Events celebrate start of Global Leadership Initiative

A slate of high-profile experts with extensive knowledge in antiterrorism policy, international human rights, foreign language education, international business and more will be at UM this week as part of the official kickoff of the University's Global Leadership Initiative.

UM will host several panel discussions and presentations Monday and Tuesday, March 26-27, to celebrate the inaugural class of GLI Fellows. The unique initiative, spearheaded by a faculty committee co-chaired by UM Associate Provost Arlene Walker-Andrews and sociology Professor Daisy Rooks, aims to help the 200 students who begin the program each year to become engaged, articulate global citizens. It's the first university program of its kind in Montana.

Events begin with a panel discussion, "International Human Rights, Global Values and the War on Terror: A Dialogue," at 3:30 p.m. Monday, March 26, in Law Building Room 101. It will feature Amos Guiora, University of Utah law professor; Paul Lauren, UM Regents Professor of History; and David Aronofsky, UM legal counsel and adjunct law professor.

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UM honored with two civic engagement awards

UM recently received two prominent civic engagement awards. The Corporation for National and Community Service honored UM with a place on the 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, and Campus Compact awarded a UM student with the Newman Civic Fellows award.

The 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal government recognition that a university or college can receive for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. 

The 2012 Newman Civic Fellows Award honors inspiring college-student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Maureen Karlin, a UM junior studying education, received the award for her work coordinating the America Reads America Counts K-12 tutoring program in Missoula.

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Education expert to give International Week keynote

UM International Programs and other UM departments will host several events in honor of International Week, March 25-30.

Events will feature a keynote address and presentation by Andre Lewis, deputy assistant secretary for International and Foreign Language Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Lewis will deliver "Maintaining U.S. Capacity in Critical Foreign Languages and Area Studies Instruction" at 11 a.m. Monday, March 26, in University Center Room 330. The address will focus on the Obama administration's efforts to support international education and foreign language learning and why they are essential to national prosperity.

Lewis also will deliver a presentation, "Why Global Citizenry is What Our Country Needs," at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 27, in conjunction with kickoff events for UM's Global Leadership Initiative. Both events are free and open to the public.

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UM launches Arabic studies minor

The Montana Board of Regents recently approved a new minor in Arabic studies at UM.

Coursework in the minor is designed to help students achieve an advanced level in Arabic based on American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages standards of foreign language proficiency. The content of the Arabic studies minor includes linguistic and cultural components such as:

• the orthographic, phonological, morphological, syntactic and sociolinguistic systems of the Arabic language;  
•  the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing); and  
•  the literature, history, politics, geography, religions, economy and cultures of the Arab world.

To earn an academic minor in Arabic studies, students need 30 credits, with at least nine credits in upper division courses. A minimum grade of C is required in all the courses to fulfill the minor.

More information is available online or by calling Khaled Huthaily, head of Arabic Studies Section and adviser of the Arabic studies minor, at 406-243-6602 or emailing khaled.huthaily@umontana.edu.

Electrical work to affect campus tech services March 31

Work on electrical equipment in the Liberal Arts and Social Science buildings at UM will disrupt some campus services on Saturday, March 31.

Telephone and voice mail will be unavailable on the mountain and COT campuses and extended University entities starting at 6 a.m. The telephone outage is expected to last eight to 10 hours while UM Facilities Services staff replace the aging backup power supply system for the campus phone network.

During the outage, emergency calls can be made from emergency phones located across campus or by using a cell phone to call 9-1-1.

Campus computing systems, including Banner, employee email and all services that use NetID for authentication, such as Moodle, Cyberbear and UMConnect, will be unavailable starting at 7 a.m. The outage is expected to last five to six hours while staff work on the electrical transformer on the central IT server in the Liberal Arts Building.

The work is being performed on the first day of UM's spring break to minimize disruption to the campus community. More information on specific entities and services affected is online.

UM moving to GrizMart electronic procurement system

Beginning Tuesday, May 1, the procurement of all goods and services by UM employees must be processed through GrizMart, the University's new electronic procurement system.

Exceptions include employees who are using a ProCard to purchase from a non-GrizMart vendor. All rental/leases, contracted services, maintenance agreements, photocopiers and software procurements must go through GrizMart regardless of payment method. State of Montana and UM procurement rules and regulations will apply and were automatically built into GrizMart.

UM will host a series of open forums to discuss the transition to GrizMart and provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to ask questions. The first meeting is scheduled from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, in the University Center Theater. The second meeting will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 17, in the UC Theater.

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Museum sponsors lecture by Broadway shoe designer

Sharlot Battin, a Metropolitan Opera and Broadway shoe designer in New York City, will present "Steppin' Out: The Shoemaker's Art" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, in the Masquer Theatre in UM's Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center.

The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Montana Museum of Art & Culture in conjunction with "Curiosity: Selections from the Permanent Collection."

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UM Staff Senate looking for leaders

Staff Senate at UM currently is looking to fill several openings. The senate works for the professional welfare of classified staff and to maintain a high profile of staff as significant contributors to excellent higher education for UM students.

Staff Senate also supplies voting staff representatives to UM and state committees; collects and expresses opinions of staff to administration; cooperates with administration, faculty and students in developing UM policies; and works to enhance the visibility of staff.

Staff Senate holds two-hour meetings on the second Wednesday of each month to communicate staff issues and collaborate on solutions. Senators are required to serve on at least one UM or Staff Senate committee.

Those interested in serving on Staff Senate should call senate President Laurie Fisher at 406-243-6989.

Nominate outstanding seniors for award

UM's Penetralia chapter of the Mortar Board senior honor society currently is seeking nominations for the Outstanding Senior Recognition Awards Ceremony.

Each academic department may submit a nomination for one outstanding senior for each major it offers. ASUM-recognized groups also may nominate a senior for the prestigious award.

Nominees must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or above and must be graduating during the 2011-2012 academic year. Nomination forms are online and are due the first week of April.

The ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, May 11, in the University Theatre. Refreshments will be provided.

More information about the Outstanding Senior Recognition Awards Ceremony is available online, by emailing seniorrec.mortarboard@gmail.com or chelsea.rayfield@mso.umt.edu,
or by calling 406-243-4841.

Groups seek models of all sizes for fashion show

The University Center and Student Involvement Network at UM will celebrate the beauty of all shapes and sizes during a fashion show from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, in the UC Atrium.

The annual event gives models a chance to express themselves and highlight fashionable, affordable clothing for all body types that's available at local businesses in Missoula. This year's show will include thrift store clothing and, for the first time, will give student designers a chance to model their work.

SIN will hold a call for models from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, March 27-28, in the UC Atrium. All UM students, faculty and staff are welcome to participate, and no experience is necessary. Student designers also are encouraged to participate and showcase their work.

More information is online.

Writer, art-folk band team up for April 11 performance

Noted writer and environmentalist Rick Bass will join art-folk band Stellarondo for "An Evening of Songs and Scored Stories" on Wednesday, April 11, at UM. The University Theatre doors open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show, which is appropriate for all ages.

Tickets cost $15 at the door, $12 in advance and $10 for students and children under age 12. Tickets are available at all GrizTix locations, online or by calling 406-243-4051.

The Missoula show will kick off Bass' and Stellarondo's journey toward playing a full show in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium next year. A documentary crew led by Doug Hawes-Davis of High Plains Films will cover the event, and a full documentary chronicling the writer's and band's "Road to the Ryman" is in the works. Attendees are encouraged to dress colorfully and represent Missoula well.

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ForUM takes a break

Spring Break at UM is April 2-6. There will be no issue of ForUM on Monday, April 2. The next issue will hit inboxes Monday, April 9.

President Engstrom's office hours

President Engstrom welcomes members of the campus community to meet with him to discuss issues and topics of their choice. Call 406-243-2311 or email prestalk@umontana.edu to make an appointment.

President Engstrom's scheduled office hours for spring semester are:

• Friday, April 27: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, May 30: 2-4 p.m.