Announcements
January 2016
Students: Present your research
Students have two opportunities this spring to share their research and gain presentation experience:
- Research in the Capitol (undergraduates from all three Iowa regent universities): March 29 at the Iowa Capitol, Des Moines. Twenty ISU research projects will be selected; projects related to the state's economy, education, culture, population, natural resources, climate, cities and agriculture are particularly welcome. All undergraduate students are eligible.
- ISU Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression: April 5 in the Memorial Union. Undergraduates from all academic disciplines involved in mentored research are eligible.
The application deadline for both events is Feb. 12; individual or small group projects are welcome. The provost's office will hold an informational session for interested students on Jan. 29 (2-3 p.m., 1151 Jischke Building).
Strategic plan comments sought, forums set
If you've got ideas that should be part of the next strategic plan, now's a good time to send them in. Comments submitted by Feb. 10 will be considered by the strategic plan subcommittees as they begin wrapping up reports to the steering committee. The strategic plan draft will be ready for public review in mid-March. Two open forums are planned -- March 31 and April 5.
Caucusing during class time
While Iowa State won't be canceling classes for presidential caucuses, students who want to attend caucuses are encouraged to talk to their instructors.
ISU welcomes dining director, first web accessibility coordinator
Mohamed Ali joined Iowa State as director of ISU Dining on Jan. 11, and Zayira Jordan became ISU's first web accessibility coordinator on Jan. 19.
Campus visits scheduled for EO director finalists
Four finalists have been named in the national search for the next director of the office of equal opportunity. The university community is invited to meet them at open forums in the next few weeks.
Reiman Gardens launches 20-year master plan
Big changes are coming to Reiman Gardens over the next 20 years, including grander gardens, unique water features and a stone amphitheater.
Activities planned for Black History Month
Students and staff in the multicultural student affairs office have compiled a list of February events in recognition of Black History Month.
Free MU parking on caucus night
Caucus goers can park free in the Memorial Union parking ramp on caucus night -- Monday, Feb. 1. Free access to the ramp begins at 5:30 p.m. and continues until caucuses are over. The MU is the site of Democratic and Republican caucuses for several Ames precincts.
Learn how to flip your classroom
Cohort members of the President's Flipped and Hybrid Course Initiative are convening the Flipped Classroom Faculty and Staff Learning Community, which will give faculty, staff, graduate students and postdocs the opportunity to learn how to incorporate flipped classroom strategies into their courses. Meetings are the following Wednesdays (1:10-2:30 p.m., 2015 Morrill):
LOTS of ice cream flavors at today's sale
Members of the Dairy Science Club will sell ice cream Wednesday (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) near the north doors of Lush Auditorium in Kildee Hall. The price is $1. Today's flavors include: vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, triple chocolate, Heath caramel, Butterfinger, Oreo, chocolate Oreo, mint Oreo, and Reeses.
Youth program leader training is Feb. 10
The offices of risk management and conference planning and management, and ISU Extension and Outreach are hosting training for youth program leaders, administrators and student organization officers on Feb. 10 (1-3 p.m., 1155 Administrative Services Building). The training will cover the policies, procedures and forms necessary to conduct youth programs at Iowa State. Preregistration is required. To register, email orm@iastate.edu by Feb. 9.
Register by Feb. 8 for Science Explorations camp
Science Explorations, an after-school camp for girls in third through sixth grades, is accepting registrations for the spring session (4-6 p.m., Fridays beginning Feb. 12 through March 4, Carver Hall). Led by students in the Women in Science and Engineering program, girls will learn about science and engineering through fun, hands-on activities. Register online or by email by Feb. 8.
Comments on VP finalists due Feb. 8
Comments on the three finalists interviewing for the senior vice president for students affairs post are due at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8. Submit comments via this online form. Finalists are: Martino Harmon, associate vice president for student affairs, Iowa State; Lori Reesor, vice president for student affairs, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks; and Al Thompson, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief diversity officer, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Reesor participated in an open forum on Jan. 25. Forums remain for Thompson (Feb. 1, 9 a.m., MU Campanile Room) and Harmon (Feb. 3, 9 a.m., MU Pioneer Room).
Country artist Cam will perform in MU Feb. 28
Tickets are on sale now for a Feb. 28 concert by Grammy-nominee Cam in the Memorial Union Great Hall. The concert begins at 8 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $28 (ISU students with valid ID $18) and available via Midwestix, at the Maintenance Shop box office (lower level of the MU) or by phone, 294-8349 (weekdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.). Additional fees are: $2 service fee (all tickets), $1 per ticket addition on phone orders, 3 percent additional fee on online orders.
Include department name on campus mail
Postal and parcel services (PPS) staff ask all employees to include the recipient's department name on campus mail. PPS uses a network of delivery stations in each building that are organized by department. When pieces of mail don't include a department name, PPS staff set those pieces aside to look up the department for proper delivery. Including the recipient's name, department name and building address expedites campus mail delivery by as much as a day.
Jane Doe
University Human Resources
3230 Beardshear Hall
515 Morrill Road
Learn more about Bessey addition
Facilities planning and management will hold an informational open house about the Bessey Hall addition on Tuesday, Jan. 26 (3:30-5 p.m., Troxel south atrium, presentation at 4:10 p.m. in the Troxel auditorium). Site plans and building floor plans will be available for viewing at the open house. Anyone interested in learning about the phased construction (an 18-month project) is welcome.
Larry Curtis funeral scheduled for Jan. 25
The funeral for former Ames mayor Larry Curtis, who served as an adjunct assistant professor in the accounting department from 1973 through 2013, will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 25, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 2210 Lincoln Way. A visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. (vigil service at 4:30 p.m.) Sunday, also at the church. Curtis died Jan. 21 in Ames. News story.
Birt will present Osborn Club lecture on Feb. 8
Diane Birt, Distinguished Professor of food science and human nutrition, will present "Diet and Cancer: A Body of Research Leading to National Academy Membership" at the next Osborn Club lecture on Feb. 8 (6 p.m., following club member social at 5:30 p.m., Hach Hall atrium). The lecture is free and open to the public. Cost for the social is $20 per person ($10 for students).
Colleges will implement graduation weekend changes this semester
Approved by the deans, the changes are intended to improve both the college and all-university events and better accommodate large numbers of guests. Inside story.
Meet the student health director
Erin Baldwin joined Iowa State on Jan. 4 as director of the Thielen Student Health Center. Inside story.
Climbing on campus
A new bouldering wall, which does not require ropes or harnesses, opened in the Lied Center this month. Recreation services offers three indoor climbing options -- one at Lied and two at State Gym. Inside story.
Nature's colorful display at Reiman Gardens
Color will permeate Reiman Gardens in 2016 with a plethora of exhibits dedicated to nature's wide range of colors. Simply titled Color, the gardens' theme launched Jan. 18 with the opening of "Orangery" in the Hughes Conservatory. Inside story.
A sampling of spring lectures
Mark your calendar with selections from the spring lectures series. Inside story.
Tickets on sale for "The Vagina Monologues"
Tickets are available for three performances of The Vagina Monologues, Feb. 3 (7 p.m.) and Feb. 4 (6 and 9 p.m.). All shows are in the Sun Room, Memorial Union. Advance tickets are $13 ($10 for students), with a $2 increase the day of the show. Tickets are available at the Maintenance Shop box office (11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday), by phone at 294-8349 or via MidwesTIX. Proceeds benefit Ames' Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support (ACCESS) and the 2016 V-Day spotlight campaign. For more information, contact the Margaret Sloss Women's Center, 294-4154.
Reminder: ISU has an ethics hotline
The ISU Compliance and Ethics Hotline allows anyone to anonymously report concerns regarding compliance with laws, regulations and policies at ISU. Get more information on the hotline website. Concerns may be submitted online or by leaving a voice message at 515-294-7119.
You're invited: Dance Marathon is Jan. 22-23
As many as 900 ISU students are participating Friday and Saturday in Iowa State's annual Dance Marathon, which raises awareness and funds for the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. For the second year (due to the large numbers) students will dance in two shifts: 7 p.m. Jan. 22-7 a.m. Jan. 23, and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Jan. 23. Organizers invite faculty and staff to stop in and to donate. Ideal times to visit are during the opening and closing ceremonies (the first and last two hours of each shift).
Tickets on sale for April 24 MKTO performance
Tickets are on sale for the April 24 performance of pop/hip-hop duo MKTO (8 p.m., MU Great Hall). Tickets are $28 ($18 for students) and available at the Maintenence Shop box office in person or by phone (294-8349), weekdays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets also are available online via MidwesTIX. A 3 percent fee is applied to all online purchases and a $1 per-ticket service fee is applied to all phone orders. Tickets also are subject to a $2 MidwesTIX fee.
Registration for E-Letter of Intent training added to Learn@ISU
Registration for Electronic Letter of Intent (eLOI) training sessions now is available on Learn@ISU. Training includes an eLOI system overview, routing, examples and a time for questions. All sessions are in 3150 Beardshear; seating is limited. Session dates and times are:
- Jan. 26 (1-2 p.m.)
- March 23 (11 a.m.-noon)
- May 26 (3-4 p.m.)
- July 26 (1-2 p.m.)
- Sept. 27 (10-11 a.m.)
Contact Chelsey Aisenbrey, 294-3592, with questions.
Today's ice cream flavors are . . .
Celebrate our above-zero temps with a little frosty! The Dairy Science Club will sell ice cream today (Jan. 20) near the north doors of Lush Auditorium in Kildee Hall. Sale hours are 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; cost is $1 per cup. Today's flavors feature: vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, Heath caramel and Butterfinger.
Honors program seeks fall seminar proposals
The University Honors program seeks proposals for fall 2016 Honors seminars -- 1- or 2-credit courses on topics of current or special interest. Seminars, open to all Honors students, are pass/fail, with enrollment usually limited to 17. A grant of $500 per seminar supports the professional development of the instructor(s). Further information, including guidelines and a proposal form , is online. Proposals are due Friday, Feb. 5.
Poster sale runs Jan. 25-29 at the MU
The Student Activities Center is hosting the Memorial Union's annual poster sale Jan. 25-29 (9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Cardinal Room). There are hundreds of poster choices, from art prints and movies to music and pop culture. Most are priced between $8 and $12. Proceeds from the sale support art programs at the Memorial Union.
New faculty-staff affinity group forms
The American Indian Faculty and Staff Council has been added as an affinity group for members of ISU's faculty-staff community who identify as Native American or who are engaged in helping recruit and retain Native faculty, staff and students. Membership and participation includes those who are not tribally enrolled. The current network of faculty-staff diversity associations is online.
Recommend students for team leader post
The office of new student programs is accepting student applications through Feb. 5 for the Destination Iowa State team leader jobs. Team leaders work as part of a team, share their Cyclone pride with new students, develop leadership skills and earn some money. Each team leader mentors and leads a group of 12-15 new students through Destination Iowa State Aug. 16-18, just prior to the start of fall semester. Faculty and staff are asked to encourage strong student candidates to apply. More information, including the application form, is online.
Be a Destination Iowa State team leader
Applications for Destination Iowa State team leaders are due Feb. 5. This leadership position is an excellent way to show your Cyclone pride to new students, be part of a team, develop leadership skills and earn up to $350. Each team leader will mentor and lead a group of 12-15 students throughout the Destination Iowa State experience (Aug. 18-20). In addition to the three days of DI, the time commitment includes two mandatory workshops and completion of an online (Blackboard) course. More information, including the application form, is online. Questions may be directed to Ireta Daniels, new student programs, 294-6660.
Print your own W-2 form by Jan. 25
Employees' W-2 forms for 2015 are available now in AccessPlus (under the employee tab, click on W-2 in the left column). To save university funds, the payroll office encourages employees to print their own W-2 forms for tax filing purposes. Employees who have not printed their own copy by Jan. 25 will receive a paper copy in the mail after Jan. 29.
Nominate excellent student employees by Feb. 5
The Office of Student Financial Aid seeks nominations for ISU's 27th annual Student Employee of the Year award. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 5. The award recognizes a student's reliability, quality of work, initiative, professionalism and unique contributions to the employer. Nominees must be undergraduate students employed on campus part-time for at least six months between June 1, 2015, and May 31, 2016. The nomination form is available online. Contact Julie Arnold, 294-0103, with questions.
Call for entries in juried student art exhibition
The Memorial Union has issued a call for entries for Art Inspired, a juried student art exhibition scheduled for Jan. 29-March 21. Iowa State students of any major may enter up to three entries in any media. The artwork drop-off date for jurying is Tuesday, Jan. 26 (10 a.m.-1 p.m., MU Pioneer Room). Amy Putney Koenig, art director at Sticks Object Art and Furniture, Des Moines, is the juror and will select up to 40 pieces for the exhibition and pick cash award recipients (one $100 Best of Show and three $75 Merit Awards). More information is online.
Summer instructors sought for TAG programs
The early outreach program in the office of admissions seeks faculty, staff and graduate students to teach summer camp courses for talented and gifted (TAG) students entering grades 3-11 this fall. Individuals with a passion for their field of study and the skills to work with elementary, middle or high school students are sought. Program leaders also seek exciting and engaging new classes, particularly in the STEM fields, to add to the program. This is a great opportunity to showcase your department. Instructors are compensated for their time. Course proposals are due Jan. 29. More information, including submission forms, is online. Questions may be directed to program coordinator Tricia Stouder, 294-5689.
Workshop will help PIs manage their award funding
Registration is open for a Feb. 1 workshop, "Managing Your Award," presented by the office of the vice president for research. A panel will give an overview of awards, including types of award requirements and terms, changes that require approval, and federal regulations for grants and cooperative agreements. Panelists also will provide information and answer questions about building a research team, purchasing from external sources, submitting reports and monitoring accounts.
New year, new (and old) scams
It's that time of year when cyber criminals start looking forward to other people's tax refunds. Here are some tips for thwarting identity thieves. Inside story.
Police urge drivers, walkers, bicyclists to look out for each other
Police, volunteers launch SMART campaign along Lincoln Way on the first day of the semester. Inside story.
ISU police: If it doesn't seem right, report it
ISU police would rather investigate dozens of suspicious incidents that turn out to be nothing than miss the one thing that could prevent a tragedy. Here's how we all can help. Inside story.
Library workshop helps personalize NCBI
Registration is open for the library's "Personalizing NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information)" workshop on Jan. 29 (3-4:30 p.m., location available after registration). Learn how to:
- Set up your MyNCBI account
- Personalize NCBI search results
- Create your bibliography
- Create your SciENcv and Biosketch for NIH and NSF grants (with links to grants)
Seating is limited. Preregistration is required. Contact Jody Kalvik, 294-6117, with questions.
Paying tribute to King
Several events this month -- a carillon concert, birthday celebration and talks by writer-activist Alisha Gordon and youth advocate Wes Moore -- honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Inside story.
'One Community' awards announced
A journalism senior, the director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics; and the Black Student Alliance are recipients of the annual Advancing Once Community Awards. The award goes to those who demonstrate commitment to Martin Luther King principles and to creating an inclusive multicultural community at Iowa State. Inside story.
Making way
Industrial Education II is coming down this month to create space for a state-of-the-art biosciences facility on Pammel Drive. Inside story.
E-cigarettes, vape pens added to smoke-free campus policy
Electronic smoking devices, such as e-cigarettes and vape pens, recently were added to the smoke-free campus policy. The policy applies to anyone on campus and covers all vehicles, buildings, property and grounds that are owned, leased or operated by Iowa State. Inside story.
Finalists named in VP for student affairs search
Three finalists for Iowa State’s senior vice president for student affairs post will visit campus in late January and early February. The finalists are: Martino Harmon, Iowa State's associate vice president for student affairs; Lori Reesor, vice president for student affairs, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks; and Al Thompson, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief diversity officer, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Each candidate will participate in a one-hour public forum in the Memorial Union. Reesor's forum is Jan. 25, 9 a.m., Pioneer Room. Thompson's forum is Feb. 1, 9 a.m., Campanile Room. Harmon's forum is Feb. 3, 9 a.m., Pioneer Room. More about the finalists.
University relations moves to Kingland Building
On Jan. 8, the office of university relations relocated to the new Kingland office building in Campustown, at the corner of Lincoln Way and Welch Avenue. University relations is housed on the second floor, along with the Iowa State Daily and the ISU Foundation's phone center. Three more Iowa State offices -- institutional research, responsible research and research integrity -- will join them on the second floor later this semester.
University relations includes news service, the Inside Iowa State staff, university photographer Chris Gannon and university videographer Dave Olson. Phone numbers for university relations employees remain the same. The department's new mailing address is:
[Name of staff member]
University Relations
2420 Lincoln Way, Suite 201
Ames, Iowa 50014-8340
Communications center serves grad students, postdocs
The Graduate College has established a new Center for Communication Excellence for graduate students and postdocs. The center offers written and oral communication support. Services include individual consultations with disciplinary, interdisciplinary and English writing consultants who assist with theses, dissertations, journal articles, research proposals and conference papers; graduate peer review groups, and seminars and workshops. For more information, contact Elena Cotos.
Use caution around north side construction site
The demolition of Industrial Education II at the corner of Stange Road and Pammel Drive, going on now, will give way to construction of the Advanced Teaching and Research Building. Both will impact vehicle and pedestrian movement in the area, including:
- Drivers will have access to parking lot 35 (north of this site) only from Stange Road.
- Drivers parking in lot 35 should use the north/south sidewalk along the west side of Stange Road to get to campus and avoid using Winlock Road, which will contain construction traffic.
- Former parking lot 34, along the west side of the site, has been closed. This summer, another lot will be constructed north of the Insectary.
- The east-west sidewalk on the north side of Pammel Drive is inside the construction fence and will be unavailable for use throughout the demolition and construction.
Last days to get your Madrigal Dinner tickets
Tickets still are available for both nights (Friday-Saturday, Jan. 15-16) of Iowa State's Madrigal Dinner in the Memorial Union Great Hall. A social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner served at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, $47 ($43 for ISU students, seniors and groups of 10 or more), are available in the MU ticket office, online via Midwestix or by phone, 294-8349. Ticket sales end at noon Wednesday (Jan. 13) for the Friday performance and at noon Thursday (Jan. 14) for the Saturday performance. There will be no day-of-event sales.
Study Abroad Fair is Jan. 21
The Study Abroad Center will host a Study Abroad fair on Thursday, Jan. 21 (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., MU Great Hall).
Ali named dining director
Iowa State's new dining director Mohamed Ali started his new post as ISU dining director this week. He oversees university dining centers, retail operations, catering, vending and central food stores. Inside story.
GIS facility seeks volunteers for Jan. 18 service event
The geographic information systems (GIS) facility is holding a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event on Jan. 18 (10 a.m.-noon; 1-3 p.m., 206 Durham). Volunteers will help create crowd-sourced maps of the world to help with disaster relief efforts. All are invited to participate; no experience is required. Lunch is provided. More information is available online. Register by Jan. 15 with your name, session preference, your computer needs and pizza preference.
Comfort Zone for kids reopens Jan. 11
The Comfort Zone is a "get-well" center for mildly ill children -- infants through fifth grade -- who are cared for by a registered nurse and professional child care staff. Preregistration is required to bring your child(ren) there. More information, including registration forms, is available online or by emailing czone@iastate.edu. Located north of campus at 100 University Village, The Comfort Zone reopens Jan. 11.
Preschool programs at UCC have openings
Two preschool programs at University Community Childcare, located north of campus on Stange Road, have openings for 2 1/2- to 5-year-old children. Children may enroll two, three or five full or partial days per week. If your child was 4 years old on or before Sept. 15, 2015, you may be eligible for 10 free hours of preschool. A sliding fee scale is available for qualified families. For more information or to register a child, contact UCC via email or phone, 294-9838.
New location for Blackboard technical support website
Last summer, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) and information technology announced a new model for Blackboard support for instructors, in which IT took over technical support for Blackboard while CELT continued to provide pedagogical support. Starting tomorrow, the Blackboard technical support web site will move to a new URL at http://support.bb.its.iastate.edu. This content had previously been housed under the CELT web site but was moved in the final phase of the transition to the new Blackboard support model. As a reminder, instructors have five options to access Blackboard support:
- Contact CELT for questions that are pedagogical in nature, such as course design or instructional practices
- Visit http://support.bb.its.iastate.edu for links to common help topic articles, web-based help request forms and an RSS news feed
- Email solution@iastate.edu
- Phone the Solution Center at (515) 294-4000
- Visit the Solution Center in 195 Durham Center
Youth program leader training is Jan. 19
The offices of risk management and conference planning and management, and ISU Extension and Outreach are hosting training for youth program leaders, administrators and student organization officers on Jan. 19 (9-11 a.m., 1020 Extension 4-H Building). The training will cover the policies, procedures and forms necessary to conduct youth programs at Iowa State. Preregistration is required. To register, email orm@iastate.edu by Jan. 18.
Toth will present Osborn Club lecture on Jan. 11
Amy Toth, assistant professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology and entomology, will present "A More Perfect Union: Lessons in Cooperative Behavior from Social Insects" at the next public Osborn Club lecture on Monday, Jan. 11 (6 p.m., Hach Hall atrium, following club member social).
Transportation Services' dispatch office has moved
On Monday, Jan. 4, Transportation Services' dispatch office opened across the parking lot in its mechanics building on Haber Road. All functions of transportation services -- maintenance, vehicle pick-ups and drop-offs, and more -- will now happen with greater efficiency from one building. The after-hours key drop box also moves to a location outside the renamed Transportation Services Building. Office hours will remain unchanged (6:15 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday thru Friday). Questions may be directed to transportation services manager Kathy Wellik, 294-1657.
Interims appointed to dean of students, MU director posts
Keith Robinder and Corey Williamson have been appointed to interim posts, serving as dean of students and director of the Memorial Union, respectively. Robinder, associate dean of students, will assume the interim dean of students role on Jan. 14. Williamson, associate director of the MU, stepped in as interim director on Jan. 1. Current dean of students Pamela Anthony accepted a vice president for student affairs position at Southern Methodist University, Dallas; and Memorial Union director Richard Reynolds retired on Dec. 31.
