A $24.1 million interior renovation project at Marston Hall began earlier this month. The building is expected to reopen in spring 2016. Photo by Anne Krapfl.
Campus comes alive each August with new and returning students, and this year is no exception. But that doesn't mean the summer break was mundane. In fact, history was made on Aug. 7 when President Steven Leath announced his decision to discontinue Veishea, supporting the recommendations of the 2014 Veishea Task Force. Leath established the task force following an April 8 ruckus in Campustown that caused property damage and personal injury.
Here's a look at some of the summer's other top news stories.
Faculty and administrative changes
- ISU alum Megan Landolt became President Leath's assistant for communications in late April. She previously was a television producer with KCCI-TV in Des Moines.
- Teresa McLaughlin, director of Reiman Gardens, announced in May that she is leaving her position to run the Nature Connects LEGO exhibit, a position that will drive revenue to the gardens. She will remain director until her replacement is named.
- Adam Schwartz took over as director of the U. S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory on June 2. Previously, he was a division leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif.
- Katharine Johnson Suski became Iowa State's director of admissions on July 8. She had been director of admissions at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
- Employees in the ISU Research Foundation and Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer have temporarily relocated from the Lab of Mechanics offices to the State Avenue office building, south of U.S. Highway 30. The group will move to Iowa State's new economic development building in the ISU research park in 2016.
- Lisa Shimkat became the statewide director for the Iowa Small Business Development Center on Aug. 18. She had been a regional director for the organization, based in Fort Dodge.
- Olivia Madison announced in late June that she is stepping down as library dean on Sept. 1. She will join the provost's office as a special assistant supporting Iowa State's Higher Learning Commission accreditation review.
Construction update
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Sweeney Hall sustained extensive smoke and water damage as the result of a fire in the building's mechanical penthouse on May 30. No one was injured. The building reopened on July 21, but some equipment repair or replacement continues this semester.
Biorenewables complex
- Marston Hall is closed for a $24.1 million renovation. Employees have temporarily relocated to buildings across campus until spring semester 2016, when Marston is expected to reopen.
- Construction began in July on Jack Trice Stadium's $46 million project to enclose the south end zone with permanent upper and lower seating.
- Faculty and staff moved into Elings and Sukup halls in July. The two buildings house the agricultural and biosystems engineering department, and complete the biorenewables complex.
- The Farm House Museum closed on July 1 for several remodeling projects, including updates to windows and wallpaper. The museum is scheduled to reopen later this fall.
- Troxel Hall earned LEED Gold certification, the second-highest level in the green building rating system, making it Iowa State's eighth LEED-certified building.
- Work wrapped up on the $3.23 million renovation of MacKay Hall's auditorium, vestibule and welcome center just in time for the start of fall semester.
Technology improvements
- A $4 million wireless network upgrade to academic and student areas began this summer and will take about two years to complete.
- Better support for faculty during classroom changeovers and streamlined access to electronic learning tools are among likely outcomes of an IT needs assessment report.
- An upgraded version of the MyState mobile app was launched this summer, giving students, faculty and staff upgraded digital tools in the palms of their hands.
- A revamped lost-and-found website provides new tools to help campus regulars and visitors reunite with their lost possessions.
- PeopleAdmin 7.0, Iowa State's online classification and hiring system, was upgraded this summer, streamlining the hiring process for both managers and job applicants.
Good to know
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Check out Iowa State "by the numbers," with stats on new students and faculty, housing and the all-important food trucks (now up to five) on campus.
Horticulture farm
- Iowa State saw another year of record summer enrollment with 11,530 students, a 2.6 percent increase over last summer.
- A new website allows the campus community to purchase fruits and vegetables grown on Iowa State's horticulture farm near Gilbert.
- Transportation services may now upfit vehicles it leases to Iowa State departments. Options are extensive and could include snowplow blades, running boards, canoe racks or whatever makes employees more efficient.
