MSU honors top seniors and mentors with 2005 Excellence Awards

Forty of MSU's top seniors and their mentors will be recognized Tuesday, Feb. 22, at the 23rd annual Awards for Excellence Banquet to be held in the SUB ballrooms.

The Alumni Association and the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce sponsor the banquet. Honored students are nominated by faculty in their college or department. Qualified seniors must have a 3.5 grade point average as well as demonstrated campus leadership and community service. In turn, the award-winning students each select a mentor to be honored with them at the event.

The 2005 Excellence Award winners and their mentors are:

Parking forums presents plans for campus' north quadrant

MSU will conduct two public forums focusing on a parking plan for the north quadrant of the MSU campus, the proposed site of two new campus buildings. The first forum is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, in SUB Ballroom A. The second forum will be held 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, in SUB Ballroom C. MSU Parking Improvement Task Force will explain the parking plan for the north campus resulting from the construction of the new chemistry building and future animal biosciences building. Members of the public as well as the MSU community are invited to attend, ask questions and share opinions during this early planning stage event.

Accounting scandals profiled in M.L. Wilson lecture

A recent member of President George Bush's Council of Economic Advisers will speak about high-profile accounting scandals and government reform in the second MSU College of Letters and Science's Landscapes of the Mind lecture series scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, at the MSU Foundation Building, 1501 S. 11th Ave.

Randall Kroszner is a professor at the University of Chicago and was a member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers. As a member of the council, Kroszner helped craft public policy responses to high-profile accounting scandals, such as Enron, Tyco and WorldCom. He will provide an inside view of how changes to information disclosure laws evolved, how their implementation impacts U.S. financial markets and economic performance and how future paths of reform are likely to develop.

The lecture is sponsored by the MSU College of Letters and Science, the Department of Agricultural Economics and the M.L. Wilson Endowment Seminar Fund. It is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

Campus forums. MUS CHOICES insurance update will be presented by the MSU-Bozeman benefits committee members during three sessions on Tuesday, March 1:

Noon - 1 p.m. SUB Ballroom B
2 - 3 p.m. SUB Ballroom B
4 - 5 p.m . Roberts Hall Room 102

Topics include: third party administrator, no premium change for active employees, retiree premium increase, dependent premium waiver proposal and preventive colonoscopy coverage proposal.

Inter-units benefits committee representatives include Don Mathre at upldm@montana.edu, Susan Alt at salt@montana.edu, Norma Tatarka at ntatarka@bigsky.net and Janae Heap at jheap@montana.edu.

Computing Policies Manual. A revision to the Computing Policies Manual, Section 410.00, Montana State University Network (MSUNET), is being proposed and can be reviewed on the Office of Legal Counsel Web site under Proposed Policies.

Direct comments to Thomas Morrison, associate director of network services, at tpm@montana.edu. The comment period expires March 8, 2005.

Volunteers needed. MSU hosts the 2005 Western Regional Cross-Country Ski Championships on Feb. 25-26 at Bohart XC Ski Ranch. Volunteers and cheering spectators are needed and welcome to help with the events. Races begin at 9:30 a.m. daily and include college racers from the region. Contact coaches Grethe-Lise Hagensen or Nathan Alsobrook in the Nordic team office at 994-4118 or ghagensen@msubobcats.com.

Ecology seminars. Tad Weaver, ecology, presents "A glimpse of Vietnam," during the weekly ecology seminar, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 24, in 304 Lewis Hall. His slide show and discussion cover hard-rock highlands and coastal karst country, and thoughts on landscape, old country and change. The next ecology seminar on Thursday, March 3, is "Risk-based viable population monitoring with application to bull trout," by David Staples, ecology Ph.D. candidate.

Chronic wasting disease. Veterinary Molecular Biology will be hosting a seminar given by Glenn Tellking, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky. He will discuss "Transgenic Approaches for Studying Chronic Wasting Disease, a Prion Disease of Cervids," at 4 p.m., on Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the seminar room of the Molecular Biosciences Building room 145.

Talking Books Salon. “Chick Lit: What’s the buzz about?” is the topic for the next Talking Books Salon, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at Borders Bookstore.

The salon series is sponsored by MSU's Department of English and features faculty-led discussions about books, genres and authors. Faculty members bring their knowledge and relevant input to the topic while encouraging participants to join the conversation with their own ideas and observations.

March’s salon is led by Robert Bennett, English, whose research explores 20th-century American literature and popular culture. He has recently taught courses on “California Culture” and “Shopping in American Literature,” and is currently writing books on the suburbanization of the American West and the film icon Brad Pitt. The discussion revolves around the current genre of highly entertaining novels with witty female protagonists, with an impeccable sense of fashion, trendy urban settings and bright candy-colored covers.

Reading a book or two from the list is recommended, but not required. This event is free and open to everyone. For suggested reading list and more information, visit the Talking Books Salon Web site or contact the Department of English at 994-3768.

Alpinism. Claude Evans, professor of philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis will give a talk on "The First Truly Modern Man: Francesco Petrarch and the Origins of Alpinism" at a seminar scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday, March 4, in room 1-114 of Wilson Hall.

Evans is a well-known Kant scholar who writes widely on hunting, fishing and environmental ethics. His book "With Respect for Nature: Living as Part of the Natural World," will be published in May.

In a famous letter dated 1336, Petrarch described his ascent of Mont Vantoux in southern France. Later, many historians claimed it was the first time in western literary history when someone climbed a mountain simply to take in the view. However, other historians have disputed the interpretation of the letter, but Evans defends it in "I Climb the Mountain," a book that Evans is writing. The talk is free and is sponsored by the Department of History and Philosophy in cooperation with the Hausser Fund for the Humanities.

Ecotoxicology. Michael Depledge, an internationally recognized expert on ecotoxicology from the United Kingdom, will speak at the next Café Scientifique set at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, at Ferraro's Fine Italian Restaurant. Café Scientifique provides an opportunity for members of the community and MSU to discuss current scientific topics.

Depledge is the Head of Science of the Environment Agency of the United Kingdom, the leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. The title of Depledge's lecture will be: "Are the environmental policies of conservative western societies based on science?" Following the presentation, there is time for questions, answers and discussion. For more information, contact Laurie Howell at 994-7531 or lhowell@montana.edu.

Engineers Week. The College of Engineering hosts events for Engineers Week, Thursday, Feb. 24, to Saturday, Feb. 26. Activities include Engineering for Kids for middle-school youngsters, the Cargill Women in Engineering Dinner, Shadow an Engineering Student for high school seniors and Badge Day for Girl Scout troops. Details and dates are online at the College of Engineering Web site. Contact Heidi Sherick at 994-2272 for more information and to R.S.V.P. for events. Contact Susan Gallagher regarding Badge Day at 994-6559.

Dependent Partial Tuition Waiver. The Board of Regents made the Dependent Partial Tuition Waiver benefit permanent. The priority-filing deadline for MSU Bozeman summer 2005 session is Wednesday, Feb. 23. The application form is available at Personnel and Payroll Services, 19 Montana Hall, or online at the Personnel and Payroll Web site. The same application form works for a dependent or spouse planning on attending another unit of the Montana University System.

Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements are eligible for the Dependent Tuition Waiver until the end of the current contract, June 30, 2005. For those employees covered by the program, note that the program is subject to negotiations for the next contract term. For more information, see the guidelines and FAQ’s at the above Web site or contact Personnel and Payroll Services 994-3651.

TRIO Day. Monday, Feb. 28 is National TRIO Day. Advance By Choice, MSU’s TRIO program since 1978, will be celebrating with a reception and door prizes 2-4 p.m., in SUB 106E. Advance By Choice (ABC) offers a variety of services, including tutoring, study skills, academic counseling and developmental courses in math and English. At present, 340 MSU students are receiving services (eligible under federal guidelines regarding income, disability and/or first generation status in which neither parent earned a bachelor’s degree by the student’s 18th birthday). TRIO programs such as ABC are funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Education. Celebrations for National TRIO Day include learning more about the program, meeting students and staff involved in ABC, enjoying refreshments and signing up to win door prizes. For more information, call 994-4541 or stop by the ABC office in SUB 146.

Music. The Department of Music presents a guest recital with Ken Christensen and Liza Hella at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, in the Reynolds Recital Hall. Tickets are $8 general admission, $4 students. Christensen, a graduate of both MSU and the University of Montana, has appeared as soloist and collaborative artist throughout his home state of Montana as well as the Pacific Northwest and Southern California. From 1988-1999 Christensen was a member of the faculty at MSU's Department of Music. Christensen has performed in China, the Philippines and England. Christensen is president-elect for the northwest division of Music Teacher's National Association. For details, call 994-3562.

More music. The MSU Studio Jazz Lab performs at Bozeman High School at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24. The MSU Concerto Competition is 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, in the Reynolds Recital Hall. A student senior recital with Kyle Melugin, percussions, is 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26, in the Reynolds Recital Hall. The University Orchestra concert is 7:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 28. Guitarist James Reid will be performing at 7:30 pm on Friday, March 4 in Reynolds Recital Hall. Tickets are are $8 for general admission and $4 for students. For information, call 994-3562.

Lunchtime seminars. The MSU Women's Center offers a series of free noon-hour seminars throughout the academic year in SUB 106E. The next Sack Lunch Seminar on Wednesday, Feb. 23, is "Feng Shui for today -- change your environment, change your life." Linda Ford, owner of "Feng Shui for Today" and a professional Feng Shui consultant, discusses the possibilities of a happier, healthier and more prosperous life. The March 2 seminar, with Walter Metz, media/theatre arts, is "An Introduction to Post-feminism." He will discuss possible meanings of the term, focusing on post-modern feminism's embrace of pleasure and consumer culture. Call Betsy Danforth at 994-3836 for more information on all the Sack Lunch Seminars.

Ski Big Sky with Employee Wellness. The next Big Sky ski date is Saturday, Feb. 26. Order and pay for tickets on Wednesday or Thursday, Feb. 23 or 24, and pick up the tickets at Big Sky on Sunday morning. For pricing and more information, see the MSU Wellness Web site. The EWP Web site offers more information. To be eligible for the discounted tickets, participants must be covered under the MUS health care.

Yellow Toadflax. Charles Fitts Repath will defend his Land Resources and Environmental Sciences master's thesis, “Monitoring the Demographic Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) to Determine Invasiveness and Non-Indigenous Plant Species Propagule Pressure with Distance from a Road,” at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 23, in 108 Ag Biosciences Bldg. To request disability accommodation or inform us of special needs, contact Cindy Tirrell at 994-7060 or ctirrell@montana.edu.

Gym-pass information. Purchase 2005 passes at Intramural Office, 202 Shroyer Gym, 8 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m.

Open recreation badminton. Intramurals and recreation offers open recreation for badminton players from 5-8 p.m. Fridays in North Gym. For more information, call Jeff Hix at 994-6312. Badminton players must have a gym membership.

Personal-fitness services. Are you currently struggling through workouts that are going nowhere? If so, call one of the personal fitness consultants for direction and encouragement, at 994-6309. Personal fitness consultants can create an individualized workout plan. The service is free to gym membership holders.

Intramural Web site. Log on to the Intramural Web site for gym complex building hours, climbing wall hours, fitness class schedules, intramural activity schedules, gym membership information, fitness consultations and more.

Black history. February’s display in Renne Library explores the origins of Black History Month on its 50th anniversary and the key figures of the Civil Rights Movement. Sharing the display case, KUSM will feature "Montana PBS: Educating Montana for 20 Years." The display case is located inside the front doors in the library lobby.

Great Depression photographs. "Hope in Hard Times: New Deal Photographs of Montana, 1936-1942" explores the lives and times of Montanans confronting the Great Depression through the eyes of four photographers working for the Farm Security Administration. The Museum of the Rockies exhibit is based on the award-winning book by Mary Murphy, MSU history professor. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 12:30-5p.m. Sunday. Exhibition dates are through Sunday, May 1.

The show includes dramatic images of Montana during the Depression years from one of the most celebrated collections of American photographs ever produced. A rich array of 1930s artifacts from the museum's history collections complement the photographs, and help bring to life Montana and the activities of the federal relief programs in the time period. Call 994-2251 for more information.

Exit art. The Exit Art Gallery in SUB 286 features student work. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and noon-4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Call 994-1828 for details.

Printmaking. The Fran Noel Retrospective Exhibition remains on display through Friday, March 11, in the Helen E. Copeland Gallery. The show highlights the retired art professor's printmaking work. The gallery is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Call 994-2562 for details.

Chris Pinet, French, and Alain Braun of Belgium published a note on the 2004 Atlanta Joint American Association of Teachers of French and International Federation of Teachers of French Convention in the February 2005 issue of the French Review. In addition to "The Challenge of Diversity," a synthesis and analysis of the major themes of the convention, there is an appendix, which includes a declaration of the international delegates to the meeting underscoring the need for Francophonie as an alternative to globalization.

Carolyn Plumb and Joel Cahoon, engineering, received a $1,240 Innovative Instructional Learning Grant for their "Portfolio Assessment in Civil Engineering: Expanding the Measures of Student Writing Performance."

Carrie Myers received a $2,000 Innovative Instructional Learning Grant for "A Toolkit to Promote Thinking and Active Learning Among First-Year Seminar Students."

Sara Mast, art, received a $2,000 Innovative Instructional Learning Grant for Building a 21st Century Visual Arts Foundation Curriculum.

Robb Larson, engineering, received a $2,000 Innovative Instructional Learning Grant for a Portable Laboratory Development Proposal.

Lynn Kelting-Gibson, education, received a $700 Innovative Instructional Learning Grant for Integrating Education Planning and Indian Education for All.

Relay For Life. The Relay For Life invites all MSU faculty/staff cancer survivors as honored guests, to take part in the Survivor's Victory Lap. Survivors' courage and strength help the community see that cancer survivorship is real, that there is progress in the fight against cancer. All pre-registered survivors will receive a free T-shirt.

The Cancer Survivor Celebration Night is Friday, Feb. 25 in the Brick Breeden Field House:

Registration and Survivor Reception from 7-8 p.m.
Opening Ceremony 7 p.m.
Opening Survivor Walk 7:15 p.m.
Luminaria Ceremony 10 p.m.

Survivors who would like to participate should call Caleb Carter at 539-2712 or Dave Baird at 585-0014 to register. For more information, call Vonda at the American Cancer Society at (800) 252-5470 option 3, or (406) 256-7156 or visit the MSU Relay For Life Web site. From this site anyone can register as a participant, team member, donate funds or build a page to send to friends and family members.

Daffodil Days. The American Cancer Society is doing its part to brighten the spirits and warm the hearts of Gallatin Valley residents with its annual Daffodil Days fundraiser. Volunteer sales representatives in the county and at MSU have begun taking orders for bouquets of the first flowers of spring. The flowers are grown and cut fresh in the Northwest. A 10-stem bouquet costs $7, or $12 with a blue acrylic vase. Sales representatives on the MSU campus will be taking orders until March 4. Delivery on campus is scheduled for Monday, March 21, the Monday after spring break.

The funds collected are used to help fund cancer research, legislative advocacy and educational and community service programs. Currently, two MSU professors are researching under American Cancer Society grants. Look for the blue and yellow signs on campus and in buildings for information on contacts for ordering daffodils. People interested in becoming a volunteer or for information on campus representatives, e-mail Patricia Lane at plane@montana.edu.

Montana PBS. Several Montana-made television programs will air in March on Montana PBS, including "For This and Future Generations: Montana's 1972 Constitutional Convention." The show examines the events of 1972, when 100 grass-roots delegates gathered in Helena to rewrite the century-old state constitution. In less than two months, they produced a document that would affect the lives of generations of Montanans. Constitutional scholars rank our constitution among the nation's finest. The program airs 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, and repeats several times in March. The listing and other Montana-made programs can be found at the Montana PBS Web site.