News
Dean of Students hands down suspensions for sit-in
Story by Jeff Osteen | April 29, 2008
Montana Kaimin
Web update 4/29
One floor below where eight students staged a sit-in two weeks ago in the office of University of Montana President George Dennison, each student received his or her reprimand Tuesday.
The eight members of Students for Economic and Social Justice met individually with Charles Couture, UM dean of students, and were all given three days of suspension and instructed to write two letters of apology, one to Dennison and one to his office staff.
Run-off election for 20th Sen. seat
Story by Amy Faxon | April 25, 2008
ASUM senate candidates Jon Dempersmier and Sean Schilke tied for the last seat on the senate with 350 votes each during Thursday night’s ASUM elections.
There will be a run-off election on Tuesday, April 29 from 12:01 a.m. to 8 p.m. to break the tie. Students will be able to vote by logging into CyberBear and clicking on student services.
Campaign materials will start coming down tomorrow, but Dempersmier and Schilke will be allowed to keep theirs up in the University Center through Tuesday, said current ASUM president Dustin Leftridge.
Different perspectives on whether homosexuality is biology or choice
Story by Kayla Matzke | April 25, 2008
It’s a question asked in various forms for countless years. Does homosexuality come from a person’s biological makeup, or is it a choice?
With different perspectives from different fields of study, five University of Montana professors addressed this question Thursday night at a panel discussion to a packed audience in the University Center.
In his humorous and personal speech, English Department Chair Casey Charles suggested the discussion be renamed “Homophobia: biology or choice.”
Double check finals schedule
Story by Trevon Milliard | April 25, 2008
Students should double check their final exam schedules because teachers may have given the wrong times in their class syllabuses.
The Registrar’s Office accidentally placed the wrong finals times in the printed class schedules in November, said Registrar David Micus. It was the finals schedule for a previous spring semester, he said.
The Registrar’s Office e-mailed professors in January to warn them about the mix up, and they sent another reminder about two weeks ago, Micus said. The office has posted the correct finals schedule on its Web site at http://www.umt.edu/registrar.
Hunter, Smillie, Gosline win ASUM elections
Story by Mark Page and Amy Faxon | April 25, 2008
Trevor Hunter and Siri Smillie won the ASUM elections Thursday night, beating Allie Harrison and Jake Yerger by 274 votes.
“I feel OK I’m excited and really humbled,” Hunter said shortly after getting the news at Sean Kelly’s. “We want to change ASUM to make sure we’re including everyone, make sure ASUM is transparent and open.”
Alex Gosline won the race for business manager against Jose Diaz by 522 votes. If Diaz had won he would not have been allowed to take office after violating ASUM bylaws due to overspending during the campaign.
ASUM office manager retiring
Story by Alex Tenenbaum | April 25, 2008
Carol Hayes has been the ASUM office manager for 18 years, but she says it’s time to call it quits.
Maybe she’ll travel the world, or visit her kids and grandkids more often.
“I’m just not real worried about it,” she said. “Retirement’s a funny thing. When I started, I couldn’t think of how I’d ever leave this job. You know, it’s kind of been my baby.”
Students engage in empty holster protest
Story by Alex Tenenbaum | April 25, 2008
About seven University of Montana students carried empty pistol holsters around campus this week to protest state law prohibiting weapons on campus and UM’s gun-free policy.
ASUM senator Jedediah Cox carried his large .44 Magnum holster on his hip for the last four days.
“I’ve been wearing it around campus, and no one’s said anything,” he said. “I think people just think it’s a big blackberry.”
UM puts hold on three-credit minimum for grad students
Story by Jeff Osteen | April 25, 2008
Graduate students can go another year without having to register for a minimum of three credits to maintain continuous enrollment.
University of Montana Provost Royce Engstrom sent an e-mail Wednesday to the Graduate Student Association informing them that a three-credit minimum enrollment requirement for graduate students will not be enforced next academic year.
“The information from the Graduate Council came late enough that I don’t want to rush through a decision,” Engstrom said in the e-mail.
Peace activist to share experience
Story by Stefanie Kilts | April 25, 2008
Brian Terrell, a peace activist for more than 30 years, will share his personal experiences of his non-violent peace efforts in the U.S. and Central America during a speech at the University of Montana on Tuesday, April 29.
His speech, “Criminalization of Dissent,” will cover increased governmental surveillance, intimidation, and prosecution of non-violent peace efforts. The lecture will start at 7 p.m. in the Castle Room at the UM Law School.
“The line between what is legal, what are protected activities, and violent criminal activity has steadily eroded,” Terrell said.
Soused staggerer, stupid stereo stealer, scattered stoners
Story by Mike Gerrity | April 25, 2008
April 19, 10:30 p.m.
A man was reportedly involved in a fight between his ex-girlfriend and another woman. It included much shouting and taunting threats against the woman. The altercation concluded with the man damaging his ex-girlfriend’s car door as she attempted to drive off. He was cited for criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and misdemeanor assault.
April 19, 11:20 p.m.
Authorities in Big Horn County called the University of Montana’s Office of Public Safety and told them to keep an eye out for a man at the Kyi-Yo Powwow in the Adams Center. Officers identified the man and brought him in on a warrant for criminal mischief in relation to a property crime in Big Horn County.
ASUM election results
Story by Kaimin Staff | April 24, 2008
Executives
President/Vice President:
1) Trevor Hunter/Siri Smillie 816
2) Allie Harrison/Jake Yerger 542
ASUM decides Diaz cannot serve if elected
Story by Amy Faxon | April 24, 2008
After five hours of review and discussion of business manager candidate Jose Diaz’s campaign expenditures, the ASUM senate concluded that he overspent by $21.25 and should not be able to take office next year if elected.
Confusion regarding the rules of parliamentary procedure fueled intense debate before the senate reached its decision. Diaz said he plans to challenge the events of Wednesday night’s meeting to the next ranking official who oversees ASUM. ASUM senate is an independent body that has no oversight from the University of Montana. The elections committee chair Rikki Gregory said that the only option Diaz has is to seek legal counsel.
'Open and Affirming'
Story by Elizabeth Harrison | April 24, 2008
They get hate mail.
They never know if the voice on their answering machine will be amicable or antagonistic.
A woman stopped by after a story ran in the Missoula Independent, says the Rev. Amy Carter, one of two pastors at University Congregationalist United Church of Christ on the corner of Hilda and University avenues.
Dennison says 'No' to workers' rights agreement
Story by Mark Page | April 24, 2008
The meeting between University of Montana President George Dennison and members of Students for Economic and Social Justice scheduled after last week’s sit-in began at 11:30 a.m. And Dennison walked out at 11:37 a.m.
He gave the students an emphatic “no” to their demands, saying nothing had changed as a result of their actions.
“Until the issues surrounding the (Designated Suppliers Program) are resolved, the University will not sign onto the DSP,” Dennison told the students. “I’m not here to debate.”
Nalgene brand may contain toxic plastics
Story by Jeff Osteen | April 24, 2008
If you don’t have one, you probably know someone who does.
The nearly indestructible, clear plastic water bottles that are so often found around Missoula may start to disappear now that Nalgene, the brand that helped make them popular, decided to stop using polycarbonate plastic to produce the bottles.
Nalgene Outdoor Products made the decision last week to stop using the plastic after the Canadian government announced that it is likely to declare a necessary component of the bottles – bisphenol-A, or BPA – toxic.
ASUM voting resumes, early votes must be recast
Story by Karen Plant | April 23, 2008
ASUM election polls on Cyberbear were down for more than three hours this morning due to an error on the ballot. Voting resumed shortly after noon.
