Announcements
Therkildsen building construction is focus of virtual meeting
Facilities planning and management (FPM) will hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, Dec. 14 (9-10 a.m. via Webex) to share information about the Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building with those who work in or visit buildings near the site on the west side of campus. The presentation will focus on construction activities and their impact on campus circulation, including nearby buildings. The meeting will include time for Q&A. Email FPM project manager Liz Clarke to receive the meeting link.
Creamery offers curbside pickup on Dec. 21
To assist with special orders for the winter holidays, ISU Creamery staff will offer curbside pickup for preorders of ice cream and cheddar cheese blocks Wednesday, Dec. 21 (4:30-5:30 p.m., semi-circle drive, east side of Food Sciences Building off Wallace Road). Email orders to creamery@iastate.edu.
Art sale continues through Dec. 9
The College of Design Art Club's fall sale continues Thursday-Friday, Dec. 8-9 (10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily) in the Design building's central foyer. Most items for sale are ceramics but may include prints, photos, wood, jewelry and textiles created by undergraduate and graduate students in the college. A majority of proceeds go to the artists and the rest help fund club activities.
Reminder: Complete regents' free speech training
The state Board of Regents expects all students and employees to complete virtual training about free speech and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by the end of spring semester. In about 20 minutes, the training emphasizes the importance of how to both use speech and expression in classroom and out-of-class activities and respect the protected speech and activity of others. Beginning last year, Iowa's three regent universities are required to provide free speech training annually.
Presenters sought for spring STEM conference for girls
The Program for Women in Science and Engineering is accepting presenter proposals for its spring Go Further girls STEM conference through Tuesday, Jan. 17. There are two conferences for students in grades 8-10 this spring, March 28 and April 5 in the Memorial Union, 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.
Learn more about student loan policy changes
With many recent updates to student loan policy, including the resumption of loan payments in 2023, employees with student loans to repay are invited to a free educational webinar on Dec. 14 (1-2 p.m. CST). Register online. It's hosted by Savi, a student loan benefit offered by TIAA at Iowa State since 2021. Savi sorts through more than 150 state and federal assistance options to propose personalized repayment and forgiveness plans based on income, family size, debt amount and employment history. ISU employees can sign up for Savi online anytime and don't need to be a TIAA client.
Nominations open: Awards for student employee and supervisor of student employees
The office of student financial aid seeks nominations for Iowa State's 2023 Student Employee of the Year. Nominations are due Feb. 1, 2023. 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.
In partnership with university human resources, the student financial aid office also is seeking nominations for a new award, Student Employee Supervisor of the Year, to recognize the exceptional supervisors of hourly student employees for their mentorship and professionalism. These nominations also are due Feb. 1. More information about how to nominate a colleague is online.
Rec services opens gender-neutral restroom at Lied center
Recreation services has completed a remodeling project to open a gender-neutral restroom on the first floor of the Lied Recreation Athletic Center for building users who are nonbinary or feel more comfortable in a gender-neutral space. With the new restroom, rec services provides gender-neutral restrooms in its three indoor facilities. The others are a restroom on Beyer Hall first floor between the men's and women's locker rooms and two changing rooms with showers near the pool at State Gym. Rec services' policy allows patrons to use any facility or space, including locker rooms and restrooms, consistent with their gender identity.
Gardeners, stay busy this winter
ISU Extension and Outreach's Master Gardener program will host a home gardening webinar series via Zoom from January through March. The sessions are free and open to the public (up to 500 participants); registration is required. The series is an educational opportunity for existing master gardeners, those interested in becoming master gardeners and those who just want to learn more about gardening topics. Participants will hear from experts at Iowa State, Reiman Gardens, University of Illinois, North Dakota State University and Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Register for Project LEA/RN workshop in January
Project LEA/RN will host an in-person workshop Jan. 10-11, 2023 (9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, 3022 Agronomy) that trains educators to help their students learn the kind of thinking required to solve complex problems. Faculty, staff and graduate students are welcome. Participants will share insights about the brain based on current research, engage in strategies that promote interaction and deep thinking, and apply them to situations in which they facilitate learning -- classes, orientation sessions, extension meetings or other learning situations. This workshop will not directly address the technology involved with remote and online learning. Enrollment is limited to 20. To register or for more information, contact Project LEA/RN director Jan Wiersema, agronomy, (712) 221-1203.
Two more weekends to shop at forestry club tree and wreath sale
Forestry club members will sell Christmas trees and wreaths Dec 2-4 and Dec. 9-11 in the Reiman Gardens parking lot. Select from Korean ($70-$80), Balsam ($80-$100) and Canaan ($70-$80) fir and white pine ($60) trees. Wreaths come in two sizes, 25-inch ($25) and 30-inch ($30). Sale hours are Fridays 3-6 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Payment is by cash or check. Questions may be directed to jmerry@iastate.edu.
Holiday purchases should be shipped home
The postal and parcel services (PPS) staff reminds the campus community that university policy (and state law) prohibits employees from using university equipment and services -- including mail services -- for personal use during any season. Personal online shopping increases this time of year, but those purchases should be mailed to employees' homes, not to campus addresses, where PPS staff make the final delivery.
School of Ed's technology center celebrates 25 years
The School of Education's Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching will celebrate its 25th anniversary Dec. 5-8. Events include a superhero activity, laser cutter projects and a keynote lecture by Punya Mishra on Dec. 6. Mishra is the associate dean of scholarship and innovation and professor in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University.
Classrooms designated for open study during prep week evenings
Room scheduling will offer these 10 general university classrooms for students to use as study rooms during prep week, Dec. 5-9 (5:30-11 p.m. daily):
- Black Engineering 1028
- Carver 0184, 0190
- Pearson 3143, 3157
- Physics 0052
- Ross 0027, 0029
- Town Engineering 0250, 0290
Postal and parcel service update for holiday breaks
Postal and parcel services will be closed Nov. 23-25, Dec. 23-27 and Jan. 2 to observe university holidays, and there will be no delivery, collections or dispatch on these dates. Postal and parcel services will be open Dec. 28-30 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily) with normal delivery, collections and dispatch for all buildings that are open. For buildings that are closed during the Christmas to New Year break (Dec. 23-Jan. 2), postal and parcel services will hold all mail for delivery after the break. Questions may be sent to rtott@iastate.edu. Inquiries sent to the department email address (pps@iastate.edu) on days the office is closed will receive a response when the office reopens.
Package delivery service update for holiday breaks
To align with private carriers (UPS/FedEx) and to minimize service disruptions, ISU's central receiving will remain operational during the upcoming holiday breaks, with exceptions for the dates listed below. Modified services means that all next-day, time-sensitive and perishable packages will be received and delivered to campus that same day, to open buildings. All standard and non-time-sensitive packages and freight shipments will be securely received and held at central receiving and delivered to campus the following non-holiday business day(s).
Christmas
- Friday, Dec 23: open with modified services
- Monday, Dec 26: closed
- Tuesday, Dec 27: open with modified services
New Year's Day
- Monday, Jan. 2: closed
- Tuesday, Jan 3: open with modified services
Questions about package delivery during the holiday breaks may be directed to manager Corey Bickelhaupt, 515-294-1804. Package recipients also may view their central receiving package status online.
Arts and events
Cookie decorating, group photos, bingo, bowling, wagon rides, a tree lighting and President Wendy Wintersteen's open house in Beardshear Hall are a few of the events to enjoy Friday evening, Dec. 2.
