Montana State eyes profile as university for Yellowstone region

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — For decades it was joked about as Moo U.

Lately it's adopted a more-hip nickname, Trout U.

And now, Montana State University is calling itself by a cool new name, the University of the Yellowstone. MSU is so intent on getting exclusive use of that moniker, it has applied to the federal government for a trademark.

What's in a name? It could be merely marketing, a way to put MSU on the map and attract out-of-state undergraduates who may not be exactly sure where Montana is. But it could be much more, enhancing fundraising, attracting top-notch scientists, boosting MSU's reputation in the world of science, or possibly opening new opportunities for the university.

"It's a very powerful designation," MSU President Geoff Gamble said recently. "It's not just a new slogan. We are the largest researchers in the Yellowstone ecosystem in grants, publications and presentations at scientific conferences. So using the phrase is simply recognition of all the work we're doing."

Another reason for adopting the name, Gamble said, is "to capture our vision of what the Big Sky Institute will become."

MSU is trying to raise millions of dollars to begin building a science and teaching center at Big Sky focused on researching and teaching about the greater Yellowstone National Park ecosystem and the Rocky Mountain environment.

"It sounds like a great idea," said John Varley, the man in charge of figuring out just what the University of the Yellowstone might be.

Varley worked in the park for 33 years as a fisheries biologist, research chief and founding director of the Yellowstone Center for Resources. MSU Provost Dave Dooley coaxed him out of retirement to lead MSU's Big Sky Institute.

When he was last working in the park, about 130 national and international universities doing were doing research there, Varley said, "and MSU is the biggest player—the most researchers, the most money spent."

Sitting in his new Big Sky Institute office on the Bozeman campus, Varley, 65, said there's already a big basket of ideas of what the University of the Yellowstone could be, ranging from just adopting the moniker to creating a new college. In between are creating new centers or institutes, or having all MSU freshmen take classes on or in Yellowstone.

"Can it be a great recruiting tool? Well, sure," Varley said. "Yellowstone has worldwide name recognition. One-third of all Americans have been there."

And Yellowstone has an emotional pull. He's constantly surprised by the people who say Yellowstone has been significant in their lives — as a fabulous childhood memory, or a honeymoon destination.