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ForUM
Oct. 4, 2010 | Vol. 39, No. 7 
   
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Welcome to ForUM, the e-newsletter for University of Montana staff, faculty and administrators. ForUM is published weekly during the academic year except during scheduled academic breaks.


 Next UM President Outlines Priorities
 

UM Provost Royce Engstrom, who will become the University's 17th president on Oct. 15, said providing more people with the opportunity for education, as well as raising retention and graduation rates, will be top priorities of his administration. Engstrom made his remarks during a campus news conference Tuesday, Sept. 28.

"It is a tremendous honor for me to be selected as the 17th president," Engstrom said. "Successively strong leadership is necessary to build a great university. I am fortunate to follow President George Dennison, who has dramatically increased the effectiveness and reputation of the University during his 20 years as president, and with whom I've enjoyed working these past three years."

He said the Partnering for Student Success program will lead efforts to improve educational opportunities at UM and boost retention and graduation rates. The program is a collaborative effort involving the offices of student affairs, academic affairs, and administration and finance.

During his remarks Engstrom announced that Perry Brown, dean of UM's College of Forestry and Conservation, will become interim provost and vice president for academic affairs Oct. 15. Brown will serve in that capacity for two years. A national search for the next provost will begin next fall.

Brown announced that Jim Burchfield, research professor of forest social sciences, will be interim dean of the forestry college -- a role he has filled before.

Engstrom said Arlene Walker-Andrews, UM associate provost for undergraduate education and policy, will take an additional role in his administration, that of special assistant to the president for accreditation. He said the University's accrediting agency has changed the nature and process of accreditation, requiring more intensive, ongoing interaction with the agency.

Read the Full News Release 

 Enrollment Soars Above 15,000
 

For the first time in its history, the headcount enrollment at UM has topped 15,000.

According to the Registrar's Office, UM enrollment for autumn semester is 15,642, which is 721 more than the all-time record set a year ago. The headcount includes students at the central mountain campus and the UM College of Technology.

The number of students jumped 382 at the mountain campus, with an additional 339 at COT. The University also set a record for full-time equivalent students at 13,367.40, some 609.87 more than last autumn. (An FTE represents 15 undergraduate or 12 graduate semester credits.) FTEs jumped 436.53 for the mountain campus and 173.34 for COT.

 

 Regents Approve New UM Center
 

The Montana Board of Regents unanimously approved the creation of the Center for the Study of Central and Southwest Asia at UM during its Sept. 23 meeting in Butte.

UM currently is the only American university that offers an undergraduate degree in the field through its Central and Southwest Asia Program, and the new center will expand on the program's success and bring in more federal funding.

The University currently offers a major and a minor in Central and Southwest Asian studies, and more than 300 students take classes in the program each semester.

For more information, call Brian Lofink, Central and Southwest Asia Program coordinator, at 243-2299 or e-mail brian.lofink@mso.umt.edu.

Central and Southwest Asian Studies 

 $1.5 Million DOD Grant Funds UM Research
 

UM has been awarded a $1.5 million federal grant to support the preclinical development of low-dose methamphetamine as a treatment to limit the damage caused by traumatic brain injuries.

The Department of Defense grant was awarded by the office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to David Poulsen, a researcher in UM's Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

"This grant will help us optimize the dosing regimen and determine the maximum window the drug can be therapeutically applied," Poulsen said.

Poulsen's lab has discovered that low-dose methamphetamine administered to rodents soon after strokes or traumatic brain injuries offers neuroprotective properties. Brain damage affecting normal behavior, learning and memory is greatly reduced. He said the military seeks a drug that can be administered to soldiers exposed to blast-force energy waves from explosions such as those experienced in warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. Such therapies would be applied within hours of exposure to a significant blast.

Read the Full News Release 

 Art Exhibition Honors President Dennison
 

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture will honor outgoing UM President George M. Dennison with an exhibition of his selections from the museum's Permanent Collection.

The exhibition, titled "President's Choice," is now on view in the reception area of the President's Office, located in UM's Main Hall. Public viewing is welcome from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Dennison's selections include portraits by Rembrandt's first pupil, Gerrit Dou (Dutch, 1613-1675), the school of Allan Ramsay (Scottish, 1713-1784), Ilya Efimovich Repin (Ukrainian, 1844-1930) and William Merritt Chase (American, 1849-1916). He has contributed insightful remarks to accompany each work.

An astute art observer, Dennison selected the four paintings from the more than 10,000 objects in UM's Permanent Collection, which has existed since 1894. He has been a strong supporter of MMAC and the Permanent Collection and supports plans for a new museum building.

For more information, call MMAC at 243-2019 or visit the museum's website.

Montana Museum of Art & Culture 

 Scientists Discover Hidden Glacial Crevasses
 

A science team led by UM researcher Joel Harper has confirmed the existence of crevasses that form on the bottom side of glaciers and store large quantities of water. The finding was published in the Sept. 30 issue of the prestigious journal Nature in an article titled "Vertical Extension of the Subglacial Drainage System into Basal Crevasses."

"We know very little about water under glaciers and ice sheets, because it is so hard to observe," said Harper, an associate professor in UM's geosciences department. "Our findings are important because they will help to more accurately model how fast glaciers move and when they have water at their base.

"Ultimately, such understanding is needed to project how fast glaciers will move in a warmer climate and their potential impact on future sea levels," he said. "Glacier speed influences sea level through iceberg calving."

Harper's team discovered the crevasses on Bench Glacier in Alaska. They form from the bottom up and can extend 80 meters or more into the ice, but they do not reach the surface. Similar cracks are expected to exist worldwide in the massive Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets.

Read the Full News Release 

 UM Launches New Minor
 

The UM Liberal Studies Program will host a talk titled "Harem Portraits" on Friday, Oct. 8, to inaugurate the University's new minor in South and Southeast Asian studies.

The talk, presented by Ruby Lal, professor of South Asian studies at Emory University, will be organized around a series of paintings. It begins at 4 p.m. in Gallagher Business Building Room 119. A reception will follow. Lal is the author of a book about the women of Mughal India titled "Domesticity and Power in the Early Mughal World."

"Harem Portraits" is co-sponsored by UM International Programs, the Women's and Gender Studies Program and the Montana Anthropology Student Association.

UM students in any field of study can add the South and Southeast Asian studies minor, which requires an introductory course, six lower-division credits and nine credits in upper-division courses. For more information, call UM Professor Ruth Vanita at 243-4894 or e-mail ruth.vanita@mso.umt.edu.

 

 Raffle Extended for Student-built Home
 

There's still time to buy raffle tickets for the award-winning student-built home in Missoula.

The Building Futures Program, a community partnership with the Missoula Building Industry Association, UM College of Technology and the Flagship Program, has extended the sale of raffle tickets for the home, valued at $340,000. The new date for the raffle drawing is Jan. 2, 2011.

A minimum of 3,500 tickets is needed to hold the raffle drawing, which was originally scheduled for Sept. 26. To date, more than 2,400 tickets have been sold for the Bronze Level efficiency custom home located at 2604 Roderick Way in Missoula.

Raffle tickets cost $100 each. Ticket purchasers need not be present at the raffle drawing to win. Additional prizes are: first prize, a $20,000 car; second prize, a $10,000 boat or recreational vehicle; and third prize, a $5,000 home entertainment system.

Current ticketholders should have received information about the extension in the mail. Those ticketholders are asked to return the postcard they received by Friday, Oct. 8, indicating whether they want to remain a part of the raffle or request a refund. For more information, stop by the MBIA office at 1840 South Ave. W. in Missoula or call 543-4423.

For more information about raffle rules and to purchase tickets, visit the MBIA website.

Missoula Building Industry Association 

 Conference Deals with Alzheimer's Disease
 

Alzheimer's disease currently affects 4.5 million Americans, and that number is expected to rise to 13.2 million by 2050. To help health care professionals meet the challenges of the disease, a daylong conference, "Alzheimer's Disease: From Research to Best Practices," will be presented Tuesday, Oct. 12, by the Montana Geriatric Education Center at UM.

The conference will be broadcast from Missoula and Billings, with interactive videoconferencing sites available around the state. It features four presenters who are internationally recognized for their contribution to the understanding and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The conference is designed for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, dieticians, nursing home administrators, tribal health administrators and practitioners, and other health care providers working in geriatric care and education.

Registration is required, and continuing education credits are available. Students in health care professions, social work, psychology and other disciplines interested in geriatrics can participate for free, but registration is required.

For registration and location information, go to the Montana Geriatric Education Center website, call 243-2453 or e-mail montanagec@umontana.edu.

Montana Geriatric Education Center 

 Mansfield Center Hosts Brown Bag Lectures
 

The Fall 2010 Brown Bag Lecture Series hosted by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center will begin Wednesday, Oct. 6, with a presentation by former congressmen Les AuCoin (D-Ore.) and Gil Gutknecht (R. Minn.). They will present "Congress to Campus: Former Republican and Democratic Congressmen Assess Politics Today" from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in the Mansfield Center Conference Room, located on the fourth floor of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library.

AuCoin and Gutknecht will assess politics today from the perspective of their 30 years' combined experience in the U.S. House of Representatives, handling issues such as governmental reform, environmental policy and national security.

All lectures are free and open to the public. Other lectures in the series will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Mansfield Center Conference Room. Following is the series schedule:
  • Thursday, Oct. 21: "Voters and Issues in the 2010 Election" by Christopher Muste, UM assistant professor of political science.
  • Monday, Oct. 25: "A Comparative Study of Climate Change Issues in Montana and Vietnam and Opportunities for Study" by Tyron Venn, assistant professor in UM's College of Forestry and Conservation.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 10: "China's Criminal Justice System: Modern Challenges" by James Taylor, director of the Mansfield Center's Legal Reform Initiative.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 1: "Student Action on Global Environmental Issues in Southeast Asia" by Len Broberg, professor in UM's Environmental Studies Program.
For more information, visit the Mansfield Center website, call Jeri Jacobsen at 243-2988 or e-mail jeri.jacobsen@mso.umt.edu.

Mansfield Center 

 'Pianissimo!' Back by Popular Demand
 

The UM School of Music will present the third annual "Pianissimo!" concert Friday, Oct. 8. The performances feature a wide variety of works and styles for solo piano, piano duet, two pianos, multiple piano works and more. The audience also will be treated to the sound created by seven pianos played at the same time.

The gala event, performed by some of Missoula's most prominent and distinguished pianists, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall. A reception hosted by Liquid Planet will follow the concert. Tickets are $20 for the public and $10 for students. They can be purchased at the door or by calling the music department at 243-6880.

"Pianissimo!" is a fundraiser for the UM Keyboard Society to help piano students attend conferences, fund performance travel, sponsor events and bring in guest artists. The UM Keyboard Society was recently named the 2010 Benjamin Whitten Collegiate Chapter of the Year, an award presented by Music Teachers National Association. Proceeds also will help with much-needed maintenance and care for UM's pianos to provide instruments that will attract the best students to the University's music program.

 

 Celebrate National Fossil Day at UM
 

The UM Paleontology Center will host several events Wednesday, Oct. 13, to celebrate National Fossil Day. In addition to celebrating the history of ancient life, National Fossil Day aims to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils and to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational value.

The celebration begins at 5 p.m. on the first floor of the Clapp Building, with a gathering around the T-rex exhibit for a reception with food and beverages. Lectures, music, movies and tours of the Paleontology Center, which contains more than 100,000 fossils, will follow.

For more information, visit the UM Department of Geosciences website or call Paleontology Center Director George Stanley at 243-5693.

Department of Geosciences 

 Costume Closeout Sale at UC Oct. 8
 

The UM School of Theatre and Dance will hold its popular one-day-only Costume Closeout Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, in the University Center Atrium. The sale provides endless opportunities to find the perfect Halloween costume and, possibly, a rare chance to add some unusual accessories to daily ensembles.

All sales are cash-only, and items that include everything from wedding and prom dresses to funky hats, coats and specialty costumes are priced to move. Prices range from $20 for a wedding dress to 50 cents for other items. Some items were bought and some were hand-made. Almost every single piece was worn in a UM theatre and dance production.

Bring your friends and get there early -- and don't forget reusable shopping bags. For more information, call Costume Shop supervisor Lisa Marie Hyslop at 243-5271 or e-mail lisa1.hyslop@umontana.edu.

 

 Exhibit Opens at UC Gallery
 

"Art in Progress," an exhibit that shows the process of art, is on view at the University Center Gallery through Friday, Oct. 29. The exhibit shows the process and progress of art being developed by three UM students: Chelsey Von Ehrenkrook, Kelly Hegg and Sonya Yahyaoui.

Using various materials, Von Ehrenkrook will create a sculpture addressing women's issues. Hegg will explore the use of paint, pens and coffee to express the delicate ideas and emotions that come to light during conversations. Yahyaoui will work with the difficulties and importance of language barriers and document these struggles using paper, language and wax.

The exhibit is held in conjunction with UM's annual Day of Dialogue. A reception and artist talk will take place in the gallery at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, during Day of Dialogue. The talk and all Day of Dialogue events are free and open to the public.

The University Center Gallery is located in UC Room 227, Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 243-5776.

 

 Transportation Supervisor Among Top 40
 

Associate Students of UM Transportation supervisor Ryan Loomis has been selected as one of the 2010 Top 40 Under 40 by Mass Transit magazine. Mass Transit is dedicated to public transportation and showcases professionals who are the decision-makers in the industry.

Top 40 honorees were nominated by their peers and judged on criteria that included job commitment, industry involvement and contribution, achievement in their positions and innovation in their fields.

Winners are showcased in the September/October cover feature of the magazine.

Mass Transit 

 Flu Shots Available at WellCheck
 

Faculty, staff and spouses on an MUS medical plan can get flu shots at WellCheck, which will be held from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 26-27, in University Center Room 330, and from 7 to 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, at the College of Technology Administration Building. They also will be available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, in UC Room 332.

Flu shots are free, and no appointment is necessary. They are not available before WellCheck and are not available at the Curry Health Center.

Wellness anticipates having enough vaccine so that any adult plan member who wants a flu shot can get one. Children are not eligible.

H1N1 is included in the 2010-11 seasonal influenza vaccine.

 

 Encourage Students to Enter Competition
 

UM autumn semester 2010 undergraduate and graduate students can enter a competition for the Merriam-Frontier Award. The award was established by H.G. Merriam, UM professor of English and creative writing from 1919 to 1954, to recognize distinguished achievement in writing. It consists of a $500 prize and publication of the winning entry as a chapbook.

Entries should be in one of the following categories:
  • Poetry: 20-25 poems.
  • Fiction: two or more stories (40-60 double-spaced pages).
  • Essay: two or more essays (40-60 double-spaced pages).
All entries must be delivered to Karin Schalm in Liberal Arts Building Room 133 by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15. For more information, call Schalm at 243-5267 or e-mail karin.schalm@mso.umt.edu.

 

 President Dennison's Office Hours
 

Each semester, President Dennison welcomes members of the campus community to meet with him to discuss issues and topics of their choice. Please call 243-2311 or e-mail prestalk@umontana.edu to make an appointment to meet with President Dennison during these times.

President Dennison's office hours for autumn semester are:
  • Thursday, Oct. 14: 10-noon


 

 Faculty/Staff Socials
 

Socials will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. most Fridays during autumn semester in the Davidson Honors College Lounge. Autumn semester dates and event sponsors are:
  • Oct. 8: Academic Affairs
  • Oct. 15: President Dennison
  • Oct. 29: College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences
  • Nov. 5: President Engstrom
  • Nov. 12: College of Forestry and Conservation and College of Visual and Performing Arts
  • Nov. 19: College of Arts and Sciences
  • Dec. 3: Mansfield Library
  • Dec. 10: Faculty Senate and Academic Affairs


 

 News About U
 

News About U Internship Services intern coordinator/career adviser Cheryl Minnick was invited by AOL's Career Expert to create and submit a sample resume that successfully hides a problematic educational history, yet showcases experiential strengths. The sample resume and interview went live Sept. 28 on AOL Jobs.

Journalism Assistant Professor Jason Begay attended two seminars focused on leadership and online networking, held by the American Press Institute Sept. 13-16 in Pomona, Calif. The seminars, "Beyond the Newsroom," designed to develop networking partnerships with community blogs, and "The Next Generation of Media Mangers," aimed at honing effective managing skills, featured professionals from newsrooms across the country and Canada. Begay directs Reznet, a Web-based publication produced by UM American Indian journalism students.

 

 Publications
 

Books and Publications Bælum, J., C.S. Jacobsen and W.E. Holben. 2010. "Comparison of 16S rRNA Gene Phylogeny and Functional tfdA Gene Distribution in Thirty-One Different 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic Acid Degraders." Systemic and Applied Microbiology, 33(2):67-70.

Ball, P.N., M.D. MacKenzie, T.H. DeLuca and W.E. Holben. 2010. "Wildfire and Charcoal Enhance Nitrification and Ammonium-oxidizing Bacterial Abundance in Dry Montane Forest Soils." Journal of Environmental Quality, 39:1243-1253.

Keenan, Teressa M. 2010. "Why Purchase When You Can Repurpose? Using Crosswalks to Enhance User Access." Code{4}Lib Journal, 11.

Lowell, J.L., N. Gordon, D. Engstrom, J.A. Stanford, W.E. Holben and J.E. Gannon. 2009. "Habitat Heterogeneity and Associated Microbial Community Structure in a Small-scale Floodplain Hyporheic Flow Path." Microbial Ecology, 58:611-620.

Morales, S.E. and W.E. Holben. 2010. "Linking Bacterial Identities and Ecosystem Processes: Can 'Omic' Analyses Be More than the Sum of Their Parts?" FEMS Microbiology Ecology.

Morales, S.E., T. Cosart, and W. Holben. 2010. "Bacterial Gene Abundances as Indicators of Greenhouse Gas Emission in Soils." ISME Journal, 4:799-808.

Sriraman, Bharath. 2010. "Commentary on Theorizing in Mathematics Education Research: Differences in Modes and Quality." Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education, 15(1):53-58.

Sriraman, Bharath (with others). 2010. "Amazing Math-Science-Arts Connections: Getting Insights Into the Golden Ratio." In Interdisciplinarity for the 21st Century: Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Mathematics and its Connection to the Arts and Sciences (Moncton, Canada 2009). (Eds.) B. Sriraman and V. Freiman. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

 

Submissions must reach University Relations, 317 Brantly Hall, by noon Tuesday for inclusion in the following week's newsletter. Be sure to note that the submissions are for ForUM. E-mail submissions may be sent to campnews@mso.umt.edu. Items will be included as space permits. For more information, e-mail Brenda Day, ForUM editor.
phone: 406-243-2522
fax: 406-243-4520