New Data On Economic Contributions Of Tribes
 

Economic contributions of Montana's seven reservations and the Little Shell Tribe are significant -- $1,028,089,317 for fiscal year 2003 -- according to the latest issue of the Montana Business Quarterly.

Published by the UM Bureau of Business and Research, the autumn issue features never-before-collected data regarding the economic contributions of Montana's American Indian tribes to the state.

The article, "Reservation Revenues: Uncovering Economic Contributions of Montana's American Indian Tribes," is a first step at estimating and quantifying the economic impacts of Montana's tribes.

Funded by the State-Tribal Economic Development Committee, author Eleanor YellowRobe reviewed audited financial statements and government documents to obtain data concerning tribal and related activities.

The article presents a summary of tribal monetary contributions by reservation area, plus the Little Shell Tribe, which has no reservation. Activities associated with the Flathead Reservation accounted for the largest share at about $317 million or 30.9 percent of the total. The Fort Belknap Reservation was the smallest, with about $76 million or 7.4 percent.

"Montana's American Indian tribes have long been important components of the state's political and social landscape," said BBER Director Paul Polzin.

Bureau of Business and Economic Research 

 Syrian Ambassador To Speak
 

A rare opportunity to discuss the current Middle East situation will be offered Tuesday, Dec. 11, when Imad Moustapha, ambassador of Syria to the United States visits UM.

Moustapha will present "U.S.-Syria and the New Old Middle East: Confrontation or Cooperation" at 7:30 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

Moustapha has served as the Syrian Ambassador to the United States since March 2004. He will be at UM following the November Annapolis Middle East Conference and will offer firsthand information about the new Middle East.

The event is sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Montana, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping Montanans better understand world issues.

World Affairs Council of Montana 

 New Tool Helps Blind, Visually Impaired
 

Jim Marks, director of UM Disability Services, and George Kerscher, UM honorary doctorate recipient, are featured in a Microsoft news release about a tool designed to enhance accessibility for people with print disabilities.

The new tool, which makes Microsoft Word documents more readable, will be released as a downloadable plug-in early next year.

The plug-in will translate Open XML documents into DAISY XML, the globally accepted language standard for digital talking books. It will allow the blind and visually impaired to navigate text, parse information, speed-read, skim over sections and locate data -- much like the eye scans a page of text.

Kerscher, secretary general of the DAISY Consortium, received an honorary doctorate from UM last spring.

More information is available in the news release.

Microsoft news release 

 Essay Contest Winners Announced
 

Three students have been awarded prizes for their winning essays in the UM's 2007 First-Year Reading Experience competition.

The book chosen for this year's competition was "Three Cups of Tea" by Bozeman author Greg Mortenson. It chronicles Mortenson's determination to succeed at a personal quest to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Allison Maier, a journalism major from Boise, Idaho, took first place in the competition with her essay titled "The Mortenson Effect." She received $400 for the winning essay, in which she writes about how Mortenson's book led her to "rethink the pessimistic notions" she had about the power of individual action in today's world.

Second place went to Aaron Jungnitsch of Coram. Jungnitsch, an English education major, received $200 for his essay titled "A Misunderstanding." The $100 third-place award went to "A Respected Peace" by Jordan Rooklyn of Ashland, Ore., a physics major.

Excerpts from this year's winning essays are online.

First-Year Reading Experience 

 Student Wins Leadership Award
 

Senior Kendra Kallevig of Sidney has been selected to receive the University's fall 2007 Outstanding Student Leader Award.

Kallevig, who majors in environmental studies, was chosen from among 21 students nominated for the award this semester by faculty, students and staff. She received the award for her extensive roles with Students for Economic and Social Justice and her work as the Northwest regional organizer for United States Against Sweatshops, as well as other service and leadership activities.

Kallevig and all students nominated for the 2007 Outstanding Student Leader Award will be honored at the Spring Student Recognition Ceremony, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, in the University Center Ballroom.

 

 National Scholarship Goes To UM Student
 

Caitlin Mallory of Great Falls, a senior in radio-television, recently won a $1,250 Harold Fellows Scholarship from the National Association of Broadcasters.

Mallory was one of 13 students from 12 campuses across the nation awarded scholarships during the Broadcast Education Association's 2008-09 competition.

BEA is the professional association for professors, industry professionals, and graduate and undergraduate students who are interested in teaching and research related to electronic media and multimedia enterprises. NAB is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and broadcast networks.

 

 Trio Wins Prize In National Writing Contest
 

Three UM students recently accepted a challenge from Johnson Controls Inc. to write a letter to the nation's 2008 presidential candidates asking them to clarify their positions on energy and sustainability.

Their letter, titled "Tomorrow's Energy Ambassadors, Managers and Scholars," took third place in the national competition.

Students who wrote the prize-winning letter are Jessie Davie of Eliot, Maine; Dustin Leftridge of Eureka, Calif.; and Emily Peters of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

The TEAM challenge was issued by the Milwaukee-based corporation in response to an editorial that dubbed college students the "Quiet Generation."

Johnson Controls asked students at more than 200 member schools of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education to demonstrate their awareness of important energy and sustainability issues by writing letter to the candidates.

 

 Proposals Sought For Research Fellowships
 

Humanities Montana has fellowship funds available for humanities research relating to Montana and the region. The deadline for receipt of proposals is Thursday, Dec. 20.

Preference may be given to Montana residents, but applicants may be any legal U.S. resident who demonstrates evidence of interest and accomplishment in the field of the humanities. Scholars and writers not seeking degrees are encouraged to apply.

Typically no more than three fellowships of up to $4,000 each will be awarded, with funds available in early February.

For more information and application materials, visit the Humanities Montana Web site, e-mail info@humanitiesmontana.org or call 406-243-6022.

Humanities Montana 

 New Exhibition Opens At Discovery Area
 

Visitors will be pulled toward new insights by "Magnetism," a San Francisco Exploratorium traveling exhibition at UM's spectrUM Discovery Area Dec. 15-May 31.

A grand opening event for the hands-on, interactive science exhibition will be held from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the discovery area, located in Skaggs Building Room 166.

Admission is $3.50 per person, or free for spectrUM Discovery Area members. Prearranged field trip groups pay a discounted admission fee of $3 per person. Free passes for families in need can be checked out at the Missoula Public Library.

Those who can't make the grand opening of "Magnetism" can visit the spectrUM Discovery Area during its regular hours from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

SpectrUM Discovery Area 

 UM Part Of Local New Year's Eve Celebration
 

First Night Missoula -- the communitywide annual New Year's Eve alcohol-free celebration of the arts -- will showcase more than 100 performances and activities in more than 30 venues from noon until midnight Monday, Dec. 31.

Music, theater, dance, children's programs, visual arts and more highlight the daylong celebration.

Several First Night events are held each year on the UM campus. UM venues are the University Center, Music Recital Hall, Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center and University Theatre.

Admission buttons that allow entry to all First Night events cost $10 in advance and $15 on Dec. 31. Children 7 and under are admitted free with a button-wearing adult. Buttons will be available during December at several Missoula locations.

Those who volunteer to work a two-hour shift at an event on New Year's Eve will receive a free admission button. To volunteer, call Sara Bruya of the Missoula Cultural Council at 406-532-3240.

A First Night 2008 schedule of events and information about where to purchase buttons are on the Web site.

First Night Missoula 

 Donations Still Needed For Toy Drive
 

The Montana Grizzlies football team's third annual Griz for Kids toy drive was a great success during the Nov. 3 UM football game, but there are still unmet needs.

Griz Nation donated more than enough during the game to make a happy Christmas for many young children. Then on Nov. 7 at The Bookstore at UM, members of the football team were overwhelmed by the kindness and Christmas spirit of the Missoula community at another Griz for Kids event.

However, there are still some children in need of generosity. The toy drive gives away items to a wide variety of age groups, including young people in the 13- to 15-year-old range. Cash donations are needed so Griz for Kids and Mountain of Giving can buy age-appropriate gifts for the older children. These two charitable organizations and Missoula Federal Credit Union will ensure the gifts get distributed in time to make many merry Christmases.

Griz for Kids collected an estimated $20,000 in toys and donations in past years, and with continued support from the Missoula community and surrounding areas, that number will be surpassed this year.

For more information or to contribute, call University Relations at 406-243-2522.

 

 Stadium Expansion Under Way
 

Construction began Dec. 3 on a 2,000-seat expansion to the east side of UM's Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

On Saturday, Dec. 15, a section of Campus Drive east of the stadium will be closed to through traffic until the building project is completed in August 2008.

Though a section of Campus Drive will be blocked off, students, employees and the general public will still be able to access the Facilities Services building and the Office of Public Safety from the south by entering campus on Beckwith Avenue. The entire Campus Drive loop will be closed to public travel.

For more information call UM architect Jerry Ballas at 406-243-5923 or e-mail jerry.ballas@mso.umt.edu.

 

 Titans Best Griz
 

The Cal State Fullerton Titans tied a school record en route to a 100-91 victory over the host Montana Grizzlies last Friday in front of 4,236 fans in Dahlberg Arena.

The Titans had 14 three-pointers, while senior guard Frank Robinson scored a career-high 30 points.

Junior forward Jordan Hasquet led the Griz with a team-high 26 points and also grabbed a game- and career-high 12 rebounds. Andrew Strait added 21 points and seven boards, Matt Martin chipped in 17 and sophomore guard Ryan Staudacher matched his career-high with 11 points.

Montana plays again tonight, hosting the University of Portland at 7 p.m.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Lady Griz Lose to Cowgirls, Beat Pilots
 

The Montana women's basketball team lost 65-54 to Wyoming last Thursday in Laramie.

The Lady Griz led by two, 40-38, with just over 10 minutes remaining, but the Cowgirls went on a 15-0 run to take control late and pull away for the victory.

Wednesday night, senior Laura Cote scored a season-high 17 points to lead the Lady Griz to a 67-63 victory over the University of Portland in Portland, Ore. Montana, which improved to 4-3 with the victory, trailed 25-20 at the break but scored 47 second-half points on 45.8 percent shooting to rally back from a 10-point second-half deficit.

After opening the season with six of its first seven games on the road, Montana will play its next nine at home, starting with Cal State Northridge on at 7 p.m. Saturday in Dahlberg Arena.

Montana Grizzlies