UM would like to thank the more than 265 families who participated in Family Weekend 2011 Oct. 14-15.

The weekend featured a pregame tailgate with entertainment by UM's Spirit Squad and Marching Band, remarks by President Royce Engstrom, raffle giveaways and a barbecue, as well as an exciting come-from-behind victory by the Grizzlies football team. Families also took advantage of other on-campus activities offered throughout the weekend, including a nature tour, deans' panel and movies.

UM appreciates everyone who took the time to fill out the Family Weekend survey, and prize-winners have been notified. Your feedback is important and will be used to improve the event in the future.

Information on Family Weekend 2012, which has not been scheduled yet, will appear in a future issue of Transcripts. Go Griz!

The 2012-13 General Scholarship Application for current UM students is now available on the Financial Aid website under "apply for scholarships." Hard copies of the application are available at the Financial Aid counter in Griz Central, located in the Lommasson Center.

The complete application is due Feb. 1, 2012, and can be turned in at the Financial Aid counter in Griz Central or mailed to: UM Scholarship Department-Financial Aid, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812.

Scholarship criteria and eligibility requirements are detailed on the application. Students will be notified if they've received a scholarship by the end of March.

UM residence halls will remain open for students during the Nov. 23-27 Thanksgiving break. Students do not need to sign up if they plan to stay over the break, but University Dining Services will be limited. Residence halls will be locked 24 hours a day, so students will need to carry their Griz Cards to access their building. Residence Life staff also will be available during the break.

Residence halls will close at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, for winter break and reopen for spring semester on Saturday, Jan. 21. Students planning to return to their building for spring semester do not need to remove their belongings but must leave their room key or access card at the front office of their hall before they leave. Students will be charged for $17 per night if they do not leave their key or card.

Students may stay in the residence halls during winter break for $17 per night. Students who plan to stay any time between Saturday, Dec. 17, and Friday, Jan. 20, will need to sign up at the Residence Life Office in Turner Hall by Tuesday, Dec. 13. Students who make arrangements after the deadline will be charged a $35 late fee.

UM's annual "Can the Cats" food drive competition against Montana State University kicked off Nov. 5 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 19. The winner of the competition -- whoever collects the most pounds of food -- will be announced during the Nov. 19 Griz-Cat game in Bozeman. The canned food UM collects will benefit the Missoula Food Bank.

Designated canned food boxes for "Can the Cats" will be located in UM residence halls, the University Center, the Mansfield Library, Main Hall, the Davidson Honors College, the Missoula YMCA, Orange Street Food Farm, all Albertsons locations, the Good Food Store, Worden's Market, the McLeod Avenue Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Swift Building. Karl Tyler Chevrolet, the competition's major sponsor, also will have a collection box.

Contributions also can be made directly to the Missoula Food Bank during the collection period, but donors must specify that their donations are for "Can the Cats."

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A recent increase of the student transportation fee at UM has produced results.

The $4 increase, which went into effect at the start of autumn semester, is used to improve bus service at UM. It allowed the Associated Students of UM Office of Transportation to add a bus at the East Broadway Park-N-Ride, increase night service on Thursdays and add a late-night bus on weekends.

Ridership has increased by 48.8 percent at the East Broadway Park-N-Ride, 162.5 percent on Thursday nights and 54.1 percent on Friday and Saturday nights. After the first six weeks of the semester, UM's bus service has given 86,913 rides.

Members of UM's fraternities and sororities will do their part to contribute to the 10th annual "Can the Cats" food drive against MSU before the annual Griz-Cat football game Saturday, Nov. 19, in Bozeman.

Members of the Greek community will drop off contribution bags to be filled with nonperishable food items to Missoula residences on Sunday, Nov. 13. Members will pick up the bags Thursday, Nov. 17, and deliver donations to the Missoula Food Bank in time for the busy Thanksgiving season.

In addition to helping out with the food drive, UM Greeks will continue their annual fall leaf-raking tradition in the University neighborhood on Sunday, Nov. 13. Members will help rake leaves at homes around the neighborhood before the city leaf pick-up scheduled for early next week.

UM's Greek chapters have been busy with philanthropic projects this semester, including:

• The debut of Delta Gamma sorority's Anchor Slam, a three-on-three basketball tournament that supports Service for Sight;
• Alpha Phi sorority's Red Dress Gala and Casino Night, which raised more than $5,000 to benefit women's cardiac care research;
• Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity's biennial Run to Bozeman, a fundraiser for Watson Children's Shelter in Missoula.

UM's Office for Civic Engagement will team up with the Salvation Army, the Poverello Center and Valor House this holiday season for the 15th annual Adopt-A-Family and third annual Adopt-A-Veteran programs.

The programs assist people who cannot afford to provide for themselves and their families during the holiday season in effort to ensure everyone in the Missoula area is able to celebrate the holidays.

UM departments, student groups and individuals are encouraged to adopt an area family or to help a veteran through Valor House, the Poverello Center's transitional facility for homeless veterans.

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The Public Policy and Leadership Initiative of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at UM is now accepting applications for the Pat Williams Scholarships, which funds internships and research awards.

Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 are available for UM undergraduate and graduate students and will be awarded to projects that fall under the areas of public policy and leadership.

Recipients will use the grants during the upcoming Wintersession and 2012 spring and summer semesters. Application criteria are available online, and applications are due Monday, Nov. 28. Awardees will be contacted by Dec. 14, and their names also will be posted on the center's website.

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The next meeting of Enjoying Life Sober, a recently formed student group at UM, is slated for 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at Westside Lanes in Missoula. 

ELS provides students who are abstaining from alcohol or other substances, or who are in recovery, with an opportunity to meet, socialize and engage in drug and alcohol-free activities with others without the pressures of college drinking and substance abuse.

The group recently hosted a Halloween party on campus with the support of Residence Life, Curry Health Center and Summit Beverage of Missoula. It plans to provide its members with more substance-free activities in the future, such as folf, miniature golf, paintball, theater and billiards.

Enjoying Life Sober welcomes new members and hopes to form a support group for students in recovery after generating more interest. More information is available on the group's Facebook page or by emailing enjoyinglifesober@live.com.

UM's Diversity Advisory Council offers grants of up to $1,000 to help student groups host events and activities that promote various diversity causes.

Grant proposals must be written by UM students. Events must promote and enrich diversity and impact both the campus and Missoula community. Student groups who submit proposals must have sought and received partial funding from other sources. Two or more student groups may collaborate for a proposed diversity event.

Student groups most likely to receive funding educate and celebrate ethnicity and culture; enhance the link between language and culture; raise awareness of ability issues; broaden perspectives about gender, identity and orientation; offer new perspectives and world views; and invite other students and community members to view, engage and participate in both education and celebratory events and activities.

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The Creative Writing Program at UM is now accepting submissions for the 2011 Merriam-Frontier Award.

The annual writing competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at UM during autumn semester 2011. The award was established by H.G. Merriam, UM professor of English and creative writing from 1919 to 1954, and consists of a $500 prize and publication of the winning entry as a chapbook.

Entries must qualify in one of the following categories:

• Poetry: 20-25 poems
• Fiction: two or more stories (40-60 double-spaced pages)
• Creative nonfiction: two or more essays (40-60 double-spaced pages)

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House of Bounce, a dubstep concert sponsored by the University Center Student Involvement Network at UM, is set for Thursday, Nov. 17, in the UC Ballroom.

Doors open at 7 p.m., with the first performance at 8 p.m. by local producers Simpleton and MetaTron. Minnesota will take the stage at 10 p.m. Along with dubstep music, there will be bounce castles, henna tattooing and face painting.

Tickets are on sale now at The Source, located on the first floor of the UC, and cost $7 in advance and $10 at the door.

• Friday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
• Wednesday-Friday, Nov. 23-25: Thanksgiving holiday
• Friday, Dec. 9: Last day of classes
• Monday-Friday, Dec. 12-16: Finals week
• Friday, Dec. 16: Residence halls close at 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 21: Residence halls open for spring semester
• Monday, Jan. 23: Spring semester begins