Announcements
Feb. 4 fair emphasizes consent in relationships
ISU's Green Zone team invites students, staff and faculty to stop by the Green Zone Fun Fair on Tuesday, Feb. 4 (10 a.m.-2 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union). Grab a snack, play a game and win some prizes. Most importantly, learn how consent in relationships is connected to well being, how to practice consent across different kinds of relationships, and how to build communities into green zones where consent is normalized.
Nominate an individual or team for a sustainability excellence award
Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Feb. 12 for the 2025 Live Green! Excellence Awards in sustainability. Recognize an individual, team, organization, initiative, department or college that impacts campus sustainability through initiatives that focus on teaching, research, outreach or operations. A nomination must include a letter of support from project partners, collaborators or beneficiaries. Selection criteria (PDF) are online; download and complete the nomination form and email it to mrankin@iastate.edu.
VPN update coming soon
MU's winter poster sale runs Jan. 27-31
The Memorial Union's annual winter poster sale will be held Jan. 27-31 (10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Campanile Room). Find an extensive collection of imagery, ranging from classic posters to fresh-off-the-press artist prints. Hundreds of choices are priced from $8 to $15. Enhance your decor while supporting the Memorial Union Art Gallery. The sale is open to the public.
Service for emeritus faculty member Howard Shapiro is Feb. 2
A memorial service for emeritus faculty member and former administrator Howard Shapiro will be held Sunday, Feb. 2 (1 p.m., Temple B'nai Jeshurun, 5101 Grand Ave., Des Moines). Shapiro died Jan. 17 in Des Moines. He was a member of the mechanical engineering faculty from 1975 to 2005 (when he received emeritus professor status) and returned as a lecturer from 2013 through spring 2024 semester. He held several administrative roles during his first span, including assistant dean for undergraduate programs in the College of Engineering (1997-98) and the inaugural vice provost for undergraduate programs (1998-2004), where he helped advance initiatives such as Project LEA/RN, learning communities, WiSE and the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. Obituary.
Student club taking orders through Jan. 31 for Valentine fudge
Members of the Food Science Club are making and selling fudge by online preorder in time for Valentine's Day. The group will accept preorders for 250 pounds of fudge through Friday, Jan. 31, or until it has sold out. This year's six flavors are: chocolate, peanut butter, cookies 'n cream, chocolate mint, orange cream and Cardinal & Gold (formerly Cyclone: chocolate fudge with peanuts and mini marshmallows, topped with Cyclone M&Ms). Prices for a half-pound container are: $7 each, two for $12, $6 for each container after two. Orders can be picked up on Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 11-12 (10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily, 206 MacKay). Any extra fudge will be sold on Thursday, Feb. 13 (10 a.m.-1 p.m., same location). Proceeds will help cover club expenses and industry trips.
Get help for your ISU Sites faculty website
ISU faculty members in all colleges can get support for their free ISU Sites faculty website at two walk-in workshops in 206 Durham Center:
- Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2-3 p.m.
- Thursday, Feb. 6, 10-11 a.m.
Whether you're establishing your website from scratch or enhancing your existing one, staff can guide you through creating an accessible and effective digital showcase of your research, teaching and achievements. Drop in at your convenience and leave with a polished, professional website hosted on the ISU Sites platform. These workshops offer:
- Personalized support to build your site, whether it be simple, advanced or full-scale.
- Guidance on accessibility standards so your site reaches all audiences.
- Strategic content planning to improve your potential reach.
- Professional templates optimized for academic profiles.
For more information contact websupport@iastate.edu.
Funeral is Friday for former Extension leader Barbara Woods
The funeral service for former longtime Extension and Outreach employee Barbara Woods will be held Friday, Jan. 24 (11 a.m., First Baptist Church, 200 Lynn Ave., Delta Sigma Theta sorority's Omega Omega service begins at 9 a.m.). Visitation will be held Thursday, Jan. 23 (4-6 p.m., Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way). Burial will be Jan. 30 in Flint Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, Alexander City, Alabama. Woods died on Jan. 19 at Israel Family Hospice House, Ames. She retired (PDF) from the university in October 2023 after a 42-year career with ISU Extension and Outreach in a range of leadership, communications and programming postions. Obituary. Her family encourages memorial donations to area organizations such as ISU Human Sciences Extension and Outreach (ISU Foundation), Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa, Reiman Gardens or Brunnier Art Museum, and Delta Sigma Theta's Research and Educational Foundation.
Employee W-2 forms for 2024 are available in Workday
The payroll staff announces that Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) for calendar year 2024 is available in Workday. Employees need this document to prepare and submit their 2024 income tax return to the Internal Revenue Service. To access your W-2:
- Log in to Workday and click on the Benefits and Pay application.
- Select "My Tax Documents" under "Tasks and Reports" at the top of the page.
- Click the view/print button to see your W-2.
For additional information, see the W-2 Knowledge Base Article.
Reminder: Nominations close Jan. 31 for student employee and supervisor awards
Nominations close Jan. 31 for two 2024-25 awards from the office of student financial aid. Follow each link for more information about the award criteria and nomination form.
- Student Employee of the Year. Recognize the outstanding efforts of hourly undergraduate student employees who are making a difference as leaders and innovators in their roles.
- Student Employee Supervisor of the Year (in partnership with university human resources). Recognize the exceptional supervisors of hourly student employees for their mentorship and professionalism.
Reminders about combining business and personal travel
As part of its ongoing commitment to provide clarity and streamline processes, the controller's office team reminds all employees about university guidelines for combining personal and business travel.
Employees who combine personal and business travel must ensure that all expenses are well documented. Total reimbursable expenses should not exceed the lowest available cost of travel on the most direct or uninterrupted route. Any expenses exceeding the lowest available cost will be the sole responsibility of the traveler. When comparing flight options, be sure to compare for the same date, time and carrier prior to booking the travel.
Before they travel, employees are expected to review the policy carefully to ensure a more efficient reimbursement process when they return. For questions or clarification, contact the Financial and Accounting Compliance staff at fact@iastate.edu.
Regents amend their strategic plan; universities' plans are on February agenda
At its Jan. 15 meeting the Iowa Board of Regents approved updates to its 2022-27 strategic plan (PDF). The edits address three key changes since the plan was approved: 2023 transfer to the state Department of Education of oversight for the state's services for K-12 sight-impaired and hearing-impaired students, 2024 law that removes a gender balance requirement for state boards and commissions, and a 2024 law requiring the regent universities to eliminate all functions and positions related to diversity, equity and inclusion. DEI-related edits primarily impacted the vision statement, board "dispositions" and its strategic priority #1 (related to student success and the academic experience), eliminating references to opportunities for underrepresented students and underserved populations.
Campus groups at Iowa's three regent universities have reviewed their respective strategic plans for compliance with the law restricting DEI efforts. The regents will review those recommendations at their Feb. 27 meeting.
Health insurance coverage form goes paperless for 2024
For the 2024 tax year, 1095-C forms (Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage) will be available only in Workday; paper copies no longer will be mailed. Employees can view their form in Workday at the beginning of February and will be notified when the form is available. Employees who have questions or who wish to receive a paper copy should submit a request to fbac@iastate.edu.
Study Abroad Fair is Jan. 30
The Study Abroad Center will host its next Study Abroad Fair on Thursday, Jan. 30 (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., MU Great Hall). Learn about interning or studying abroad in experiences ranging from one week to one year. Students can enter their names for a chance to win study abroad scholarships. All ISU community members are able to apply for a U.S. passport during the fair (schedule an appointment in advance). More information is online.
Nominations due Feb. 15 for annual alumni awards
The ISU Alumni Association is seeking nominations by Feb. 15 for four awards to be presented during Homecoming 2025 that honor alumni. Award descriptions and nomination forms are online. Questions may be directed to Katie Lickteig. The awards are:
- Alumni Medal, recognizes long, loyal service to the university through alumni-related activities
- Alumni Humanitarian Award, recognizes humanitarian efforts that transcend professional accomplishments and bring honor to the university
- Outstanding Young Alumni Award, recognizes alumni age 40 years and younger who excel in their profession and provide service to their community
- James A. Hopson Alumni Service Award (2023 merger of the former Hopson and Alumni Service awards), recognizes alumni and friends whose volunteer activities and service support the work of the ISU Alumni Association in connecting alumni, students and friends to each other and the university
Smile and Write dates are set for spring semester
Smile and Write is an online program open to faculty and staff, designed to leverage peer accountability and help participants carve out space in their schedules to work on curriculum, manuscripts and other writing projects. Smile and Write connects peers across disciplines as they work together toward their writing goals to aid in career progression. During spring semester, the fixed time is Tuesday (11 a.m.-1 p.m., Jan. 21-May 6); 17 sessions on the other four days of the week also are scheduled. The Smile and Write format is:
- Register ahead of time for as many sessions as you want. Upon registration, you'll be sent a Zoom link for each session.
- Once logged in, keep your video turned on. Doing this helps assure accountability and prevent distraction.
- At the start of each session participants state their goals, and at the end of each session they briefly share the progress they made.
Register for February civics conference for all employees
Registration has opened for Civics Across the Curriculum and Co-Curriculum, a professional development conference for faculty, staff and administrators on Wednesday, Feb. 19 (noon-4:30 p.m., Memorial Union). Participants will hear from national experts and campus practitioners on ways to narrow gaps in civic literacy, skills and disposition among Iowa State's students. Registration, which will remain open through Feb. 3, is free and includes lunch.
Success center offers workshops for your classroom
The Academic Success Center offers workshops for the classroom. In addition to a 20-minute "Intro to Our Services" workshop, a variety of 45-60-minute workshops cover writing, communication and academic skills including public speaking, bullet journaling, study skills and more. To submit a workshop request, use the center's webform.
