The Montana’s Board of Regents has given approval for Montana State University to name a computer science department building the Gianforte School of Computing. The building will be named after the family foundation of Gov. Greg Gianforte, which recently donated $50 million for the new building’s construction.
The board or regents voted six to one to approve the name.
The proposed naming received pushback from students and faculty and state Democrats.
The higher education system's policy does not allow property to be named in honor of current statewide elected officials. However there are exemptions if “the philanthropic giving warrants some form of recognition.”
Board member Brianne Rogers voted in favor of the naming. Rogers, along with other regents, said the gift was transformative.
“Our policy currently does include an exception for transformative gifts,” Rogers said.
The one dissenting vote came from Board of Regents Chair Casey Lozar who said the naming should wait until Gov. Gianforte is out of office.
Construction on the building has not yet started.