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ForUM
Sept. 27, 2010 | Vol. 39, No. 6 
   
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Welcome to ForUM, the e-newsletter for University of Montana staff, faculty and administrators. ForUM is published weekly during the academic year except during scheduled academic breaks.


 Engstrom Named UM's 17th President
 

The state Board of Regents voted Thursday, Sept. 23, in Butte to approve the hiring of UM Provost Royce Engstrom to become the University's 17th president. Engstrom will begin his new duties Oct. 15.

"I am excited and deeply honored to take on this responsibility," Engstrom said. "The University of Montana is truly a special place. The four campuses enrich the lives of students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members. The University is an engine of competitiveness for the state of Montana. I am ready, with the help of the campus community, to engage the challenges and embrace the opportunities the future holds."

Engstrom has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at UM since 2007. He also is a chemistry professor. Born in Michigan and raised in Nebraska, he came to Montana after a national search from a provost position at the University of South Dakota. He will replace President George M. Dennison, UM's longest-serving president who led his alma mater for two decades.

For more information, visit the Presidential Search and Transition website.

Presidential Search and Transition 

 Students Invited to Join Buffett for Q&A Session
 

Legendary investor Warren Buffett has invited UM Master of Business Administration and Master of Accountancy students to join him for an extended question-and-answer session and tour of two Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries March 11 in Omaha, Neb.

Buffett personally extended the invitation at the Montana Economic Development Summit held this month at Montana Tech of UM in Butte, where he addressed more than 2,000 Montanans as a keynote speaker.

"The University of Montana's strong commitment to ethics is so important in this day and age," Buffett said. "While the most important things in life aren't about money, UM's business plan competition and entrepreneurship programs are preparing these students to be successful and to be competitive. UM really has a first class business school and MBA program. I look forward to meeting these bright students in person."

More than 100 UM students will compete for the opportunity, but only 20 will be selected to participate. UM was one of only 48 schools selected for the program out of the 200 colleges and universities that applied.

 

 Learn About Stalking, Unwanted Pursuit
 

Brian H. Spitzberg, a Senate Distinguished Professor in the School of Communication at San Diego State University, will present "Stalking and Unwanted Pursuit: Cultural Corruptions of Communication and Courtship" from 3:40 to 5 p.m. today in Gallagher Business Building Room 119. The talk is free and open to the public.

Spitzberg's research is widely published, with books and articles in areas that include interpersonal communication skills, communication assessment, conflict management, jealousy, infidelity, intimate violence, sexual coercion and stalking.

He is the co-author of the 2004 book "The Dark Side of Relationship Pursuit: From Attraction to Obsession and Stalking," which won the International Association for Relationship Research Award in 2006.

 

 UM Among Nation's Safest Colleges
 

The Daily Beast, an online news site, has named UM the 23rd safest college in the U.S. on its second annual ranking. The website used crime data compiled by the U.S. Department of Education, the FBI and the Secret Service from the calendar years 2006-08 to compile the 50 Safest Colleges rankings.

The Clery Act mandates that all schools that receive federal funding disclose crime information annually. The data reflect incidents reported to campus or local police, not convictions.

To be eligible for the Daily Beast ranking, colleges must have at least 6,000 enrolled students and provide residential facilities. A total of 458 schools across the country met this criteria and were considered for the ranking.

The statistics account for nine types of criminal incidents, which were weighted based on a subjective judgment of violence. All totals were then divided by the number of enrolled students, so that midsize and large campuses could be accurately compared.

 

 Student-Built House Receives Awards
 

The Building Futures Program, a community partnership of UM's College of Technology, the Missoula Building Industry Association and the Flagship Program, received several awards at the Sept. 15 Missoula Parade of Homes Builder Awards Ceremony.

The program's student-built house took home several Category A awards, including Rising Star, Notable Kitchen, Memorable Decor, Overall Design and Site Integration. It also tied with Edgell Building and Development Inc. for the Craftsmanship Award.

Carpentry faculty members Kim Zupan and David Neu supervised COT students working on the project.

Information about the house is on the Missoula Building Industry Association website.

Missoula Building Industry Association 

 Exhibitions Open at Gallery of Visual Arts
 

A multifaceted exhibition featuring two nationally recognized artists will open at UM's Gallery of Visual Arts on Thursday, Sept. 30.

Doug Anderson's interactive mixed media installation "Asphodel" investigates loss. Sara Schneckloth's exhibit "Surge Protection" explores memory with engaging cut paper drawings. The artists' works will be on view in the gallery, located on the first floor of UM's Social Science Building, through Nov. 10.

An opening reception and presentation by Anderson will take place from 5:15 to 7 p.m. Sept. 30. Anderson will speak about his work at 5:15 p.m. in Social Science Building Room 356. Schneckloth will present an artist's lecture from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, in Social Science Building Room 356. The artists' presentations are sponsored by the Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist Lecture Fund and are free and open to the public.

Anderson, an associate professor of art at State University of New York at Geneseo, and Schneckloth, an assistant professor of art at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, share a conceptual interest in drawing as a ritual experience that can expand our awareness of history, story and memory. Each exhibit redefines traditional expectations of drawing and works on paper.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit the gallery's website, call Lisa Jarrett, interim director, at 243-2813 or e-mail gallery.visarts@umontana.edu.

Gallery of Visual Arts 

 Death March Survivor Donates Art to MMAC
 

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture at UM has received the gift of 11 oil paintings and 78 drawings by noted artist Ben Steele.

Steele, a survivor of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines and a former prisoner of war in Japan, used found paper and salvaged charcoal to document his ordeal of unparalleled cruelty and savagery -- 41 months of starvation, dehydration, hard labor, torture and a journey on notorious "hell ships" to the Japanese homeland.

Crippled by a combination of dysentery, pneumonia, malaria, blood poisoning and Beriberi, Steele miraculously survived before being liberated in 1945. The drawings were smuggled out of the prison campus but unfortunately were lost. During his yearlong recuperation in a Spokane, Wash., hospital, Steele re-created the lost drawings.

MMAC Director Barbara Koostra recently conducted an oral history with Steele as part of the museum's efforts to preserve the history of art in Montana.

"Ben is a treasure," Koostra said. "His message is one of peace. We hope that people will learn a great deal about the lessons of war from his paintings."

Read the Full News Release 

 Vote for Monte
 

UM's mascot Monte, the only two-time Capital One Mascot of the Year, is one of 16 mascots selected to participate in the 2010 Capital One Mascot Challenge.

For the next several weeks, Monte will be paired against a different mascot, and they will battle for the most votes. At the end of 12 weeks of voting, the eight mascots with the best win-loss record will advance to a playoff bracket. Week 13 will be the quarterfinals, week 14 the semifinals and week 15 the finals.

Fans can vote for Monte on the Capital One Mascot Challenge website or by texting "Monte" to 69866. The champion will be announced at the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2011.

 

 See Campus Through Eyes of Choreographers
 

"UM Dancers on Location: A Site-Specific Dance Concert" will take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 2-3. The audience will gather at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library courtyard at noon and then will be led to each site for a dance installation. The event is free and open to the public.

A rich and often interactive experience, "UM Dancers on Location" enables audiences to view dances created for nontraditional and unpredictable performance settings. This year's performances feature choreography created for spaces between window frames, on outdoor stairwells and among trees across campus.

For more information, call the School of Theatre and Dance at 243-4481.

School of Theatre and Dance 

 Broadway Comes to Adams Center
 

Season tickets are now available for the 2010-11 Broadway in Missoula series, which will bring the following productions from New York to UM's Adams Center stage:
  • Wednesday, Oct. 13: "An Evening with Garrison Keillor." The writer and humorist is best-known for his widely popular radio show "A Prairie Home Companion." He is a best-selling author of 12 books, including "Lake Wobegon Days."
  • Tuesday, Dec. 7: "The Wizard of Oz." The entire family will be captivated as they travel down the Yellow Brick Road and beyond with Dorothy, Toto and their friends the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow.
  • Wednesday, May 18: "Riverdance." The thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance that has tapped its way onto the world stage, thrilling millions around the globe, will present one of its "Farewell Performances."
Season tickets range from $99 to $140 and include all three shows. Purchasing a "Best of Broadway" subscription package saves subscribers more than 30 percent per seat versus buying individual tickets. To order or renew subscriptions, call the Broadway Series Hotline at 888-712-2929.

Individual tickets go on sale about six weeks before each performance at all GrizTix outlets, on the GrizTix website or by calling 243-4051 or 888-MONTANA. Tickets for "An Evening with Garrison Keillor" are now available.

Broadway in Missoula 

 Marching Band Competes in 'Hawaii Five-0'
 

The UM Grizzly Marching Band is participating in "Hawaii Five-0" Marching Band Mania, a CBS contest honoring the return of the 1970s TV series.

UM is one of 18 schools competing for the title of best video performance of the "Hawaii Five-0" theme song. The winning school will receive $25,000 to go toward its marching band program.

Public voting began Monday, Sept. 20, after the premiere of the new "Hawaii Five-0" on CBS, and will run through Monday, Oct. 4. The winning school will be announced and its video will be played during a "Hawaii Five-0" episode at 8 p.m. MDT Monday, Oct. 11.

Cast a vote for the UM Grizzly Marching Band on the CBS College Sports website.

For more information, call band director Kevin Griggs at 243-2959 or e-mail kevin.griggs@umontana.edu.

 

 Annual Heart Walk on Campus Oct. 2
 

Join colleagues Saturday, Oct. 2, for the annual Heart Walk at UM, a fundraiser for the American Heart Association.

The event begins at 10 a.m. on the UM Oval with a ceremony to introduce heart disease survivors and remember those who have passed away because of heart disease. Participants then will walk a three-mile, noncompetitive course around the UM campus. Awards and a closing ceremony will follow.

Refreshments and information on healthy lifestyles also will be available at the event. Grizzly athletes, the University dance team and mascot Monte will be on hand to sign autographs and take part in the festivities.

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 website.

American Heart Association 

 Help Victims of Ethnic Violence in Kyrgyzstan
 

UM and the International Students Program will collect coats, warm clothing, quilts and blankets to send to the victims of ethnic violence following the political coup in Kyrgyzstan this summer.

In 1996 through the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program, Montana became a sister state to Kyrgyzstan. UM has sent many delegations to the small country in Central Asia.

Collection boxes are on campus at the James E. Todd Building, the Law Building, the geography department office in the Old Journalism Building, the International Center, and UM fraternities and sororities. Donations of boxes and plastic storage bags also are needed.

Those interested in volunteering for the project can call Susie Graetz at 243-2299 and leave a message.

 

 President Dennison's Office Hours
 

Each semester, President Dennison welcomes members of the campus community to meet with him to discuss issues and topics of their choice. Please call 243-2311 or e-mail prestalk@umontana.edu to make an appointment to meet with President Dennison during these times.

The president's office hours for autumn semester are:
  • Thursday, Oct. 14: 10-noon
  • Thursday, Nov. 4: 1-3 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 10: noon-2 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 23: 10-noon
  • Wednesday, Dec. 1: 3-5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Dec. 14: 3-5 p.m.


 

 Faculty/Staff Socials
 

Socials will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. most Fridays during autumn semester in the Davidson Honors College Lounge. Autumn semester dates and event sponsors are:
  • Oct. 1: Davidson Honors College
  • Oct. 8: President Dennison
  • Oct. 15: Faculty Senate and Academic Affairs
  • Oct. 29: College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences
  • Nov. 5: President Dennison
  • Nov. 12: College of Forestry and Conservation and College of Visual and Performing Arts
  • Nov. 19: College of Arts and Sciences
  • Dec. 3: Mansfield Library
  • Dec. 10: Academic Affairs


 

 News About U
 

News About U Anthropology and Native American studies Professor Neyooxet Greymorning facilitated a three-day language acquisition and instruction workshop for elders and language instructors of Inuit Aug. 22-25 in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Communication studies Professor Betsy Bach is one of six who will be inducted Oct. 21 into the University of Washington Department of Communication Hall of Fame. Bach earned a doctorate at UW in 1985 after receiving a master's degree at UM. She currently serves as associate director for research initiatives for the National Communication Association, where she is responsible for advancing the culture of research and scholarship among association members.

Communication studies Adjunct Assistant Professor Phyllis Ngai serves as co-director of a Montana Office of Public Instruction grant for a project that will implement an Indian families/teachers partnership program in Missoula County Public Schools District No. 1 middle schools. The main goal of the project is to enhance middle-school teachers' competence in implementing Indian Education for All as a form of intercultural education for social change.

 

 Publications
 

Books and Publications Dent, Larry A., Kari Jo Harris and Curtis W. Noonan. 2010. "Tobacco Treatment Practices of Pharmacists in Montana." Journal of the American Pharmacist Association, 50:575-579.

Koehn, Peter (lead author). 2010. "Enhancing International Research and Development--Project Activity on University Campuses: Insights from U.S. Senior International Officers." Journal of Studies in International Education (online May 21).

McCann, Steve and Tammy Ravas. 2010. "Impact of Image Quality in Online Art History Journals: A User Study." Art Documentation, 29(1):41-48.

Sriraman, Bharath (with others). 2010. "A Brief History of Mathematics Education in Turkey: K-12 Mathematics Curricula." ZDM --The International Journal on Mathematics Education, 42(5):429-441.

Sriraman, Bharath. 2010. "Mathematics Education in Turkey: At the Crossroads of Cultural, Political and Economic Currents." ZDM -- The International Journal on Mathematics Education, 42(5):421-427.

 

Submissions must reach University Relations, 317 Brantly Hall, by noon Tuesday for inclusion in the following week's newsletter. Be sure to note that the submissions are for ForUM. E-mail submissions may be sent to campnews@mso.umt.edu. Items will be included as space permits. For more information, e-mail Brenda Day, ForUM editor.
phone: 406-243-2522
fax: 406-243-4520