April 14, 2015

 

Contacts:

 Carmen Price, University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266 

 

Events will take place across campuses April 20-24.

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — It's the last two weeks of classes. As students hand in projects and wrap up presentations, it starts to sink in: finals are just around the corner.

 

Montana State University Billings announced an array of fun-filled activities and relaxation strategies during its inaugural "Be Kind Week" being held April 20-24, to help ease the tension of final exams while celebrating the completion of another academic year.  

 

From a visit by therapy dogs to a campus clean-up and barbecue, the week is themed around being kind to oneself, to others and to the Earth. 

 

On April 20, therapy dogs and their owners from Pet Partners—an international nonprofit that brings trained therapy animals into schools and hospitals—will spend a few hours doing "Ruff Relief," a program designed for students to counter the stresses of finals. The furry four-legged animals will be on-hand from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Student Union Building atrium.

 

Amid a cookie sale on April 21, the university's Diversity Initiative Group and the Women’s and Gender Studies Center has a point to sell: women like those who baked the cookies being sold on average are paid about 77 cents for every dollar made by a man. Montana is among the 10 states with the largest of gender wage gaps, according to a National Women’s Law Center study. The gap amounts to 74 cents for every dollar earned by a man, or $11,378 annually—equivalent to more than a third of a woman’s typical earnings.

 

To draw attention to the issue, the groups in conjunction with the American Association of University Women plan to charge women 77 cents for cookies, while men will have to pay a full dollar during a bake sale event from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m, in the Student Union Building atrium and City College Jacket Student Central. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the MSUB Diversity Initiative Group.

 

MSUB student club OUT at MSU Billings, a group focused on LGBTQ awareness, will screen the documentary film "Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine" on April 21, at 7 p.m., in Petro Theatre. A winner of four Best Documentary awards, the film retraces the life of the University of Wyoming student whose 1998 murder put a national spotlight on hate crimes against gay people. The event is free and open to the public.

 

The week culminates with a campus-wide clean-up followed by a barbeque for all volunteers. The annual event begins at 9 a.m., on the university and City College campuses, and concludes around Noon. The barbecue, following the clean-up, takes place on the university campus and will feature brats and hamburgers provided by Sodexo. 

 

To volunteer for the clean-up, please contact Triniti Halverson, Student Health Services, at 657-2157. 

 

Schedule of Events, April 20-24:

Be Kind To Yourself:

  • Laser Tag event on Wednesday, April 22, 7-10 p.m., Rec Activities Gym (SUB/SAB/ROTC/Rec Activities:)
  • Stress-less sexually transmitted infection Testing Clinic, Student Health Service, Tuesday, April 21, 1-3pm (OUT/SHS/HEROES/Yellowstone AID Project)
  • Therapy Dogs: Monday, April 20, 11-1, Sub Atrium (SHS/Housing/HEROES/Pet Partners)
  • Campus Barbecue: Thursday, April 24 , Rimrock Cafe Patio, 11:30-1:30 p.m.  
  • Free Zumba class:Tuesday, April 21, at 5:15 pm in Petro Theatre (Rec Activities)
  • Phoenix Center Outreach: learn about sexual assault resources:Tuesday, April 21, Liberal Arts building 12-2 p.m. And Thursday, April 23, 8-9 a.m., SUB
  • Blood Drive: Wednesday, April 22, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., SUB Beartooth Room

Be Kind To Others:

  • Documentary showing: Tuesday, April 21, 7 p.m., Petro Theatre (Student Club OUT)
  • Compliment Jars placed around MSUB campuses. Keep your compliment, or pass it on to another. (DIG/Student Union Events) 
  • Cookie Sales for Equality in Pay: Tuesday, April 21, 11 am – 1:15, SUB Atrium and City College Jacket StudentCentral (DIG/Financial Success/Women’s & Gender Studies Center)
  • Wearing T-shirts to support veterans: April 20-24, wear your “I Support Veterans” T-shirts (Veteran's Center)

Be Kind To The Earth:

  • HEROES and Associated Students of MSUB: Campus Clean-up on Friday, April 24, 9 a.m. at the Student Union Building Lawn & City College Tech Bldg.

The MSUB Shuttle times are 8:40 a.m. from University Campus to City College; 11:15 a.m. from City College to University Campus; and 12:30 p.m. University Campus to City College.

 

For more information, call Triniti Halverson with Student Health Services at 657-2157.