Announcements
May 2021
Workspace announces summer hours
Opening June 1 for the summer, the Workspace in the east basement of the Memorial Union will offer crafts for drop-in or carry out and weekly themes in pottery painting. Summer crafts are open to children if accompanied by a grown-up. Through the end of July, summer hours are 2-8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 am.-4 p.m. Saturday.
PGA qualifying event comes to Veenker this week
ISU's Veenker Memorial Golf Course will host pre-qualifier (about 60 amateur and professional male golfers aged 50 years and older on May 28) and qualifier (about 25 golfers on June 1) competitions for the Principal Charity Classic PGA Tour event June 4-6 at Des Moines' Wakonda Club. Play at Veenker will begin at 7:30 a.m. both days and conclude around 4 p.m. May 28 and 2 p.m. June 1. On both days, golfers will complete 18 holes. Up to five golfers will qualify for the Des Moines tournament. Spectators should park in the overflow gravel lot off the Veenker driveway. Veenker head golf pro Greg Dingel said Veenker will have some public tee times starting later in the afternoon on those two days.
Math students will provide video series for kids
Parents can sign up to receive a series of videos featuring a math activity for children ages 9 and up. The activities will be presented by Iowa State mathematics students and are designed to help foster a love of math. The link to each video will include a list of materials needed for the activities. The videos will begin June 14 and run weekly for four weeks. Registration is required. The first 200 families to register will receive a free compass and geometry set, origami guide and supplies, and more. The videos are sponsored by the mathematics department and the north central region of the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council.
Changes to events, gatherings guidance take effect May 19
Face coverings no longer are required and allowable crowd densities moved to 100% of a room's rated capacity in new (non-classroom) large events guidelines for the time period May 19-Aug. 1. However, classroom capacities for summer session remain at 50%. Physical distancing indoors still is recommended, for example in lines or around a beverage bar.
Employee focus groups invited to provide input on current student data systems
Staff and faculty focus groups are meeting this month to provide input on, in their experience, what works and doesn't work with current student systems. It's part of the WorkCyte Phase 2 project to implement student information and receivables in Workday. Sign up online to participate in a one-hour session with 6-10 other employees.
Faculty-Staff Inspirations winners to be honored June 4
A virtual ceremony June 4 (noon-12:30 p.m.) will honor the three 2021 winners of the ISU Alumni Association's Faculty-Staff Inspiration Award, which recognizes current or former ISU faculty and staff who have had a significant influences on students' lives. Winners this year are Brianna Burke, asssociate professor of English; Manju Reddy, professor and Doris A. Adams Endowed Chair of food science and human nutrition; and Giles Fowler, associate professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication (awarded posthumously). Click here to register for the event and leave a note of congratulations for one of the recipients. Registration closes at noon on June 3. The event will be livestreamed on the Alumni Association's Facebook page.
Lab school has openings for preschool children
The Child Development Laboratory School has spots available for preschool children who will be four years old by Aug. 15, with enrollment starting Aug. 19. The lab school offers full-day child care throughout the year for infants, toddlers and preschoolers in the Palmer Building on the north edge of central campus. It is operated by the human development and family studies department. Enrollment is not limited to families affiliated with Iowa State. The program has been operating on the ISU campus since 1924 and provides hands-on experience for students preparing to be early childhood teachers, administrators, and child and family specialists. It also serves as a research site. Apply online or contact school staff by phone (294-3040) or email for more information.
Virtual spring Honors poster sessions are available now
The University Honors Program invites the campus community to visit its Spring 2021 virtual poster session. The online platform features the capstone research projects of 109 Honors students and spring graduates and includes recorded presentations.
Temporary road closures start May 24
Short sections of several roads in the north part of campus will close Monday, May 24, for summer projects:
- Pammel Drive between Winlock and Morrill roads will close for an anticipated two weeks for the removal of an underground steam tunnel across Pammel to the site of Genetics Lab, which was demolished this spring.
- North University Boulevard between Wallace and Stange roads will close through Sunday, May 30, for concrete road patching. Stange Road south of Pammel Drive will be opened to Osborn Drive as an alternate route. The east entrance to Lot 79 will be open, and the south and east entrances to Lot 39 will be open.
Online training modules assist home-based food operators
ISU Extension and Outreach offers online training in food safety, food preparation and Iowa regulations designed specifically for cottage food producers. The modules, targeting home-based food operators, including farmer's market vendors, are available 24/7 in Moodle, an online learning management system. The registration cost to access them is $35.
Chad Hart will present on carbon markets May 19
The May 19th Conversation About Carbon will feature Chad Hart, professor of economics and ISU Extension crop markets specialist, whose presentation is "Let's Talk About Carbon Markets." It will begin at noon via Zoom, with an audience Q&A beginning around 12:30 p.m. The series is hosted by the Bioeconomy Institute.
Class attendance returns to standard policy this fall
Following discussions among the provost's office, Faculty Senate executive board and the Academic Continuity Working Group, the university will return to its standard policy for class attendance for the 2021-22 academic year, as outlined in chapter 10.4.1 of the Faculty Handbook.
College Creek cleanup is scheduled for June 12
Workday survey results will guide action plans
Some results from the January survey that asked employees to share their first 18 months of experiences with Workday, HR service delivery and finance service delivery were shared in a May 7 WorkCyte summary. For example, employees find self-service functions such as reviewing a payslip, receiving their W-2 electronically and accessing information on their mobile device, easy to use. Employees also find their finance and HR service delivery team members knowledgeable and responsive. At the same time, some employees experience challenges navigating the Workday system and finding information in a format they can use easily.
Workday support teams and finance delivery and human resources staff will use the results to develop action plans over the next few months and set priorities for continuous improvement in Workday functions and employees' experience with them.
Cardinal Women* applications due May 31 for fall cohort
Applications are being accepted online through May 31 for this fall's Cardinal Women, a growth opportunity for faculty and staff who identify as women* or womxn (including individuals who are cisgender, trans, or of trans experience, and individuals who identify as gender non-binary or gender queer who seek this community). Participants will engage in discussions designed to foster leadership, goal orientation and purpose in their personal and professional spheres. The curriculum involves short written and video resources previewed prior to a monthly (August-December) 2-hour gathering that will include large and small group discussions. Topics include identifying and silencing the inner critic, discovering and utilizing your inner mentor, communication style strategies, approaches to negotiation, and how to support and affirm women* in our community. Questions may be directed to Tera Lawson or Denise Williams-Klotz, Cardinal Women co-founders and co-facilitators.
Second-dose clinics announced; J&J vaccine available May 18-19
Employees and students interested in receiving their second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on campus can schedule an appointment for clinics May 12-13 and May 18-20. Appointments are also available May 18-19 for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Testing site, contact tracing operations are shifting
The COVID-19 testing site at Johnny's lounge in Hilton Coliseum will close May 6. On-campus testing for faculty, staff and students will continue to be available this summer at Thielen Student Health Center, though employees are encouraged to seek testing through their health care provider, local pharmacies or Test Iowa. Contact tracing and case investigation for cases of COVID-19 on campus, which have been handled by ISU staff since last summer, will shift soon to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Both changes were announced in a May 5 campus message sent to faculty, staff and students.
No changes to face covering policy, for now
University policy on when and where face coverings must be worn due to the risk of transmitting COVID-19 have not changed, according to a May 5 campus message from President Wendy Wintersteen, chair of the Moving Forward Coordinate Committee John Lawrence and associate vice president for student health and wellness Erin Baldwin. With some specific exceptions, the policy mandates wearing a face covering inside all university buildings and outdoors on university property when in spaces where staying 6 feet from others may not be possible, such as sidewalks and parking lots. Senior leaders are monitoring the situation daily, and their decisions will remain rooted in science-based information and public health guidance, the campus message said. More information about the face covering policy for the fall semester will be released in mid-July.
Sign of the times: Symptom checker will cease May 7
The final Cyclones Care Symptom Checker of the semester will go out Friday morning, May 7. The daily communication -- sent via email or text -- launched last August to remind employees and students to self-check for COVID-19 symptoms before coming to campus or participating in university activities. Even without the daily check, as a good health practice, students, staff and faculty are encouraged to self-monitor for symptoms of illness and stay home if they're sick.
Summer office hours can begin May 10
Units may choose to use summer hours May 10-Aug. 13. During the transition to pre-pandemic levels of campus operations this summer, offices will start to reopen to the public and an increasing number of services will be offered in person. Depending on how that shift develops, the summer hours schedule of 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. with a shorter lunch break may be observed as office hours or an employee's working hours. Summer schedules need to maintain service for students, customers and clients, including summer orientation participants, and support daily operations -- for instance, ongoing research, public service programs, public safety and utilities management. To adopt a summer schedule, units need approval from the appropriate senior leader.
More volunteers needed at State Gym clinic
Additional volunteers are need for nonclinical shifts to operate the State Gym mass vaccination clinic May 11-14 and May 13-18. The times vary and are noted by each day on the signup webpage. Volunteers are need for wayfinding/observation (directing and observing patients while standing) and registration (checking in patients while sitting). Training will be provided at the start of shifts. Faculty, staff, postdocs and graduate assistants should contact their supervisor before signing up. Dates and times are subject to change based on demand. For more information, see the vaccination clinic support webpage.
Innovative teams sought for LEGO competition
ISU teams of two or three students, staff, faculty or alumni are invited to participate in a LEGO™ brick-building challenge during the Iowa State Fair (Aug. 12-22) around the theme of "Innovate at Iowa State." Register your team by June 1, submit your concept by July 1 and then build it during a two-hour time slot during the fair (LEGO™ bricks provided). Five prizes ($500-$3,000) will be awarded.
P&S seminar continues dialogue on DEI efforts
The next event in the Professional and Scientific Council Seminar Series is set for May 11 (2-3 p.m. online). It will continue the dialogue begun during a fall seminar on the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion and feature an update on campus DEI efforts. Panelists are representatives from the office of diversity, equity and inclusion, office of equal opportunity, and ISU Extension and Outreach. To make the most of this session, organizers ask participants to pre-register and submit a question for the panel. All questions may not be answered directly, but the intent is to cover a range of topics.
All seminar series events this spring are livestreamed and the recorded session will be posted in Learn@ISU approximately one week later.
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.
