AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY OF ASMSU

The Weekly Exponent of May 19, 1911, reported that on Friday, May 12, 1911, the student body of Montana State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known as Montana State University, voted upon and adopted a Constitution for student government. On May 19, 1911, the student body was electing the President of the Senate. Initially, student government consisted of one body, the Senate, composed of ten members-one each from the four classes and two each from the engineers, the agriculturists, and general science departments, one of each pair to be from the senior class.  The President of the Senate was elected by the student body. Another officer, the President Pro-tempore, was elected by the Senate. Eventually, the Constitution was revised to call student government of the student body, the Associated Students of Montana State College.

When MSC became Montana State University, the student government became the Associated Students of Montana State University (ASMSU).  Between 1955 and 1966, the ASMSU Constitution became the ASMSU Constitution and Bylaws and an executive branch consisting of a President and Vice President were added. The ASMSU President and Vice President were elected separately in 1982. In 1983, the ASMSU President and Vice President ran together and were elected as one slate.

The ASMSU Senate consists of 21 Senators-half elected during the Fall academic semester and the other half during the Spring academic semester. Presidential elections are part of the Spring academic semester election.  The ASMSU Senate budgets the student activity fee moneys collected by the University.  The ASMSU Senate budgets for the next fiscal year each February.  ASMSU has traditionally funded its own committees offering programs, services and entertainment through student activity fees, unlike most student governments in the country that fund student clubs and organizations.

There is a judicial branch called the Judicial Council, which is appointed on an as needed basis, usually to interpret the Constitution and Bylaws when an election is in question.

ASMSU is the elected voice of the students at MSU-Bozeman.  ASMSU represents the student voice on MSU-Bozeman campus committees, to the Board of Regents, Governor and State Legislature.