Bear Briefs

COT Adds New Dean—A West Virginia administrator with extensive experience working at two-year colleges has been named the new dean of UM’s College of Technology. Barry Good, vice president for academic affairs at West Virginia Northern Community College in Wheeling, W.Va., will begin his new duties July 3. He replaces Paul Williamson, who accepted a special assignment earlier this year to work on University projects related to alternative energy and developing a long-range building plan for the COT. Five candidates interviewed for the COT dean position in May, and UM President George Dennison said Good has the background and experience that suits the needs of the University and COT at this time. Good earned a doctorate in botany from Louisiana State University in 1978.

Grants Help Students in Need—Kelly Chapman, executive vice president of the Student Assistance Foundation, visited campus this spring to present $319,842 in scholarships to UM students in need for the 2006-07 academic year. The money is offered through the foundation’s Acce$$ Grants program, which is designed to help students weather financial strains and continue their education. The Acce$$ Grants program has presented more money to Montana Colleges every year since the program started in 2000. UM received $155,000 for the 2003-04 academic year, which helped 156 students. Last year the University received $157,000. The Student Assistance Foundation is a nonprofit Montana organization dedicated to providing students with the knowledge and tools to finance and pursue their post-secondary education.

Athletes Make the Grade—UM’s 2006 Intercollegiate Athletics grade report once again shows that UM student-athletes are as successful in academic fields as on the playing fields. Compiled each semester, the report is a benchmark to see how the University’s student-athletes compare academically to UM’s general student population. UM’s student-athletes achieved an average cumulative GPA of 3.00, and 156 of them — more than half — earned a 3.00 GPA or higher. Eight of the 12 athletic teams on the report earned average GPAs greater than 3.00. The women’s golf team led UM athletes with an average spring term GPA of 3.51 and cumulative GPA of 3.45.

Board of Regents Adds Member—Gov. Brian Schweitzer has appointed Crow tribal member Janine Pease to the Montana Board of Regents. She replaces Mike Foster, who resigned for health reasons. Pease is currently vice president for American Indian Affairs at Billings’ Rocky Mountain College. She also was president of Little Big Horn College at Crow Agency for 18 years and has served on the state Human Rights Commission.

Books for UM—Acclaimed novelist James Grady, author of “Six Days of the Condor,” which became a classic Robert Redford movie, has agreed to donate some of the sales of his new book to UM scholarships and general expenses. Under the deal being finalized between Grady and UM President George Dennison, the author would donate all profits from special sales of his new novel “Mad Dogs.” The fundraising effort will net about one-third of the hardback novel’s cover price for UM causes. The book also can be “upgraded” for collectors with Grady’s autograph or a personalized inscription, and these small extra charges will go to UM as well. Books will be prepaid and pre-ordered during the next few months by visiting http://www.umt.edu/urelations/maddogs.htm. “Mad Dogs” is a thriller that launches from a CIA insane asylum.

UM Seeks Education Dean—Longtime faculty member Roberta Evans will take the helm of UM’s School of Education on a temporary basis while a national search is conducted for a permanent leader next fall. Evans will replace Dean Paul Rowland, who left UM June 30 to become dean of education at the University of Idaho. Evans is well-acquainted with the role; she served as interim dean during 2001-02. She was named dean in 2002 but resigned a year later to return to teaching and spend more time with her family.

Fiction Writer’s Boot Camp—An intensive writing course, Stealing From Thieves: Learn and Practice the Fiction Techniques of Great Authors, will offer a three-day writing retreat July 21-23 and then instruction via UMOnline through Nov. 3. Taught by noted Montana author Colin Hester, the course focuses on fiction techniques such as painting vivid landscapes, writing authentic dialogue and more. The course costs $675, and the registration deadline is July 14. For registration or lodging information, contact Candice Merrill at 406-243-6431 or e-mail candice.merrill@umontana.edu.

Biology Lands Big Grant—The nation’s largest private supporter of science education, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, has awarded a $1.5 million grant to UM. The grant proposal was written by UM biology professors Bill Holben and Carol Brewer. Holben said the money will revamp UM’s Division of Biological Sciences curriculum, provide resources to enable faculty members to design and participate in this innovative curriculum and allow undergraduates to write proposals for their own independent research projects.

Globe-trotting Former Griz—Shane “Scooter” Christensen, a 6-foot-1 guard for the UM men’s basketball team during 1998-02, is now a member of the Harlem Globetrotters. He spent the winter playing gigs across the United States, including his home town of Las Vegas, and recently toured six countries in Europe.