Announcements
February 2015
Reminder: Submit flexible spending claims by April 30
Employees have until April 30 to submit flexible spending account claims for qualified medical and/or child care expenses incurred during 2014. You may carry over up to $500 for qualified medical claims, so any unclaimed funds up to that amount will be eligible for 2015 expenses; any unclaimed amount over $500 will be forfeited. Contact university human resources, 294-4800, with questions.
ISCORE conference is March 6
Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the 16th annual Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity, the university's comprehensive forum on issues of ethnicity and race, on Friday, March 6 (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Memorial Union). There is no cost to attend but registration is requested. A half-day professional development workshop, free and open to all faculty, P&S and merit staff, will precede ISCORE on Thursday, March 5 (1-4:30 p.m., MU Sun Room). Sessions will provide tools intended to improve employee interactions and create inclusive workspaces. Register online.
Leath presents to legislative subcommittee on Thursday
President Steven Leath will join the other regent institution heads and regents board president Bruce Rastetter in presenting FY2016 appropriations requests to the Iowa Legislature's joint Education Appropriations Subcommittee on Thursday, Feb. 26 (10 a.m., room 22 State Capitol).
Parts of Lied center closed Feb. 26-28 for conference track meet
The main floor at the Lied Center will be closed to ISU pass holders Thursday through Saturday (Feb. 26-28) for the Big 12 Conference indoor track and field championships on Feb. 27-28. The third floor track also may be closed at times during the meet. Parking in lots 57 and 100 will be limited on these days.
Ames snow ordinance takes effect Wednesday at 5 p.m.
The City of Ames Snow Ordinance goes into effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25. Plows may be out before this time, but no vehicles will be ticketed before 5 p.m. Vehicles parked along snow routes (marked by red and white signs) must be moved or they will be ticketed and towed. Drivers should move vehicles to off-street parking or to streets that are not designated snow routes. To assist in plowing efforts, all Ames residents are asked to remove parked vehicles from residential streets. However, only those on snow routes are required to move them. The snow ordinance remains in effect until streets are completely plowed from curb to curb, AND it has stopped snowing.
March 5 hearing precedes regents' Iowa City meeting
If you'd like to comment on any items scheduled for discussion at the state Board of Regents meeting March 11 in Iowa City, you have several options:
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Attend one of six public hearings held at the regents institutions and board office March 5-6. Iowa State's hearing is Thursday, March 5, (6-7 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.
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Provide written comments to regents transparency officer Sheila Doyle Koppin, sdoyle@iastate.edu.
Meeting materials and an agenda for the March meeting will be posted to the regents homepage by March 3
Lane closure on Sixth Street bridge planned for Monday
Traffic on the Sixth Street bridge (at Brookside Park, east of campus) will be limited to a single lane Monday, March 2 (8 a.m.-5 p.m.), with a flag crew at either end directing traffic. Employees and students who commute to campus along this route should expect some delays if the weather stays clear. Crews are taking soil borings prior to the final design of a replacement bridge over Squaw Creek. That replacement work tenatively would begin in late 2015 and continue into the summer 2016.
Service for Henry Stahr is Feb. 25
Former professor of veterinary pathology Henry M. ("Mike") Stahr died on Feb. 21 in Ames. Stahr worked in the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab from 1969 to his retirement in 1997. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at St. John's Catholic Church, 801 Division St., Ogden. Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, also at the church. Obituary.
Student group collecting gently used shoes this week
ISU's Student Athlete Advisory Council will collect new and gently used pairs of shoes Feb. 23-27 to benefit Soles 4 Souls, a Tennessee-based organization that provides shoes to people in need around the world. There will be a collection box in the Jacobson Athletic Building all week. You also may bring your donations to the Hilton Coliseum south concourse prior to the women's basketball game on Feb. 24 (6-7:15 p.m.) or the men's basketball game on Feb. 25 (6-8:15 p.m.). SAAC's goal is to collect 750 pairs of shoes: tennis shoes, sandals, boots, flip flops, boots or dress shoes.
Boiler delivery may interrupt traffic on Feb. 24
Three new 150,000-pound natural gas-powered boilers will be transported to the ISU power plant on Tuesday, Feb. 24, from the rail yard in Boone. The Ames delivery route includes West Lincoln Way, North Hyland Avenue and Pammel Drive/University Boulevard to the north side of the power plant. The heavy-haul trucks will have police escorts, who will stop traffic periodically for short periods of time. Tentatively, the trucks are scheduled to leave the Boone rail yard at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
ISU women to be honored at YWCA event
Three ISU women will be honored at the YWCA Ames-ISU's annual Women of Achievement ceremony and reception on Thursday, March 5 (5:30-7:30 p.m., Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Ave.) All are welcome to attend; tickets are $35 ($50 for a pair), $10 for students, and available by phone, 294-0043, or email. The honorees are: Academic Success Center director Susan Rhoades, senior lecturer in accounting Kayla Sander and pre-architecture sophomore Kierstyn Feld. They have been selected for their efforts to empower women and/or eliminate racism. The event includes light appetizers and live performances. Questions may be directed to Angela Merrick at the YWCA.
Marcketti lecture airs on C-SPAN Feb. 21
Sara Marcketti's precorded lecture on past and current efforts to curb piracy in the fashion industry will air on C-SPAN's American History TV (C-SPAN 3) on Saturday, Feb. 21 (7 p.m. and 10:59 p.m.). Marcketti is an associate professor in the apparel, events and hospitality management department and an associate director of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.
Proposals sought for 2015-16 scholars program
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching seeks proposals for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scholars Program. Proposals are due March 30. Participants will conduct their classroom-based research project during the 2015-16 academic year. Up to eight teams will receive $1,850 for professional development opportunities or teaching materials. More information, including the proposal form, is online.
AAPI faculty and staff social is March 11
Mark your calendars for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association social on March 11 (4-5:30 p.m., MU Gold Room). This is an opportunity to meet Iowa State's AAPI faculty and staff, and learn more about the association. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Som Mongtin with questions.
UHR offers training workshops
University Human Resources is offering a series of free workshops for employees. Register on AccessPlus for these training sessions: "Please Listen to Me! Introducing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" (March 3) and "Building an Effective Team" (March 23). Contact Dawn Shedarowich, dawns@iastate.edu, 294-4820, for more information.
Gender equity award nominations due Feb. 23
Nominations for the Margaret Sloss Gender Equity Award are due Feb. 23. Nominees may be faculty, staff, students or members of the Ames community who have demonstrated a commitment to helping women gain equity within the university or Ames communities. Recipients will be honored at an awards reception on March 31 (2-4 p.m., Hach Hall atrium).
Davidson demolition team arrives Feb. 16
The contractor hired to demolish Davidson Hall will arrive on Monday, Feb. 16, and start fencing the project site. The demolition fence will take out of service a row of parking stalls next to the building on both the east side (Lot 25) and west side (Lot 23) of Davidson Hall. Demolition and recycling is expected to take about two months.
Library workshop introduces EndNote Web
The library will offer an introductory workshop on a free bibliographic management program, EndNote Web, on Friday, Feb. 27 (3-4:30 p.m., location provided on registration site). Learn how to use this software to collect, organize, format and use your citations in your writing projects. Preregistration is required. Questions about registration may be directed to Jody Kalvik, 294-6117.
ISU Day at the Capitol is Feb. 23
The annual edition of ISU Day at the Capitol occurs Monday, Feb. 23. Iowa State administrators, faculty, staff and students will interact with legislators and other state officials in the Capitol rotunda (1 to 4 p.m.). More than 25 university exhibits will showcase Iowa State academics, research, outreach, innovation and jobs creation. President Steven Leath will lead the group, which includes representatives from all ISU colleges, extension and outreach, economic development and industry relations, and other units.
Cyclone Family Weekend is set for Sept. 25-27
The dean of students office announces that Cyclone Family Weekend 2015 will be held the weekend of Sept. 26. This is a bye week for Cyclone football, which will provide students and their families the opportunity to enjoy new and some familiar events. Check the Cyclone Family Weekend website for updates on registration, events and other details. Questions or concerns may be directed to CFW adviser Carrie Giese.
Iowa NSF EPSCoR Energy Policy seminar is Feb. 19
Roger Aines, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, will present "The Challenge of Creating a Low-carbon Economy in the Age of Natural Gas" at the Iowa NSF EPSCoR Energy Policy seminar on Feb. 19 (12:30-1:30 p.m., Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall). Lunch is available at noon in Howe Hall's ground floor atrium. If you plan to attend the lunch, please email Jill Cornelis by Feb. 16.
Apply for 2015-16 undergraduate research funds
The office of student financial aid has funding for up to 100 undergraduate research assistantships for the 2015-16 academic year. Interested faculty and students need to submit their respective applications by March 31. The program matches outstanding juniors and seniors with faculty members for hands-on research experience, encouraging these students to pursue graduate study. The funding split for next year is: Faculty sponsors pay 40 percent of the wages, college work-study program funds 60 percent. Questions may be directed to Julie Arnold, 294-0103.
Valentine theme planned for Feb. 13 carillon concert
Friday's lunchtime carillon concert will feature some Valentine's Day flair, including sweets and love notes. Valentine candy will be handed out at the base of the campanile during the concert and Tweets using the @bellsovercampus handle or #campanileLOVE will be displayed during the live webcast of the concert, which begins at 11:50 a.m.
Valentine's Day treats for sale
Students with the Community and Regional Planning Club are selling a variety of baked goods for Valentine's Day on Feb. 12 and 13 (10 a.m.-3 p.m., outside the dean's office, College of Design). Prices range from $1 to $3; proceeds support the club's student activities.
Main floor of Lied Center closed Thursday-Saturday for track meet
The main floor at the Lied Center will be closed to ISU pass holders Thursday through Saturday (Feb. 12-14) for the Iowa State Classic track meet on Feb. 13-14. Parking in lots 57 and 100 will be limited on these days.
Afternoon employee workshop precedes ISCORE
Registration is open (and required) for the 16th annual Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE) on March 6 (9 a.m.-5 p.m., Memorial Union), the university's comprehensive forum on issues of ethnicity and race. A half-day professional development workshop, free and open to all faculty, professional and merit staff, will precede ISCORE on Thursday, March 5 (1-4:30 p.m., MU Sun Room). Sessions will provide tools intended to improve employee interactions and create inclusive workspaces. Register for the employee workshop as part of ISCORE registration.
Performance-based funding radio discussion is Feb. 9
The Feb. 9 edition of Iowa Public Radio's River to River will focus on the performance-based funding model for Iowa's three regent universities approved last summer by the state Board of Regents. The regents' request to the Legislature for operating funds for the year beginning July 1 reflects this new model. Host Ben Kieffer's scheduled guests include board president Bruce Rastetter.
River to River airs weekdays at noon on IPR News (640 AM in central Iowa) and News/Studio One (90.1 FM) stations and again at 10 p.m. on IPR News.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program begins Feb. 16
Trained ISU accounting students are offering income tax help through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), Feb. 16-April 15 (except during spring break, March 16-20). Taxpayers with household incomes of less than $55,000 are eligible to participate. Some VITA volunteers may be unable to assist with complex income tax returns. More information, including what to bring to your tax appointment, is available online. Schedule an appointment.
Volunteer judges sought for science/technology fairs in late March
Volunteer judges -- individuals with a major, degree or background in science, engineering or technology -- are needed for the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa, March 26-27 in Hilton Coliseum. Growth of the event prompted organizers to divide the fair into two events: A senior high fair and FFA Agriscience Fair will be combined on Thursday, March 26; a middle school fair will be held Friday, March 27. The senior high event needs about 100 judges; the middle school event about 350 judges, who will evaluate research projects and work with students to help them become better researchers. Volunteers are asked to register online.
'Dear White People' screening is Wednesday evening
The critically acclaimed film Dear White People will be screened on campus Wednesday, Feb. 4 (7 p.m., 101 Carver, doors open at 6:30 p.m.). Admission is free and open to the public. The 2014 satirical drama follows the stories of four black students at a fictional Ivy League college where controversy breaks out over a popular but offensive black-face party thrown by white students. It won awards at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, Gotham Independent Film Awards and Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Student Union Board is hosting this event.
Volunteers sought for nutrition counseling
Senior-level dietetics students are seeking volunteers for one-on-one nutrition counseling. Volunteers and students will meet three times during spring semester, beginning in late February. A dietetic student will evaluate your current eating habits and offer specific, reasonable goals for improvement. Volunteers must commit to all three sessions because the student's grade depends on this experience. Volunteers cannot have specific health conditions, such as diabetes. If you wish to volunteer, contact Eunice Bassler.
Expect more truck traffic on west side of campus
Interior demolition on the Marston Hall renovation project is ongoing. Facilities planning and management leaders advise drivers and pedestrians to expect increased truck traffic west of Marston during the next few months as demolition debris is removed from the project site.
Ames snow ordinance in effect at noon Sunday
The City of Ames Snow Ordinance goes into effect at noon Sunday, Feb. 1. The ordinance is operational when 2 inches of snow has fallen on major Ames streets. Vehicles parked along snow routes (marked by red and white signs) must be moved or they will be ticketed and towed. Drivers should move vehicles to off-street parking or to streets that are not designated snow routes. To assist in plowing efforts, all Ames residents are asked to remove parked vehicles from residential streets. However, only those on snow routes are required to move them. The snow ordinance remains in effect until streets are completely plowed from curb to curb, AND it has stopped snowing.
