Admiral to Speak at UM
 

Adm. William J. Fallon, the first naval officer to head the U.S. Central Command, will talk about Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran and the challenges the countries pose to the U.S. at the next installment of the President's Lecture Series at UM. Fallon will present "Iraq, Afghanistan and Beyond" at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, in the University Theatre.

Earlier that day from 3:10 to 4:30 p.m., he will give a seminar titled "World Energy Security" in Gallagher Business Building Room 123. Both events are free and open to the public.

During his 40-year career with the Navy, Fallon led American and Allied forces in eight separate commands and played a leadership role in military and diplomatic matters at the highest level of the U.S. government. He retired last year amid controversy that developed over his criticisms of American policies and attitudes regarding Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Fallon was serving in the Pentagon as vice chief of the Navy. He was a lead planner in the retaliatory attacks on Al Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan and later served as commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and U.S. Fleet Forces Command, which had responsibility for the readiness of U.S. naval forces worldwide. While heading the U.S. Central Command during 2007-08, Fallon directed all U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa, focusing on combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fallon now serves as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analyses, a federally funded research and development center serving the Department of the Navy and other defense agencies. He also is a Robert Wilhelm Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for International Studies.

President's Lecture Series 

 Biomass Use Topic of Plum Creek Conference
 

The Plum Creek Conference on Forests and Energy: The Economic and Ecological Implications of Biomass Utilization from Rocky Mountain Forests will take place at UM Sept. 22-24. The conference features lectures by experts in ecology and economics and individuals currently involved in the field of biomass use.

The goal of the conference is to identify the areas of agreement and gaps in knowledge with respect to the sustained use of forests to supply energy needs for people. It also will address the broad impacts of a changing global climate.

Lectures that are free and open to the public will take place in the University Center Theater from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, and Wednesday, Sept. 23. An interactive panel discussion from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, also is open to the public.

For more information, call Laurel Aroner at 406-243-5245 or e-mail laurel.aroner@umontana.edu.

Plum Creek Conference 

 Conference Focuses on Middle East Challenges
 

"Durability of Authoritarian Regimes and the Challenges of Islamist Movements in the Middle East," a conference to be held at UM Sept. 30-Oct. 1, offers several events that are free and open to the public.

The conference, which will take place in the University Center Theater, begins with opening remarks by UM President George M. Dennison and Associate Provost for International Programs Mehrdad Kia from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Panel discussions begin at 10 a.m. each day of the conference. A complete conference schedule is on UM's Central and Southwest Asia Program Web site.

Central and Southwest Asia Program 

 Missoula Schools Get Arabic Language Classes
 

After a nationwide competition, the U.S. Department of Education has awarded a five-year, $764,000 grant to Missoula County Public Schools to create a full Arabic language and culture program for area students. The grant will create the school district's first critical language program in collaboration with UM.

A joint team of district and University personnel working under the direction of Alex Apostle, MCPS superintendent, and Mehrdad Kia, UM associate provost for International Programs, developed and wrote the grant. Kia said program development will begin during the 2009-10 school year, with the first Arabic classes beginning in fall 2010.

"This program is intended to serve as a critical languages model for other school districts in Montana and across the country," Kia said.

 

 Heart Walk Set for Oct. 3
 

The annual Heart Walk, a fundraiser for the American Heart Association, will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Participants will walk a three-mile, noncompetitive course around the UM campus after an opening ceremony on the Oval. Awards and a closing ceremony will follow the walk.

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. The goal is to raise $175,000. No fundraising minimum is required to take part in the Heart Walk. Registration is open until the day of the event.

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

American Heart Association 

 TRIO Administrator Receives National Award
 

The Council for Opportunity in Education awarded Ray Carlisle, director of TRIO Student Support Services at UM, a 2009 Walter O. Mason Award at its annual meeting Sept. 10 in San Antonio. The prestigious award is the highest national honor given by the council for distinguished service and leadership.

Carlisle is one of only three administrators to receive the award this year. It was created in 1988 to honor outstanding educational opportunity professionals who exemplify the leadership and ideals of Mason, one of the founders of the federal TRIO programs that help economically disadvantaged students receive quality educations at the postsecondary level.

UM's TRIO program, established in 1979, is one of 2,800 programs at more than 1,000 colleges, universities and community agencies nationwide. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the program assists at least 375 active UM students each year.

UM TRIO Student Support Services 

 Celebrate American Indian Heritage Day
 

UM will celebrate American Indian Heritage Day with a number of special events on campus Friday, Sept. 25. The public is invited to attend. Events begin with a 7 a.m. sunrise ceremony on Mount Sentinel. Meet at the base of the M Trail.

A gathering at noon on the Mansfield Mall will include a proclamation by UM tribal liaison Linda Juneau, followed by students singing an honor song.

UM students will lead traditional Native games on the Oval beginning at 1 p.m. A round dance featuring the Little Grass Singers from Hellgate High School will be held at 2 p.m. on the Oval.

 

 UM Launches Classroom Technology Upgrades
 

UM took the first steps in a seven-year plan to install high-tech teaching tools in nearly all of its 160 classrooms this summer. A dozen classrooms were equipped with new presentation technology capabilities before the start of fall semester. Twenty-plus classrooms will be equipped during each of the next six years.

"We recognized that our classroom technology was not consistent with the kind of education we want to offer here at The University of Montana," said Royce Engstrom, UM provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. "Our faculty have been developing really effective technology skills, and we've encouraged that. Now we need to provide the classroom technology to put those skills to use."

Each high-tech classroom has a standard suite of equipment, including a networked computer, a Blu-ray Disc player, a document camera and other audio and visual capabilities. A team made up of individuals from Information Technology, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and Administration and Finance worked to develop the plan to finance the upgrades with existing student fees.

Progress Reports on Classroom Technology 

 Workshops Help Eliminate Prejudice, Conflict
 

National Coalition Building Institute workshops are offered at UM to give students, staff and faculty opportunities to explore issues of equity and diversity and learn effective ways to respond to prejudice and conflict. The workshops are led by trainers with expertise in tackling divisive issues and building inclusive and welcoming programs.

The University Center has contracted with NCBI Missoula to serve as a campus training resource. Subject to specific criteria, funding may be available for presentations to student groups or UM classes and departments.

NCBI will offer a Training of Trainers seminar Oct. 9-11. The intensive course is designed for those who are interested in joining NCBI's team of workshop facilitators. The cost of the seminar is $300, which includes lunch. The University offers 10 scholarships to UM faculty, staff and students who would like to attend the Oct. 9-11 training. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25.

Information about workshops offered is on the NCBI Web site. To schedule a workshop for a UM class or campus group or to apply for a scholarship for the Oct. 9-11 training, call Jessica Shontz at 406-243-5082 or e-mail jessica.shontz@mso.umt.edu.

National Coalition Building Institute 

 Parade Entry Applications Available
 

Applications for entries in UM's Homecoming parade are now being accepted. The parade will take place Saturday, Oct. 10, during UM Homecoming 2009 festivities. The theme for this year's parade is "Sweet Home Montana."

The parade entry fee is $30, and the application deadline is Friday, Oct. 2. Application forms and parade guidelines are available at the Missoula Chamber of Commerce, at UM's Office of Alumni Relations, located at 115 Brantly Hall, or on the Office of Alumni Relations Web site.

UM Office of Alumni Relations 

 'Hands On Health' at UM Discovery Area
 

"Hands On Health," an interactive family-friendly science show designed to inspire the next generation of Montana health care providers while sharing the exciting world of health and exercise sciences, is at UM's spectrUM Discovery Area through Feb. 20, 2010.

Among the activities at the 12 stations in the exhibition are swabbing a giant nose to collect a sample and creating a wet slide to determine what is causing the runny nose and checking vital signs before and after dancing on spectrUM's big-screen TV. Visitors also can learn about organ parts and functions in guided dissections at spectrUM's Discovery Bench.

Discovery area hours are 3:30 to 7 p.m. Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is $3.50 per person and free for members. Free passes for families in need are available for check-out at the Missoula Public Library. More information is on the spectrUM Discovery Area Web site.

spectrUM Discovery Area 

 UM Awarded Grant for Pharmacy Program
 

The Office of Student Services in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at UM has been awarded a $1.2 million grant to expand and establish programs for American Indian pharmacy students. The grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides continuing support to UM's Native American Center of Excellence.

NACOE was developed to improve American Indian student academic performance and to provide opportunities for Indian faculty development. It is headed by Lori Morin, assistant dean for Student Affairs, and Estella Anderson, director for pre-pharmacy advising.

For more information, call Morin at 406-243-4080 or Anderson at 406-243-4029 or e-mail lori.morin@umontana.edu or estella.anderson@umontana.edu.

UM Native American Center of Excellence 

 Grant Supports UM/SKC Partnership
 

A collaboration between UM and Salish Kootenai College on the Flathead Indian Reservation recently received a four-year, $1,098,268 federal grant from the Office of Indian Education.

The UM/SKC Endorsement Partnership Project, intended to address shortages of Native American special education teachers and principals in Montana, plans to enroll 25 participants during the four years. Five participants will earn principal certifications and master's degrees in educational leadership, and 20 will earn a special education endorsement -- the majority of whom also will earn master's degrees in curriculum and instruction.

Ann Garfinkle, associate professor and chair of UM's Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and Cindy O'Dell, Education Department chair at SKC, will lead the project at each school. The project requires participants to meet the federal definition of "Indian student" and be a student admitted into one of the designated programs. Three students already are enrolled in a program and are attending classes on the UM campus.

For more information about the project, call Garfinkle at 406-243-5262 or e-mail ann.garfinkle@mso.umt.edu, or call O'Dell at 406-275-4752 or e-mail cindy_odell@skc.edu.

 

 Griz Emerge from Darkness Winners
 

The Montana Grizzlies survived another slow start, two record-setting Aggie individual performances, and a light failure to notch a come-from-behind 17-10 road win.

The game was in question with less than a minute to go. UC Davis was knocking on the door, sitting at the Montana 12-yard line down 17-10 when things went crazy in Davis, Calif. The stadium lights failed with 57 seconds left to play, causing a lengthy delay going into 4th and 7.

Following the delay, cornerback Trumaine Johnson out-jumped Davis receiver Chris Carter in the end zone to snag the game-securing interception -- Johnson's second of the game -- allowing Montana to run out the clock. Johnson's efforts were not unnoticed as he was voted defensive player of the week from the Big Sky Conference and national FCS defensive co-player of the week from the Sports Network.

Montana went with a quarterback rotation for the second time this season. Justin Roper started the game, going 9-for-19 for 143 yards and a touchdown, and Andrew Selle threw for 83 yards on 7-of-10 passing. Running back Chase Reynolds had a game-high 90 yards on 25 carries.

Montana (2-0) returns home this Saturday, as the Griz open their conference schedule against the Portland State Vikings. Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m. in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Montana Volleyball Third in Home Tourney
 

Southern Methodist University won the title at the 2009 Montana Invitational Saturday night at West Auxiliary Gym, remaining perfect in three tournament matches with a 3-0 victory over North Dakota.

Montana lost to Arizona State in five sets in the tournament finale, giving the Sun Devils, who went 2-1, second place and the Grizzlies, who finished 1-2, third. The Fighting Sioux, who went 0-3, placed fourth.

Montana's only win of the tourney was against NDSU Friday night. Senior Taryn Wright had her second career triple-double with 46 assists, 11 kills and 11 digs to rally Montana from a 2-1 deficit for a five-set win. Wright was the only Montana player to be voted onto the all-tournament team.

Montana will open Big Sky Conference play next weekend with matches at preseason favorites Eastern Washington and Portland State.

Montana Grizzlies 

 Griz Soccer Drops Two at Home
 

The Montana soccer team suffered a 5-1 loss to UC Davis Thursday evening in Missoula's South Campus Stadium. Montana's record drops to 1-5-0, while Davis continues without a loss at 3-0-1.

Montana's goal was scored by Kaitlyn Heinsohn in the 67th minute of play, following an indirect free kick taken by Frankie Brady. The Grizzlies then fell 2-1 Saturday to No. 18 Brigham Young University at South Campus Stadium.

The Grizzlies maintained a 1-0 lead going into the half and for 25 minutes of the second as well. Montana's goal, scored in the 18th minute of play, occurred off a long indirect free kick from the center. True freshman Nawal Kirts was able to head the ball in from just outside the 6-yard box. The Grizzlies drop to 1-6-0, trailing in Big Sky nonconference standings.

Montana heads to Minnesota this weekend to participate in the Minnesota Gold Classic Invitational. Montana's matches are at 3:30 p.m. today against North Dakota and at 11:30 a.m. Sunday against No. 23 Minnesota.

Montana Grizzlies