Montana State University announced Tuesday the formation of a new interdepartmental task force to investigate the rising costs of university-commissioned research, a study that will itself cost an estimated $2.3 million over eighteen months.

“We feel it’s critical that we understand why these investigations require such significant resource allocation,” said Provost Margaret Chenoweth during a press conference held in the newly renovated $4.7 million press conference room in Montana Hall. “The preliminary findings of our pre-study feasibility assessment suggest that the answer may be complex.”

The pre-study feasibility assessment cost $340,000.

The task force, officially titled the Commission for the Evaluation of Evaluative Expenditures (CEEE), will be co-chaired by seven department heads, each of whom will receive a course release and a modest stipend described in budget documents as “not immodest.”

“We already spent the money we allocated for the study on preparing the report for the study,” a tenured intern was reportedly overheard saying in the SUB cafeteria. “But that’s actually a finding in itself, so we’re ahead of schedule.”

Graduate student researchers assigned to the project expressed cautious optimism. “I’m just happy to be funded,” said third-year doctoral candidate Kelsey Park, whose own dissertation — “Toward a Framework for Understanding Frameworks” — has been on hold since 2024 due to lack of funding.

Critics of the initiative have pointed out that a Google search for “why do university studies cost so much” returns approximately 4.2 billion results in 0.47 seconds, at no cost.

“That’s not peer-reviewed,” responded CEEE co-chair Dr. Alan Brinkley, who then excused himself to attend a committee meeting about scheduling the next committee meeting.

The study is expected to conclude in mid-2027 with a formal report recommending further study.