Summer 2000

Visiting Montana-Montana ranks fifth overall among the 11 states along the Lewis and Clark trail for the coming Corps of Discovery bicentennial commemoration during 2003-2006, according to UM's Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research. ITRR gleaned the information from a survey of 1,400 people across the nation who travel for leisure at least once a year. Using the same survey, ITRR predicts the bicentennial celebration will bring roughly 8.9 million visitors to Montana in addition to the base visitation the state normally receives.

Thanks, Friends-The Friends of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library recently bought almost $10,000 worth of high-cost items for the library's various research collections. The items are the Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians and the Encyclopedia of Psychology, "A Search for American Voice in Theater" and "The Development of Chemistry." First organized in 1952, the Friends is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching UM's library collections and extending these resources to the greater Missoula community. During the 1990s alone, the group gave more than $72,000 in support to the library.

International Homecoming-The UM Alumni Association extends international alumni a special invitation to come home to campus this fall. A special reunion will be held with classmates, faculty and host families during traditional Homecoming weekend events, scheduled for Oct. 6-7 this year. Call Effie Koehn of Foreign Student and Scholar Services at (406) 243-2226 or send e-mail to fsss@selway.umt.edu.

New UC-After a nine-month, $3.6 million make over, the third floor of the University Center now sports a high-tech conference center, a 300-seat movie theater, seven meeting rooms, new lounge areas and a refurbished ballroom. The renovation brings the building to a total of 300,000 square feet of meeting space and 7,700 square feet of exhibition space, which management hopes will attract major academic and business conferences. Before the renovation, the space violated safety codes and had seen little improvement since the UC's construction in 1969. A $12 student fee will cover much of the renovation financing. The University administration, Dining Services and UC each contributed a fifth of the cost. To find out more about space rental, call (406) 243-4113.

Helicopter Science-A remote-controlled helicopter operated by a team of Japanese scientists hovered over UM's Lubrecht Experimental Forest June 20-23 to scan forest vegetation. The minicopter, about a quarter the size of a normal helicopter, was being used to check global vegetation data obtained from NASA's Terra environmental satellite. Terra uses software that forestry Professor Steve Running and his team wrote for a satellite instrument that measures productivity of Earth's vegetation every few days.

Happy Students-A Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory given to about 900 UM students during fall 1999 and spring 2000 showed that students enjoy their educational experience and give the school high marks for its knowledgeable faculty, stimulating intellectual environment and safe, attractive campus. Not surprisingly, UM's parking crunch got the most gripes. But the survey, given to students at more than 500 colleges and universities, showed that parking is a major problem at campuses across the country.

Inspiring Others-LaDonna Fowler, director of two programs for American Indians at UM's Rural Institute on Disabilities, was honored in June in Chicago as one of 20 great leaders of the disability rights movement. Access Living of Chicago chose her for the award. Fowler, who was born with spina bifida, has been a leading advocate for Indians with disabilities, working with tribes across the nation on disabilities issues and helping tribes develop disabilities policies. She is an enrolled Assiniboine at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation but has lived most of her life on the Flathead Indian Reservation, and she worked for Salish Kootenai College from 1988 to 1994, before coming to UM.

Healthy Score-This spring the national Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care granted UM's Curry Health Center full accreditation for three years based on its high level of compliance with association standards. The center received commendation for quality of care, quality of management, clinical records, surgical and pharmaceutical services, environmental safety, governance, administration and professional development. Three years is AAAHC's highest mark in an accreditation process that looks closely for weaknesses and areas of potential mistakes. AAAHC accredits at least 20 kinds of ambulatory health care organizations, including health maintenance organizations and pain management clinics.

Lasting Memorial-Be a part of UM's history and help support its future by buying an engraved brick on the Oval for yourself or a special person you want to remember. As part of UM's Centennial Celebration in 1993, the area around the grizzly bear statue was paved with bricks to create Centennial Circle. By purchasing a $150 brick, you will help fund University promotional efforts and Oval brick restoration. To find out more, call University Relations at (406) 243-2488 or e-mail bsommer@selway.umt.edu.

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