Welcome

July 16

Dean of the University Library Beth McNeil started her new job on July 15.

McNeil comes to Ames from West Lafayette, Indiana, where she served for nearly eight years as an associate dean at Purdue University Libraries, first in information resources and scholarly communication, most recently in academic affairs. Previously, she served in library leadership positions at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; and in several library posts at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois.

McNeil's office is in 302 Parks Library. She can be reached by phone at 294-1443, by email at mcneil@iastate.edu. Photo by Christopher Gannon.

Half of new dollars in next operating budget will bolster the student experience

By Anne Krapfl
July 16

Iowa State will invest about $23.5 million more this year – including $14 million in reallocated funds – in services and programs that enhance the academic and campus experience for students. Examples include:

• Scholarships and financial aid
• Employee hires that will expand course offerings and improve student advising
• A a new vehicle for sponsoring student organization events
• Further expansion of the campus wireless network
• Faculty training in teaching methods that replace a portion of class meeting time with online instruction
• Additional CyRide service
• Classroom improvements

Earlier this week, President Steven Leath shared with his senior vice presidents budget details for the fiscal year that began July 1. At its Aug. 5 meeting, the state Board of Regents will be asked to approve the university's proposed budget.

Iowa State will invest another $10.3 million (nearly equal shares of new and reallocated dollars) in the university's other broad priorities:

• Research and scholarly promotion, $4.9 million. Examples include faculty hires and related laboratory start-up costs, graduate student recruitment and retention, central support for research (Grants Hub).
• Compensation increases for faculty and professional and scientific staff, $4.4 million. This includes both annual performance-based increases ($2.9 million) and salary adjustments for faculty promotions, P&S reclassifications, and retention adjustments related to a competitive job market ($1.5 million). University costs for employee insurance plans will remain unchanged.
• A welcoming, safe and inclusive campus, $0.6 million. Examples include support for a student wellness program and a senior-level position for leading university diversity efforts.
• Economic development in the state, $0.4 million. Examples include support for faculty positions that support Extension and Outreach service areas and for the office of economic development and industry relations.

Compensation increases for ISU merit employees covered by the state's contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) will cost about $1.2 million in FY16. And Iowa State will allocate about $2.2 million in new funds to cover unavoidable cost increases such as software licenses, property insurance, library acquisitions and placing ISU units in the second floor of campustown's Kingland building.

State support

On July 2, Gov. Terry Branstad signed many of the higher education appropriation bills from the 2015 legislative session, clearing the way for university officials to finalize a FY16 operating budget of $675 million, about 3 percent larger than last year's operating budget. Branstad vetoed one-time funding for the regent universities, including $2.3 million for Iowa State.

So, additional state dollars in the operating budget total $1.2 million for general university operations. All of the state appropriations for a specific university program or unit – for example, the Ag Experiment Station, Leopold Center and the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab – will remain at last year's levels.

While $1.2 million is far short of the estimated $6.3 million Iowa State stood to gain if the Legislature had supported the regents' request for a performance-based funding (PBF) model, Leath noted that the final appropriations, in their differentiation by university, represented the spirit of PBF.

"I am pleased the general assembly and Gov. Branstad recognize that demand continues to increase for an Iowa State University degree, reflected in our dramatic enrollment growth in recent years. Our growth is the reason that additional, recurring funding is necessary to maintain the high quality our students expect and deserve," Leath said.

"I thank members of the Iowa State community – on campus and around the state – for their diligent efforts this spring to promote the PBF model. It was a carefully prepared plan that, regrettably, did not receive legislative approval," he said.

Tuition revenue

About 90 percent of the $16.8 million in anticipated new revenue in the FY16 operating budget will come from tuition, in increases approved for all but resident undergraduates and due to a student body expected to exceed 35,000. Fall 2014 enrollment was 34,732.

But some tuition variables will remain in play into the fall. At the June regents meeting, board president Bruce Rastetter said that, due to the small increase to recurring state support for the universities (0.7 percent for Iowa State), the board could guarantee a tuition freeze for resident undergraduates only for fall semester. He said the board would revisit spring tuition levels for in-state undergraduates in October.

As of July 1, Iowa State is providing in-state tuition rates to all U.S. veterans, active military personnel and their eligible family members. The full impact of this change will be known by October when fall enrollment is complete.

The bigger picture

The budget for the total university enterprise for the year that began July 1 is a proposed $1.4 billion, up nearly 6 percent from a year ago. In addition to the operating budget, it features $726 million in restricted budgets, which include sponsored research, private gifts, endowment income, building projects, sales and services, and auxiliary units such as athletics, residence, printing, parking, recreation services, bookstore, Reiman Gardens, Iowa State Center and the Memorial Union.

External funding at record high

By Mike Krapfl, News Service
July 17

Aerospace engineers, left to right, Anupam Sharma and Hui Hu are working to improve the performance of wind turbines and wind farms. Their research has been supported by the Iowa Energy Center and the National Science Foundation. Photo by Christopher Gannon.

Iowa State broke its external funding record, attracting $424.9 million during the fiscal year ending June 30.

The previous record was $388.2 million in FY10. Last year’s external funding was $368.4 million, now the third-highest total for Iowa State.

“This record funding is testimony to the confidence that government agencies, industry, foundations and individuals have in the expertise of our faculty and staff,” President Steven Leath said. “More than half of this money is dedicated to research projects that are addressing issues affecting Iowans as well as people throughout the world.”

Of the nearly $425 million in FY15 external funding, $226 million supported research projects across campus.

External funding includes grants, contracts, gifts and cooperative agreements from federal, state and local governments as well as from corporations, foundations and other universities.

The funds support Iowa State researchers, students, education programs, equipment purchases, building projects and extension activities. The funding is in addition to state appropriations, which support daily operations of the university.

The jump in external funding includes a $44 million increase over the previous year from the ISU Foundation and a $14 million increase from federal agencies. The federal increase includes a jump of nearly $10 million from the National Science Foundation and its competitive grants program.

“This record year was driven by a strong year of fundraising and excellent gains in federal funding,” said Sarah Nusser, vice president for research. “The ISU Foundation is helping to support university priorities such as the planned Student Innovation Center. The increase in federal funding is supporting major priorities for Iowa State’s research mission, including big data, computer and computational science research, awards for new investigators and the establishment of larger research teams and interdisciplinary centers.”

Iowa State’s external funding came from the following sources during FY15:

Federal agencies

• Agriculture: $64,247,174
• Energy: $59,299,085
• National Science Foundation: $41,446,300
• Education: $29,885,371
• Health and Human Services: $9,211,616
• Commerce: $6,210,039
• Transportation: $5,295,463
• Defense: $3,429,878
• Other federal: $4,861,911

Non-federal sources

• Individuals: $90,045,289
• Industry/corporate: $39,563,329
• State of Iowa government: $29,982,231
• Nonprofit organizations: $16,242,608
• Higher education: $14,107,851
• Commodity groups: $5,729,010
• Foreign sources: $2,657,192
• Non-Iowa state and local governments: $1,516,126
• Local Iowa governments/school districts: $1,213,894

Grand total

• $424,944,367

Council plans for upcoming year

By Erin Rosacker
July 16

Members of the Professional and Scientific Council kicked off the 2015-16 academic year with a rare July meeting. The group used much of its time for small-group discussions and development of priorities for the upcoming year.

"What we're trying to do is find creative, new solutions to solve both new and existing issues that are important to professional and scientific staff," said council president Tera Lawson.

News from human resources

Julie Nuter, associate vice president for human resources, told councilors that an "employee onboarding checklist" developed as part of the recruitment and selection policy will launch July 21. The list includes 13 items, which range from Net-ID registration to university orientation participation.

"The comments and feedback that has been gathered was incorporated," Nuter said. "A lot of groups have been part of this process."

Nuter said new training courses also are being developed, including a special topics series that currently features two topics: social media in recruitment and recruiting veterans.

Other business

• Whitney Grote, human resource specialist in University Human Resources, was nominated and approved to fill a vacancy in the president's office representation area.
• The council is organizing a Feb. 11, 2016, professional development conference with the theme "Building You, Reinforcing Us."

Let the games begin

July 16

Veenker Memorial Golf Course is one of several campus sites serving as a competition venue for the primary weekend of the Iowa Games, July 16-19. Other locations include the ISU cross country course, recreation fields, Cyclone Sports Complex, Beyer Hall, football parking lots, Forker Building, Lied Center and State Gym.

The opening ceremony, featuring former Cyclone and NFL quarterback Seneca Wallace, is Friday, 7:45-9 p.m., in Jack Trice Stadium. Opening ceremony tickets are $5 ($2 for youth 12 and younger); proceeds go to the Iowa Food Bank Association. Photo by Christopher Gannon.

Summer brings big groups to campus

July 16

Iowa State will host several events this summer, bringing large groups of participants to campus. Find out what (and who) you'll see navigating the sidewalks, roadways and buildings.