MEMORANDUM

                     Enrollment Both summer school and fall semester enrollments are up. Summer school saw an increase of 70 FTE over last year; and fall term FTE is up at least 60. MSU-Northern has not experienced an increase of this magnitude since Fall Semester 1993.

                     Bus Tour MSU-Northern is currently planning two faculty tours to high schools in northeastern and north-central Montana. The first tour will include stops in Terry, Miles City, Glendive, Circle, Richey, Lambert, Sidney, Fairview, Culbertson, Poplar, Wolf Point, Hinsdale, Saco, Malta, Dodson, and Harlem. Faculty will be speaking in the classrooms and Alex Capdeville and Jim Potter will meet with Superintendents, H.S. Principles and H.S. Guidance Counselors to discuss ways that Northern can better meet the educational needs of their students and faculty.

                     Planning process - The institutional-wide planning process continues at MSU-Northern. Marcy Drummond, the consultant from Critical Data assigned to the MSU-Northern project, spent four days on campus last week. This was the fourth round of meetings and the planning process is continuing. It is sometimes a difficult process but all members of the campus and many community people are taking part and helping to identify what is best for Northern.

                     Terry Brands - A world champion wrestler and bronze medalist in the Sydney Olympics, has joined the wrestling program at Montana State University-Northern as an assistant coach. Lee Fullhart, an NCAA National Champion for the University of Iowa and a third place in the U.S. 2000 Olympic Trials has followed Coach Brands to Northern so that Brands can be his personal coach. Lee's presence has allowed 4-time NAIA National Champion Turk Lords the opportunity to stay in Montana and train for the 2004 Olympics. MSU-Northern will also host the next three national NAIA wrestling tournaments in Great Falls, and everyone is invited to be part of the cheering squad that will support Northerns athletes at that tournament.

                     Montana Cooperative Development Center - The Cooperative Development Center recently received a grant in the amount of $299,400 from the US Department of Agriculture. The two-year grant will be used to operate the center, which works closely with entities throughout Montana to create cooperative models for the production, marketing and sale of agricultural products. The Center also hired a new director, Jim Hanson from Walla Walla, Washington. Jim has extensive experience working with cooperatives in the Northwest.

                     Montana Campus Compact - MSU-Northern has been selected to receive five Montana Campus Corps placements for this coming academic year. Additionally, an MTCC VISTA will continue to work with Northern to build infrastructure for service in the Have area. These awards are a wonderful achievement and we are very fortunate to have received them.

                     Orientation - We had our annual fall orientation for faculty and staff the week of August 27. Service awards are given for 5-, 10-, 15- etc years of service. We had two people this year receiving 30-year awards. We also hosted a BBQ on the SUB lawn for all employees and their families. It was a good session and a positive way to begin the year.

                     New Computers Arrive - The Computer Fee Advisory Committee this summer entered into a 3-year lease with Gateway to upgrade seven of our student computer labs this year with a total of 88 systems. Students now have the ability to move seamlessly from lab to lab utilizing the same computer systems, same software and capabilities. Computers are being installed and connected to the network this semester and are identified by a non-removable tag indicating "Purchased With Student Computer Fees".

                     Pheasant Jamboree - N.F.L. Legends are coming to Havre! Our community will be hosting 25 former N.F.L. football players in the first Legends for Lights Pheasant Jamboree, October 16, 17, 18. N.F.L. stars Roman Gabriel, Doug Atkins, Tommy Mason, Tommy Nobis, Bill Kilmer, Mick Tingelhoff, Wally Hilgenberg, Jerry Strum and of course our own Mike Tilleman are a few that have already confirmed.

There is a week of activities including trap shooting, pheasant hunting, Pheasants Forever Banquet, and the Northern Lights Homecoming Game.

The Jamboree will be promoting MSU-Northern Football, Pheasants Forever, Havre and the Montana Hi-line. Mike Tilleman, co-chair, stated, "this will give us an opportunity to showcase Northcentral Montana to the rest of the country. Hunting Lease Magazine will be here to cover the week. Following the Jamboree, the event will be shown twice on the HLM TV series on the Outdoor Channel that has over 11 million viewers.

                     Alumni Auction - The Northern Alumni Association will hold its Annual Scholarship Social and Auction on Saturday, September 29^th at 6:30 p.m. in the Donaldson Commons. This annual event is the main fund-raiser for thirteen ($750) Alumni scholarships, which support a variety of Northern student scholarships including two incoming freshmen, and one continuing student, non-traditional student, single parent student, seven varsity Montana student-athletes, and a fine arts scholarship. The average amount raised over the past few years has been between $6,000 - 7,000 per year. The campus community has steadfastly supported us with donations and many help work the event.