CAMPUS REPORTS

Board of Regents Meeting

January 16-17, 2003

Helena, Montana

 

Montana Tech of The University of Montana

Chancellor Frank Gilmore, Ph. D.

�         Dr. Larry Twidwell, Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, is in Japan conducting cooperative research at Akita University as part of Montana Tech�s International Program.� He is teaching two short courses.

�         Jean Bishop, Professor Emeritus, and Interim Library Director Ann St. Clair, are the Co-chairs for the 2003 Montana Library Association Annual Conference to be held in Butte in April 2003.

�         Drs. Corby Anderson and Courtney Young attended the Northwest Mining Association meeting in Spokane where they presented papers on their research efforts. Corby discussed work he has done with Formation Capital on their Co-Cu-Au ore body and how they are trying to incorporate NSC Technology developed previously while with Sunshine Mining Company as well as a resin adsorption technology developed by Ed Rosenberg at The University of Montana-Missoula.� Courtney presented work he, Dr. Rich McNearny, and Dr. Chris Gammons have been pursuing on the Peru project headed by Dr. John Brower.� The project involves investigating suspected mercury contamination from a gold amalgamation process favored by the natives in Peru and is drawing interest from NIOSH in Spokane due to their similar projects in Venezuela and other South American countries.

�         Dr. Celia Schahczenski, Computer Science, presented a paper at the Frontiers in Education conference in Boston, Massachusetts last November. �Dr. Schahczenski also received a Montana Campus Compact Grant for $3,000 this year.

�         The National Science Foundation has awarded Montana Tech two Major Research Instrumentation grants totaling $687,000 for the upgrade of two important facilities on the Butte campus.� One grant will support the acquisition of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis system (EDX).� The second grant will support the development of a comprehensive geomechanics laboratory for the three-dimensional testing and modeling of the structural properties of geological and composite materials.� The participating departments include Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and General Engineering.

�         Participation in Montana Tech�s Undergraduate Research Program has grown to 50 students.� This represents a 100% increase in the size of the program from FY02.� The program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

�         Kels Phelps, a freshman at Butte High School, won awards at the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge in Washington, D.C. in October.� Last year 60,000 students were nominated from participating International Science and Engineering affiliated fairs and 40 of these students made it to the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge. The Montana Tech Science Fair nominates 10% of its participants.� Tech�s Fair was the only one in the state that had students in the final 40.

Dawson Community College

President Terry Hetrick

�         RFPs for architectural services for the gymnasium, performing arts center, and the library expansion were submitted to over sixty architectural firms spanning from Bismarck, North Dakota to Bozeman, Montana.� The closing date for submittal of these proposals was December 30, 2002.� Selected architectural firms will be invited to make presentations to the Board of Trustees in early January, 2003.� The Board will select the firm shortly after all presentations have been made.

�         The annual DCC Madrigal performances, under the direction of Lisa Shields, were conducted on Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7, 2002.� The Madrigal, a medieval dinner theater, provides a traditional Renaissance-era feast that includes period costumes, singers, comedians, musicians, dancers and acrobats.� As in past years, the Madrigal performances are in high demand as pre-holiday events and are sold out each year.

�         DCC will host the �Gateway to Opportunity,� a regional economic development forum for the MonDak area, on January 7th and 8th, 2003.� This event will include seminars, a noon luncheon, exhibits, and a special evening forum.� The seminars on January 8th will feature 36 new ideas and opportunity to strengthen rural Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota communities, create new income from the land and improve personal and family income.� Fifty exhibitors will be showcased.� The major purpose of the forum is to help new and existing entrepreneurs learn about new opportunities to build a future for the MonDak region.

�         Eric Schreibeis, a DCC music student, has been selected to join the National American Choral Directors� Association All Men�s Choir and will perform as a member of the choir in New York City in February.� Eric competed with men across the nation by entering an audition tape of required music.

�         Student members of the DCC Law Enforcement Club will be presenting two roundtable discussions at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting in March 2003 in Boston.� This is the first time that DCC students will be presenting student panels at this national conference.� Eight to ten students, yet unnamed, will be participating in this national event.� Holly Dershem-Bruce, Law Enforcement Program Director, will serve as the moderator for the student panels and will co-chair two additional panels at the conference.

�         Tara Stoltz, a DCC music student, has been selected to participate in the Northern Ambassadors of Music Tour, July 15-30, 2003.� The Ambassadors will perform in Fargo, North Dakota before leaving for Europe to tour London, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, and Germany

Montana State University-Billings

Chancellor Ron Sexton

�         Oliver Chen, Mathematics, is writing a series of books on Java, a computer language.� Two books have been finished. They are: (1) Console Application Oriented Java Programming with Cojava (2) Advanced Console Application Oriented Java Programming with Cojava.� They have been recognized by Marquis Who�s Who (in its 57th edition 2003). �

�         Keith Edgerton, History, has published an article, �A Tough Place to Live�:� The 1959 Montana State Prison Riot,� in Fritz, Swartout, and Murphy, eds., THE MONTANA LEGACY (Montana Historical Society Press, 2002)

�         University Honors Program: �Dennis Nettiksimmons, Associate Director of the UHP, announced that there are 66 new students in this year�s incoming freshman class in the UHP, twice the size of previous classes.

�         David Karnos, Philosophy:� his 1993 book, Falling in Love with Wisdom, just came out in Chinese Translation, published in China.� He also recently published a book chapter, �There Is Always Another Island,� in Encounters with Alphonso Lingus, ed. Alex Hooke and Wolfgang Fuchs (Lexington Books, Fall 2002).���������

�         Bill Plank, Modern Languages:� His book, The Quantum Nietzsche: The Will to Power and the Nature of Dissipative Systems, was published Spring, 2002.

�         Patricia Vettel-Becker, Art: Published, �Destruction and Delight: World War II Combat Photography and the Aesthetic Inscription of Masculine Identity."� Men and Masculinities 5:1 (July 2002): 80-102.� Her book, Shooting from the Hip: Photography, Masculinity, and Postwar America (University of Minnesota Press: Spring 2003), is forthcoming.

�         Matt Benacquista, Physics:� He is currently serving as Chair of the Galactic Binary Populations task force of the LISA International Science Team, and recently published an article, "Gravitational radiation from black hole binaries in globular clusters" Classical and Quantum Gravity, Vol. 19, No. 7, p. 1297, 2002.�

�         Matt Redinger, History:� He has an article in the most recent edition of the leading Catholic history journal in the country, The Catholic Historical Review, ��To Arouse and Inform�: The Knights of Columbus and U.S.-Mexican Relations, 1924-1936.� Another article by Redinger, �Burke, Lippmann and Walsh: Private Diplomacy in the Mexican Church-State Crisis,� was just accepted for publication in a forthcoming issue of Diplomatic History.

�         On November, 14 and 15 Deb Miller and Marsha Sampson coordinated two workshops sponsored by Region III�s Comprehensive System of Personnel Development.� On November 14, 60 teachers and other school personnel attended: Beginning to Read is Child�s Play: Developmentally Appropriate Reading Instruction for Kindergarten and Pre-K Children � presenter: Randall Klein.� On November 15, 45 teachers and other school personnel attended: Advanced Phonics � presenter Randall Klein.

�         Tina Hoagland�s article: Linking Schools, Families and Communities in Montana: The Hardin Parent Project appeared in the Fall 2002 copy of Impact a publication of the Institute of Community Integration of the University of Minnesota.

�         The Montana Center�s Paraprofessional Development Project appeared in the article Teachers and Paraeducators: Defining Roles in an Age of Accountability by Rick Allen.�

�         The final walk-through inspection of the $3.22M Liberal Arts building renovation is scheduled for 16 December 2002. 

�         The newly donated scoreboard for the CENEX softball stadium was installed last week.

�         The $725K propane back-up system will be completed this month.  The system has the potential to provide $100K/year savings. 

�         Karen Snell and Monica Powers attended the ASPIRE regional conference in Fargo, North Dakota.

�         The entire SOS staff attended TRIO day held by Little Big Horn College, MSU-Billings, College of Technology, Auto Technology student, Deanna Utroske, was published in the November 2002 edition of �Gears� magazine, which is a notional auto industry periodical.� Ms. Utroske�s article was titled, �Stand Face to Face with Comebacks.�

�         Volunteer Recruitment Fair � The 3rd annual Volunteer Recruitment Fair was held on Oct. 10th in the Student Union Galleria.� Approximately 32 local Billings agencies and organizations participated to recruit volunteers from our campus.�

�         Association of College Unions International Region 14 Conference � This year MSU-Billings was represented at this conference with a record number of 8 participants.� Interest was so high this year that a selection process was put in place for Senators who were chosen to attend and the Student Union Staff was selected based on past conference attendance and longevity in the office.�

The University of Montana-Missoula

President George Dennison

�         The American Indian College Fund named Shannon Clairmont, UM-M wildlife biology senior, a Packard Foundation Tribal Scholar.� The Tribal Scholars Program aims to increase the number of graduates prepared to enter careers in science and engineering and become leaders in the technical and economic development of their tribes.

�         The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation awarded a prestigious $230,000 grant to UM-M�s Environmental Studies Program.� The grant will provide financial support for UM graduate students committed to careers as practicing conservationists in the nonprofit or public sectors.

�         UM-M�s School of Education recently formalized an agreement with Zhejiang University�s College of Education, People�s Republic of China.� The agreement will encourage and support faculty members and students from both universities to engage in collaborative research projects and exchange programs.

�         UM-M�s Mansfield Library has acquired the earliest authorized edition of the Lewis and Clark journals.� The 1814 two-volume set, entitled, �History of the Expedition Under the Commands of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the Sources of the Missouri,� remains valued at about $15,000.

�         In November, UM-M hosted a NASA Educational and Public Outreach Annual Training Retreat.� The Conference, �Leading Great Research in Space, � was presented by NASA�s Office of Biological and Physical Research, which conducts research to support human space exploration.

�         The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the national Council for the Advancement and Support of Education recently honored UM-M Music Professor Esther England as Montana�s 2002 Professor of the Year.

�         The Montana Committee for the Humanities selected UM-M History Professor Harry Fritz as one of the recipients of the 2003 Montana Governor�s Humanities Awards.� Established by Governor Marc Racicot in 1995, the awards honor achievement in humanities scholarship, service, and education.

�         Two UM-M athletes�Lady Griz player Jill Henkel and men�s tennis player Ryan O�Neill�received the Montana Athletes in Service Award from the Montana Campus Compact.� They were honored for their dedication to and participation in community service.

�         �Hole,� a lyric by UM-M�s English Professor Patricia Goedicke, earned her the Beloit Poetry Journal�s 2002 Chad Walsh Poetry Award.� The $3,000 award honors poet Chad Walsh, a co-founder of the international journal who died in 1991.

�         Journalism seniors Kristen Inbody and Paul Queneau received awards during the latest round of the Hearst Journalism Awards Program, a national competition that involves students from more than 100 accredited journalism programs.� Inbody captured eighth place and a $500 scholarship, and Queneau finished 13th and won a certificate of merit.

�         In September, the Forensics Team participated in the Golden Eagle Invitational Tournament in Twin Falls, Idaho, where they finished fifth overall.

�         The National Rural Bioethics Project, located in UM-M�s Psychology Department, focuses upon identifying ethical issues that complicate health care decisions in rural areas and developing resources to address those issues.� Two major federal grants�one from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, and the other from the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences�fund the project.

�         U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer addressed a UM-M audience of more than 1,100 as part of the Judge Jones and Judge Tamm Judicial Lecture Series.

�         Robert Hirshorn, immediate past president of the American Bar Association, spoke with UM-M�s Law School students about equal justice issues and challenged them to undertake pro bono matters.

�         More than 200 CPAs, attorneys, trust officers, insurance agents, and students participated in the 50th UM Annual Tax institute.

�         UM-M faculty and constitutional law scholars from around the country participated in the Judge James R. Browning Symposium entitled, �The Montana Constitution:� Thirty Years Later.�

�         Lexis recently published two works by UM-M Law School faculty members:� Modern Estate Planning by Martin Burke and Elaine Gagliardi, and the sixth edition of Taxation of Individual Income Taxation by Martin Burke.

�         Law School Professor Mary Helen McNeal chaired the Montana Supreme Court�s Equal Justice Task Force.

�         Law School Professor John Horwich served as a member of the steering committee of the Montana Growth Policy Forum.

�         UM-M Law School students Malin Stearns and Todd Denison placed second among 20 teams at the regional ABA Negotiation Competition in Portland.� They will advance to the national competition next February at the American Bar Association�s mid-year meeting in Seattle.

�         Thomas DeLuca, Associate Professor of Forestry, recently published his article, �Quantifying Nitrogen-Fixation in Feather Moss Carpets of Boreal Forests,� in the 31 October issue of Nature.

�         School of Forestry Professor Lloyd Queen and Colin Hardy, graduate student, were featured in the November 2002 Scientific American article, �Burning:� Questions.�

The University of Montana Western

Chancellor Steve Hulbert

�         Milken Family Foundation Education Awards.� Two UM-Western education graduates are recipients of the 2002 Milken Education Awards.� Kitty Logan of Condon, MT a principal and teacher in the Swan Valley Elementary School, and Julie Cajune, the Indian Education Coordinator, for the Ronan Public Schools, each received a $25,000 monetary award and will attend the Milken Family Foundation Annual meeting in early 2003.� The two were among only 100 teachers selected nation-wide based on their commitment to excellence, innovation in teaching methods, and outstanding educational leadership, including their ability to motivate students.

�         Director of Facilities Services.� Mr. Walter Eisenstein has been hired as Director of Facilities Services. He earned an MPA in Public Administration at MSU-Bozeman in 1992, and has over 30 years of management experience in the areas of local government, municipal utilities, hazard waste disposal, and project management. His most recent position was City Manager of Newaygo, Michigan. All municipal manager positions he has held have included management responsibility for

buildings and grounds in each community.

�         Faculty Accomplishments.

Dr. Alan Weltzien, Professor of English will travel to Wagga Wagga, New South Wales Providence, Australia, for the spring semester 2003, where he will teach at the Charles Strut University.� Dr. Weltzien�s time in Australia is part of an international exchange program of The University of Montana.

Dr. Michael Morrow, Research Assistant Professor of Biology,� received a grant to continue his research related to cloning and characterization of the KAR2 gene from the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. Dr. Morrow's research is funded by the Montana Network for Biomedical Research with support from the National Institute of Health-Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network.� The goal of these research efforts is to increase Montana's biomedical research capacity and to support training opportunities for undergraduates.

Dr. Diana Francis, Assistant Professor of English, has had her novel, "Path of Fate", accepted for publication by Roc/Penguin.� The publisher has also agreed to publish two sequels to the first novel, "Path of Honor" and "Path of Blood".

Dr. Craig Zaspel, Professor of Physics, has had his article: "Quasi-Stable Microwave Envelope Pulse Propagation in Ferrite Films" accepted for publication in the Journal of Applied Physics.

Miles Community College

President Darrel Hammon

�         The Miles Community College Board of Trustees and Administration have approved the following reorganization of positions and responsibilities effective January 2, 2003: Current Financial Aid Director, Tad Torgerson, will be moved to position of MCC Comptroller in the Business Office Division. Darren Pitcher, the MCC CENTRA athletic facilities manager, has been appointed as Maintenance Supervisor and Physical Plant Manager. Earl Kiddie, Social Science and Human Services instructor, has been named as the interim Admissions Counselor until June 30, 2003.

�         On January 27, 2003 at 3:00, the Miles Community College Library facility will be named the Judson H. Flower, Jr. Library. Dr. Flower was a long-time faculty member and administrator at MCC, his last sixteen years as the President. Dr. Flower was instrumental in acquiring funding for numerous facilities projects and curricula changes. All are invited to attend.

�         On December 17, 2002, Miles Community College hosted an Agriculture Forum to determine how Miles Community College can more effectively serve the agricultural community in eastern Montana and how the agricultural community and other community entities can partner with Miles Community College to fulfill its role and mission. Representatives from various communities, ranches, educational, and federal agencies attended. MCC will continue working on this project.

�         In December, Miles Community College was a recipient of two Wal-Mart community program grants. One grant was for the ongoing MCC campus beautification plan; the other was for the ROCKS Program, an after-school program for high-risk youth.� Also, the MCC Science Department was awarded a DELL computer and a Lexmark printer through a NSF grant.

�         Miles Community College�s Career Development Workforce Center sponsored its annual We Can Do IT! Workshop January 6 and 7.� Funded by Carl Perkins Vocational Funds and the Women�s Community Foundation of Montana, We Can Do IT? is a two-day high-wage, high-demand career exploration program for area junior and senior high school young women on high wage, high demand careers.Eighty-four young women from Hysham, Colstrip, Forsyth, Jordan, Terry, and Washington Middle School participated. Along with a talented, dynamic group of speakers, Governor Martz spoke to the group via telecommunications.

�         Miles Community College is hosting a traveling photography exhibit of the Montana Historical Society called �Hope in Hard Times: New Deal Photographs of Montana, 1936-1942, sponsored by the Montana Cultural Trust.

�         A former Miles Community College Academic All-American (attended MCC from 1997-2000 and graduated with honors in Construction Technology), Beau Hill won the finals at Dallas and vaulted from 16th place in the world finals to 4th place, winning over $23,000. This win assures Beau his first trip to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada. Beau is from West Glacier, Montana.

�         Miles Community College�s physics instructor, Stan Taylor, participated in a 10 day NSF sponsored physics workshop at Winston-Salem State University. The workshop emphasis was effective/inexpensive labs appropriate for introductory college physics. Among the presenters was Dr. Ronald Edge, University of South Carolina, author of String and Sticky Tape Experiments. In November, each workshop participant received a computer and printer for their respective college.

�        Miles Community College hosted the Montana for Responsible Energy Development (MRED) semi-annual meeting. MRED will be working diligently during the legislative session in proposing responsible energy development. Dr. Paul Williamson, Dean of the University of Montana College of Technology, was elected as member of the Board of Directors. Paul�s research on hydrogen power has been a key component of MRED�s energy strategy.

Montana State University-Northern

Chancellor Alex Capdeville

�         Cabin Fever � The Cabin Fever Institute, sponsored jointly by MSU-Northern Extended University and Hill and Blaine County Extension Offices successfully completed its 10th year with a class enrollment of over 450 participants.  Northern has been hosting this event for the past ten years and this year we offered approximately 55 courses covering a wide range of topics to meet the needs of our diverse audience. 

�         Athletics � The MSU-Northern wrestlers competed in the prestigious Cowboy Open in Laramie, WY.  Included were such powerhouse NCAA Division I teams such as Air Force, PAC-10 champions Boise State, a number of top NCAA Div II teams and several of the best NAIA teams in the region.  Two of Northern�s wrestlers brought home trophies.  Kyle Fisher, a physical education major, was awarded the trophy for "Most Pins" in the least amount of time.  Emmett Willson, a junior broadfield social science major received the "Outstanding Wrestler" award, the highest honor a wrestler can receive at any tournament.  

�         Holiday Tree Lighting � For the first time in many decades, Northern employees and students put together a committee to coordinate the effort to decorate the campus for the holidays.  We had involvement from all areas on campus as well as members of the community.  Many local businesses offered their time and equipment to help hang lights on the large trees on campus.  Luminaries were also placed around the pond in front of Cowan and added a special touch.  An official Tree Lighting Ceremony was held on Friday, December 6 and was open to everyone in the community.  After the official tree lighting, refreshments were served in Donaldson Commons.  I have received many compliments about how beautiful the campus looked for the holidays.  We hope this will be a continuing tradition for many years to come.

�         NAIA National wrestling tournament � MSU-Northern will host the 2003 NAIA National Wrestling Tournament to be held at the Bison Fieldhouse in Great Falls on March 7 and 8, 2003.  It is a great opportunity for Northern to host a national tournament such as this.  I would like to invite everyone to attend.  If you need further information, please contact Sharon Caven at 265-3509.

�         We Love MSU-Northern Ball � The 17th annual We Love MSU-Northern Ball sponsored by the Soroptimist International of Havre will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2003.  This event has a long track record of serving excellent food and providing great entertainment.  During the past 16 years the Soroptimists have raised over $95,000 in scholarships for non-traditional students.  I would again like to invite everyone to attend.  Please contact my office for further information.   

Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology

Dean Mary Moe

At Montana State University�Great Falls College of Technology, 2002 closed with these notes of distinction:

�         Jodi Di Fronzo, a Physical Therapist Assistant graduate from the class of 2000, will represent the Physical Therapist Assistants of Montana at the National Assembly of PT Assistants, which is a non-voting component of the House of Delegates for the American Physical Therapy Association.  Only one PTA from each state is included in the National Assembly.

�         On the basis of a nomination by the College�s Phi Theta Kappa students, Deborah Newton was included in Who's Who Among Americas Teachers 2002. Newton, who directs the Medical Transcription program on a distance-delivery assignment, has also been accepted into the doctoral program for Curriculum Development at New Mexico State University.

�         Diona Davis, CST/FA, Lead Instructor for Surgical Technology Program, has completed the First Assistant Course for Surgical Technicians through National Institute of First Assisting and will be sitting for the National First Assistant Certification Exam this year -  the "next" step for CST's. 

�         The College�s first graduates in Surgical Technology are undertaking the licensing process.  Graduates Lisa Volk, Alicia Nelson, Kris Ellertson passed the National Certification Exam for Surgical Technicians in 2002r, while Taya Guess and Shawn Fossen plan to sit for the exam in 2003.

�         Librarian Sheila Bonnand was elected chair of the Academic and Special Library Division of the Montana Library Association.

�         Donna Berkhof, Coordinator of the Central Montana Tech Prep Consortium, was recognized for ten years of professional involvement in the National Tech Prep Network at the national conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, in October 2002.  Berkhof was one of 40 Tech Prep educators and administrators in the nation (and the only one from Montana) who were recognized in an honors ceremony at the conference.