Faculty professional development requests go to regents

Faculty professional development proposals and tuition and fee rates, all for the 2016-17 academic year, are on the agenda when the state Board of Regents meets Dec. 2. Technically a telephonic meeting, many board members will be present at the ISU alumni center. An agenda is online; audio of all public sessions of the meeting will be streamed live on the board's website.

Iowa State is requesting approval of 31 professional development assignments during fiscal year 2017, down about 15 percent from the current year's 37 approved assignments. The group includes 18 men and 13 women; 15 of the requests are for the fall 2016 semester, and eight each for spring semester and the full academic year. Fifty-one Iowa State faculty submitted an application.

Each university maintains its own qualifications for faculty professional development assignments. At Iowa State, all faculty members employed at least halftime -- or 1,854 faculty -- were eligible to apply. There is no requirement on length of service, though the average among this year's applicant group is 11 years. Priority may be given to tenured faculty over adjunct and nontenured faculty and to those who have not received a professional development assignment in the past five years.

Tuition and fees

The proposed tuition increases for 2016-17 reviewed by the board in October have not changed. They include:

• A freeze for Iowa State and Northern Iowa resident undergraduates – who will have a 3 percent increase this spring semester -- and a 3 percent increase ($200) for Iowa resident undergraduates
• A 3 percent increase for Iowa State ($594) and Northern Iowa ($504) nonresident undergraduates and a 1.9 percent increase ($502) for Iowa nonresident undergraduates
• A 3 percent increase for all graduate students at Iowa State (range of $244-$632) and Northern Iowa ($242-$546) and a 1.9 percent increase ($160-$486) for graduate and professional students at Iowa, except medical students (1.5 percent for residents and 2.5 percent for nonresidents)
• A 4 percent increase ($826) for veterinary medicine resident students and a 3 percent increase ($1,386) for nonresidents

If the rates are approved, undergraduate tuition would be $6,848 for residents and $20,362 for out-of-state students next year.

Iowa State is asking for its first supplemental tuition since 2011-12, $500 per year for three years, for current and new nonimmigrant, noncitizen international students. The revenue would help cover costs of additional services needed for international students, currently funded by all students.

And, if the board approves proposed mandatory student fee increases, all ISU students would pay an additional $33.50 next year, including a $20 health fee increase and a $13.50 student services fee increase. Mandatory student fees would range from $1,075 to $1,337 for ISU students.

Honorary degrees: Julius, Sukup

University leaders will ask to award two honorary degrees at the fall graduation ceremony next month, to alumna and economist DeAnne Julius and Iowa businessman Eugene Sukup. A doctor of humane letters would be presented to Julius for "distinguished service in economics, business, international relations, government, policymaking and academia." An Ames High and Iowa State (1970) graduate, Julius' career includes positions with the Central Intelligence Agency, World Bank, Bank of England and the think tank Chatham House (also known as Royal Institute of International Affairs), where she currently serves as senior adviser to its board.

An honorary doctor of science degree would be presented to Sukup for his contributions to state, national and global agricultural challenges, particularly in the area of grain storage. With his wife, Mary, Sukup founded Sukup Manufacturing in 1963 in Sheffield, and today employs 550 people. Over 50 years, he received 40 U.S. patents and 10 foreign patents; the company holds another 44 patents that don't include his name. The Sukups have supported numerous academic and athletic projects at Iowa State.

Building projects

Iowa State will seek board approval for three previously announced construction projects. They are:

• An $11.5 million proposal to enhance the 10-acre green space between the south end of the football stadium and Reiman Gardens (where lots S2-4 currently sit). This project is considered phase three of the larger effort to bowl in the south end and make other improvements at the stadium. The project will enhance both Iowa State's south entrance and the gardens' entrance, and visually connect the stadium with the gardens. The proposed plaza will include a water fountain, trees, grass areas, new drives and walkways, and a storm water filtering area. The project would be paid for with private gifts, athletic facilities bonds (sold previously) and athletics department and university funds. Work would begin in spring 2016 and be completed by winter.
• A revised $7.9 million budget (an increase of $1.7 million) for the dining center renovation at Friley residence hall. The project will convert inactive dining and kitchen areas into a food court with four venues (instead of two), and student and private dining spaces, and create a new east entrance to Friley Hall. ISU Dining will operate this dining center. Work would begin in June 2016 and be completed in June 2017.
• A $5.5 million renovation in the Forker Building for the kinesiology department. The project will convert underused ground-floor men's locker rooms to faculty and graduate student offices, replace exterior windows in the new office area, create new restrooms, replace mechanical equipment and install a fire sprinkler system in the 1940 portion of the building. The project will begin in spring 2016 and be completed by fall 2017.

In other business, Iowa State will seek board permission to:

• Demolish the Spangler Geotechnical Lab (built in 1949) and attached storage building (built in 1983) east of the Applied Sciences Complex. The facility is functionally obsolete and its functions relocated to other College of Engineering facilities. The estimated demolition cost is $250,000.
• Issue an estimated $12.6 million in bonds to advance-refund $18 million in academic building revenue bonds sold in 2007 to finance parts of two projects: the veterinary teaching hospital and diagnostic lab and the Coover Hall addition and renovation. Payments on the 2007 bonds were to begin in July 2016 and continue into 2027. Lower interest rates would save the university an estimated $730,000.