________________________The University of Montana President's Report 1999________________________

As we approach the new millennium, it seems especially appropriate that we find new ways to revitalize the University’s discovery mission. After all, our state emerged in part from the heroic efforts of Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery, recently celebrated by Stephen Ambrose in his marvelous book, “Undaunted Courage.” The University always has sought to serve the needs of the state and its people in education, research, technology transfer and cultural preservation.

In recent years, students have rediscovered the link between academic work and community development in their service-learning activities. New technologies have enabled the University to extend its resources more adeptly to meet the needs of all people, whether they live in Montana or outside the state. And as our faculty members pursue their search for new knowledge and techniques, they have aggressively brought that new knowledge to bear on the solution of societal problems and challenges. But we also have discovered that service learning and research will not suffice to meet the challenges by themselves. They must ride upon a solid foundation of values and commitments to serve the public interest.

In this report, we bring you a sample of the myriad ways the University has sought to meet this challenge. All universities share in the search for truth and knowledge, and all have the responsibility to pursue the public interest and preserve our culture.

In an eloquent turn of phrase, Robert Bellah defined a culture as an ongoing dialogue about things that matter among people who care. At The University of Montana, we seek to bring new life to that concept as we structure our curricula and programs to help students develop a sense of civic responsibility — no easy task. At the same time, faculty members demonstrate each year their agreement with John Slaughter’s famous observation that “Research is to teaching as sin is to religion; the person not engaged in the former has no need for the latter.”

George M. Dennison President

________________________The Discovery Continues________________________

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