Announcements
April 2022
Spaces remain in summer fitness program for elementary students
Spaces remain in the kinesiology department's eight-week Summer Youth Fitness Program, afternoons June 6 to July 29 (no class July 1 and 4 for the Independence Day weekend). The program is for students entering kindergarten this fall through those completing 6th grade this spring. Physical education and elementary education majors, and graduate students in the department lead sports and physical activities, indoors and out.
Art Mart at the MU is May 11-13
The ISU Gaffers's Guild and The Workspace are hosting an art pop-up shop Wednesday-Friday, May 11-13, in the MU art gallery, opposite the food court. Choose from jewelry and accessories, blown glass, prints and pottery created by campus artists. Hours are 4-8 p.m. May 11, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. May 12, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 13.
ISU adds chapter of national entrepreneurship honor society
Iowa State has launched a chapter of the national Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society, the society's 41st chapter. Students eligible for the honor society must be an entrepreneurship major or minor; be a junior, senior or graduate student; and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2 (3.5 for graduate students). Sigma Nu Tau is the only honor society devoted to entrepreneurship.
COVID-19: By the numbers
For the week that ended April 24, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 11.43% (4 of 35 tests completed), up from 8.7% a week earlier. Testing reflects both symptomatic students and student-athletes following NCAA testing protocols. The vaccination rate among Story County residents at least 5 years old rose to 66.1% as of April 27. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
SHOP seeks finals week, summer volunteers among faculty, staff
Student leaders of SHOP, the campus food pantry that serves students in 1306 Beyer, are seeking faculty and staff help to keep SHOP open during prep week, finals week and the summer (through Friday, Aug. 19). Scheduled service hours are noon-8 p.m. Tuesdays, 2-7 p.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays. Additional shifts are available for assistance with food deliveries and stocking. University employees are invited to volunteer in one-hour increments on the signup site. Volunteers will receive an email with details about volunteer duties prior to their first shift.
Library open continuously during finals week, therapy dogs return for prep week
Parks Library staff announce the return of a few end-of-semester services this spring. During finals week, Parks will be open around the clock Monday-Thursday, May 9-12. Barks@Parks returns prep week; follow the paw prints on the floor Monday-Friday, May 2-6 (noon-3 p.m. daily).
Reiman Gardens' plant sale is May 7-8
Reiman Gardens will open its spring plant sale to the public Saturday, May 7 (9 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Sunday, May 8 (10 a.m.-3 p.m.), in the gardens' parking lot, rain or shine. Garden members have earlier access to the sale, which includes perennials for sun and shade; herbs; vegetables; Iowa natives; woody plants including trees, shrubs and Buck roses; specialty evergreens; container annuals; hanging baskets and prefinished mixed containers. Accepted forms of payment are credit card, check and cash. Gardens admission is not required to shop at the plant sale.
Classrooms reserved for evening study during prep week
ISU's room scheduling team has designated 10 general university classrooms as evening study rooms for students during prep week, May 2-6 (5:30-11 p.m.). The buildings and rooms are:
- Carver 0282, 0290
- Pearson 3119, 3143
- Physics 0056
- Ross 0024, 0027, 0031, 0125, 0131
Direct pay to participating providers available via dependent flex
ASIFlex, the company that administers Iowa State's health care and dependent care assistance flexible spending accounts, has added a new service to dependent care flex accounts, allowing account holders to set up direct recurring payments to participating child care providers. Direct payment is free and convenient, as it eliminates the typical reimbursement claim process. Any remaining child care fees not covered by available dependent care flex funds are paid from the account holder's bank account.
Currently, the only participating Ames provider is the ISU Child Care Center at Vet Med, an ISU-affiliated center operated by Bright Horizons. Several centers in the Des Moines metro area are participating, including the KinderCare chain. Parents interested in the service can ask their provider to sign up with ASIFlex. For more information or to sign up, log in to your ASIFlex account and click on "Schedule a Recurring Direct Payment" link on the home page.
Honors poster presentation, convocation is May 4
The university community is invited to the spring Honors poster presentation on Wednesday, May 4 (3-5 p.m., MU Great Hall, followed by a reception). Spring 2022 Honors graduates, as well as other Honors students, will be present to speak with individuals interested in their projects and answer questions. The annual Honors convocation will begin at 5:45 p.m. in the MU Sun Room.
Faculty-Staff Inspiration Awards to honor five May 20
Five current or former faculty and staff will be recognized with a Faculty-Staff Inspiration Award at a May 20 reception:
- Dr. Rachel Allbaugh, associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences and Lora and Russ Talbot Endowed Professor in Veterinary Medicine
- Raluca Cozma, former associate professor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
- Ann Gansemer-Topf, associate professor, School of Education
- Pat Miller, director of lectures program (posthumous)
- Peter Orazem, University Professor of economics
Biographies for this year's recipients and a list of previous winners are online. Register by noon on May 13 to attend the 5:30 p.m. reception in the ISU Alumni Center's Reiman Ballroom. The alumni association established the inspiration award in 2011 to provide former ISU students a way to recognize ISU faculty or staff who had a significant influence on their lives.
COVID-19: By the numbers
For the week that ended April 17, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 8.7% (4 of 46 tests completed), down from 11.63% a week earlier. Testing reflects both symptomatic students and student-athletes following NCAA testing protocols. The vaccination rate among Story County residents at least 5 years old is at 66% as of April 20. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
ISU soccer sets camp schedule
The ISU soccer program will hold two types of camps this summer: Youth camps for all players at any level entering kindergarten through 8th grade this fall and half-day ID camps for competitive female players who will be in high school this fall. The youth camps will be June 27-29 at the RecPlex in Des Moines and July 11-15 at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center fields. The ID camps are at the Cyclone Sports Complex on June 5 and July 23. More information, including fees and registration, is on the camp website. Questions may be directed to assistant soccer coach Maddie Dobyns.
View Iowa State's episode of 'The College Tour'
The Iowa State episode of "The College Tour," filmed on campus last October, is now on the tour's website, and will start streaming on Amazon Prime and other streaming services the first week of May. A series designed for prospective college students, each episode tells a single college or university's story through the lens of its students, faculty and staff. The Iowa State tour stars 17 ISU students and human development and family studies professor Jonathan Fox, selected through an audition process. It highlights Iowa State's six undergraduate colleges and many aspects of student life and support for students. View it as one 54-minute video, or watch one of 19 segments, each two to three minutes long.
Applications due May 23 for Regents Innovation Fund
The economic development and industry relations office is now accepting applications for Regents Innovation Fund proposals for fiscal year 2023. The fund supports university innovations with potential to help create or grow Iowa companies. Funding is available at a wide range of development stages, including initial research (prior to intellectual property disclosure), proof of concept, and licensing and commercialization. The application deadline is May 23. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact ISU Startup Factory director Peter Hong to discuss their idea before beginning the application process.
Food drive for United Way is April 25-May 5
Iowa State will participate in the United Way of Story County's 2022 Live United Food Drive April 25-May 5. List of in-demand items. There are drop-off locations in more than 30 academic buildings and all residence buildings. Donations will benefit The S.H.O.P. student-operated pantry in Beyer Hall and more than 20 other local pantries. Cash donations can be made online or via Venmo.
New ombuds is on the job
University ombuds Laura Smythe started on Monday, April 18, and can be reached at ombuds@iastate.edu or lsmythe@iastate.edu, or by phone at 515-450-7186. Smythe formerly served as university ombuds for the University of Idaho's four campuses. Primarily due to Ames housing reasons, she will work remotely through July. Smythe will coordinate with the staff at MWI, the Boston-based firm that provided ombuds services since August 2020, to transition all cases to the university office.
Arrange for reserve library materials for summer, fall
Instructors who wish to place required materials on reserve in the University Library for summer term or fall semester should submit requests now.
Distinguished awards program is April 29
Help celebrate the recipients of the university's highest awards at the annual Distinguished Awards Celebration Friday, April 29 (2 p.m., MU Sun Room). The ceremony is open to the public and a reception will follow. Details about the awards for alumni and friends presented through the ISU Alumni Association and ISU Foundation, as well as livestream information, is online.
Inside Iowa State shares summer schedule
Inside Iowa State will move to a biweekly publication cycle for the summer months, beginning in mid-May. The weekly (Thursday) schedule will be followed through May 12, final exam week, and resume Aug. 18, the week before fall semester begins. Planned publication Thursdays during summer session are:
- May 26
- June 9, 23
- July 7, 21
- Aug. 4
The submission deadline for announcements, retirements, receptions and awards remains noon Wednesday before publication dates.
Help the library on its website redesign
University library plans a website redesign and seeks input from the campus community. It takes less than 10 minutes and responses are anonymous. Take the survey.
Life celebration for Joanna Courtea is April 30
After pandemic delays, her family will host a life celebration for Joanna Courteau, former University Professor of Spanish and Portuguese, on Saturday, April 30 (11 a.m., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames, 1015 Hyland Ave.). It will be livestreamed (see calendar entries at end of page). The celebration will include time for sharing stories and memories; food will be provided afterwards. Courteau, a member of the ISU faculty from 1971 to her retirement in 2007, died July 5, 2020, in Ann Arbor after a brief illness. Obituary.
In her home, Courteau created a mosaic across the kitchen and dining room walls with postcards sent by her traveling friends. Her family invites guests to bring a postcard on which they've shared a memory or message, and will have a selection to choose from to make one at the celebration.
Several pandemic-related programs expire this summer
Three employee program changes put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic will sunset this summer:
- June 30: State Board of Regents' waiver of the state's 780-hour limit for temporary employees in a single fiscal year. All temporary hours reset on July 1.
- June 30: State Board of Regents' additional sick time for COVID-19-related absences (80 hours/year for regular employees and 20 hours/year for hourly student, temporary and seasonal employees)
- Aug. 5: Iowa State's protocols for immunocompromised faculty and staff that allows them to work remotely up to full-time. Current, approved agreements will end on this date. Some immunocompromised faculty and staff may qualify for workplace accommodations under the Americans with Disability Act.
Recycle electronics on April 26
An e-waste recycling event for federal, state and local employees, sponsored by the Iowa DOT, will be held Tuesday morning, April 26 (7 a.m.-12:30 p.m., south of the DOT Buildings and Grounds Shop on S. Fourth Street, enter via S. Oak Avenue). If it rains, the event will be postponed to April 27. Some electronics will be accepted for free; others have a fee. Accepted payment forms are cash (exact amount appreciated) or check (payable to A-Tec Recycling).
- No fee: Laptop, cell phone, CPU/server, mouse, keyboard, handheld game, video game, DVD player, miscellaneous cords
- $5 fee: Sack of batteries, battery backup, printer, fax machine, phone system, copier, main frame, router
- $20-$60 fee: Monitor, television (based on dimensions, from 20" or less to console/projection size)
COVID-19: By the numbers
For the week that ended April 10, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 11.63% (5 of 43 tests completed), up from 4.88% a week earlier. Testing reflects both symptomatic students and student-athletes following NCAA testing protocols. The vaccination rate among Story County residents at least 5 years of age rose to 66% as of April 13. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
Tickets on sale Friday for ABBA tribute show
Mania, a tribute band for Swedish pop act ABBA, will perform on campus Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023 (8 p.m., Stephens Auditorium). Tickets are $27.50-$64.50 plus fees and go on sales 10 a.m. Friday, April 15, via Ticketmaster or in person at the Stephens Auditorium ticket office (11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays).
Application window open for next Cardinal Women* class
Applications are being accepted online through June 15 for Cardinal Women*, a growth opportunity for women who are ISU faculty and staff. Participants will engage in discussions designed to foster leadership development, goal orientation and purpose in their personal and professional spheres. The curriculum involves a monthly two-hour gathering for large and small group discussion and short written or video resources viewed in advance. 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 each other in our community. Questions can be directed to co-facilitators Tera Lawson or Denise Williams-Klotz.
* This includes women who are cisgender, trans, of trans experience, etc. We also welcome individuals who identify as gender non-binary or gender queer.
Instructors: Submit class materials lists (and no-lists, too) to bookstore
Faculty who will teach a summer session or fall semester course are asked to submit all materials needed for class, such as textbooks, courseware, e-books, course packets, manuals, Top Hat and other subscriptions, and supplies (design, lab, PPE, technology, etc.) as soon as their teaching assignment is confirmed. Include courses for which there are no textbook requirements or open educational resources (OER) will be used. And remember the bookstore's Immediate Access program -- no physical books, no access codes; the
Bookstore staff find the most affordable course materials from array of options, including digital, rental, loose-leaf, used and a textbook price comparison tool. The bookstore staff also works collaboratively with university librarians to find new OER options to alleviate the cost of course materials for students.
Reiman Gardens extends hours for tulip viewing
Reiman Gardens will remain open through 8 p.m. six evenings this spring to give visitors additional time to enjoy the tulips and other spring blossoms. Evening hours will be in effect Thursday-Saturday April 21-23 and April 28-30. The conservatory and gift shop will be open until 7:30 p.m. on these evenings, but the butterfly wing will close as usual at 4:30 p.m. Normal admission prices apply (free for members and ISU students with IDs.)
Top Hat certification training for instructors is next week
All instructors are invited to participate in Top Hat training April 20-21 in Morrill Hall. Two levels of certification (three sessions each) will be offered, along with demonstrations and discussions with Top Hat representatives. Additionally, hear from innovative Iowa State faculty members who use Top Hat in their classrooms. More information, including registration and descriptions of the six sessions and the certifications, is online. Registration closes at 7 p.m. April 19.
ISU Extension and Outreach Week celebrates volunteers
ISU Extension and Outreach Week is April 18-23. Iowa's 100 county extension offices will host activities throughout the week to thank volunteers who contribute their time to extension education efforts throughout the state.
Learn about The Conversation's diversity initiative
Faculty interested in learning more about The Conversation's diversity initiative are invited to a virtual information session on Thursday, April 28 (noon-1 p.m.). Iowa State supports this initiative, which is designed to help make experts who inform the public look more like America as a whole. Editors will give a short introduction to The Conversation's model, including how they work with academics to produce stories. In 2021, 98 stories published by ISU scholars on The Conversation website received more than 1.5 million total reads. Register for the session.
New P&S Council election runs through April 15
The election to seat the 2022-23 Professional and Scientific Council is back on this week after being postponed due to a technical glitch.
All votes cast during the original election in March have been canceled. P&S staff, who elect representatives to the council from their division, must vote again to have their choices counted. See the biographies of nominees online.
Voting will be opening through Friday, April 15 at 5 p.m. The vote is being conducted online, via Google Forms. Click on this link to cast a vote. Staff must be sign into Google with their net ID to vote. The form will not open for users signed into a personal Google account unaffiliated with their net ID.
Election results will be announced at the council's May meeting, and new members will be seated follow the council's June meeting.
2021 CYtation Award recipients honored
Forty-one employees -- 16 individuals and four teams -- received the 2021 Professional & Scientific Council CYtation Award for their outstanding work. The awards recognize P&S employees who go above and beyond the call of duty; do something extraordinarily well; and act in such a way as to make a real difference in the institution. Individual awards recognize an achievement in the last two years. Team nominations recognize achievement within the last year. CYtation Award recipients receive a certificate and a gift donated by one of P&S Council's ISU partners: Athletics department, ISU Book Store or Reiman Gardens. Summaries and photos are online.
Woodin CYtation Award
- Heather Paris, finance services, division of operations and finance
Outstanding New Professional and Scientific Council Member CYtation Award
- Sarah Larkin, ISU Extension and Outreach
CYtation Award
- Bill Beach, college relations, College of Engineering
- Valyn Bodensteiner, 4-H youth development, ISU Extension and Outreach
- Spencer Braly, audiovisual experience team, IT services
- Alisha Carroll, alumni relations, civil, construction and environmental engineering
- Ana Clymer, Child Welfare Research and Training Project
- Keara Doocy, TRIO Student Support Services
- Alison Doyle, ISU Research Park
- Danise Jones, graduate student services, genetics, development and cell biology
- Zoe Kiefer, animal science
- Beth Minner, Grants Hub, office of the vice president for research
- Tiffany Schieffer, Child Development Laboratory School
- Stephanie Schoeller, finance service delivery
- Huigang Shen, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
- Matt Shriver, utilities enterprise, facilities planning and management
CYtation Team Award
- Audiovisual experience team, IT services: Spencer Braly, Dan Brauer, Phil Kuhlman, Mike Pedersen, Rusty Pidsosny, Shane Sparks, Casey Weldon
- CARES pre-award team, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Kerri Bilsten, Ásrún Ýr Kristmundsdóttir, Kendra Lee, Natalia Rogovska, Lisa Stephany, Wenli Su, Mandy Voyek, Seth Wilmes, Kelly Yohnke
- Operations team, finance service delivery: Dave Baker, Stephanie Schoeller, Bonnie Tinker
- International student Canvas course team, International Students and Scholars Collaborative: Alejandra Flores Renteria (LAS College), Joyce Lai and Santos Nunez (Engineering College), David Sappenfield: International Students and Scholars office, Melody Schobert (Ivy Business College), Meng Xiao (Graduate College)
Comedian Charlie Berens will have October show at Stephens
Charlie Berens, an Emmy-winning journalist, comedian, host and creator of the Manitowoc Minute "news" videos, will perform on campus Saturday, Oct. 29 (8 p.m., Stephens Auditorium). The show is suitable for all ages. Tickets, $25-$45 plus fees, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, April 15, via Ticketmaster or in person at the Stephens Auditorium ticket office (11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays).
Basket sale at the Workspace benefits Ugandan artists
The Workspace, with the Uganda Alliance Club, is hosting a pop-up basket sale through April 23 (2-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Workspace, Memorial Union east basement). Baskets were created by members of the Tusubila ("hope") Crafts Group in Kamuli, Uganda, and sell for $10-$25. Baskets are made with dried raffia and banana leaves, and sale proceeds directly support a female artist family's food, school fee and other needs. The Uganda Alliance Club was started by students studying abroad through ISU's Uganda program who witnessed a limited market for the baskets locally.
Celebration of life for Gregory Palermo scheduled for April 25
The College of Design will host a public celebration of life for former faculty member Gregory Palermo on Monday, April 25 (4-6 p.m., Hunziker House, Reiman Gardens). Palermo, professor emeritus of architecture, died March 20 in Ames. He was 75. He served on the architecture faculty from 1992 until his retirement in 2017, and prior to joining the faculty, he worked in an architectural practice full time for more than 20 years. A private funeral service on April 13 (3 p.m.) will be livestreamed. Memorial contributions may be made to the ISU Palermo and Madison Architecture Travel Scholarship or their joint scholarship in architecture, either online or via mail: ISU Foundation, PO Box 2230, Ames, IA 50010-2230. Obituary.
Exemplary faculty mentors honored
Congratulations to 10 faculty members who received the 2022 Exemplary Faculty Mentor Award and were honored at a March 23 ceremony. The award recognizes faculty mentors who go above and beyond the formal expectations of the university's faculty mentoring program. Recipients are nominated by their mentees.
- Karin Allenspach-Jorn, veterinary clinical sciences
- Julia Dominguez, world languages and cultures
- Heidi Hohmann, landscape architecture
- Elisabeth Huff-Lonergan, animal science
- Aileen Keating, animal science
- Leonor Leandro, plant pathology and microbiology
- Steve Martin, materials science and engineering
- Margaret Mook, world languages and cultures, classical studies
- Jay Newell, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
- Joseph Sebranek, animal science
Scamper run set for April 30
Registration is open for the 2022 SAVMA Scamper 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, April 30 (10 a.m., College of Veterinary Medicine). Runners are encouraged to race with their dog (rabies certificate required for animals). Registration is $20 for current Iowa State students, faculty and staff ($25 for all others) and includes a T-shirt while supplies last. Proceeds will support local animal shelters and rescues as well as raise community awareness about the One Health mission.
COVID 19: By the numbers
For the week that ended April 3, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 4.88% (2 of 41 tests completed), down from 6.56% a week earlier. Testing reflects both symptomatic students and student-athletes following NCAA testing protocols. The vaccination rate among Story County residents at least 5 years of age rose to 65.9% as of April 6. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
New P&S election planned due to tech issue
The Professional and Scientific Council executive committee decided to suspend the council election held in late March and hold a new election due to technology issues that made the results unreliable. The initial election to seat council members for the 2022-23 academic year was conducted via online voting March 21-27. Council will discuss the new election at its April 7 meeting and share an update when it's available. Nominees for the 2022-23 council are listed online. New members are seated at the council's June meeting.
Nominations sought for Research Collaboration Catalysts
The Grants Hub and office of the vice president for research seek nominations for the 2022-23 Research Collaboration Catalysts program, designed to train the university's next generation of interdisciplinary research team leaders. The program is based on Team Science principles, and participating faculty will use evidence-based training, tools and resources to develop leadership skills and learn how to manage challenges specific to interdisciplinary research. It's open to tenure-eligible and research term faculty who have demonstrated potential to lead high-impact interdisciplinary research teams. Nominations are due May 13, and interested candidates are encouraged to discuss their potential nomination with their supervisors. More information, including nomination instructions, is online in CyBox.
Extended-loan library materials can be renewed April 12
ISU library materials (books, journals, DVDs, etc.) that were borrowed on "extended loan" and due May 13 can be renewed beginning Tuesday, April 12. Renewals are now limited to three years, and materials checked out for three years must be returned to any of the university libraries: Parks, Veterinary Medicine or the Design Reading Room. Renewals can be completed three ways.
Register your unit or student org for Destination Iowa State picnic in August
Registration is open for all university departments and recognized clubs and organizations in good standing that want to participate in Destination Iowa State's "Center for Excytment" picnic on Aug. 18 (3:30-7:30 p.m., lot C-2, south of Hilton Coliseum). This is an opportunity to showcase your department or the student clubs you advise to 4,000+ new students. Register online. Questions may be directed to Jordan Baumgardner, new student programs, 515-294-5714.
Wedding expo at the MU is April 24
The Memorial Union's fourth annual wedding expo will be held Sunday, April 24 (1-3 p.m., MU Great Hall). Meet wedding service vendors, get ideas and receive expo-exclusive discounts and giveaways. General admission is free; a $10 VIP ticket provides complimentary cocktail/non-alcoholic beverage, swag bag, early admission and the chance to win exclusive giveaways.
Celebrate your student employees April 11-15
National Student Employment Week, April 11-15, is a chance for the Iowa State community to reflect on the impact of our student employees. Nearly one-third of Iowa State students work on campus. The office of student financial aid is offering workshops, trivia, free food and prizes for student employees. Please encourage your student employees to participate in the week's activities. A supervisors tool kit provides more ideas -- templates, thank you's -- for how to celebrate your student employees.
Campus walk will raise awareness, funds for suicide prevention
Student Counseling Services is partnering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to bring the "Out of the Darkness" 4K campus walk to Iowa State on Saturday, April 30 (10 a.m., start from the south campanile lawn, registration opens at 9:30 a.m.). Walkers raise funds to bring awareness to suicide, honor friends or family lost to suicide or support those struggling with depression. The ISU goal is $5,000. Register for the 4K walk or donate online. Weather updates will be posted on the event's Facebook page.
