Announcements
December 2024
Recycle holiday or unused cards through Jan. 15
As in past years, the Office of Sustainability and ISU Recycling Services will partner to collect the fronts from used holiday cards (and any greeting cards), as well as any new, unused cards with or without envelopes to support St. Jude's Ranch for Children's recycled card program. Please note: The program can't accept Hallmark, Disney or American Greetings products. A collection box will be available Dec. 23-Jan. 15 near the key desk in General Services Building. Card fronts and unused cards and envelopes also can be sent via campus mail to Steve Kohtz, 152 General Services. Contact Merry Rankin, 515-294-5052, or Steve Kohtz, 515-766-0877, with questions.
Art museums closing for winter exhibition changes
University museums' Brunnier Art Museum, Farm House Museum and Christian Petersen Art Museum all are closed for exhibition changes from Dec. 23 through Jan. 20, 2025 (the Petersen museum in Morrill Hall will close at 2 p.m. on Dec. 20). Public hours at each museum will resume Jan. 21, the first day of spring semester.
Register for laboratory safety workshop in January
Environmental Health and Safety will host an in-person workshop on Jan. 8, 10, 14 and 16 for on-campus laboratory workers, including faculty, staff and students (graduate and undergraduate). Participants receive hands-on experience on topics such as hazardous waste disposal, chemical storage and spill cleanup; and a Regulated Materials Facility tour. Before attending, learners must complete the Safety Data Sheets online training (30 minutes).
Registration open for spring physical activity kids program
Registration is open for the spring session of Iowa State KIN Kids, an after-school program for Ames-area children ages 4-12 years that focuses on physical activity and meets in the Forker Building. The 10-week program is led by pre-service teachers who are earning a degree in kinesiology with a focus in physical education licensure. The program meets Tuesdays and Thursdays Feb. 11-April 25; (drop-off at 3:45-4 p.m. and pick-up at 5:15-5:30 p.m.). The cost is $50 per child. Contact associate teaching professor of kinesiology Jenny Smith for more information, including registration. Formerly known as Swim and Gym, the program no longer includes swimming since the Forker pool's closure in 2024.
Donate a used musical instrument at Stephens Auditorium
Through Dec. 23, Stephens Auditorium staff are hosting a used musical instrument drive to benefit the students in band/music programs at area schools. Instruments that can be hand carried (no pianos, please) can be brought to Stephens during December shows or during Stephens ticket office hours (11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday). Instruments requiring minor repair or parts replacement are acceptable. Last year's drive collected 60 instruments that were distributed among eight area school districts. For more information about this instrument collection drive, email perform@iastate.edu or call 515-294-2479.
Business dean nominations requested by Jan. 6
Nominations and applications for Iowa State's next Raisbeck Endowed Dean of the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business should be submitted by Jan. 6, 2025, to the Buffkin/Baker search firm at isuivydean@buffkinbaker.com. Applications should include a cover letter, CV and three references. Preliminary screening of candidates is expected to begin shortly thereafter. More information about the search is available on the provost's office website.
Reminder: Winery's holiday sale closes soon
Dec. 19 is final Inside of the semester
Inside Iowa State will publish its final fall semester edition on Dec. 19 and take a hiatus for the Christmas and New Year holidays. The first edition of 2025 will post on Jan. 9.
Digital accessibility team hosts monthly training
The information technology services digital accessibility team will host the second in a series of monthly Siteimprove webinars on Thursday, Dec. 12 (10 a.m., register online).
The schedule is (all webinars begin at 10 a.m.):
- Dec.12: What's your top five? Identifying and fixing issues
- Jan. 16, 2025: Making accessibility perceivable: Unveiling the WCAG principle 1 framework
- Feb. 13: Keep it moving: Navigating WCAG principle 2 for an operable web
- March 13: Making sense of accessibility: Mastering WCAG principle 3 for understandable design
- April 17: Built to last: Ensuring robust accessibility with WCAG principle 4
- May 15: Perfecting PDFs: Unlocking accessibility with Siteimprove tools
Each session will conclude with a 15-minute Q&A. A captioned recording and transcript will be provided after each session. To request disability accommodations, or for additional questions or support, email digitalaccess@iastate.edu.
Help keep the SHOP pantry open during winter break
SHOP food pantry is in need of faculty and staff volunteers during prep and finals weeks and throughout winter break. The food pantry in Beyer Hall is open afternoon hours Mondays through Wednesdays (Monday only the weeks of Christmas and New Year's Day). Use the SignUp Genius site to select your shifts. First-time volunteers: An orientation module has been created for you in Canvas (also accessible from the sign-up site).
Two-day GIS course offered Jan. 16-17
Staff in ISU Extension and Outreach's community and economic development unit are hosting a two-day course on a geographic information system (GIS), Essentials of ArcGIS Pro, Jan. 16-17, 2025 (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily, Economic Development Core Facility, ISU Research Park). New and experienced GIS users are welcome. Participants will explore the new features in Esri's ArcGIS Pro software suite and learn about making maps with geospatial data, mapping data from tables, querying datasets and displaying, projecting and editing data. The price is $600/person ($300 for ISU staff, students and faculty). Online registration closes Jan. 10. Questions may be directed to Bailey Hanson.
Volunteers sought to assist at Dec. 21 commencement
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10-11 a.m.
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1-2 p.m.
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3-4 p.m.
Reminder: Okta dashboard turns off Dec. 9
On Monday, Dec. 9, IT Services will turn off the old Okta dashboard, and university employees and students no longer will have access to university apps at iastate.okta.com, including passwords to their apps. All users should be using the new Microsoft sign-on dashboard (login.iastate.edu) to sign in. If necessary, remember to update any browser bookmarks.
Before Dec. 9, users should record any passwords (other than their primary ISU password) for apps or sites that weren't transferred from Okta to the Microsoft sign-on dashboard. For example, ISU benefits apps (such as MyWellmark), as well as any personal apps or sites were not transferred to the Microsoft sign-on dashboard. Employees received an email reminder with instructions Dec. 3; questions may be directed to the IT Solution Center or the project team.
Share your thoughts on Ames transportation needs
An online open house for Ames Connect 2050, the Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's next area transportation plan, closes on Friday, Dec. 6. The online open house has information about the plan and includes multiple ways to provide comments, including an interactive comment map and a survey. University staff are participating in the process as members of the planning organization's technical and policy committees.
Volunteers still sought for prep week kickoff event
The division of student affairs will host the second iteration of Cy's Finals Frenzy this Sunday-Tuesday, Dec. 8-10. This once-a-semester event promotes healthy study habits and personal wellness as students prepare for final exams. All activities are free for Iowa State students and take place in the Memorial Union. Volunteers are needed to help the event run smoothly, and faculty and staff are encouraged to sign up for a shift (or two). Fan-favorite events and offerings for students are back, including Bingo, movie night, free snacks and wellness activities such as yoga. Academic support will be available for students seeking additional help with specific exam preparation and projects.
Gardens' light show opens with toy drive
Tickets are on sale for Reiman Gardens' Winter Wonderscape and must be purchased online in advance. The holiday light show happens Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings (5-9 p.m.) Dec. 5-28, plus Monday, Dec. 23. Tickets, $16 ($14 for member adults and ISU students; $7 for youth 2-12 years) are sold in half-hour time increments from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Once guests enter during their ticketed time slot, they may stay as long as they wish (the gardens close at 9 p.m. during this event). Weather permitting, s'mores kits can be purchased (and used) near the Hunziker House.
The Dec. 5 opener will include a toy drive (5:30-8:30 p.m.) to benefit Boys and Girls Clubs of Story County, Ames (Wonderscape ticket required). Bring a new unwrapped toy and meet members of the Cyclone women's basketball team (two groups of four student athletes will be present for 90 minutes each to accept toys ).
Classrooms reserved for prep week evening study
Room scheduling will reserve these 10 general university classrooms for students to use as study rooms during prep week, Dec. 9-13 (5:30-11 p.m. daily):
- Carver 0118, 0124, 0128
- Ross 0125, 0127, 0129
- Town Engineering 0230, 0270
- Pearson 1106, 2131
In addition, university museums will offer extended hours at the Christian Petersen Art Museum in Morrill Hall on Thursday, Dec. 12 (5-9 p.m.) with relaxing activities and a quiet place to study.
And Dec. 11-19 (7 a.m.-10 p.m.), the second floor lounge and rooms 3512, 3534, 3538 and 3540 in the Memorial Union are reserved for quiet study.
Horticulture club selling poinsettias this week
The horticulture club is selling poinsettias as a fundraiser to cover club activities, traveling expenses and student enrichment. Club members grew the plants in the horticulture greenhouses. Pot sizes are 4, 6 and 10 inches; prices vary from $12 to $40. Plants may be purchased (and pre-orders picked up) this week at these campus locations:
- Dec. 4 (9:15 a.m.-3 p.m.), Curtiss Hall
- Dec. 5 (9:15 a.m.-3 p.m.), Beardshear Hall
- Dec. 6 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.), Union Drive Community Center
- Dec. 7 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), Reiman Gardens
Arts and events
More than 50 first-generation students graduating this month picked out academic caps and gowns for their big day.
