UM Enrollment Reaches New Milestone
 

For the first time in its 115-year history, UM has more than 14,000 enrolled students, setting records for both total headcount and full-time equivalents (students taking 15 undergraduate or 12 graduate semester credits).

This fall semester UM has a total enrollment of 14,207, a jump of 349 from a year ago and 246 more than the previous all-time record set in fall 2006. The new record for FTE students is 12,295.97, which is 247.17 better than a year ago. FTEs jumped among both resident and nonresident students.

Total enrollment at UM's mountain campus is 12,566, which is 240 more than a year ago. College of Technology enrollment stands at 1,641 -- 109 higher than last fall.

"The enrollments for fall semester 2008 make it clear that declining numbers in the high schools of the state do not necessarily translate into declining numbers of new college students," UM President George Dennison said. "With only a few more than half of the graduating seniors opting for college in the past, higher education still has before it the challenge of assuring that more of Montana's youth prepare themselves for success in the 21st century."

Dennison said the total headcount exceeded projections by more than 300 and FTEs were 200 more than expected. Nonresident FTEs also were 75 more than a year ago.

"Quite clearly, the faculty, staff and recruiters have succeeded in their efforts to let young people know of the value we have to offer," he said.

 

 Law Students To Host Candidate Debates
 

The UM Student Bar Association will host a debate between candidates for the Montana Supreme Court on Thursday, Oct. 2, in the University Center Theater.

The debate between Ron Waterman and Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath -- candidates to fill the seat of Chief Justice Karla Gray on the Montana Supreme Court -- will begin promptly at 5:45 p.m. and last one hour.

At 7 p.m. the national vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin will be shown live from Washington University in St. Louis on the theater's big screen.

Both events are free and open to the public. The theater is located on the third floor of the University Center.

The Montana Supreme Court is the state's highest court and has jurisdiction over most appeals from Montana's district courts. The next chief justice will be chosen in the general election to be held Tuesday, Nov. 4.

 

 UM Receives Grant To Create Fellowship
 

Three researchers with UM's College of Forestry and Conservation recently won a prestigious grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create a fellowship program that will train graduate students in natural resource management.

The recipients -- Diana Six, professor of forest entomology and pathology; Cory Cleveland, assistant professor of soil science; and Solomon Dobrowski, assistant professor of landscape ecology -- were awarded the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships Program grant earlier this month.

The grant will create a one-time fellowship program at UM for four students, two pursuing master's degrees and two pursuing doctorates. The students will take specialized courses that will prepare them to holistically examine the role of disturbance, climate change and land-use patterns on western U.S. forests through multiscale analysis. The fellowship students will develop and implement a research project focusing on the effects of mountain pine beetles, blister rust and climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Six, Cleveland and Dobrowski will serve as primary advisers to the four fellowship students. Several other professors and natural resource agency professionals will serve as mentors.

Six said they will begin recruiting potential students nationwide in the coming weeks with the goal of beginning the program next fall.

College of Forestry and Conservation 

 Graduate, Professional School Fair At UC
 

Learn about master's and doctoral programs available at UM and other educational institutions in the region at UM's first Graduate and Professional School Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

The fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom. Admission is free, and the fair is open to the public.

During the event students, alumni and community members can meet with program representatives from UM's departments and schools, as well as those from other regional colleges, to learn about opportunities to pursue master's and doctoral degrees.

Those attending the fair also can get information about scholarships available through UM and learn about the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Scholarship for Service Program (SMART). SMART scholarships, established by the Department of Defense, support students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

Programs that want to be included in the fair can register online or call 406-243-6150 for alternative registration materials. A list of programs represented at the fair and a schedule of events also will be posted on the Career Services Web site.

For more information, call 406-243-2022.

Career Services Fairs 

 Star Party To Celebrate Life Of David Friend
 

Diane Friend and UM's Department of Physics and Astronomy invite Missoula and campus community members to join them for a Star Party from 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, on the UM Oval to celebrate the life of David Friend.

Telescopes will be set up for people to view Jupiter, nebulae, star clusters and, if the night is clear, the distant galaxies that David Friend so loved to discuss with his students and colleagues.

Friend taught courses in astronomy, astrophysics and physics at UM. He received the University's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2005 and served as chair of the physics and astronomy department from 2005 to 2008. He died May 22 after a long battle with Crohn's disease and cancer.

In the spirit of David's teaching and community outreach, this will be a completely informal event -- a chance to drop by for as little or as long as you like to enjoy the wonders of the night sky and, if you knew David, an opportunity to share stories and conversation with friends.

If Wednesday night is not clear, the Star Party will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2. Call 406-243-4299 to hear an announcement about whether the night is clear and the event will proceed as planned.

A memorial fund has been established in David Friend's honor that will go toward establishing an award for excellence in science teaching and outreach. Contributions can be made by sending a check to the UM Foundation, P.O. Box 7159, Missoula, MT 59807-7159. Checks should be made payable to the UM Foundation with "in memory of David Friend" on the memo line.

 

 Event To Examine Alternative Fuel Vehicles
 

High gas prices got you down? Then take a glimpse into the future during the National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey on Friday, Oct. 3, at UM.

UM's Sustainable Campus Committee will host the local Odyssey from 1 to 4 p.m. at the University Center and the Mansfield Mall, located between the UC and the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. The event is free and open to the public.

Odyssey will feature displays of alternative energy vehicles and offer workshops on alternative fuels. Learn about the Smart Car, electric and biodiesel conversions, hydrogen vehicles and more in UC Room 326.

Speakers will address the need for new fuels and Montana's role in the alternative fuels revolution.

This year marks the fourth celebration of the National AFV Day Odyssey, which is coordinated by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program. Eighty-six sites across the nation are participating this year.

For more information about the UM event, call R. Paul Williamson at 406-532-3227 or e-mail paul.williamson@mso.umt.edu. For information about the national program, go online or call Amy Gandy at 304-293-7882.

National AFV Day Odyssey 

 Panel Explores Corporate Social Responsibility
 

A panel discussing efforts to ensure collegiate apparel isn't produced in Third World sweatshops will be held today at UM.

The panel, "Corporate Social Responsibility," will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. in University Center Rooms 331-332. The event is free and open to the public.

The three speakers will be Scott Nova, executive director of the Workers Rights Consortium, a labor-rights monitoring organization in Washington, D.C.; Bruce Siegal, senior vice president and general legal counsel of the Atlanta-based Collegiate Licensing Co.; and Joe Bozich, president and chief executive officer of Knights Apparel Inc., the nation's second-leading producer of sports licensed apparel, which is headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C.

The panel is sponsored by the UM President's Office and Office of the Executive Vice President.

"This event will allow people to interact with those who are trying to make a difference in the industry," Executive Vice President Jim Foley said. "The University wants to educate the public, community and state about these important issues."

For more information, call Foley's office at 406-243-2317.

 

 Learn More About Global Internships
 

UM recently joined the IE3 consortium, which provides internships for students in a variety of majors in a variety of countries.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend two informational sessions presented by IE3 Global Internship representatives from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, and Wednesday, Oct. 1, in the Davidson Honors College Lounge.

Students who participate in the internships enroll and receive credit at UM and are eligible to use their financial aid. Some need-based scholarships are available in the range of $500 to $1,500 per student.

For more information, call Kevin Hood of UM Internship Services at 243-2815, e-mail kevin.hood@mso.umt.edu or go online.

IE3 Global Internships 

 Art Symposium On Campus Next Week
 

World-class presenters will discuss the relationship of art to place at "Site Symposium: Art and Place," to be held on campus Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. Events begin at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the University Center with an introduction to the symposium by UM art Professor Mary Ann Bonjorni.

UM Regents Professor of English and Creative Writing William Kittredge will present "What's Our Story" from 1:45 to 2:10 p.m. Events continue until 6 p.m. Tuesday in the University Center Theater.

Wednesday's events include a roundtable discussion from 12:10 to 1:30 p.m. in Fine Arts Building Studio 401. The final event of the symposium is a site- specific concert titled "Strata" by composer Cheryl Leonard, which will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Gallery of Visual Arts, located on the first floor of the Social Science Building.

Symposium events are free and open to the public. For more information call Bonjorni at 243-5443 or e-mail maryann.bonjorni@mso.umt.edu.

Symposium Event Schedule 

 Free College Prep Classes For Veterans
 

Montana Veterans' Upward Bound is offering free college prep classes for qualified military veterans throughout the state.

In Missoula, classes will be held at UM's College of Technology campus, located at 909 South Ave. W. Classes are offered in math, writing and basic computer skills. They will be held Monday through Thursday evenings. Start times vary from 5 to 7 p.m., and classes end no later than 9 p.m.

Orientation will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, in the COT Dining Room. A graduation ceremony will be held Wednesday, Nov. 19.

To register for classes at COT or to learn about Veterans' Upward Bound classes offered throughout Montana, go to the Veterans' Upward Bound Web site. For more information, call 877-356-8387 or 406-243-7812.

Veteran's Upward Bound 

 Heart Walk Returns To Campus
 

Heart Walk, an annual fundraiser for the American Heart Association, will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at UM.

Teams are forming now and are soliciting donations to support the education and research efforts of the American Heart Association, a nonprofit that raises awareness of cardiovascular disease and promotes heart-healthy lifestyles. This year's goal is to raise $175,000. No fundraising minimum is required to take part in Heart Walk. Registration is open until the day of the event.

Heart Walk will begin on the Oval at 10 a.m. with a ceremony to introduce heart disease survivors and honor those who have succumbed to heart disease.

Participants then will walk a three-mile course around the UM campus. Awards and a closing ceremony will follow. The event also will feature kids' activities, refreshments and information on healthy lifestyles.

For more information or to register, call the American Heart Association at 406-829-3377 or e-mail missoula.walk@heart.org.

Missoula Heart Walk 

 Griz Football Remains Undefeated
 

The fourth-ranked UM football team held on for a 29-24 Homecoming win over University of California, Davis, in a nonconference game last Saturday in Missoula. The Grizzlies' win was in front of another record-setting crowd (25,209) in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Montana quarterback Cole Bergquist completed 19-of-29 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Marc Mariani caught seven balls for 98 yards and a touchdown. Senior wide receiver Mike Ferriter caught four passes for 83 yards and a score.

The Grizzlies now have won 24 consecutive regular-season games dating back to the 2006 season. Montana plays host to the Central Washington Wildcats tomorrow. Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Montana Volleyball Wins In Big Sky Play
 

The UM volleyball team won its Big Sky Conference opener and snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-1 victory over Northern Colorado last Friday night in the West Auxiliary Gym.

The Grizzlies dropped the opening game 21-25, then rallied back to win three straight 25-23, 25-23, 25-20.

On Saturday night, Montana junior Whitney Hobbs had a career-high 20 kills on .302 hitting to lead the Grizzlies to a 3-2 victory over Northern Arizona in the West Auxiliary Gym. The victory gave Montana a 2-0 start in Big Sky Conference play and evened its overall record to 6-6.

Montana's first Big Sky Conference road matches are this week. The Grizzlies played at Portland State last night and will play the Eastern Washington Eagles on Saturday at 8 p.m. in Cheney, Wash.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Soccer Squad Held Scoreless In Two
 

The Montana soccer team played to a 0-0 double-overtime draw in Hawaii on Sept. 18 in the opening match of the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium in Waipahu, Oahu.

The next night the Grizzlies dropped a 4-0 decision to No. 20 University of California, Santa Barbara, in their second and final match of the tourney.

Montana's next match is at home at 1 p.m. this Sunday against Boise State at South Campus Stadium.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Cross Country Off And Running
 

UM senior Allie Brosh was third in the women's three-mile race and redshirt freshman Lynn Reynolds was fifth in the five-mile men's race at the Montana State Invitational cross country race last Saturday at the Bridger Creek Golf Course in Bozeman.

The Grizzlies, who raced for the first time in 2008, placed fourth out of 13 teams in the women's race and fourth out of 11 teams in the men's race.

Both teams defeated Montana State in their head-to-head dual-scored matchups. The women posted a 22-33 victory; the men knotched a 19-36 win.

The Grizzlies race again Saturday, Oct. 4, when they host the Montana Invitational at the UM Golf Course. The women's five-kilometer race will start at 10 a.m., and the men's eight-kilometer race begins at 10:30 a.m.

Montana Grizzlies