Announcements
COVID-19: By the numbers
For the week that ended Jan. 16, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 38.2% (98 of 258 tests completed), nearly steady with 38.08% a week earlier. Testing reflects both symptomatic students and student-athletes following NCAA testing protocols. The Story County positivity rate for the week ending Jan. 19 was 32.31%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The vaccination rate among Story County residents at least 5 years of age rose to 64.3% as of Jan. 19. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
Donate business attire for student use at career fairs
The free business attire pop-up shop for all Iowa State students (in anticipation of spring career fairs) is in need of gently-used ties, big and tall menswear, suit jackets, dress shirts and shoes. Donated items can be dropped off Tuesday, Jan. 25 (1:30-5 p.m.,1009 LeBaron). The spring pop-up shop will be held Jan. 26-27 (10 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. daily, 1009 LeBaron). Every semester 400-700 students stop by the shop to pick up items for interviews, clinicals, etc. Questions may be directed to Carmen Flagge, College of Human Sciences (include pop-up shop in the subject line).
Additional campus vaccination clinics scheduled
In partnership with Hy-Vee, Iowa State will offer a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for employees and students on Wednesday, Jan. 26 (9 a.m.-5 p.m., State Gym). Hy-Vee will offer the Pfizer vaccine for first and second doses and booster shots. Appointments are required and must be made online by 10 a.m. Jan. 25. Vaccination clinics also are scheduled for Feb. 9 and March 2; appointment links will be activated closer to those dates.
Food science club's fudge pre-orders close Jan. 28
The Food Science Club's annual fudge sale, in time for Valentine's Day, is by preorder. This year's flavors are chocolate, peanut butter, chocolate mint, cookies and cream, and Cyclone -- a club original. The cost for a half-pound container is $6 (two containers for $10 and $5 for the third and subsequent containers). Payment is by cash or check at pick-up. Orders can be picked up Feb. 9-10 (10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily, 206 MacKay). Any extra fudge will be sold, first-come, Feb. 11 (10 a.m.-1 p.m., 206 MacKay). Proceeds from the sale help cover club expenses and industry trips.
Personal finance sessions offered to faculty and staff
ISU Extension and Outreach (EO) is holding a series of free virtual workshops on personal finance for ISU employees called Financial Wellness at Work. Online registration is required at least 24 hours before each session. The courses are held noon-1 p.m., and participants can earn points in the Adventure2 well-being program. The schedule is:
- Time for a Financial Checkup, Jan. 26: A review of your family's financial situation is a great way to make sure you are moving in the right direction.
- Money Smart: Taking Control of Your $, Feb. 2 and 9 (two parts): Take a big-picture look at how to control your money on a month-to-month basis.
- Mission Possible: Saving, March 2: Saving for short-term needs or long-term goals can be a challenge, so learn strategies to help you succeed.
- Borrowing Smart, March 23: Review basic credit principles, with a focus on reducing both the cost and the risk of borrowing, and explore legal protections and resources that can help.
ISU employees also can request a face-to-face or virtual one-on-one consultation with Carolyn Steckelberg, an EO accredited financial counselor. Email Steckelberg to schedule a consultation. To schedule virtual or in-person workshops for your unit, contact EO financial educator Barb Wollan, bwollan@iastate.edu or 515-832-9597.
CELT to offer additional inclusive classroom trainings
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) concluded its annual inclusive classroom training Dec. 3 and is offering additional trainings universitywide for faculty unable to attend last fall, graduate teaching assistants, and faculty and staff who want to learn more. Four topics that look at a student-centered scenario each will be offered three times (two via Zoom, one in-person):
- Students not participating, engaging or contributing, Jan. 24, 25 (in person) and 27
- Facilitating successful group work, Feb. 15, 16 (in person) and 18
- A student shares personal struggles impacting their academics, Feb. 21, 22 and 25 (in person)
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Most students didn't do well on an exam, March 7, 9 (in person) and 10
Visit the inclusive classroom training website to register for the desired student-centered topic.
Reminder: WorkCyte survey responses are due Jan. 26
The team managing the WorkCyte Phase II project (student information and receiveables) is asking ISU faculty and staff to take an anonymous Qualtrics survey to gauge awareness about the project scope. The information it receives will help guide communications, training and demonstrations. Responses are due by the end of the day Jan. 26. Send any questions about the survey to workcyte_feedback@iastate.edu.
On-campus counseling sessions resume Jan. 19
Resuming in-person service after a period of virtual-only offerings, Employee and Family Resources (EFR) will make on-campus counseling sessions available for ISU employees once a week starting Jan. 19. Counselor Joe Klipping will be available for sessions on Wednesdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Up to six sessions (per set of circumstances, per year) are free for benefits-eligible faculty and staff. EFR counselors have training and experience to assist with life issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, grief, family and marital/couple relationships, and substance abuse concerns. Appointments are required and virtual sessions are available, as well. Call 800-327-4692 to schedule an appointment.
Male faculty: Learn to be an ally for gender equity
Approaches to improving ISU's gender equity will be the focus of a workshop, "Men Allies for Gender Equity," on Thursday Feb. 9 (9:30-11:30 a.m.), intended primarily for male faculty. The workshop has been offered previously at Iowa State, and its interactive format encourages and equips men to serve as effective allies for gender equity in STEM settings. It includes opportunities to ask questions and practice skills through scenario-based exercises. Register via this Doodle poll; questions may be directed to D. Raj Raman, agricultural and biosystems engineering. This is a voluntary program offered as part of the NSF-funded Advance Midwest Partnership project.
Athletics' equipment sale is Feb. 5
The athletics department will hold an equipment sale of authentic football jerseys (one per person) and other team apparel and bags on Saturday, Feb. 5 (8 a.m.-noon or while supplies last, Sukup End Zone Club at Jack Trice Stadium). Helmets won't be sold. Parking is in lots S3 and S5; shoppers should enter the end zone club through its southeast door. Shoppers may not bring bags, purses, food or drink in with them. Prices range from $5 (headwear) to $100 (2018 football jerseys). Credit/debit cards are encouraged, checks aren't accepted and one checkout line will accept cash.
Classroom tents will be back in March
The university response team (URT) has confirmed that tents -- for class, study, student advising and student organization use -- will return to about 10 central campus locations and the Vet Med campus later this semester. Weather permitting, the plan is to install the tents during spring break week. Seating this spring in most of the tents will be picnic tables, for a sturdier option on the thawing ground.
Memoriam page built for Mark Engelbrecht
The College of Design has developed a website where individuals can share photos, anecdotes and memories of Mark Engelbrecht, professor of architecture and dean emeritus of the college, who died Dec. 30 in West Des Moines. His family will hold a private memorial service in April. Engelbrecht joined the architecture faculty in 1979 and served as dean from 1994 to 2009. Memorials may be made to the Mark C. Engelbrecht Architecture Rome Scholarship at the ISU Foundation, 2505 University Blvd., P.O. Box 2230, Ames, 50010. Obituary.
$1K scholarships available for CALS undergraduates
The ISU Seed Science Center has more than 10 $1,000 scholarships to award in 2022. All undergraduates in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are eligible to apply; the deadline was extended to Jan. 21. Complete the application and email it to agronomy professor Susana Goggi.
Health and Wellness Symposium postponed to 2023
The inaugural ISU Health and Wellness Symposium, an event for staff, faculty and students that had been planned for the afternoon of Feb. 4, has been postponed for a year. The symposium has been rescheduled for Feb. 3, 2023.
Differential pay is going up for merit staff working evening, night shifts
As part of its effort to be competitive with the current market, Iowa State will increase its shift differential rates for all regular merit employees, as referenced in the Iowa Administrative Code. Effective Feb. 1, in addition to their hourly rate, regular merit employees will receive an hourly differential of $1 per hour for hours worked between 6 p.m. and midnight, and $1.40 per hour for hours worked between midnight and 6 a.m. Currently, those differential rates are 60 cents and 65 cents, respectively.
The change does not include employees covered by the separate public safety collective bargaining agreement.
McFarland Clinic shares care guide
Ames-based McFarland Clinic announced it is experiencing an extremely high volume of calls and requests for appointments for patients with upper respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. There may be some days it will not be able to accommodate the volume of appointment requests, and some appointments may be extended to the following days. Clinic leaders anticipate high patient volumes and adjusted work flows at least through March. The clinic's testing supplies and new medications to treat patients with COVID-19 also are limited. Due to the high demand on its services, the clinic has posted a care guide for assessing symptoms, getting tested, etc.
Submissions sought for sustainability symposium
The 2022 Symposium on Sustainability, Feb. 21-22 at the Memorial Union, will celebrate the diversity of sustainability efforts and initiatives on campus. Nominations are being accepted for the Live Green awards for excellence in sustainability, which recognize faculty, staff and students who make an impact on campus' sustainability efforts. The nomination form, due Feb. 11 (5 p.m.), is online.
Poster abstracts and table displays that support the Live Green Initiative also are sought from students, faculty and staff as part of the Sustainapalooza event. They can come from any campus project, activity or research. Multimedia art submissions also are being requested and should focus on areas of theory and practice in sustainability. All submissions are due Feb. 11. For more information, visit the symposium website.
Jan. 17 is a university holiday
Spring semester classes begin a day later (Jan. 18) and university offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 17, to observe the national Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Undergraduate 'Research at the Capitol' applications due Jan. 25
Abstracts are due Tuesday, Jan. 25, for undergraduate researchers who would like to participate in the regent universities' annual Research in the Capitol event Monday, Feb. 21, in Des Moines. Faculty who mentor undergraduates on their research teams are asked to encourage their students to participate; online applications may be submitted by individuals or small groups. Submissions are evaluated by topic, relevance to legislative interests and geographic representation. Fifteen research projects from Iowa State will be selected, along with projects from the universities of Iowa and Northern Iowa, to present to an audience of legislators, reports and university administrators. Students or their research mentors may direct questions to Svitlana Zbarska, university honors program.
MU poster sale runs Jan. 24-28
The Memorial Union's winter poster sale, featuring hundreds of designs, will be held in the Cardinal Room Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28 (10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily). Most posters are priced $8-$12, and proceeds from the sale support MU art programs.
Reception for calendar honorees is Jan. 25
The 2022 "Women Impacting ISU" calendar will be unveiled during a public reception recognizing the honorees on Tuesday, Jan. 25 (3:30-5 p.m., MU Sun Room). The program will begin at 4 p.m., and will be livestreamed on YouTube. Following the program, free copies of the calendar will be distributed. The COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2021 calendar reception, so the 2021 calendar honorees also will be recognized at this reception.
Student employee award nominations due Feb. 2
The office of student financial aid is accepting nominations through Feb. 2 for Iowa State's student employee of the year. Nominees must be undergraduate students employed on campus part-time for at least six months between June 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022 (anticipated). The award recognizes competency in eight areas defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers: critical thinking, oral and written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management and global/intercultural fluency. More information is online; the nomination form is in OneApp and must be completed in one sitting. Questions may be directed to Erin Schwartz, 294-0102, or Trisha Stouder, 294-7368.
Art rental available Jan. 19-20 at the Memorial Union
The Memorial Union is hosting an Art for Rent open house Jan. 19 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) and Jan. 20 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) 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. Proceeds from rentals support art programs at the MU.
Annual CyThx campaign recognizes 342 winners
In the fourth annual CyThx campaign (fall 2021), ISU employees and students honored 342 of their campusmates in 113 departments. Those who submitted a thank you message responded to the question, "Who makes you feel like a valued member of the ISU community?" Organizers distributed the responses to recipients and their unit leaders, and also honored recipients on this website if their submitters approved the public option. CyThx is a joint effort of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, learning communities, graduate and professional student senate, office of multicultural student affairs and student government.
Volunteers sought for LEGO robotics state championship for youth
The College of Engineering's community outreach team seeks volunteers to assist at the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) state championship, to be held on campus Saturday, Jan. 22. FLL is an international robotics team competition for youth aged 9-14, intended to help them develop skills in problem-solving, teamwork, programming, design, research and creative thinking. This year's theme, "Cargo Connect," looks at the challenges of supply chain and transportation of goods and services. Volunteers should email fllvolunteer@iastate.edu to sign up.
