Faculty development and numerous construction requests go to regents next week
Author: Anne Krapfl
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Author: Anne Krapfl
Professional development requests for 48 faculty members next year, renovation plans for the top three floors at the Memorial Union and a proposal to add a computer science marker to the Regents Admissions Index (RAI) are on the agenda when the state Board of Regents meets Nov. 13-14 at the University of Northern Iowa. Board committees will meet Wednesday, with the full board expected to complete its work Thursday morning. The agenda is on the board's website, and all public portions of the meeting will be livestreamed.
Iowa State leaders will request professional development assignments during the 2020-21 academic year for 48 faculty members -- or 2.6% of all faculty. The list includes 32 semester-long assignments, 14 for the full academic year and two for the 2021 calendar year. The faculty group includes 26 professors, 16 associate professors and six assistant professors.
To align the regent universities with state goals to improve Iowans' preparedness for the digital economy, the regents' admissions study team has recommended adding a new category, computer science, to the RAI. The team asked three computer science faculty members to review all courses offered in Iowa high schools that meet K-12 standards set by the Computer Science Teachers Association and identify which had the depth to serve as college prep coursework. Four courses were selected for their rigor: IB computer science, computer science principles, AP computer science principles and AP computer science A.
The proposal doesn't yet indicate how computer science coursework would alter the RAI formula.
Included in the consent agenda is a proposal to expand the regents' catastrophic illness policy (section 2.1.4.A) to allow faculty and staff working at least half-time who don't accrue vacation -- such as nine-month faculty -- to receive vacation leave donations for a catastrophic illness or injury. Currently, employees who don't accrue vacation aren't eligible to receive catastrophic leave donations. If the board approves the change, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Iowa State leaders will present schematic designs and proposed budgets for a $5.9 million roof replacement on all seven sections of Friley residence hall and a $10 million renovation to floors 4-6 at the Memorial Union. The roof project will replace slate shingles with asphalt shingles (excluding flat areas), repair dormers and replace gutters as needed. The two-phased project would be completed over two summers, 2020 and 2021.
The MU project would convert 14,000 square feet of former hotel rooms to office suites on each floor for student-focused services. Scheduled tenants include the veterans center, student legal services, study abroad, LGBTQIA+ student success, NCORE/ISCORE planning, lectures series and international students and scholars. Restrooms would be centrally located near the elevators. This project also updates the heating/cooling, electrical, communications and security systems on all three floors. MU revenue bonds would cover the entire cost. As proposed, construction would begin in January 2021 and last about 20 months.
ISU leaders also will ask for board permission to begin planning to replace the 61-year-old LeBaron Hall (49,000 square feet) with a new facility (83,300 square feet) for the College of Human Sciences. An estimated 6% of the adjoining MacKay Hall would be renovated. The estimated project budget, $55 million, would be covered with private gifts ($15 million), university funds ($10 million) and state appropriations (a $30 million, three-year request will go to the Legislature in January). The university's evaluation of LeBaron Hall found it to be a poor candidate for renovation.
In other business, the board is expected to: