Announcements
March 2014
Forum on efficiency review April 1
Iowa State University will host a public forum at 10 a.m. April 1 as part of a comprehensive efficiency review at Iowa’s three public universities. At the forum in the Howe Hall auditorium, participants will learn more about the review process and have an opportunity to ask questions. The event will be live-streamed and archived online for later viewing. Those viewing the forum online can submit questions during the Q&A via email (TIERforum@iastate.edu) or Twitter (#TIERforum).
Fall learning community planned for student veterans
All student veterans who plan to enroll in English 250 this fall are invited to join a new learning community for student veterans. The learning community will be coordinated by Angie Mallory, a six-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and now a doctoral student in rhetoric and professional communication. English 250 registration instructions are online. For more information about the veterans learning community, contact Mallory, (406) 499-2087.
Veenker golf course now open
Veenker Memorial Golf Course, the university's golf course north of campus, opened for play tMarch 28. Call 294-6727 to make a tee time.
2014 Veishea buttons are on sale
Veishea buttons, $5 each, are on sale through April 4 outside the West Student Office Space on the ground floor of the Memorial Union. Buttons are sold weekdays, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Besides showing your spirit, a Veishea button gets you free lunch at the campus cookout Monday through Friday of Veishea week, April 7-11.
Tornado drill Wednesday morning
A tornado drill and warning will occur around 10 a.m. this morning in the Ames area. It's part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.
Bayer CropScience CEO to give Hertz lecture on April 3
Jim Blome, president and CEO of Bayer CropScience, ISU alumnus and a Hubbard native, will present the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' 2014 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture on April 3 (7 p.m., Curtiss auditorium). Blome will offer his perspective on issues facing the agriculture industry. His lecture is free and open to the public.
Presidents honor Borlaug, call for renewed efforts to feed hungry
In March 24 commentary in the congressional news publication Roll Call, President Steven Leath and two other land-grant university presidents pay tribute to Norman Borlaug, whose research is credited with saving a billion people from starvation. Leath, University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler and Texas A&M interim president Mark Hussey maintain that the challenge of feeding a rapidly growing world population "requires a significant level of interwoven commitment from public, private, and international entities." The presidents add that land-grant universities have a central role in taking on "this next global challenge." A statue of Borlaug was dedicated March 24 in the U.S. Capitol to mark the leader of the Green Revolution's 100th birthday.
Registration is open for kids' summer dance workshop
Registration is open for the 2014 Kids' Co'Motion summer dance performance workshop, July 7-25. Students ages 8-18 spend five days a week (10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) learning dance technique, composition and choreography, and work together to build a unique dance performance. The first two weeks take place in the Forker Building on campus, and the workshop then moves to the Ames City Auditorium. The three weeks culminate with dance concerts at the city auditorium on July 25-26. Workshop cost is $200 with a $10 discount before June 1. Kids' Co'Motion is offered by Co'Motion Dance Theater, which is in residence in the ISU dance program.
Preorder Veishea popcorn with Culinary Science Club
The Culinary Science Club is accepting preorders for Veishea popcorn through Friday, April 4. Boxes of popcorn ($3 each) are available in two popular gourmet flavors, Cyclone (raspberry and lemon mix) and caramel. A new item this year is marshmallow popcorn pops ($1 each). Email your order to Kathleen Brewer. Preorders will be delivered (campus locations only) on Friday, April 11. Or you may pick up your order in 200 MacKay on Saturday, April 12.
GPSS hosts first research conference April 4
The Graduate and Professional Student Senate will hold its first student research conference Friday, April 4 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.,College of Design’s King Pavilion). The event will include research posters and presentations, a three-minute thesis competition and a keynote address by Stephen Gilbert, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering. Guests are asked to register for the conference by April 2. Pre-registration is required to receive a complimentary lunch at 1 p.m. See conference details and events schedule.
Nominations sought for the Graduate College Emerging Leaders Academy
The Graduate College Emerging Leaders Academy (GC-ELA) is accepting nominations for the 2014-15 cohort. The GC-ELA is a joint initiative with the office of the senior vice president and provost and the Graduate College to enhance leadership development of graduate students and post docs. Nominations must be submitted by April 15. More information is available online.
Get your lawn mower ready for spring
The Agriculture Systems Technology Club is holding its annual lawn mower service days on April 4 (1-6 p.m.) and April 5 (8 a.m.-3 p.m.). Cost is $35 for push mowers and $50 for riding mowers (service only; no major repairs). Drop off mowers at Industrial Education II (west of horse barns) during the service times. Pickup and delivery is available in Ames only for an additional $15 ($20 for riding mowers). Call 515-708-8672 or email astservicedays@gmail.com for more details.
Forum on efficiency review April 1
Iowa State University will host a public forum at 10 a.m. April 1 as part of a comprehensive efficiency review at Iowa’s three public universities. The forum, which will be held in the Howe Hall auditorium, is designed to help stakeholders learn more about the review process. "We want to engage and involve as many people as possible," President Steven Leath said in a March 21 letter to faculty, staff and students. More information on the review can be found on the efficiency review website.
ISU women's hockey club claims national title
Iowa State's women's hockey club beat Penn State 1-0 on March 16 to capture its first national championship. See article.
April 5 conference focuses on study abroad experiences
Just returned from studying abroad? Trying to figure out what’s next? Check out the 2014 Lessons from Abroad Iowa Conference, April 5 (9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Memorial Union). This conference will teach you how to use your study abroad experience to launch your career; give your resume and job interviews a competitive edge; and how to work, teach, volunteer or study abroad after graduation. Details are online. Registration deadline is March 30.
Register now for P&S Council's professional development conference
The Professional and Scientific Council is holding a professional development conference, "Continuing the Voyage," on April 17 (8 a.m.-4 p.m., Scheman). All employees are invited to attend. The conference's goals are to improve effective communication across campus, offer strategies to maintain work-life balance and time management, and provide insight on leadership skills such as team building and management techniques. The conference also features a resource fair. Cost is $75. The registration deadline is April 4. Conference details, including registration information, is online.
March 23-29 is ISU Extension and Outreach week
During the week of March 23-29, ISU Extension and Outreach will celebrate the land-grant mission of putting the university's research and resources to work throughout the state of Iowa. Extension systems across the country are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service. Iowa’s 100 county extension offices will host activities that celebrate past milestones and future goals; details about local events are available by contacting the county office.
New IPR director on campus March 18
Faculty and staff are invited to meet new executive director of Iowa Public Radio Myrna Johnson during a March 18 open house (5-7 p.m.) in the Memorial Union Oak Room. The new director will be making stops around the state to meet with IPR listeners.
MU seeks entries for juried student art show
The Memorial Union is seeking entries for "Focus" juried exhibit, an annual student art exhibition. Iowa State students may submit up to three pieces in any media for consideration. Artwork should be dropped off April 1 (10 a.m.-1 p.m., MU Gallery). Accepted artwork will be displayed April 4-May 4. Rules and entry information are available online. Contact Letitia Kenemer, 4-0971, for more information.
Upcoming employee assistance program (EAP) webinars
- EAP Supervisor Orientation, March 20 (1-2 p.m.), discover the tools necessary for crisis response and management consultation and referrals
- Get Moving, March 25 (2-3 p.m.), think positively about exercise
- EAP Employee Orientation, April 2 (8:30-9 a.m. or 12:30-1 p.m.), learn about the EAP services available to you and your family
For more information, contact Employee and Family Resources at 515-244-6090.
Women's, diversity grant applications due April 1
The application deadline has been extended to April 1 for the Women's and Diversity Grants Program in the office of the senior vice president and provost. Individual grants of up to $5,000 are awarded for initiatives that will enrich the experiences of women and diverse faculty, staff, and students at Iowa State.
Help CELT determine next year's faculty development programming
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) invites you to complete a short survey to provide guidance for its future faculty development programming. The survey findings will help the CELT staff understand the needs of instructors. This anonymous and voluntary survey will take five to 10 minutes to complete. Your name will not be recorded or linked with your responses.
ISU purchases iThenticate subscription
The university has invested in a three-year subscription to iThenticate plagiarism software, specifically for detecting plagiarism in manuscripts intended for publication in scholarly journals, theses, dissertations and grant proposals. (It is not recommended for undergraduate homework.) ISU faculty, staff, graduate students and postdoctoral associates may use the software, which looks for and displays similarities between a submitted document and an extensive database of published and unpublished works. A software demo is on the iThenticate website. Individuals who would like to use the software should send a request to pcheck@iastate.edu or contact Sue Shipitalo, office of the vice president for research, 4-4933.
Veishea Service Day/Stash the Trash is March 29; register now
Volunteers are needed for the 2014 Veishea Service Day/Stash the Trash on Saturday, March 29 (9 a.m.-4 p.m., Reiman Gardens parking lot). Volunteers will clean up parks, weed and mulch flower beds, read stories to children, perform maintenance on buildings and participate in numerous other projects. Registration and more information is available online.
Reminder: Nominations due March 15 for fall ELA class
The Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost announces a call for nominations for the 2014-2015 Emerging Leaders Academy. ELA is a leadership development initiative for faculty and P&S staff who currently serve in leadership roles or who aspire to such positions. Faculty must be tenured faculty, senior lecturers or senior clinical faculty. P&S staff must have a P35 or above appointment. Nominations must be electronic and are due March 15; selection of the 2014-15 cohort will be made the first week of April.
Employee wellness: Blood pressure, body comp screenings available
ISU kinesiology students are conducting free blood pressure and body composition screenings in the MU Gold Room on March 24 (noon-4 p.m.), March 25 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) and March 26 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.). All participants will have a chance to win one of four $50 HyVee gift cards.
T.I. replaces Ludacris as LIVE@ Veishea Saturday headliner
Tickets are being sold now for the LIVE@Veishea outdoor concerts April 11 and 12. Through April 10, anyone (faculty, staff, students, alumni) with a valid ISU ID can purchase up to five tickets for $20 each for a single night or $25 for both nights. On performance dates, tickets will cost $25 per night. Timeflies is the headline group on Friday night and T.I. has replaced Ludacris as the headline performer on Saturday night.
Reiman Gardens' garage sale is this weekend
Reiman Gardens will hold a garage sale this weekend featuring items from the horticulture department and gift shop. Sale items include garden display props, holiday and seasonal items, jewelry, clothing, accessories, garden hand tools, decorative containers, topiary ball frames, floral design supplies and children’s items. Sale hours for the public are March 8 (9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) and March 9 (9 a.m.-2 p.m.).
P&S Council professional development seminar is March 11
John Stein, founder of Stein's Way Consulting Group, will discuss the behavioral skill of questioning at the next Professional and Scientific Council professional development seminar on March 11 (2 p.m., MU Campanile Room). Stein will address when and how to ask the right questions during various business/professional siutations. Attendees will practice both questioning and listening skills with partners during the presentation. The seminar will not be streamed live or recorded for later viewing.
Proposals sought for SoTL Scholars Program
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) is seeking proposals for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scholars Program. Participants will conduct their classroom-based research project during the 2014-15 academic year. Up to eight SoTL teams will receive $1,250 in funds for professional development opportunities or teaching materials. Proposals must be submitted by April 7. More information is available online.
Save the date: Teaching seminar for new teachers is Aug. 19
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) will host a University Teaching Seminar for new teachers on Aug. 19 (8 a.m.-4 p.m., Memorial Union). New teaching assistants and faculty (tenured, tenure-eligible, lecturers, clinicians and instructors) are encouraged to attend. More information is online.
Student presentation on food safety is March 7
Students will lead a presentation about food safety on Friday, March 7 (noon, 192 Parks Library). The university community is welcome; no RSVP is needed.
Register for April 3 Student Success Summit
Registration (required) has opened for the Iowa State Student Success Summit on April 3 (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Memorial Union). All faculty and staff are invited. The summit will focus on: retention issues facing our campus, the academic success of our students and student learning outcomes related to instruction. Keynote speakers are:
- Morning: Ann Gansemer-Topf, assistant professor, School of Education
- Luncheon: Terrell Strayhorn, department of educational studies, The Ohio State University
Roy J. Carver scholarship applications are due April 1
Up to 20 full-time students with junior classification are eligible for the $5,200 Roy J. Carver Scholarship, funded by the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, Muscatine. Applicants must be graduates of an Iowa high school or residents of Iowa for at least five consecutive years at the time of application. The application deadline for 2014-15 awards is April 1. More information and the application forms are online.
Applications for 2014-15 undergrad research assistantships are due March 31
Applications -- from both researchers and students -- to participate in the undergraduate research assistantship program next year are due March 31. Student researchers must be juniors or seniors with a GPA of at least 3.25 and eligible for work study funding. Sixty percent of wages are paid by the College Work-Study Program; the remainder by the faculty sponsor. More information and forms are online.
