Announcements
January 2023
Register for March Research and Innovation Roundtable
The office of the vice president for research invites all interested faculty, from humanists and artists to basic and applied scientists, to the second Research and Innovation Roundtable on Friday, March 10 (8 a.m.-noon, Memorial Union). The topic is Healthy Iowa, an overarching theme that encompasses a vast set of issues contributing to better health for all that lives and grows in Iowa -- plants, animals and people. More information for participants is online; register online by Friday, Feb. 10. The roundtables are designed to build collaborative research teams that pursue novel solutions to societal challenges. Strategic Plan jump-start funding provides seed grants for the teams.
Child care scholarships available for undergraduate student parents
The office of Child Care and Family Services at Iowa State is accepting applications for the undergraduate Childcare Assistance Program (CAP). This scholarship program is available to undergraduate student parents attending Iowa State to assist with out-of-pocket costs for child care services. Eligible student parents may receive up to $1,250 per semester. Funds are still available for spring semester, and students with the highest financial need will receive priority consideration. Full eligibility guidelines and application instructions are on the Child Care & Family Services website. Email questions to ccfamily@iastate.edu.
Faculty workshops focus on pathways to success and satisfaction
ISU ADVANCE will host a Straight Talk workshop series this spring for specific faculty audiences about pathways to success and satisfaction. Colleagues who support them (mentors, administrators, etc.) also are welcome. Each 90-minute session will include best practices, institutional data, misconceptions, strategies and resources. Each will be held in the Memorial Union Sun Room and online (via Webex), followed by an optional networking reception. Register online. The lineup is:
- Aspiring leaders and administrators, Feb. 13 (1-2:30 p.m.), with associate provost Dawn Bratsch-Prince; Yanhai Yin, genetics, development and cell biology; and Sarah Bennett-George, apparel, events and hospitality management.
- Thriving term faculty, March 7 (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.), with Bratsch-Prince, Michael Bootsma, accounting; Volker Hegelheimer, English; and Sriram Sundararajan, College of Engineering administration.
- Flourishing tenure-eligible and tenured faculty, April 6 (9-10:30 a.m.), with Bratsch-Prince, Beate Schmittmann, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences administration; Shannon Coleman, food science and human nutrition; and Javier Vela, chemistry.
Apply for fall undergraduate research program
The office of student financial aid is accepting applications from faculty, staff and students for the 2023-24 Undergraduate Research Assistantship program, which provides outstanding juniors and seniors hands-on experience in a formal research environment. A soft March 24 deadline assures interviews this spring. Faculty applicants will interview student(s) and make offers of employment and complete letter(s) of intent. Student candidates must have filled out the 2023-24 FAFSA financial aid form and be eligible for work-study funding. Preference is given to students and faculty/staff who request to work with each other. More information, including program guidelines, funding sources and application documents, is online. Questions may be directed to Julie Arnold, 294-0103.
Lunch hour workshops focus on personal finance
ISU Extension and Outreach is hosting a free series of personal finance virtual workshops for ISU employees. Online registration is required at least 24 hours before each session, and registrants will receive login information by email. The courses are held Tuesdays (noon-1 p.m). The schedule:
- Time for a Financial Checkup, Feb. 7: A review of your family's financial situation.
- Money Smart: Taking Control of Your $, Feb. 21 and 28 (two parts): Take a big-picture look at how to control your money on a month-to-month basis.
- Mission Possible: Saving, March 21: Strategies to help you save for short-term needs or long-term goals.
- Borrowing Smart, April 4: Review basic credit principles, with a focus on reducing the cost and the risk of borrowing.
The workshops are part of Financial Wellness at Work, led by EO in partnership with university human resources. Questions about the workshops can be directed to Barb Wollan, bwollan@iastate.edu or 515-832-9597.
Qualtrics library is being updated
Iowa State Qualtrics users can anticipate an update to the Qualtrics library interface beginning as early as Feb. 1. Qualtrics is the web-based survey application available to faculty, staff and students. The library navigation pane will move to the left side. Also, separate library silos for surveys, graphics, files and messages will merge into one library space. As a result, folders can be better organized and filtered. Because all uncategorized items will move into one folder, now is a good time to organize those items. Learn more about this update in the IT Service portal.
Student proposals sought for April conference on women, gender and sexuality studies
The women's and gender studies program is accepting presentation proposals through March 20 for its spring student conference on Saturday, April 15 (9 a.m.-4 p.m., Student Innovation Center). Any undergraduate or graduate student attending a college or university in Iowa is welcome to submit a proposal. Projects can be research-based, creative projects, activist work, pedagogy-related or other thematic work related to gender, sexuality, identity or feminism. More information is on the conference website; questions may be emailed to wgsconference@iastate.edu. Conference registration is free and includes lunch.
Pipette calibration and cleaning service is Feb. 6-10
Chemistry stores is offering an on-campus pipette calibration service Feb. 6-10. A factory-trained technician will provide quality service and calibration for all major brands and makes of pipettes. The service includes full cleaning, lubrication and calibration of pipettes. Prices are: $44 for a single channel/repeater pipette, $110 for an 8-channel pipette and $115 for a 12-channel pipette. Prices do not include any parts that may need replacing. Pipettes can be dropped off at the chemistry stores office (1531 Gilman) beginning Feb. 1; you'll be contacted to pick up your pipette(s) once the calibration is complete.
Reminder: Nominations due Feb. 1 for student employee and supervisor of student employees awards
The office of student financial aid is accepting nominations through Wednesday, Feb. 1, for two awards:
- 2023 Student Employee of the Year. The award recognizes the outstanding efforts of hourly undergraduate student employees who make a difference as leaders and innovators in their roles. More information, including nomination details, is online.
- A new award (in partnership with university human resources), the Student Employee Supervisor of the Year. The award recognizes the exceptional supervisors of hourly student employees for their mentorship and professionalism. More information about how to nominate a colleague is online.
Spring sessions set for Open Scholar Café
The Open Scholar Café is a monthly virtual forum, hosted by a university subject librarian, for members of the ISU community to meet and discuss open research and scholarship with their peers. Each month, a new topic will be discussed or presented. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. Questions may be directed to Abbey Elder, aelder@iastate.edu. Open Scholar Café dates this spring are Feb. 15 and April 19 (9-10 a.m.) and March 23 (10-11 a.m.).
Moncada performance in Goldfinch Room is Jan. 26
Singer/songwriter and Iowa native Michael Moncada will give a Goldfinch Room solo performance Thursday, Jan. 26 (7 p.m., Stephens Auditorium). Ticket options are tables for up to four people ($40) or general admission seats ($15).
Spring titles posted for Cyclone Cinema
Cyclone Cinema, sponsored by the Student Union Board, has announced the 13 2022 feature films in its spring lineup. Each film has four showings (7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, 101 Carver). The Sunday showing includes captioning. Films are free and the public is welcome; concessions (soda, water, popcorn, candy) are available for $1-$2.
MU poster sale runs Jan. 23-27
The Memorial Union's winter poster sale is set for Jan. 23-27 (10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Campanile Room). Browse hundreds of choices from classic posters to fresh off-the-press artist prints. Most posters are priced between $8 and $15. Proceeds directly support MU art exhibit programs.
Smile and Write program announces spring dates
Smile and Write, a free online program hosted by the provost's office for faculty and staff with writing projects, has posted its spring schedule. Participants can meet Tuesdays (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) from Jan. 24 through May 2 (with the exception of spring break week). In addition, 17 more two-hour sessions are sprinkled through the semester (variable weekdays and times). Smile and Write leverages peer accountability to provide participants the space to work on projects, manuscripts, curriculum, etc. Participants need to register to receive each session's Zoom link.
W-2 forms now available in Workday
Tera Jordan reappointed as assistant provost
Tera Jordan, assistant provost for faculty development in the office of the senior vice president and provost, has been reappointed to a second three-year term, through the 2025-26 academic year. Jordan works on a variety of programs and initiatives that promote faculty success at Iowa State, including new faculty orientation, faculty data, mentoring, work-life integration and the ISU ADVANCE program. She also is an associate professor of human development and family studies.
Former faculty member George Burnet passes
George Burnet, a member of the chemical engineering faculty from 1956 to 1995 who remained active with the department for several decades into retirement, died Jan. 13 at his home in Ames. He was 98. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 4 (2 p.m., Collegiate Presbyterian Church, 159 Sheldon Ave.). Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, in the church's Hesler Chapel. A private inurnment will be in the Iowa State Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Collegiate Presbyterian Church or the endowment fund of the Iowa Arboretum, 1875 Peach Ave., Madrid, Iowa 50156. College of Engineering tribute. Obituary.
'37 Words' book author to give Mary Louise Smith lecture next month
Sherry Boschert, award-winning journalist and author of "37 Words: Title IX and Fifty Years of Fighting Sex Discrimination," will visit Iowa State on Tuesday, Feb. 7, as the Catt Center's 2023 Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and Politics.
Early registration ends Jan. 31 for P&S professional development conference
City snow ordinance takes effect Wednesday evening
The city of Ames' snow ordinance will go into effect at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, and remain in effect until it has stopped snowing and the streets are plowed curb to curb. The snow ordinance likely will remain in effect until noon Thursday, Jan. 19, but could vary throughout the community due to plowing challenges. Vehicles on city snow routes (identified by red and white signs) should be moved to off-street parking or to streets not designated as snow routes. To assist with the plowing effort, owners are asked to not park vehicles on any residential street, particularly on circles and cul de sacs; however, only vehicles parked on snow routes risk being towed.
Order Valentine fudge from food science club by Jan. 27
FIRST LEGO League state championship seeks volunteers
Volunteers are needed when the College of Engineering hosts the FIRST LEGO League state championship tournament Saturday, Jan. 28, for more than 600 students in grades 4-8. Every opportunity, from check-in helper to robot game referee, judge to photographer, are adults who believe in the mission of FIRST. Volunteers receive a T-shirt, refreshments and training specific to your assigned job (either the morning of the event or in advance online). Sign up online. Questions may be emailed to FirstLegoLeague@iastate.edu, or call 515-294-4293.
Registration starts Jan. 24 for 'Ready to Run Iowa' training series for women
Registration opens Jan. 24 for the first two workshops (on Friday, Feb. 24) in the 2023 "Ready to Run® Iowa" campaign training series for women. Ready to Run Iowa is a nonpartisan campaign training program to encourage women to run for elective office, position themselves for appointive office, work on a campaign or become more involved in public life. The other workshops in the series will be offered on Fridays in March and April. More information is available from the Catt Center, which offers the program every other year as part of a national network.
For faculty: Cross-university mentoring groups
The four universities of the ADVANCE Midwest Partnership invite faculty to participate in a spring cohort of Cross-Institutional Mentoring Committees, a professional development opportunity that partners mentees with mentors who have experienced similar challenges (usually 1-2 mentees, 3-4 mentors on a committee). Committees will be formed intentionally to match lived experiences pertaining to discipline or intersectional identities (for example, representing a population that's underrepresented in STEM or the simultaneous demands of a career and family caregiving). More information is online; the sign-up form also is online, with a requested deadline of Jan. 27. Questions may be directed to Cinzia Cervato, ISU lead principal investigator and Morrill Professor of geological and atmospheric sciences. The member universities are Iowa State, North Dakota State, Michigan Tech and Western Michigan.
Learn about the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, also known as MLK Day, is observed annually on the third Monday of January in honor of King's birthday, Jan. 15. King's leadership and achievements during the American civil rights movement cemented his legacy as one of the greatest advocates of nonviolent resistance in history. Learn more about King's impact on the office of diversity, equity and inclusion website.
Library shares spring workshop lineup
Preregistration is open for more than a dozen workshops this semester led by topic librarians at Parks Library. Some are in-person, some are Zoom events, typically 70-90 minutes long. Using census data, understanding digital humanities and an introduction to free and open course materials are among the topics covered this semester.
Art rental is Jan. 18-20 at the Memorial Union
The Memorial Union is hosting an Art for Rent public open house Jan. 18 (4-6 p.m.), Jan. 19 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) and Jan. 20 (10 a.m.-noon) in the MU art gallery on the first floor. The collection includes about 275 framed posters, prints and paintings that may be rented for a half or full year, for office or home. Rentals typically range from $10 to $25 per year. Patrons may view the collection and take selected pieces with them during the open house. Cash, credit and departmental charges are accepted. Proceeds from rentals support art programs at the MU.
Discussion: Child care, caregiver support essential piece of equitable campus
Join a virtual discussion Thursday, Jan. 26 (noon) to learn about how inadequate child care support and caregivier support impacts everyone on a campus community and is essential to creating a more equitable community. Wendy Wagner Robeson, Wellesley Centers for Women, Massachusetts; and Autumn Green, 2023 Urban Institute fellow and visiting scholar-activist at the University of Michigan, will discuss the factors that make up family-friendly campuses as well the problems faced by caregivers and parents. They'll examine the trilemma of care -- affordability, availability and high quality -- specifically for a campus community. The discussion will be inclusive of staff, faculty and students. This event is sponsored by the ADVANCE Midwest Partnership, of which Iowa State is a member. Register online.
Presenter proposals due Jan. 17 for spring STEM girls conference
The Program for Women in Science and Engineering is accepting presentation proposals through Jan. 17 for its spring Go Further girls STEM conference in the Memorial Union. There are two dates for students in grades 8-10 this spring, March 28 and April 5, and presenters may participate in both or one as their schedule allows. The presenter guidelines and best practices provide information about the goals and structure of the conference; the spring 2023 proposal form is online. Conference organizers require that presentations include curriculum and examples from diverse populations within the presenter's field or industry, and encourage at least one female-identifying presenter for multi-presenter sessions. Contact Mackenzie Schwartz with questions or to discuss a concept for a session.
Save the date: Carver celebration is Feb. 1
The state's first observance of George Washington Carver Day, in honor of Iowa State's first Black alumnus and faculty member, is coming up on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The university community is invited to a campus program and celebration in the Memorial Union Great Hall (5-7 p.m.) that also will be livestreamed. It opens with a reception featuring foods inspired by the food scientist and will include remarks from current leaders of the schools and agencies where Carver spent time. It will conclude with free ice cream from the ISU Creamery. To assist with planning, RSVPs are requested by Jan. 25.
Last summer, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Senate File 2380, which designates Feb. 1 (the beginning of Black History Month) each year as George Washington Carver Day in Iowa.
New Workday form for canceling, reissuing checks
Effective Jan. 3, the office of compliance developed a new form in Workday for canceling and reissuing checks. In Workday under "create request," cost center managers, business unit managers and procurement and expense specialists now can select "cancel/reissue a check." These requests will be sent directly to compliance and the treasurer's office. A job aid on the controller's website walks you through the steps. All requests to cancel/reissue a check must be completed this way in Workday; email requests no longer will be used for these requests.
Proposals due Feb. 10 for fall Honors seminars
The University Honors Program invites proposals for an Honors seminar in fall 2023. These one- or two-credit courses, offered for a half or full term, allow Honors students to examine topics of current or special interest. Seminars are offered on a pass/fail basis and enrollment is usually limited to 17 students. Honors allocates $500 per seminar for the professional development of the instructor(s). Proposals are due Friday, Feb. 10; the proposal form is online. Details and guidelines can be found on the Honors website. Contact Leisha Estep or Laurie Smith Law with questions or for more information.
Jan. 16 is a university holiday
Monday, Jan. 16, is a university holiday in observance of the national Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. University offices are closed. Winter session concludes Friday, Jan. 13, and spring semester begins Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Federal mileage reimbursement rate increases
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a mileage rate increase effective Jan. 1 that affects employee and non-employee travel. The IRS standard rate for mileage is now 65.5 cents/mile, while the ISU mileage default rate is now 32.75 cents/mile. Workday has been updated with this information. The mileage section of the travel reimbursement policy in the university policy library offers a detailed breakdown of when to use each rate.
New Workday form for setting up 'fee for service' accounts
Effective Jan. 3, the office of compliance has a new form in Workday for establishing a new fee for service account. In Workday under "create request," cost center managers and business unit managers now can select "new program -- fee for service." Completed forms route to financial accounting and receiving (FAR) and compliance. Lory Young in compliance is responsible for reviewing and approving all new fee for service accounts. Once approved, FAR will set up the new program (PG account) in Workday. More information about the fee-for-service program, including a job aid on completing the Workday form, is online.
Nominations for alumni awards due Feb. 15
The ISU Alumni Association is seeking nominations by Feb. 15 for five awards that will be presented during Homecoming 2023. Award descriptions and nomination forms are online. Questions may be directed to Katie Lickteig. The awards for ISU alumni are:
- Alumni Medal, recognizes long, loyal service to the university through alumni-related activities
- Alumni Humanitarian Award, recognizes humanitarian efforts that transcend professional accomplishments and bring honor to the university
- Outstanding Young Alumni Award, recognizes alumni age 40 years and younger who excel in their profession and provide service to their community
- James A. Hopson Volunteer Award, recognizes alumni association members age 40 years and younger who show volunteer leadership in the association or alumni-related activities
- Alumni Service Award, recognizes alumni and friends whose service supports the daily work of the alumni association
Study Abroad Fair is Jan. 19
Learn about adventures abroad at the Study Abroad Fair Thursday, Jan. 19 (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., MU Great Hall). Students can learn about interning or studying abroad during experiences ranging from one week to one year. And anyone from the Iowa State community may apply for a U.S. passport during the fair. More information about the fair and passport service is online.
Iowa State Online launched Jan. 3
Iowa State Online, a new unit within the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), officially launched Jan. 3, centralizing expertise in online learning and delivery in a single service center.
The CELT staff has expanded to a unit of approximately 45 individuals working in four collaborative units:
- Course design and quality
- Enterprise instructional technology
- Instructor development
- Iowa State Online
This semester, staff will pilot processes and services with selected courses, instructors and programs. CELT resources are available to all instructors at Iowa State, with additional CELT service information available through the 2023 spring and summer semesters. Questions may be directed to celt-help@iastate.edu.
ISU Dining announces new director
Christian Wise joined the Campus Life community Jan. 4 as the director of ISU Dining. He oversees the operations of a campus dining system that includes three residential dining centers; multiple cafés, convenience stores, restaurants and get-and-go locations; food court; catering and a central production bakery. He succeeds Mohamed Ali, who left the university in March. Karen Rodekamp and Stuart Essex served as co-interim directors.
