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Staff Bulletin to staffbulletin@montana.edu, MSU Communications Services | Vol. 18 No. 17 Friday, May 17, 2002 |
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Staff Bulletin to staffbulletin@montana.edu, MSU Communications Services | Vol. 18 No. 17 Friday, May 17, 2002 |
| Staff Bulletin Archives | University News |
MSU President Geoffrey Gamble yesterday approved without change the University planning, Budget and Analysis Committee's $88 million budget proposed for the upcoming academic year.
"Thank you for all your great work," Gamble said to the 21-member committee that has worked 120 days to frame a balanced budget. "I don't think I will change a thing."
Gamble thanked the group for including two components he thought important -- a healthy contingency fund and provisions for salary increases for faculty and professional employees.
Gamble said that the budget is designed to accommodate an anticipated return of revenues to the state appropriation budget. Gamble said that it now appears that amount will be closer to 3 percent than the 10 percent that had once been suggested.
Gamble complimented the committee on finding money to fund two programs he thought particularly important. The first is a mentoring program proposed by ASMSU. The second is the revived MSU for a Day program that this year took teachers and administrators to Kalispell and Bozeman. The committee funded MSU for a Day next year for trips to Billings and another location, yet to be determined.
Gamble also praised the group for including aspects of planning in the budget, even though there was yet to be an official strategic plan for the university.
"The work that you are doing now will have a profound and beneficial impact five years from now," he said.
Gamble said that universities across the nation have to cut budgets and are struggling by large hikes in tuition. MSU, he said, is accustomed to operating on a frugal budget and is thin, "though not emaciated."
"Even though we could use more resources, you found a way to move our revenue picture ahead," he told the committee. "You found ways to fill in the gaps."
Gamble said that unless the state changed its mind about funding more of budgets for Montana universities, the current trend of raising tuition would continue. That's why it is important that scholarship endowments, now at a record $9 million, continue to rise.
"We believe we will reach our goal of $15 million," he said.
University entities that do not reap income from tuition, such as Extension and Experiment Stations, are having difficulty making budget as costs rise, Gamble said.
Allen Yarnell, vice president of Student Affairs, told the committee that there was cause for some optimism in trends for enrollment at MSU next year. Yarnell said that MSU admissions personnel had suspected that enrollments were up at all universities. "But that's not the case," Yarnell said. "They're all over the board throughout the country... The key thing is to get these students to come here."
By Carol Schmidt, Communications Services
Horticulture students practice by growing graduation flowers
As long as MSU horticulture students needed to learn about flower production and marketing, their teacher decided they should also produce something useful.
MSU students produced thousands of flowers and other plants as part of their horticulture class. Those thousands of flowers were used to adorn MSU graduation platforms. In addition, the class has produced native plants that will be used for a revegetation project near Bozeman, says David Baumbauer, MSU's Plant Growth Center manager who teaches the class. The flowers also will be used at the MSU Museum of the Rockies and elsewhere.
There are 32 students who grew the plants as a part of the Plant Sciences 434 Greenhouse Management class. Ten of them were involved in production of the graduation mums.
By Carol Flaherty, Communications Services
Lewis remembered for stabilizing MSU Athletics Department
While Peter Fields officially became MSU's fifth full-time director of Intercollegiate Athletics, the last nine months has marked not only a calm period in Bobcat Athletics, but also one which was highly successful. Glenn Lewis has overseen Bobcat Athletics in that period, and also helped form the future of the department by chairing the committee that hired Fields.
Allen Yarnell was eating dinner at a Bozeman restaurant with his children early in July of 2001, grappling with what direction he would take Montana State, when it hit him.
"I was sitting there, lost in my thoughts, and it came to me," MSU's vice president of Student Affairs said of his decision to ask Glenn Lewis, the university's long-time director of Auxiliary Services, to guide Bobcat Athletics until a permanent replacement could be found. "Glenn is a loyal, well-respected member of the Montana State family, and I thought he brought leadership and stability to that position that you might not normally have in an interim situation."
Lewis, who was also chairman of the committee which eventually selected Fields to take over the directorship of Bobcat Athletics, was slated to retire from his post in Auxiliary Services in December. He's glad he put off his retirement a few extra months.
"I really did enjoy my time as director," Lewis said. "I've had a great experience, I really have. It's been a real challenge, it's been extremely interesting, it's been something that I think I will remember for the rest of my life. And I think we've accomplished some things. I think we've made some headway in terms of convincing people of the importance of athletics and convincing people that we need assistance to make this program work. That, to me, is what my time here has been about."
Bobcat basketball coach Mick Durham has worked with three of MSU's four ADs as either an assistant or as head basketball coach. He says Lewis' time at MSU will be remembered for stability.
"Glenn was a calming influence on the athletic department," Durham said. "He definitely had a calming influence on the coaches. I'm not sure how anyone could have done a better job under the circumstances of running this department."
Lewis said involvement in the day-to-day running of athletics opened his eyes to several aspects of the program. "I've been closely associated with athletics for a number of years now without being involved in the day-to-day things," he said. "My involvement has been with the facilities part, the construction part, but not programatic type stuff. I've really learned to appreciate some of the issues that athletics faces on a day-to-day basis that most people are very, very much unaware of. I really appreciate this staff and its commitment and dedication to this program. You see it day in and day out, the hours, the concern, the stress the people here are under all the time trying to find a way to make this program successful. That is worth volumes to me."
Lewis handed the baton to Fields, previously the associate AD for business operations at the University of Missouri, at a point in the race where the Bobcats are very competitive, says MSU Associate Athletic Director Bruce Parker. "We're in the midst of an extremely successful year, and a lot of credit should go to Glenn," Parker said. "Everyone in the university community knows of Glenn's integrity and work ethic, and he has really made a difference in this department. He has brought a high level of professionalism that everyone here appreciates."
Lewis said that his greatest contribution has been in helping the university find a way to cope with budgetary and fiscal issues facing athletics. "I think, I'm not positive, but I think I have been successful in helping the upper-level administration understand some of the problems athletics faces. Our administration knew the problems were there without knowing the magnitude and the details of the problem. I think I've been successful in convincing people that athletics is here and has been defined as to how it will be run and at what level, so here is what it's going to cost. The administration needs to find a way to make athletics to work. Athletics can't solve these problems by itself, it has to have the university's commitment and support. And I think it's there."
Lewis said that he remains more committed than ever to the role athletics plays in the university.
"Before, I would say that I understood the worth of athletics, but that athletics should solve its own problems. Now, I fully understand that it's a bigger issue than that, and we all need to make a strong commitment to athletics to make it successful. My opinion has gone from being, 'It's athletics' problem,' to being 'The problem is all of ours.'"
Lewis moved across 11th Street to his old Auxiliary Services haunt, and will serve there until May 30. At that point, he will officially retire from MSU, although he will be retained on a third-time basis to help in Student Affairs with special projects and issues.
By Bill Lamberty, Athletics
MSU satellite to fly on converted missile
A missile that once waited for orders to fire at the United States will someday carry a tiny satellite developed by students at MSU.
Kazakhstan, a country in the former Soviet Union, is expected to launch a converted intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) anywhere between November and next spring, said physics professor Dave Klumpar. But instead of heading for the United States, it will soar into space. MSU's satellite will ride along to help measure radiation trapped in the Van Allen belts that surround the earth.
"There are no launch facilities in Montana," Klumpar explained. "The two or three possibilities in the United States don't work out because of cost and other things. It turns out that foreign launchers are by far the least expensive."
The first satellite ever built in Montana is the size of a toddler's toy, a cube measuring about four inches per side. Known as the Montana EaRth-Orbiting Pico Explorer (MEROPE), it will contain scientific instruments and two antennas. The satellite will be shipped to Kazakhstan and loaded onto the carrier with satellites from other U.S. universities.
"To be here and have students involved, to give them the same kind of experiences I had, is just really exciting for me," said Klumpar who was involved in space experiments 40 years ago as an undergraduate.
Several students in MSU's Space Science and Engineering Laboratory (SSEL) have worked on the satellite, and four of them flew in the infamous "vomit comet" this spring to test the antennas they designed for it. The KC-135 flies out of the Johnson Space Center, then soars and dives over the Gulf of Mexico to create weightlessness.
"It's kind of like swimming under water, but even that isn't realistic," Cody Pinion commented. "When you are in zero gravity, it's really difficult to position yourself."
"It's a fun time. That's for sure," added Ian Barnes.
Pinion is a junior from Great Falls, and Barnes is a junior from Billings. Other MSU students who flew on the KC-135 were Trevor Grove, a senior from Great Falls and James Black, a senior from Williston, N.D. Alternates were Michelle Galvin, a senior from Kalispell, and Andrew Ross, a senior from Missoula. All six are majoring in mechanical engineering.
"This has been a tremendous experience for the students," said Tom Wilson, head of Swales Aerospace. "They built their mechanism in less than eight weeks, and we understand it worked as designed."
Swales and the Montana Space Grant Consortium are two major sponsors of the MEROPE project.
The students went into "space" to see which of three metals would work best in their antennas. They also wanted to see if the antennas would deploy in near-zero gravity. The antennas started out as ordinary tape measures and were coiled inside the satellite waiting for the students to press a button. If all went well, the antenna burst out of the cube and straightened out in less than 15 seconds.
"We have to have a way to keep them self-contained in the satellite until the satellite gets kicked out into space," Klumpar said. "Once it gets kicked out into space, those antenna have to open up so we can talk to the satellite. If the antenna don't open up, we are fried. We have just launched a piece of space junk."
Fortunately, the antenna and release mechanisms usually worked the way they were designed, he said. As for the students, they said they appreciated the opportunity to work on the project.
"It was really a unique experience," said Pinion who wants to work or contract with NASA someday.
Galvin flew on the KC-135 last year and said it's been a popular topic on job interviews.
"It's the one thing they always ask," she said.
By Evelyn Boswell MSU Research Office
Bob Peterson's business is risk
Bob Peterson's job is to determine risks so the rest of us can make better decisions about the risks we all face.
As the first hire for the Institute for Biobased Products and Food Science at MSU, Peterson's job is to assess ecological and human health risks in many areas, from new agricultural technologies to new food products. Until his appointment within MSU's College of Agriculture, risk assessment primarily had been done outside of universities. It was the domain of corporations, consulting firms and government agencies. Peterson says his is the first such appointment he knows of at any university in the world.
He will do research on questions such as, "What is the risk of a biotech crop to the environment?" "Or the risk of using a pesticide?" "Or even of not using a pesticide?"
How can not using a pesticide create risk?
"If a plant is attacked by insects, it generates toxins to defend itself. There has been very little work done to determine the effect of such naturally occurring toxins on human health and nutrition," says Peterson. Therefore, research on the risk of using a pesticide on a crop needs to be compared to the risk to people of the natural toxins plants produce to defend themselves from pests.
Peterson comes to the MSU College of Agriculture from Dow AgroSciences where he worked on assessing the risk of biotech corn to the monarch butterfly. Magazine covers in recent years had proclaimed monarchs threatened by genetically modified corn pollen, though more recent assessments seem to indicate that the risks are negligible. Peterson expects his study of the problem to be published later this year.
As with the rest of life, there is a risk when you do something and a risk when you don't. Peterson's job will be to tell us what those risks are for new Montana technologies and products.
By Carol Flaherty, Communications Services
MSU researcher works for easier access to solar data
Scientists who study the sun as part of a space mission team have easy access to the
information they've collected, says Piet Martens of MSU.
But other researchers or instructors at small universities that aren't part of a research group have a much harder time, adds Martens, associate research professor of physics. The process can be difficult, time-consuming and discouraging if they try to peruse a computer database, and their software is incompatible.
"It's easy to skip it and use what you have," Martens said.
Loren Acton, research professor of physics and founder of MSU's Solar Physics Group, said, "You have to be an expert to find what you're looking for."
Looking for a solution, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently gave Martens a $42,000 grant to look into the possibility of setting up a Virtual Solar Observatory with Stanford University and the National Solar Observatory. The three institutions together received $160,000 for the current year. Annual renewal is possible.
The observatory would be a computer network that would make it easier for scientists and educators to use solar databases anywhere in the United States. Eventually, they could access solar archives from around the world. The information might be historical data found on film or current photos downloaded from a satellite.
"It's just amazing if this can all be made to work," Acton said. "Think of the advantage of having all the solar databases of the world available at your desk on your computer for your science. It's just awesome."
Martens and the researchers from Stanford and the National Solar Observatory are currently designing a prototype that involves four major solar archives in this country. One is located at MSU, another at Stanford and two at the National Solar Observatory. Later this year, probably during the 2002 fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the researchers will present their ideas to the managers of many solar data archives. The feedback will be used to prepare a final development plan to be completed in the winter of 2003. The future of the project depends on funding.
"We will start with baby steps," Acton said. "There's always a tremendous amount of sharing of data in the solar community. Most institutions allow access to their databases. What this virtual solar observatory is intended to do is to make that much more straightforward and easy."
Currently, Martens said, "There's really not a very good method of both surveying the data and downloading it. ... It's really a computer networking problem we are trying to solve."
Martens said European physicists are about six months ahead of the United States in the process of developing a virtual observatory. A representative of that group, the European Grid of Solar Observatories, will be invited to the American Geophysical Union meeting in December to discuss that project for maximum collaboration and minimum duplication.
By Evelyn Boswell MSU Research Office
MSU offers women's leadership seminar June 14
In today's world, negotiation is a fact of life. From discussing raises in the workplace to dickering over the price of a car, negotiation is a basic means of getting what you want from others. But often, we negotiate ourselves into a corner, focusing only on the
position we've taken rather than exploring the potential for creative solutions.
This one-day workshop for women will:
-pinpoint your negotiation style to see how it helps and hinders you;
-develop negotiation techniques that let you meet your goals without compromising your ethical standards;
-learn to remain focused and self-assured under difficult circumstances;
-create solutions that are mutually acceptable for everyone involved.
The instructor is Molly McCabe, president of Hayden Tanner, a company specializing in strategic planning along with leadership, executive and corporate coaching. McCabe has more than 17 years of corporate experience and is a skilled mentor, facilitator and group leader. Her passion is working with senior businesswomen and entrepreneurs on leadership, communication, conflict resolution and change. The session is sponsored by the MSU Extension Service and is held during the organization's "Woman's Week" event on campus June 13-15. The course costs $20 and runs from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a lunch break (lunch not included). Pre-registration is required. Call 994-3273 and register for course "WW120." Payment is due at the time of registration. For more information visit www.montana.edu/wwwpb/classes/WW2002.html
By Suzi Taylor, Communications Services
Final Staff Bulletin for the semester. This is the final Staff Bulletin for the 2001-2002 academic year. The Staff Bulletin will not be published during the summer but will resume in the fall for the 2002-2003 academic year. The next issue will come out Friday, Sept. 6. It will cover events from Sept. 6 through Sept. 20. The deadline for submitting copy to the Sept. 6, issue is Friday, Aug. 30. Information should be submitted by e-mail only to bmcdonal@montana.edu. A detailed listing of all deadlines for the 2002-2003 year will be sent to all departments in August.
The editor wishes to thank all those who submitted information to the Staff Bulletin over the past academic year. Also, thanks to Steve Burk and Allen Porter of the Information Technology Center who keep the Web version of Staff Bulletin up and running.
Closure noted. Media Services in 422 Reid Hall will be closed May 11-June 16 and July 27-Sept. 2. From June 17 to July 26 Media Services will be open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7:30-11:15 a.m. on Friday.
New proposed policy. A policy regarding "Administrative Fees and Exemptions" is being proposed and can be reviewed on the Office of Legal Counsel Web site under "Proposed Policies" http://www.montana.edu/legalcounsel/. Please submit any comments on the proposed policy to Laura Humberger, Controller, by June 2.
Special Collections closed. The MSU Library Special Collections will be closed until May 20 while the collections are temporarily moved from the current area to the third floor to allow for abatement and renovation in the Special Collections area. All materials will be unavailable for use during this time period. It is expected that Special Collections will be returned to its second-floor location in mid-August. From May 21 to mid-August Special Collections will maintain its normal hours and access while it is operating from the third floor.
Regulations modified. University Parking Regulations have been modified. The revisions may be viewed on the University Police Web site at http://www.montana.edu/wwwmsupd/regulati.shtml and also on the Legal Counsel Web site under "Announcements" at http://www.montana.edu/legalcounsel/.
MSU Extension offers short summer courses for women. Women of all ages and stages can take short classes on the MSU campus as part of "Woman's Week" June 13-15.
Sponsored by the MSU Extension Service, classes range from do-it-yourself home repair and personal finance to leadership skills. Women can also sign up for river trips, practice computer skills or learn healthy cooking. Most classes last two to four hours and are reasonably priced.
Participants may sign up for individual courses or choose a package that includes meals, lodging and classes.
For a list of all courses, visit the Web at http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/classes/WW2002.html or call (406) 994-3273 for a Woman's Week flyer. Information is also available on MSU's main calendar: http://www.montana.edu/calendar/. Early registration deadline is May 31. After that time classes that have not met minimum enrollments will be canceled. However, late registrations will be taken until June 10.
Deadline nears. Any changes to your CHOICES coverage for 2002-2003 and all Optional Reimbursement Account enrollment forms are due to the Personnel and Payroll Services Offices by 5 p.m. on May 20.
Newsletter available. The Office of International Programs newsletter, Global Horizons, is available at http://www.montana.edu/international/newsletter/.
Picnic planned. The annual MSU Faculty and Staff Welcome Back Picnic is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, at Wally Byam Grove. The event features food, entertainment and prizes. In case of poor weather, the event will be in the SUB.
Student symposium. The Montana Apprenticeship Program Student Symposium is scheduled from 1-5 p.m. on July 18 in EPS 103. Twenty high school students from reservation schools in Montana and Wyoming will give 10 to 15 minute presentations on their research projects. The students spend six weeks on the MSU campus working in research labs as a part of the Montana Apprenticeship Program in conjunction with the American Indian Research Opportunities office on campus. This is the 19th year for the program at MSU.
Report available. The "Report of the Provost to the Campus - AY2001-2002," is available at the 'What's New in Academic Affairs" Web site: http://www.montana.edu/wwwprov/what.htm. All faculty and staff are encouraged to review this summary of academic issues and initiatives.
Summer hours. ASMSU Intramurals and Recreation is now under its summer 2002 hours of operation.
Summer hours of the Margo Hoseaus, Romney and Shroyer Gyms are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Intramural and recreation facilities are closed weekends for the summer.
The equipment room will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with reservations taken a day in advance at 994-5500 for squash, racquetball and tennis. The student weight room and circuit training/cardio room will be open during regular building hours. The Intramural climbing wall in Romney will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A current climbing wall card is needed to use that area; cards can be applied for in 202 Shroyer. PEC Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. for lap/open swim. A valid One Card must be shown when entering the pool. Romney pool tot swim will be Tuesday and Thursday 1:15-3 p.m. As always, parents/guardians must accompany and actively supervise their children. Aerobics classes will be offered in South Gym, 12:05 - 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
If you are interested in purchasing a facility use pass, cost for summer is prorated starting May 15. Cost for faculty, staff and retirees from May 15 - Oct. 15 is $40. This includes full use of the facility, a locker, lock, towel service and aerobics pass. Students who have been enrolled full time in the spring semester but are not registered for summer school can also get a facility use pass for $40 as well. For information regarding pro-rated use fees for university family, university related, student spouses, etc., visit the facility Web site at http://www.montana.edu/gym/. For more information, call Intramurals at 994-5000 or stop by 202 Shroyer.
Fitness trainer available. ASMSU Intramurals and Recreation is offering the assistance of an intramural fitness trainer to faculty, staff and spouses in the student weight room this summer. The fitness trainer is available on a first-come first-serve basis from 7-8 a.m. Monday through Thursday. This program is offered free of charge and is available one time per person to allow individuals to get to know machines, jump start a fitness program, or work on specific skill development. For more information, call Intramurals at 994-6309.
Newsletter out. The ITC informational newsletter is available online at http://www.montana.edu/wwwitc/itcnews/ . Topics included are: Voice Mail Message Waiting Lights; Express Messaging in Voice Mail; State Telephone Service RFPs; MSU Internet Bandwidth Tripled; Reading Student E-mail with Hotmail or Yahoo!; Element K (Online Web-Based Training); Using Microsoft NetMeeting, and How Not to Send an E-mail Attachment. The ITC Newsletter is only published electronically.
Master calendar use. MSU Conference Services announces the new master calendar of events on the MSU Web site. The master calendar is a resource for posting campus related events that are of interest to the general public and campus community. To post events go to http://www.montana.edu/calendar/calendarAdd.php and enter the information into the online form. Within two working days the submission will reviewed and posted to the master calendar. The master calendar can be viewed at http://www.montana.edu/calendar/ or link to it from the MSU homepage under the calendar link.
Billy G. Smith, history, specializes in issues of race and class in early America and has been selected as the first Michael P. Malone Professor honoring the late president of MSU. Malone's family established the professorship with the requirement that it be awarded to an MSU history professor.
Chris Pinet, French, has been named co-chairman of the program committee for the meeting of the International Federation of Professors of French (FIPF) to be held in Atlanta in July 2004. This is only the second time that the FIPF will have met in the United States and its meeting will be held jointly with the annual meeting of the American Association of Teachers of French. The other co-chair is Alain Braun, past president of the FIPF. Pinet recently traveled to Paris where he met with Braun to begin planning for the conference. He also met with Francoise Ploquin, editor of "Le Francais dans le Monde," the official journal of the FIPF. Pinet serves on its editorial board. While in Paris he carried out archival research in the south Paris municipality of Villejuif, the subject of study for a book that he is working on. Pinet also announces the publication in May of a 372-page special issue of the "French Review" in honor of the 75th anniversaries of both the "Review" and the American Association of Teachers of French.
Jeff Leid, Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE), received a Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN) Faculty Travel award of $4,000. This award will allow Leid and Mark Shirtliff, CBE, to spend a week at the University of Oklahoma learning about a new animal model to study biofilm infections of the eye. The Montana Network for Biomedical Research Opportunities program sponsors the award. Leid is the CBE's immunology projects director and he is also an assistant research professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at MSU.
John Sears, chemical engineering, was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) in the April 2002 issue of Chemical Engineering Progress. Seven new fellows were initiated this year.
Al Cunningham, CBE, taught a short course with Rainer Helmig, Institute fur Wasserbau, Stuttgart, Germany. The short course, "Multiphase Flow, Transport and Bioremediation in the Subsurface," was taught at the University of Stuttgart for the International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research, March 11-14. The short course was attended by 25 graduate students from northern Europe.
Michael Givskov, Søren Molin and Bill Costerton, organized a Biofilm Method Workshop, - A PhD Course, BioCentrum, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, April 1-6. Presenters from the CBE were Bill Costerton, Jeff Leid, Paul Stoodley and Paul Sturman.
Bill Costerton and Marty Hamilton, both CBE, were presenters at the first OECD Efficacy Workshop on Certain Antimicrobial Biocides, in Arlington, Vir., April 22-24. The workshop was organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris, and hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Future workshops are planned throughout OECD membership countries. The goal of these workshops is to develop international guidance for efficacy testing and assessment of biocidal products, thereby achieving better global protection for health and the environment.
Al Cunningham, CBE, presented the CBE Bioremediation program to the University of Heidelberg and the University of Strasbourg in Germany in March.
Elinor Pulcini, microbiology and a CBE graduate, gave a presentation, "An Introduction to Biofilms" for the Spring Convention of the Montana Society for Clinical Laboratory Science in Bozeman in April.
Zbigniew Lewandowski and Haluk Beyenal, and graduate students Nurdan Yurt and Xianming Shi, all CBE, attended the NACE 2002 Conference in Denver in April.
Anne Camper, CBE, was an invited speaker at the NASA Astrobiology Meeting, Ames Research Center, San Jose, Calif., in April. She presented "A Mode of Survival for Bacteria in Extreme Environments." Camper presented "Involvement of Humic Substances in Regrowth" at the NSF International/World Health Organization Symposium on HPC Bacteria in Drinking Water in Geneva Switzerland in April. She also presented a poster, "Heterotrophic Plate Count Organisms as Indicators."
Jeff Leid, CBE, an invited lecturer, presented a seminar, "Medically Relevant Biofilms and Chronic Infection," for the Thompson Hall Science and Math Seminar series at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash., in April.
Jeff Leid and Mark Shirtliff, both CBE, presented a poster, "Leukocyte Response to Maturing and Fully Mature Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms" at Experimental Biology 2002: Translating the Genome, in New Orleans, La. in April.
Bill Costerton and Marty Hamilton, both CBE, were presenters at the first OECD Efficacy Workshop on Certain Antimicrobial Biocides, in Arlington, Vir., in April. Costerton presented "Introduction to Biofilms," and Hamilton presented "Performance Standards."
Ron Larsen, chemical engineering; Ed Adams, civil engineering; Bob Mokwa, construction engineering technology; John Paxton, computer science; Fred Cady, electrical and computer engineering; Paul Schillings, industrial and management engineering; Tom Reihman, mechanical engineering; Kevin Cook, mechanical engineering technology; Capt. Thomas Moore, aerospace studies; Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Wallace, military sciences, received Outstanding Instructor Awards from the College of Engineering.
Marty Hamilton, CBE; Dan Samborsky, chemical engineering; Zbigniew Lewandowski, civil engineering; Doug Cairns, mechanical engineering; Chris Strong, Western Transportation Institute; Durward Sobek, industrial and management engineering, received Outstanding Research Awards from the College of Engineering.
Marla Wesen, civil engineering, and Dan Samborsky, chemical engineering, received Outstanding Classified Employee Awards from the College of Engineering.
Peg Dirckx, CBE, received the Outstanding Professional Employee Award from the College of Engineering.
The final examination and thesis defense for Julia Chiyo Myers will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, in room 301, Reid Hall. The title is "Content Analysis of Computer-Mediated Collaborative Mathematical Problem Solving."
Note: To view free computer seminars offered by MSU's Information Technology Center (ITC), visit the Web site at: http://www2.montana.edu/itcseminars/ or call 994-5096.
PBS program examines images and advertising
"Get Real: Ads, Images, and the Truth" is a Montana PBS television special that explores media and advertising literacy, particularly ads that portray images of beauty and attractiveness for young women and men. Journey through the world of advertising as Montana teenagers analyze and interpret advertising and explore how advertisements are made. Teens examine how advertising influences culture and discuss ways to communicate their own personal style.
The program airs on KUSM from 6:30 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 19. The show will be rebroadcast at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21 and at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 25.
An educators' media literacy resource guide will be available on the Web site http://www.montana.edu/extensionnutrition in conjunction with the first broadcast. Following the initial broadcast a videotape will be available for loan or purchase from the Montana State University Extension Service, MSU. For information contact Lynn Paul, 994-5702.
The program is sponsored by the Montana Beef Council, MSU Extension Service, MSU Food and Nutrition, MSU Student Health Services, Montana Team Nutrition Program, Office of Public Instruction, MSU Psychology, MSU Media and Theater Arts and Montana PBS.
Spring tune-up checklist for homeowners
Why bother to spend a sunny spring weekend snooping around your house for paint that's peeling and cracks that need sealing? Mike Vogel, a housing specialist at MSU Extension, has a list of reasons. Keeping your home well-tuned helps make it safer, more energy efficient, more economical and more comfortable. And by keeping up on small maintenance jobs, you can save money in larger repairs, protect your home equity and even increase the resale value of your home.
Even simple things like gutters and downspouts can affect the well-being of your entire house, said Vogel. For example, if downspouts let runoff collect too near the foundation, excessive moisture can cause unhealthy mold or structural damage. "Of the 3000-plus parts and pieces of a house, something's bound to go wrong," says Vogel. "A spring tune-up checklist can help you take care of some small spring fix-up jobs before they become major maintenance headaches."
Shingle-to-Septic Spring Home Tune-Up Checklist
Shingles: Check for winter damage. Repair loose shingles with asphalt roofing cement and have missing or damaged shingles replaced.
Attic: Check the underside of roof for water stains that could indicate leaks. Open vents in spring and check protective screens. Check duct joints and rejoin leaky joints with duct tape. Check power vents twice a year.
Chimneys: Inspect masonry for cracks and missing mortar. Check flashing around chimney and other projections, and in valleys where roof sections meet. Re-flash deteriorated areas and seal leaks with a high-grade caulk or asphalt roofing cement.
Gutters and downspouts: Remove debris from clogged gutters using a garden hose, or your hands, if necessary. Tighten loose gutters and add additional supports. Check paint. Remove rust with a wire brush, emery cloth and steel wool, clean with degreasing cleanser, prime and paint with appropriate products. Check seams. Seal minor leaks with roofing cement, high-grade caulk or sealant. Replace severely damaged sections.
Siding: Check wood, asphalt or asbestos cement siding for damage like nail-pop, cracking, splitting, warping or decay. Realign warped boards with screws, replace sections of damaged wood and reset loose nails, reinforcing with additional nails.
Paint: Check for mildew, cracks and peeling. Wash away mildew with alkaline
cleaning solution and scrub brush. Remove defective paint, prime and repaint. If new paint fails within two years, determine the cause and fix the problem before repainting.
Exterior door and window frames: Remove any chipped or cracked paint, prime
and repaint. If frames are rotting, fix the cause before replacing and/ or repainting.
Foundation: Check exterior and interior walls and basement floor for cracks. Repair cracks and consult a professional if necessary to repair the cause of the damage. Ensure that ground slopes away from foundation. Fill low areas where water can collect.
Basement/crawl space: Check wooden floor support members for rot, decay or pest damage. Eliminate the source of the damage and replace weakened members with preservative-treated materials. Dehumidify or ventilate damp basements, and locate and eliminate the moisture source. Open crawl space vents in spring and check condition of wire screen or mesh covering. Check plastic vapor barrier on crawl space floors, sealing seams and holes with duct tape.
Concrete/Asphalt: Check for cracks and repair to prevent spreading.
Steps: Check for cracked, chipped, uneven or broken sections, and repair if necessary.
Septic system: If the space between the scum at the top and the sludge at the bottom is less than half the total depth of the tank, schedule pumping.
MSU Extension offers two free publications that provide more information to help homeowners satisfy their fix-up needs and protect their investment.
"Home Fitness, You Can Do It," (EB 16) is a basic do-it-yourself home repair guide. It includes maintenance checklists for each season and contains information on plumbing, electrical repairs, paint, gutters, downspouts and doors.
"Home Remodeling Planning Guide" (EB 47) is designed to help homeowners plan and take on more ambitious remodeling projects.
For a free copy of either publication, or for information about other housing or environmental quality questions, contact your local MSU Extension office, listed in the county section of your phone book.
By Marla Goodman, Communications Services
Tech support for growers
The life of a Montana gardener is full of questions: Should I remove grass clippings from my lawn? Can I grow tomatoes here? When and how much should I water or fertilize? Can I grow Fuji apples in Montana? Why don't my sweet peas smell sweet?
If you have a question about lawn-care, gardening, trees, shrubs or other horticulture topics, Montana State University has resources at the ready.
First, MSU Extension provides a free horticulture hotline from 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning May 2. The toll-free number is 1-877-GRO-TIPS (1-877-476-8477, or in the Bozeman area, dial 994-7268). An MSU horticulture expert is on-call during those hours to provide answers and resources, whether your question is big or small. The Tuesday and Thursday afternoon call-in service runs through the summer and ends Sept. 26.
During other hours, try searching MSU Extension Horticulture Specialist Bob Gough's Garden Guide Web site at http://gardenguide.montana.edu. The site contains an archive of Gough's sage advice on a wide variety of Montana's most frequently asked horticultural stumpers, plus links to other resources.
You can also download free publications about Montana yard and garden topics and search an online catalog of free and low-cost publications on the Web at: http://www.montana.edu/publications/
For help with questions about agriculture, natural resources, family, finance, consumer, business or community development topics, find your local MSU Extension office in the county section of your phone book.
By Marla Goodman, Communications Services
Doctor Bob's Northern Gardening Tips: Using old saws for lawn care
If you have a hard time remembering when and how often to fertilize or water, sometimes an "old saw" (an old saying) comes in handy.
By Bob Gough, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
When do you fertilize? Wait until you mow twice, then fertilize. The reason for this old saw is that if you fertilize too early, all the nitrogen goes into top growth. You'll be mowing like crazy, but it won't be of much benefit to root development. A normal application rate for Montana is to apply 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1000 square feet, three times a year, around Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day.
When do you water? Even if the grass is brown, it won't do much good to water it until the ground is thawed and the soil temperature is above 45 degrees. Once the roots are growing, they can pull up water. Encourage deep root growth by using this old saw: Water deeply and less frequently. Don't sprinkle for five minutes every night. Moisten the root zone down to 6 inches deep. To measure this, punch a hole in the ground and stick your finger in. The soil will feel cool if it's moist. A rule of thumb is to apply an inch of water per week. Setting a tuna can on your lawn will help you get an idea how long to water. When the tuna can is full, you're done.
Want to know more about lawn care? Check out MontGuide 9310, "Successful Lawns." You can download it for free at: http://montana.edu/publications/ or ask for a copy at your local MSU Extension Office. If you have other gardening questions, call the horticulture hotline at 1-877-GRO-TIPS (877-476-8477) on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., contact your local MSU Extension office or visit: http://gardenguide.montana.edu
Montana's rich homesteading heritage subject of new museum exhibit
Imagine yourself as a Montana homesteader. It's easy to do as you wander through Patterns on the Land, the Museum of the Rockies' original exhibition on homesteading and agricultural settlement, now open to the public.
"Not all homesteaders had an experience like those in "Frontier House," said Dave Kinsey, Living History Farm manager and an advisor to the PBS series. Especially among later homesteaders, tar-paper shacks were usually built. You can see a fully furnished life-size replica in Patterns on the Land.
In the Homestead Game, visitors are asked if they have the skills and dedication to "prove up" on a claim. "You can spin a wheel to find out where you settled, how you found your land, how big your family was, what you purchased and what kind of luck you had during your first year," explained Beth Merrick, director of exhibits. "You can take a list of children's games popular at the time such as Rover Red Rover and Yes-No-Beans. If you're a descendant of a homestead family, you can record your family history in a book."
Complementing Patterns on the Land will be expanded programming at the Living History Farm that will open on Memorial Day weekend. Daily tours of the house and heirloom and Native American gardens will be available and each day a special activity will be offered, such as frontier laundry day or vintage clothing day.
Patterns on the Land explores the many sides of the homestead era, from its earliest roots in Thomas Jefferson's agrarian dream to the dryland homesteads of the 1920s. More land was claimed by homesteading in Montana than in any other state according to Dale Martin, adjunct professor of history at MSU and an advisor to the project.
"The idea of free land was appealing to people, and it probably still is. The theoretical opportunity that with work, diligence, perseverance and luck you could acquire land with little or no capital appealed to people," he said.
Homesteading was key to the settlement of the Gallatin Valley. Generation by generation, homesteaders and their families helped turn the frontier into today's agricultural industry. Familiar names in the valley such as Charles Anceney, founder of the Flying D, potato farmer and architect Willian Johnston Beall, Henry Heeb and the Holland Settlement, John Reese and Springhill, Mary Wells "Granny" Yates, Fannie Campbell, Nelson Story and Charles R. Bridgman were originally homesteaders and their histories are featured in the exhibit.
The Tinsley house, the centerpiece of the Living History Farm at the Museum of the Rockies, is a living example of homestead life. The families of William Tinsley and Lucy Ann Nave fled north from Missouri during the Civil War. William and Lucy were married in 1867 and settled into a small log cabin in which eight children were born between 1868 and 1881. The family prospered on the rich land at the height of the Gallatin Valley homestead boom and built the large two-story log home in 1889. However, the homestead failed in 1923. The original home and many reminders of the family are now part of the Living History Farm.
Items from the Tinsley family are on display in Patterns on the Land. "One of the rarest and most valuable items is a coverlet woven by a number of different itinerant weavers," explained Margaret Woods, curator of textiles. "The coverlet was a family heirloom before they moved here, and had been handed down through the eldest son ever since."
"The exhibit contains some wonderful artifacts representing the tasks and responsibilities of domestic life and agricultural life, and there is a good representation of both," said Martin. Visitors can pump water, work a butter churn, and see a variety of activities that illustrate homestead life.
The exhibit explains the historical background of land laws, begun at a time when America was "long on land and short on cash." Free land became a way for the government to compensate, reward or encourage people, according to Ken and Carolyn Karsmizki, curatorial advisors to the project. After the Homestead Act was passed in 1862, settlers headed west in covered wagons, built log cabins and "proved up" on their land, planting gardens, raising livestock and harvesting wheat and other crops.
Another land law, the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862, was a way for using public land to endow agricultural and mechanical colleges in the country. Montana Agricultural College, now MSU, was established in 1893 as a land grant college and the state's first public institution of higher learning.
A second and larger wave of homesteaders began in 1910 as people headed to Montana by rail. The Northern Pacific Railroad received the largest single land grant in history: 39,021,693 acres. The railroads heavily recruited emigrants, many of whom established dryland farms along the Missouri River corridor.
Homestead life wasn't easy and many homesteaders failed to stay the required years. "It was kind of a sour joke among them," explained Martin. "Homesteads were the government betting 160 acres that you couldn't make it five years." Rings of cottonwood trees or lilac hedges around a crumbling stone foundation are all that remains of some homesteads; most have vanished without a trace.
John Martin Campbell's striking photo essay, "Magnificent Failure: A Portrait of the Homestead Era," serves as an introduction to the museum's exhibit. Campbell's images convey not only the architectural remnants of the past but also the personal experience of those who lived and worked the homesteads. Patterns on the Land received major sponsorship from the Charlie Russell Riders Foundation and Elise R. Donohue with assistance from the Charles M. Bair Family Trust and Elise H. Phares. The exhibit will be on display through January 26.
By Shelley McKamey, Museum of the Rockies
Herbal crop market study points to pitfalls and potential
A recent Montana study of herbal crops makes clear that there are significant hurdles for anyone who wants to profit by growing them.
Opportunities exist for alternative crops, say several economists under contract to the Montana Department of Agriculture. However, they say that many of the markets would be flooded if growers tried to plant more than a few acres. In addition, both the researchers and growers say that marketing herbal crops can take more time than producing the crop, even though production often includes hand labor.
"It is a small, unstable market with frustratingly little solid economic data," says Gary Brester, a MSU economist who worked on the project with Watts and Associates economists Tim Watts and Kole Swanser of Billings, the economists with whom the state contracted.
Still, some Montana herb growers succeed. Steve Simonson's Big Sky Teas are sold in 50 stores and on the web. Originally a wheat farm, the family converted to mint about 15 years ago and transformed again after mint prices fell four years ago.
"Growing herbs won't replace commodity agriculture, but we hope to develop ways to diversify and strengthen farms," says Steve Simonson, whose Spearmint Springs farm is near Thompson Falls. "You have to add value, or you can't withstand the pressure here in western Montana to subdivide. You can add value by cleaning the chaff from your wheat to growing or marketing herbs, but we need to keep our children employed in well-paying jobs by adding value to what we grow."
"When the price of mint fell, we focused on value adding and alternative crops," says Simonson. "We've got 35 acres in herbs, and it typically takes five of us all summer. Most of the mint we mechanically harvest. Some of the flowering crops like chamomile and echinacea are hand-picked." Simonson says the field work is a whole family effort that includes himself, his wife Maureen, sons Erik and Marcus and father-in-law Herb Stobie.
Simonson said he recently hired help with marketing and also hopes to develop a co-operative of herb growers. So far, about 30 growers have said they are interested. Though most are in western Montana, some are also in the eastern part of the state, said Simonson, who grew up in Glendive. A co-operative and brand recognition might help support a tea processing plant that Simonson hopes to build within two to three years.
Even if good profits continue for herbal crops, the number of acres produced may remain small compared to Montana's traditional grain acreage.
The report by Brester, Watts and Swanser estimated that mint grew on only 40,000 acres in North America in 1998-99. Contrast that to 5-6 million acres of wheat commonly harvested each year in Montana. The economists estimated that total North American production of cultivated and wild echinacea was about 30,000 acres in 1998-99. Genseng and anise acreage totaled roughly 20,000 acres in North America. Acreage of coriander, dill, and valerian together total about 26,000 acres. Omega-oil flax and valerian had about 30,000 acres. These acreages are rough estimates, say the researchers, since no official reporting of these crops occurs.
Nancy Callan, MSU researcher at the Western Agricultural Research Center, has been investigating methods of growing herbal crops for several years and shares her production information on her Web site at: http://ag.montana.edu/warc/Specialty_crops.htm
"A potential grower should start small with trial plantings of several crops that they think might fit into their farming system and expand as they find markets for the crops," says Callan. "Many specialty crops are used in small quantities and do not require large acreages to supply the present market. Most herbs and spices are high value, so that does not necessarily make them a sideline, but it will depend on the market the grower is able to enter or develop." Much of the information Callan has developed has been due to grants such as those she has from the Montana Department of Agriculture - Growth Through Agriculture program and the Montana Department of Commerce - Research and Commercialization Technology program.
Since hand-labor is involved in the production, it is difficult for Americans to compete with the low labor costs of China, India, Egypt and Korea, traditional sources for some of these herbs, says Brester.
"If we compete, it must be in markets where quality matters, which means the dietary and medicinal markets," says Brester. Even in markets with prices based on quality, Brester estimates that it might require four times as much effort spent on marketing as on producing the crop. For that reason, he expects grower co-operatives to become important.
Even when producing for quality markets, production efficiency will be important.
"The goal of MSU specialty crop research both at the Western and Northwestern Agricultural Research Centers is to lead to more efficient production strategies, reduced input costs, and higher quality. This should help Montana producers become more competitive," says Callan.
"This could be a market that explodes, but right now it is thin in terms of volume. When prices move higher and more growers rush in, there could be wild swings in prices that add risks for producers," says Brester.
In fact, a large segment of some herb markets is filled by "wildcrafters," people who harvest wild plants. In 1996, there were 10,000 acres of planted echinacea, while twice that amount was harvested from naturally occurring stands. Such wildcrafting is covered by state laws. (People can check on some of the requirements by looking at the Montana Code on the Web at: http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca/76/10/76-10-103.htm
Though herbal prices are volatile, the initial challenge is to invest in the labor required to grow herbal crops.
"The labor is 10 times more than grain. There are no herbicides labeled for these crops, so all the fields are hand-weeded. The key is to start with a clean field," says Simonson.
In short, don't start spending your future herb income until you have it in hand.
"We don't think a person is going to be able to make a living planting just one of these crops," says Brester. "There's too much volatility. It's difficult to share production and price risks, and there isn't a lot of contracting. I see this fitting on a few acres where someone does it for extra income and grows several crops to better manage risk."
By Carol Flaherty, Communications Services
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