open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. for students and university employees with six people as the social distancing capacity. People are encouraged to maintain the 6 feet distance from one another exercising and sanitize equipment after use.

Four classrooms are open, but are restricted to a social distancing capacity and hours are subject to availability: Brockmann Center 212 15 people, Pershing Hall band room 20 people and Cowan Hall rooms 300 and 319 25 people each.

The Advanced Fuels, Automotive Technology, Electronics and Metals Technology facilities are open for university business only.

The Vande Bogart Library is open for students with a valid ID by appointment only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To make an appointment, people can call the library at 265-3706. Doors will remain locked so people must call when arriving at the appointment.

Summer courses are being offered online as well and the fall 2020 semester will resume with face-to-face instruction.

People who would like to reserve a room listed above can contact Activities and Events Director Tammy Boles at 265-3732.

“MSU-N continues to move forward with both caution and optimism, and I encourage all of you to do the same,” Kegel said in his update. “We are all responsible for finding that balance that enables our communities to be safe, healthy and welcoming.”

For more information, people can visit https://www.msun.edu/covid-19/facilities.aspx .