Montana News

Montanans Accept Six-Mill Levy Despite Economic Woes

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:47:03 -0700

“Despite concerns that poor economic conditions would kill the six-mill levy for the first time since 1920, Montana voters approved the property tax that will provide about $13 million a year to the state’s universities,” reports the Montana Kaimin. “It’s wonderful and it shows Montanans still believe in higher education,” said University of Montana President George Dennison. The six-mill levy is collected every year to provide funding for Montana’s universities. The levy is projected to raise $13 million next year, which is about 8 percent of the state’s total funding for its university system, according to six-mill levy campaign coordinator Chrystine Miller.

Montana's Restoration Workforce Will Bring Together Private Sector Firms Doing Restoration Work With Leaders In Higher Education

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:41:33 -0600

“The idea is that jobs are created by cleaning up the messes left by Montana’s extractive industries, but this “restoration economy”—championed by Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and former Congressman Pat Williams of the think tank Western Progress—needs a workforce,” reports New West Development. “Here’s a press release from the Governor’s Office about an upcoming conference aimed at “filling the void”: Preparing Montana students and workers for jobs in the state’s growing restoration economy will be the focus of a one-day Governor’s workshop Oct. 2, 2008, at Montana Tech in Butte, Mont. Governor Brian Schweitzer will deliver the keynote speech; Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath and former U.S. Rep. Pat Williams will also participate.”

UM Posts First Enrollment Of More Than 14,000 Students

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:40:24 -0600

For the first time in its 115-year history, The University of Montana has more than 14,000 enrolled students, setting records for both total headcount and full-time equivalents. On Friday, the university reported a total enrollment of 14,207 this fall semester, a jump of 349 from a year ago and 246 more than the previous record set in fall 2006.The new mark for full-time equivalent students is 12,295.97, which is 247.17 better than a year ago. (An FTE represents 15 undergraduate and 12 graduate semester credits.) FTEs jumped among both resident and nonresident students.

MSU Billings Professor Brings National History Day To Montana

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:56:09 -0600

Author Robert Penn Warren once said: “History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future.” With that goal in mind, Dr. Tom Rust, assistant professor of history at Montana State University Billings, is embarking on a project designed to help elementary and high school students better understand history and prepare for the future.

MSU Film Graduate Student Nominated For Emmy

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:29:48 -0600

It is not often that a Montana State University student takes on both Jay Leno and history. That will happen Saturday when Vanessa Serrao, a graduate student in MSU's Science and Natural History Filmmaking program, faces the late-night host and the History Channel in a special short-film category at the annual Emmy Awards.