July 14-15, 2005
ITEM 128-2001-R0705 Authorization to Confer the Title of Professor Emeritus of Exercise Science upon Ellen Kreighbaum; Montana State University-Bozeman
THAT: Upon the occasion of the retirement of Ellen Kreighbaum from the faculty of Montana State University, the Board of Regents wishes to express its appreciation for her service to the University, the Montana University System, and the people of the State of Montana.
EXPLANATION: Ellen Kreighbaum was initially hired at MSU in1965 to teach physical education courses and direct women's intramurals. Over the next few years, Kreighbaum initiated and established the Montana Women's Sports Association, a group of women from each of Montana's colleges and universities, dedicated to instituting a women's competitive collegiate athletic program. Thus, the collegiate women's athletic programs in Montana were born.
She completed her Master of Arts degree at the University of Southern California and was awarded a PhD in Biomechanics from Washington State University. Upon returning to MSU, Dr Kreighbaum began her teaching and research work but continued to work to establish a Women's Athletic Department independent of the men's program. In 1977, President MacIntosh charged her with the responsibility of setting up the program, hiring the first Women's Athletic Director, hiring coaches, etc. For her work in establishing the women's athletic programs, Dr. Kreighbaum was inducted into the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992 and was nominated and selected to receive the Pathfinder Award from AAHPERD's National Association of Girls and Women in Sports in 2005.
Dr. Kreighbaum was tenured and was promoted through the ranks to Professor. In 1983, MSU awarded Dr. Kreighbaum the prestigious Charles M. and Nora Wiley Award for Meritorious Research. She was the first woman to be so honored. As one of its charter members, Dr. Kreighbaum was integrally associated with the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, serving on the Board of Directors from 1978-2004, serving as President of the Society 1989-1991, and bringing a delegation of scientists from 30 countries to MSU for the Society=s annual symposium in 1988. In 1998, Dr. Kreighbaum was awarded a life membership in the Society for her long standing service to the organization.
Kreighbaum coauthored a widely accepted textbook, Biomechanics: a qualitative approach for understanding human movement. The text is in its 4th Edition and has been adopted by over 200 universities and colleges. She co-edited and authored four chapters of a second text, Sports and Fitness Equipment Design. Through her authorships and work with ISBS, Dr. Kreighbaum is highly regarded internationally and nationally. Dr. Kreighbaum was an invited lecturer at the US Olympic Committee=s Biomechanics Coaches College in Colorado Springs in 1989. The Biomechanics Academy of the AAHPERD awarded Dr. Kreighbaum the Ruth B. Glassow Honor Award in 2000 for her contributions to the biomechanics field in the United States.
In 1994, Dr. Kreighbaum was appointed Department Head of Health and Human Development. Under her leadership, the department increased its student credit hour production, began new programs in community health education, family financial planning, nutrition and exercise, and health promotion and was invited to join the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance, GP-IDEA. Additionally, the department's externally funded research went from $500,000 to over $2 million. In 2003 Dr. Kreighbaum was appointed Associate Dean for Development, Research, and Creativity in the College of Education, Health and Human Development.
For these and other contributions, the Board of Regents of Higher Education is pleased to confer upon Ellen Kreighbaumthe rank of Professor Emeritus of Exercise Science at Montana State University and wishes her well for many years in the future.