Bear Briefs

Academic Planner Application Wins Award—A Web-based application that helps UM students map out the courses needed during their academic careers has garnered a prestigious award for its campus designers. The Academic Planner application won a 2009 Hugi Excellence Award in the Business Processes and Systems category of a competition run by the NorthWest Academic Computing Consortium. The award was presented during a June 10 NWACC summit at Salishan Resort near Lincoln City, Ore. The application was written by UM’s Information Technology department in close association with the Registrar’s Office. The creators are IT programmers Jon Adams, Tom Fite and Tim Irmen, as well as former UM Registrar Dave Micus.

UM Convenes National Summit On Childhood PTSD—School teachers from around the country came to UM earlier this month for a summit focusing on new ways to confront childhood post-traumatic stress disorder. UM’s National Native Children’s Trauma Center brought together more than 60 trauma professionals for the two-day summit June 1-2 to share their experiences using a new childhood trauma intervention technique called Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools. The technique is a therapeutic method being developed nationwide for addressing childhood trauma. It has been shown to improve symptoms of depression and PTSD among kids. In Montana, UM researchers at the National Native Children’s Trauma Center are adapting the method for the state’s American Indian communities.

Dining Services Receives National Honor—UM’s Dining Services has received the 2009 Loyal E. Horton Gold Award for Casa Nina, its new authentic Mexican restaurant located in the University Center Food Court. UM’s entry, which is in book form, took the award in the category of retail sales – single, stand-alone concept outlet in the large school division. UM Dining Services Marketing Director Jerry O’Malley worked on the entry for more than a year. It will be displayed this summer during the National Association of College and University Food Services national conference. A representative from UM’s Dining Services will receive a gold plaque at the Dining Awards Luncheon on July 11 in Milwaukee. At the luncheon, the gold award winners from each category will compete for the grand prize.

Suicide Prevention Walk Seeks Volunteers, Sponsors—The Montana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host a community walk on Saturday, Sept. 12, on the UM Oval to help prevent suicide and end the stigma that surrounds depression and other mental illnesses. The Montana AFSP Chapter is seeking participants, volunteers and local business sponsors for the Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Participants may register as individuals or teams for the 3.25-mile walk by going to http://www.outofthedarkness.org. Donations to benefit the local AFSP chapter and national organization also can be made on the Web site. For more information on the walk, call Kira Fernandez at 858-603-5782 or Leslie Mace at 406-546-0509, or e-mail kirafernandez@ymail.com or lesliemace@ymail.com.