Peers Reaching Out, or PROs at the University of Montana works to educate students about various health and safety issues including the dangers of drunk driving.
Montana land owner, Karole Lee, says it's important that land owners remember that they the stewards of the land. Lee owns five and a half acres in the Clancy area and says she strives to maintain the trees on her property; because healthier trees are less likely to be infested by mountain pine beetles. Lee advises other land owners to keep their trees well watered, as well as to remove the smaller weaker trees to enable the larger healthier ones to grow. UM doctoral student and pine beetle expert, Ryan Bracewell, says it's important that land owners can identify the trees on their land, and how susceptible they are to pine beetle infestation. Reporter and photographer Faith Cronin and photographer Scott Ranf dug a little deeper to find out what methods land owners can rely on to get rid of pine beetle infestations. To learn more about the mountain pine beetle you can watch Part I of this two part story or visit the Forest Service website.
The School of Media Arts at the University of Montana began their first annual Movie Fest. Students of the program entered in different projects ranging from animation and motion design to narrative and experimental. They demonstrate that you don't need to be in Hollywood to make high-quality material. UM News photographer Bernie Riggs and reporter Dustin Klemann got their popcorn ready for a look inside the program making projects possible on the silver screen.
The average Blood Alcohol Content or B.A.C. reading on DUI arrests in the state of Montana is .16. That’s twice the legal limit. The recent House Bill 106: The Montana 24/7 Sobriety Program Act and Senate Bill 15: The Aggravated DUI law works to reduce the number of drunk drivers in the state and increase punishments for repeat offenders. Under the 24/7 Sobriety Program, repeat offenders must subject themselves to a breathalyzer twice a day. If they test positive for alcohol, they will go to jail. The Aggravated DUI law increases penalties for those caught driving with a B.A.C. of .16 or higher. If convicted, that person could spend up to one year in jail.
Students in the College of Forestry and Conservation's Wilderness EMT class spend more than 190 hours throughout the semester practicing and learning outdoor rescue skills. The Aerie Backcountry Medicine program partners with the University of Montana and teaches the course. UM News reporter Annemiek Wilson and editor Dizhi Ge found out how one student is taking his education far away from the classroom. Click below to see video.
University of Montana Marching Band seniors spend countless hours learning music and practicing routines throughout their time at UM. UM News reporter Annemiek Wilson and photographer Matt DeBray found out how one senior feels about it all coming to an end. Click below to see video. 
University of Montana students pepper the Missoula County Court House lawn protesting corporate greed in the nation. They protest whenever they can between classes and work. Students have different reasons for their involvement, but they still show up everyday to take part in Occupy Missoula.
October is the awareness month for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community or LGBT. The University of Montana held a special event on Tuesday in support of National Coming Out Day. The event was put on by the Student Involvement Network and the LAMBDA Alliance for students to share their stories.
Heiko Langner, Director of UM's Enviromental Biogeochemistry lab, set up three different webcams overlooking Osprey nests to help him gauge mercury levels in Montana's rivers. The birds became an internet sensation with the public, receiving hit after hit on their website. While Langner says he didn't realize that there would be so many fans, he is thankful of the community's desire to know more about the birds. UM News reporter Adrienne Ellsworth and photographer Katie Radford discovered just how the birds of prey were aiding in UM's research.
The East side of the Lommasson Center is looking a lot greener this semester. Together with UM's Farm to College Program, Dining Services added a sustainable food garden to campus. A student gardener and volunteers help run the garden. When the produce ripens, it's served fresh the next day for students to enjoy. UM News reporter Annemiek Wilson and photographer Scott Ranf went to the garden to take a closer look.
The Grizzly Pool has installed an updated lift that will allow disabled swimmers to enter and exit the pool without assistance. To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the pool was required to install the lift before the May of this year. The staff is now trained and excited for disabled swimmers to take advantage of this new left. Click below to see the story from UM News reporter Katherine Kettering and photographer Maegan Simmons.
Indian dancer Aniruddan Vasudevan visited the University of Montana campus to promote the addition of a new South and Southeast Asian studies minor.
The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics says employment opportunities for cartographers will increase 27% by 2018. Students in the UM Geography Department's Advanced Cartography class are gaining the hands on experience necessary to be competitive in the job market. UM News Reporter Annemiek Wilson and Photographer Maeghan Simmons went into the classroom to find out more, (click below to see video).
