One University of Montana professor came up with a creative way to help alleviate the university’s funding woes: He sold advertising space in his U.S. history class. Assistant professor Kyle Volk passed out stickers and coupons and announced that the course, “The Americas: Conquest to Capitalism,” was sponsored by El Diablo Burrito and Taco. That advertising deal was later quashed by university officials, but according to this Missoulian story the school overall has seen a rise in advertising and other outside financing in recent years.
The question of advertising has caused some controversy at UM: While advertising in academic settings is still frowned upon, it’s been part of schools’ athletic programs for decades. Is there money to be had here? Maybe we’ll see Plum Creek sponsoring the Flathead Valley Community College logging team soon. Or KRMC sponsoring the nursing program.