Announcements
July 2014
On the 'Best College for Your Money' list
Iowa State University came in 86th in Money magazine's recent "Best College for Your Money" ranking. The ranking is based on 17 factors in three categories: educational quality, affordability and alumni earnings.
Responsible research director interviews begin Aug. 8
Three finalists will interview on campus for the director post in the Office for Responsible Research. Their visits will include a public presentation, followed by a Q&A session. All presentations will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Memorial Union Oak Room. The candidates and dates are:
- Lisa Leiden, Seton Healthcare, Austin, Texas, Aug. 8
- David Ayer, Indiana University, Bloomington, Aug. 11
- David Gillum, Arizona State University, Scottsdale, Aug. 12
Child lab school has preschool openings
The ISU Child Development Laboratory School, Palmer Building, has several full-time openings in its preschool classrooms for 3- and 4-year-old children. More information and the application are available online.
Regents' education committee meets on campus July 29
The state Board of Regents' Education and Student Affairs Committee will meet on campus Tuesday, July 29 (2:30-3:30 p.m., 1550 Beardshear), in preparation for the full board meeting on Aug. 6. The August meeting is a telephonic one limited to two hours. At the July 29 meeting, committee members will review requests for two new Iowa State degree programs, master's and doctoral programs in gerontology, for recommendation to the full board.
Second parking lot available to employees sharing a university vehicle
Transportation services and the parking division have partnered to allow free short-term parking for employees traveling together in a transportation services vehicle. Because of the size of the transportation services lot, customers have been asked to park just one vehicle in the transportation services lot for each vehicle picked up -- and that will not change. However, the additional employees using the vehicle may park their personal vehicles in the new Lot 112N, located across Haber Road. At the time the rented vehicle is picked up, passengers will be issued permits for Lot 112N.
Lunabotics club heads to international competition
The ISU Lunabotics Club is competing this week (July 23-24) in the PISCES Robotic International Space Mining Competition in Hilo, Hawaii. Team Cyclone Space Mining is one of seven college or university teams competing to see who can mine the most regolith at the site used by Apollo astronauts training for moon missions. The PISCES You Tube channel will broadcast the competition.
Beach Road traffic limited by steam line work July 21-Aug. 8
Drivers are advised to avoid Beach Road on the east side of campus for about three weeks beginning Monday, July 21. Work on the steam line project in the Richardson Court area will severely restrict traffic, especially for southbound traffic on Beach Road. The road will not close, however the area will be congested.
Creek cleaners dislodge 200 pounds of garbage
The sixth annual College Creek cleanup, rescheduled from June 28 to July 12 due to high waters, was another success. Twenty-seven volunteers collectively provided about 75 hours to pick up trash in and around the portion of College Creek that flows through campus (Lincoln Way adjacent to the MU ramp to University Boulevard). They collected approximately 200 pounds of trash, primarily cans, bottles and plastic bags.
Faculty: Help test plagiarism software
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching is leading a pilot test of the Turnitin plagiarism detection software. The program checks students’ work for potential plagiarism by comparing it against the world’s largest comparison database. Students also can check their own work before submitting final assignments. Instructors who are interested in participating should contact Allan Schmidt, aschmidt@iastate.edu, by Aug. 1.
EH&S safety summit is July 18
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) is holding a summer safety summit, "Misadventures: A Story of Success After a Mishap," on Friday, July 18 (7:45-9 a.m., 1230 EH&S Building). Registration is free; more information is available online. Call 4-5359 with questions.
Submit library reserves for fall courses now
Instructors who wish to place required materials on reserve at Parks Library for fall semester should submit requests now. Forms are available on the library's website.
Hold the date: Race checkpoint event is July 26
Ames is a checkpoint site on Day 6 of the eight-day American Solar Car Challenge, and Iowa State will host an event near the checkpoint site at the Iowa State Center. The university community is invited to take part and cheer on Iowa State's Team PrISUm Saturday, July 26 (1-4 p.m., Lot D-2 north of Jack Trice Stadium). Other event details will be announced next week. About 20 university solar car teams will race from Austin, Texas, to Minneapolis July 21-28.
Sweeney Hall will reopen July 21
Sweeney Hall, which has been closed to the public due to smoke and water damage from a May 30 fire, will return to its regular open hours beginning Monday, July 21. The building will be open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight and locked all day on holidays.
Aug. 1 hearing precedes regents' telephonic meeting
If you'd like to comment on any items scheduled for discussion at the state Board of Regents Aug. 6 telephonic meeting, you have several options:
- Attend one of six public hearings held at the regents institutions and board office July 31-Aug. 1. Iowa State's hearing is Aug. 1 (4-5 p.m., Memorial Union Oak Room). All public hearings will be video recorded and posted to the regents' hearings website. Transparency officer Shirley Knipfel will preside at the meeting.
- Provide written comments to regents transparency officer Sheila Doyle Koppin, sdoyle@iastate.edu.
Meeting materials and an agenda for the August meeting will be posted to the regents homepage by July 29.
Veishea Task Force report to Leath
The 2014 Veishea Task Force’s final report and recommendations have been delivered to Iowa State University President Steven Leath, Senior Vice President Tom Hill confirmed this afternoon (July 11).
President Leath will review the report and announce his decision with respect to the recommendations by early August. He issued the following statement:
“Today, the Veishea Task Force delivered its report to my office. I’m grateful for the hard work done by this group of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members. I’m particularly grateful to Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Hill, who served as chair of the task force.
I’m making the task force report available today because I understand the broad interest in the work of the task force. The report (and appendices) are available on the Veishea Task Force webpage,” Leath said.
- See more at: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/07/11/veisheareport#sthash.6F19Dnub.dpufThe 2014 Veishea Task Force’s final report and recommendations have been delivered to Iowa State University President Steven Leath, Senior Vice President Tom Hill confirmed this afternoon (July 11).
President Leath will review the report and announce his decision with respect to the recommendations by early August. He issued the following statement:
“Today, the Veishea Task Force delivered its report to my office. I’m grateful for the hard work done by this group of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members. I’m particularly grateful to Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Hill, who served as chair of the task force.
I’m making the task force report available today because I understand the broad interest in the work of the task force. The report (and appendices) are available on the Veishea Task Force webpage,” Leath said.
- See more at: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/07/11/veisheareport#sthash.6F19Dnub.dpufThe 2014 Veishea Task Force’s final report and recommendations were delivered to President Steven Leath on July 11. Leath thanked the task force and its chair, senior vice president for student affairs Tom Hill, for its hard work. He said he will review the report and announce his decision with respect to the recommendations by early August. He added he was making the task force report available today because of the broad interest in the work of the task force. The report (and appendices) are available on the Veishea Task Force website.
Network upgrade snags the phones
A major upgrade that will boost Iowa State's network capacity from 10 GB to 100 GB hit a snag July 9 when a malfunction in the new equipment brought down the university phone system, and to a lesser extent, other online campus services. Angela Bradley, ITS associate chief information officer, apologized for the network problems and said outside consultants have been helping campus engineers troubleshoot what appears to be a hardware issue with some new routers.
Art critique is July 17 at the MU
The Workspace in the Memorial Union will host an art critique on Thursday, July 17 (7 p.m., MU Pioneer Room). Artists of all skill levels are invited to share up to three pieces of work in any media. In a comfortable atmosphere, they can get feedback and share their observations with other artists. This event is free and no preregistration is necessary. Questions may be directed to Letitia Kenemer, 4-0971.
State fair volunteer slots still available
University Marketing still seeks volunteers to help roll and distribute athletics posters and apply Iowa State tattoos at the university's state fair exhibit Aug. 7-17. About two dozen slots still are available, mostly during the evening shift (2:45-9 p.m.). Sign up online and select your shift. Questions may be directed to Laura Bittner, 4-3969.
OSPA director candidate interviews begin July 9
Five finalists will interview on campus for the director's post in the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration. Their visits will include an open forum with the campus community. The candidates and open forum details are:
- July 9: Rochelle Athey, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (10:30-11:30 a.m., MU room 3558)
- July 10: Michael Warnock, University of Missouri, Columbia (10:30-11:30 a.m., MU Oak Room)
- July 11: Keith Osterhage, Temple University, Philadelphia (10:30-11:30 a.m., MU Oak Room)
- July 14: Jennifer Taylor, Vanderbilt University, Nashville (10:30-11:30 a.m., MU Oak Room)
- July 15: Rebecca Musselman, Iowa State (10:30-11:30 a.m., MU Oak Room)
Jamie Lynn Spears concert tickets are on sale
Country pop artist Jamie Lynn Spears will perform in the MU Great Hall on Thursday, Aug. 28 (8 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m.). Tickets are $12 ($5 with an ISU student ID) plus service fees and go on sale July 4 via midwestix. Country/rock singer and songwriter Brandon Lay will open the show.
Reminder: Bookstore's e-book pilot seeks fall teaching faculty
The University Book Store reminds faculty of a digital e-book pilot it plans to launch fall semester. Faculty interested in participating are asked to contact textbook supervisor John Wierson, 4-3501, by Friday, July 11. Training is provided.
Championship event on campus July 6-11
The National Junior Disability Championships will bring an estimated 200 participants (ages 7 to 22 years) and more than 200 coaches, officials and family members to campus July 6-11. Athletes participating in this Paralympic-style competition have physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, cerebral palsy, visual impairments, blindness, limb deficiencies or amputations. Competitions will be held in swimming, archery, track and field, table tennis, power lifting, boccia and cycling. ISU facilities that will serve as competition sites include Lied recreation center and outdoor field, Beyer Hall, State Gym, Cyclone Sports Complex and the Iowa State Center lots. All sporting events are open to the public.
University closed on July 4
University offices will be closed and classes will not meet on Friday, July 4, in observance of the national Independence Day holiday.
Reminder: IPRT realignment takes effect July 1
As of July 1, the Institute for Physical Research and Technology (IPRT) will cease to operate as an administrative center. Its centers and activities will report to other administrative units. These changes were first announced in January by the offices of the Vice President for Research and of Economic Development and Industry Relations. The IPRT realignment is part of the university’s ongoing effort to streamline research and economic development units. IPRT administrative staff were reassigned to VPR office and are assuming new responsibilities. Administrative services that were offered to the former IPRT centers are now the responsibility of the unit that serves as the home for each center.
Arts and events
'Die Fledermaus' is a farce of mistaken identity, flirtation and a practical joke with unanticipated consequences. It opens Nov. 7 in Fisher Theater.
