A stand-alone bachelor's degree in athletic training and a bond sale to finance the Cyclone football program's new building are among Iowa State items on the agenda when the state Board of Regents meets Feb. 6-7 in the Memorial Union Sun Room. The meeting is open to the public and live audio streaming of all public portions of the meeting is available on the regents website. Committee meetings are scheduled Monday from 2 to 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday from 8:30 to 9 a.m. The full board meeting begins at approximately 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Athletic training major
Since the early 1980s, Iowa State has offered athletic training as an option in a more general bachelor's degree (in physical education, health and human performance, or kinesiology and health, depending on the era). The accreditor of athletic training programs, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, has mandated that all programs must be stand-alone degree programs to maintain accreditation, beginning with the 2014-15 academic year. Iowa State's program has been accredited since 2001. Graduation from an accredited program is a prerequisite to taking the test for certification by the National Athletic Trainers Association.
The additional costs associated with a proposed stand-alone program, an estimated $140,000 initially, would be covered by the kinesiology department (75 percent) and the athletics department (25 percent).
If approved, the change would take effect immediately and students graduating this spring will receive a bachelor of science degree in athletic training.
How we rank
According to data in an annual human resources report to the state Board of Regents this month, Iowa State faculty salaries rank ninth among their colleagues at peer universities.
Athletic facility revenue bond sale
Iowa State hopes to sell up to $26.5 million in athletic facilities revenue bonds to serve two purposes: finance construction of the football training facility, an estimated $20.6 million project; and refund in advance about $3.8 million in bonds sold in 2003 to partially finance the athletics department's Bergstrom practice facility. Lower interest rates now would save the athletics department an estimated $300,000 in interest.
Work on the football training facility began in late summer; the team hopes to use it this August.
In other regents action:
- Iowa State will seek to increase the project budget for phase 1 of the Curtiss Hall renovation (up about $1.1 million) to $13.1 million. The addition (covered with university funds) would add 125 more window replacements and central AC to about 5,400 square feet, eliminating all remaining window air conditioners in the building. Phase 1 includes the Student Services Mall and Harl Commons on the ground level, window replacement and a building-wide sprinkler system.
- Co-director of ISU learning communities Doug Gruenewald will give a presentation to the full board.
- Iver Anderson, senior metallurgist with the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, adjunct professor of materials science and inventor of a lead-free solder, will give a presentation to the board's economic development committee (Monday afternoon).
