Announcements
December 2023
Rec services offers staff, faculty a free seven-day trial
Resolved to achieve a better work-life balance in the new year? Iowa State employees are invited to try a seven-day free trial at recreation services Jan. 8-14. Meet new ISU colleagues and work on your health goals with the convenience of staying on campus. When you register for the week, you'll receive facility tours and equipment tutorials, and be able to try fitness classes, drop-in pickleball and more. Once you sign up, you'll be sent a full schedule of events with registration links. Or feel free to explore any of the facilities through self-guided tours.
A membership provides access to free fitness classes offered in the morning, noon hour and evening, all of the facilities (including the rock walls, gaming room and pools) intramural sports, discounted outdoor equipment rental and trips, and more.
Register for laboratory safety workshop in January
Environmental Health and Safety will host in-person workshops on Jan. 8, 10 and 12 for on-campus laboratory workers, including faculty, staff and graduate and undergraduate students. Participants receive hands-on experience creating hazard assessments and properly disposing laboratory waste. Before attending, learners must complete the Laboratory Safety: Core Concepts (60 minutes) and Safety Data Sheets Training (30 minutes) online courses.
Employees surpass local United Way gift goal
The Iowa State community surpassed its goal in the 2023 United Way of Story County fundraising campaign in support of education, health and financial stability initiatives in the area. Employees pledged $408,317, or 102% of the university's $400,000 goal.
Iowa State received one of six "Live United" Awards in this year's campaign for "above and beyond" employee campaigns. The award recognizes organizations that meet one or more of three criteria: consistent, significant campaign contributions; new and significant campaign effort; or special efforts to make the overall campaign successful. The overall Story County campaign raised $2.2 million this fall.
Reminder: Employee volunteers needed for SHOP during winter break
Student health and wellness seeks staff and faculty volunteers for hour-increment shifts in the SHOP food pantry over the winter break to keep the pantry open for student use. A sign-up schedule lists open shifts. Instructions are emailed to you once you sign up.
Final Inside of the semester: Dec. 14
Inside Iowa State's final edition of fall semester posts on Thursday, Dec. 14, and the first of the new year on Jan. 4, 2024. Submit announcements and retirements by noon Wednesday, Jan. 3, for inclusion in the first edition of the year.
Collegiate recovery program achieves accreditation
Iowa State's Collegiate Recovery Program, part of student wellness, participated in a pilot of the Standardized Review for Collegiate Recovery Advancement, offered by the Association of Recovery in Higher Education, and has been successfully designated a Fully Reviewed Program, which is in effect for five years. Iowa State is one of the first 10 collegiate recovery programs to complete the process and receive a designation. As part of the review, universities are assessed in four areas: program infrastructure, recovery promotion (culture and climate), recovery promotion (programmatic) and collegiate recovery community development, and receive a report with recommendations in the four areas.
The ISU program, managed by Ryan Doyle, offers supports on campus for students, faculty and staff in recovery or seeking recovery from chemical or behavioral addiction (for example, substance use, gambling or gaming). It also impacts the broader campus culture through prevention and intervention efforts.
Gymnastics single-meet tickets are on sale
Single-meet tickets for the 2024 gymnastics season are on sale for $5. Season tickets still can be purchased for $15. The Cyclones will compete at home four times this winter: Jan. 5 (Nebraska), Jan. 19 (Brigham Young), Jan. 26 (Illinois) and March 8 (Iowa). The team is led by new head coach and four-time individual NCAA champion (Alabama) Ashley Miles Greig.
Auditorium staff are collecting used musical instruments
The staff at Stephens Auditorium is holding a used instrument drive during December to collect and distribute used musical instruments to area schools for use in their band/music programs. The intent is to help more students who would like to learn to play or be in a band or orchestra get the opportunity. Instruments that can be hand carried (no pianos) can be brought to Stephens prior to shows or anytime the box office is open through Friday, Dec. 22. Box office hours are weekdays 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Schools that could receive instruments this year are: Ames including St. Cecilia's, Ballard, Collins-Maxwell, Gilbert, Nevada and Roland-Story. Instruments requiring minor repair or parts replacement are acceptable. For more information, email perform@iastate.edu or call 515-294-2479.
Dec. 8 ISU wine sale includes sampling
The Iowa State University Winery is accepting pre-orders on its three wines, for pick-up near the Meat Lab in the north end of Kildee Hall on Fridays (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) Dec. 8 and 15. The Dec. 8 sale event will include wine samplings. The cost is $20/bottle -- white, red and rosé -- and payment is at pick-up with cash, check, credit card or Apple Pay. You must be at least 21 years old with a valid ID to purchase -- or sample -- ISU Winery products.
A final preorder pick-up and sale will be held Tuesday, Dec. 19 (3-5 p.m., inside the main/south entrance of the Food Sciences Building). For those who want to purchase ISU wines during the winter break, they're sold at Cyclone Liquors and Hy-Vee in Lincoln Center.
Last chance this semester for hot chocolate, coffee and donuts in Kildee
Dairy Science Club members will sell hot chocolate, coffee and donuts ($2 each) outside the Lush Auditorium north doors in Kildee Hall on Wednesdays (8:30-10:30 a.m.). There won't be a sale during finals week. Stop by to support the club and get your morning started. Individuals interested in the club's ice cream for a winter or spring event should email dairyscienceicecream@gmail.com to learn more about ice cream order options.
Recycle the fronts of greeting cards through January
The office of sustainability and ISU recycling services will collect holiday greeting cards Dec. 11-Jan. 31 for upcycling. Cards (fronts only) will be sent to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to be made into new holiday cards, with proceeds supporting St. Jude's work with children. To take part: Send card fronts to Merry Rankin, 108 General Services, or Steve Kohtz, 154 General Services, or drop them in the collection box near the key desk in General Services Building. Other occasion cards (birthday, thank you, etc.) may be included. Note that Hallmark, Disney and American Greeting cards can't be included in this collection effort.
Those three brands and any recyclable paper products can be dropped off (no charge) at the Ames Golden Kiwanis' paper recycling collection trailer at the CENEX station, 919 East Lincoln Way, or dropped off at the city of Ames' new multi-commodity dropoff recycling center, available 24/7 year-round, located on the northeast corner of the Resource Recover Center, 420 E. Second St. For more information about the city's program, email rrp@cityofames.org or call 515-239-5137.
Commute from the north on I-35? North Ames exit closing Dec. 11
A city of Ames project to extend sanitary sewer under East 13th Street east of Interstate 35 will impact that intersection this winter. On Monday, Dec. 11, the northbound entry ramp onto I-35 and the two north lanes of E. 13th Street will be closed for an estimated five days, weather-dependent. Detours will be posted for drivers.
Study-away application window opens for 2024-25
Iowa State's National Student Exchange (NSE) team in the dean of students office is accepting applications from undergraduates through Feb. 20, 2024, for placements for fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters. NSE facilitates collegiate study away among 175-plus member colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and U.S Virgin Islands that include large research universities, private institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and more. Iowa State undergraduates in any major who are full-time students with at least a 2.5 GPA and good standing with Iowa State (academic, social, financial) are eligible to participate. During a semester or academic year away, undergraduate students can take unique courses in their major, explore areas of the United States or Canada and begin networking for graduate school and employment.
ISU Creamery hosts butter-making workshop
Student employees of the ISU Creamery will lead a Holiday Butter workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 12 (5:30-7 p.m., 2379 Food Sciences Building). Registration is $30. Participants will make -- and take -- butter from scratch, flavored to their liking. Register online.
Tearoom offers cook-at-home foods this month
The Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom is offering takeout options in December for 3-inch cherry pies ($3), handmade rolls ($4/dozen) and ham balls ($12/6 or $24/12). All items are prebaked with instructions on how to finish the items at home. Orders will be accepted Dec. 4-7 or until items are sold out. Orders can be placed in person (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) at the back entrance to the tearoom (23 MacKay), or by emailing tearoom@iastate.edu. Pick-up instructions will be shared after the order is placed.
Arts and events
Country music icon George Strait and Grammy Award winner Chris Stapleton headline a concert at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday, May 25.
