The University of Montana plans to resurrect an old tradition by
returning to the colors of maroon, silver and gold-UM's new
"spirit colors." Although the school's official colors have
always been copper, silver and gold-an acknowledgement of the
importance of these minerals in the state's history-from the
University's founding, other colors have long been substituted
for the copper.At the turn of the century there was no copper dye and maroon was used instead of copper. This change lasted for fifty years until Jack Swarthout, UM football coach and athletic director, decided to create more color consistency among athletic teams by using "Texas orange" for copper. Today, however, he says he prefers the maroon he wore as a UM athlete.
The decision to return to maroon is somewhat controversial. A lively public debate has ensued in the opinion pages of the Missoulian and the Kaimin, and battlelines seem drawn according to age. Those who attended UM prior to 1967 tend to see the change as a return to a revered tradition. Post-'60s graduates view Texas orange as the true representation of copper.
Judging by the rainbow-hued stands at athletic events, fans can't decide which color to wear. President Dennison said he hopes the return to these spirit colors will result in a sea of maroon, silver and gold at sporting events. The official colors of the University, however, will always be copper, silver and gold, he said.
As state funding shrinks, the University will need to more fully accommodate students, Dennison said, adding that the campus must examine its curriculum and business methods in order to offer lower-cost programs and services. In an effort to further cut costs, Dennison formed a task force to ask the 1997 Legislature to "release us from bureaucratic entanglements." He also announced the formation of a human resources initiative to respond to employees' concerns about the work place.
Despite a "seemingly unfriendly atmosphere" toward higher education, Dennison said he is optimistic for UM because "we have regained control of our affairs" with actions such as the recent faculty bargaining agreement and the revised funding model for a two-university Montana University System.
Career diplomat Charles E. "Sam" Courtney heads the center. He is UM's special adviser on government and international affairs and has previously worked with the U.S. Information Agency, the Voice of America and the American embassies in London and Paris.
One special feature of the center is that it will be staffed almost entirely by student interns, providing invaluable hands-on experience for international business students. Two to four interns from international business programs at UM and other Montana schools will be on staff at any given time.
Presentations from administrators, students, legislators and business people made it clear the premise for financing higher education was changing. While it was previously thought society should pay because society was the major beneficiary of a well- educated citizenry, President George Dennison said the new trend is that "the students should pay because the student is the major beneficiary. Most of my colleagues are saying that this is a permanent change."
Dennison said universities must change by becoming more entrepreneurial. He said faculty members increasingly "will have to find ways of funding themselves, of helping to deal with a problem that we have left, in the past, for policy makers to solve."
A legislative panel urged educators to explain and market their product to lawmakers and the public. Montana Speaker of the House John Mercer said lawmakers don't understand the complexities of higher education funding issues. "You need to explain your product to legislators," Mercer told educators. "You've got to let people know what it is that's valuable about higher education."
This past November, Weddington offered encouragement to UM law students during a visit sponsored by the Women's Law Caucus and Women's Studies Program. Weddington, who continues fighting for abortion rights, told students that law school opens a many opportunities to fight effectively for causes. "There are still issues that need champions, including this one," she said.
Now in private practice in Austin, Texas, Weddington is a former Texas state representative and served as an assistant to President Jimmy Carter from 1978 to 1981, directing the administration's work on women's issues.
Hogan was impressed by the success of intercollegiate athletics at UM and believes his experience will further improve the program. "I think it's a great marriage," Hogan said. "It's one that will do nothing but enhance the program and move it a step further forward."
President Dennison said the agreement represents "the best resolution that we could make," noting "It's quite clear, given the attitudes within the community, that this is an issue that had to be resolved."
Noble had been associate director of the athletics department since 1987. She served as interim director from July to October 1995, when Bill Moos become athletic director at the University of Oregon, and from September 1989 to March 1990, when Harley Lewis moved on to the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
"Kathy's decision to accept the assistant commissioner position causes both joy and sadness--joy that she has the opportunity to accept new challenges, but sadness at the loss of a valued member of the University community," President Dennison said.
Lindsay, who specialized in early modern European history, taught at UM for twenty-eight years and served as UM's faculty representative to the NCAA. Lindsay published a bibliography of Winter Bynner, co-edited several bibliographies and wrote articles on geographical discovery and seventeenth-century book collecting for many journals.
To many students, Lindsay was a favorite teacher, including those who survived his classes on research methodology and European history and exploration. He spent a great deal of time advising students, and in 1985 he received UM's Distinguished Faculty Award. The Department of History is establishing a scholarship in his name.
"Integrity was the word people always used in association with Bob Lindsay," said history Chair Bill Farr, who team taught a western civilization class with Lindsay. "He brought integrity to everything he did." Farr said the department is feeling "bereft of a teacher who always lifted teaching and advising to a level that gave the rest of us a standard to shoot for."
Partially funded by the UM-based Montana Committee for the Humanities, the film will be added to the MCH media collection at UM's Instructional Media Services and will be available for purchase from Missoula's MQTV.
Davidson Honors College
Finishing building's exterior; scheduled for completion
4/96.
K. Ross Toole Family Housing Complex
Finishing interior on townhouse units; scheduled for
completion 8/96.
University Center renovations
Bookstore now in renovated space on first and second floors
of University Center; Copper Commons kitchen nearing
completion. Scheduled for completion 3/96.
Student Health Center renovations
Construction begun on footings and foundations. Scheduled
for completion 7/96.
Miller Hall renovations
Finishing building's exterior; scheduled for completion
8/96.
Prescott House and grounds restoration
Architect's design completed and construction company
working with contractors to renovate structure. Front porch being
replaced. Scheduled for completion 6/96.
Tucker and Weide, who earned graduate degrees in wildlife biology and creative writing, founded the nonprofit Wild Sentry: The Northern Rockies Ambassador Wolf Program. Their mission: to clear up myths about the wolf by presenting scientific information and using Koani as a real-life example. "What we do is present a straight education about wolves--what they eat, what their teeth look like, what their families are like," Weide said.
Melding natural science with the humanities, Tucker and Weide discuss the symbolic role of the wolf in western literature and in fairy tales. "The wolf controversy is fueled by fantasy and misinformation," Weide said. "We continue to fear the wolf in terms of our own safety even though people are injured or killed by more deer and moose than they are by wolves." They also include their dog, Indy, in the program to demonstrate the similarities and differences between the two species and to illustrate why dogs make good pets and wolves do not.
Tucker and Weide present programs primarily in rural schools and communities where the U.S. Forest Service is considering reintroducing wolves. This fall the pack hit the East Coast, presenting programs at such places as the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Their book, There's a Wolf in the Classroom!, was published in September by Carolrhoda Books.
4,803 -- Number of periodicals
132,128 -- Number of maps
673,852 -- Number of books in the Mansfield Library
$111,267,898 -- UM's Operating Expenditures/Current Funds
25% -- Percentage of State Appropriations in Current Funds
31% -- Percentage of Tuition and Fees in Current Funds
