Announcements
December 2020
University is a SolarWinds client; no evidence of compromised info
Iowa State learned last week it was one of the 18,000 customers affected by the SolarWinds security breach. In July, the university installed a software update that had been altered previously by hackers. At this time, there is no evidence the university was targeted in this attack or that its infrastructure was compromised. It does not appear any sensitive or personal information of students, faculty or staff was compromised. Iowa State's information technology services (ITS) team continues to investigate. It has decommissioned affected servers and will take other remediation steps as needed. ITS will provide updates on a project website as they become available.
Holiday video features reflections on extraordinary year
Twenty-six members of the campus community -- students, staff, faculty and senior leaders -- reflected on their experiences during the pandemic in President Wendy Wintersteen's holiday message. Recorded at the Student Innovation Center, the 7-minute video released Dec. 17 features Iowa Staters sharing their memories and perspectives, with a focus on overcoming obstacles, teamwork, trust, perseverance, gratitude and hope.
Approval requirement to recruit is extended to June
Procedures implemented last March that require president- or senior vice president-level approval before a unit recruits for a new or vacant position, set to sunset Dec. 30, have been extended to June 30, 2021. In a Dec. 16 memo to managers, vice president for university human resources Kristi Darr said the extension reflects "the ongoing nature and the continued budget challenges associated with the pandemic." The guidelines are in effect for faculty, P&S, merit, contract, postdoc resident/intern and temporary/emergency employee hires.
Students now can initiate schedule change form
The office of the registrar has implemented a version of the schedule change digital form that is student-initiated. Found in the student tab of AccessPlus (in registrar forms), this version allows the student to enter the identification data and schedule change information. Previously, the advisor completed these steps. The student must enter the ISU email address of their assigned advisor (undergraduate students) or major professor/program staff person (graduate students), and then submit the form to route for review and approval.
No schedule change policies have changed. It is still the student's responsibility to collect permission or acknowledgement from an instructor (now via email communication) for a course they wish to add or drop, depending on the circumstances and time period within the semester. More information about the roles and responsibilities of the schedule change process are on the registrar's website.
Season ticket holders can purchase wrestling tickets
The athletics department has announced a spectator plan for the wrestling season that caps attendance at 1,373 fans per meet, or just under 10% of Hilton Coliseum's 14,384-seat capacity. Only 2019-20 wrestling season ticket holders are able to pre-purchase tickets (in pods of two or four) for up to two matches this season. 2019-20 season ticket holders will have first rights to their tickets and seat locations for the 2021-22 season, regardless of whether they purchase tickets this year. According to the Hilton wrestling seating plan, 986 seats will be reserved for season ticket holders or the public, 60 for ISU student fans, 84 for family and friends of ISU wrestlers and coaches, 50 for the pep band and spirit squads and 90 for fans of the visiting team. The rest (103 seats) are reserved for game operations, media, athletics department staff and fans requiring accessible seating. MatCyd Club is suspended for this season.
Perfect for winter: Curated art project boxes
The Workspace in the Memorial Union is selling a three-month subscription of curated supplies and instructions for creating and appreciating art. Three varieties are available: Maker Art, Family Craft and Maker/Patron. Boxes will be ready on the 10th of January, February and March. They can be delivered to your doorstep if you live in Ames, or you may pick up your box from the Memorial Union. Shipping is available for $10/month. Details are online.
Ames High singers featured at Dec. 17 Reiman light show
The Ames High Madrigal Singers will perform from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, during Reiman Gardens' Winter Wonderscape. The outdoor holiday light show runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings through Jan. 2, with the exception of Christmas Day. Nightly attendance is capped and tickets are sold for a specific date.
Student requests for spring semester loaner laptops are due Jan. 4
Through 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, ISU's Laptop Loaner program is accepting applications from students who need a personal laptop for spring semester. Students should complete the online Laptop Loaner program participation request. A limited number is available. For more information, contact lib-support@iastate.edu or review the FAQ on IT Services' Computer Requirement website.
Beginning Monday, Jan. 11, students will be notified if they are approved to participate in the Laptop Loaner program. Those who aren't approved are welcome to participate in Parks Library's Tech Lending program scheduled to open Jan. 21.
Asymptomatic quarantine protocol reduced to 10 days
The Iowa Department of Public Health has shortened the length of quarantine it recommends in instances when a person without symptoms has had close contact with an individual who has a confirmed case of COVID-19. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for 15 consecutive minutes or longer, unless both parties were wearing face coverings correctly and consistently the entire time they had contact. Iowa State is implementing the new 10-day quarantine protocol, associate vice president for student health and wellness Erin Baldwin and COVID-19 public health coordinator Kristen Obbink announced in a Dec. 9 campus message.
Fall Honors poster session is a virtual gallery
The University Honors Program invites the university community to visit its Fall 2020 virtual poster session. The online platform features the capstone research projects of 70 Honors students and fall graduates, indexed by college, and includes links to each student's poster and recorded presentation.
Creamery offers curbside ice cream pick-up Dec. 16, Jan. 6
Although the ISU Creamery is closed for winter break, there are two upcoming opportunities to pick up quarts of your favorite Iowa State flavors: Dec. 16 and Jan. 6 (3:30-5 p.m., circle drive on the west side of Food Sciences Building). To place an order, email Sarah Canova, scanova@iastate.edu by noon Dec. 15 and Jan. 5. The price is $12 per quart. Payment at pick-up is in cash, exact amount only. The ISU Creamery will reopen Jan. 25, 2021, with revised hours: Noon-4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
WorkCyte website has been reorganized
Information Technology Services has refreshed its WorkCyte website to serve more effectively as a gateway site directing users to information that assists them with their job functions. Previously, it served more as a resource-intensive site supporting the WorkCyte program implementation. The new website features:
- Introduction to Workday
- WorkCyte Digest with the latest news, help and training links to new knowledge based articles that are easy to search and navigate
- Information about current and upcoming releases of Workday
- History of the WorkCyte program
Upcycle your holiday cards through Jan. 25
The office of sustainability and ISU recycling services are partnering to collect holiday greeting cards from faculty, staff and students for upcycling. Cards collected Dec. 14-Jan. 25 will be sent to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to be made into new holiday cards, with all proceeds supporting St. Jude's work with children. To take part: Send card fronts only (backs can't be used) to Merry Rankin, 108 General Services, or drop them in collection boxes in the General Services Building. Although holiday cards specifically are being targeted, other occasion cards (birthday, thank you, etc.) also may be included.
Due to copyright laws, St. Jude's can't use Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cards in their recycled card program. These cards and any recyclable paper products can be dropped at the Ames Golden Kiwanis' paper recycling collection trailer located at 919 East Lincoln Way (CENEX station).
See national turkeys, Corn and Cob, Dec. 5
The nation's official Thanksgiving turkey and alternate bird -- Corn and Cob, raised in Iowa by an Iowa State University alum -- will be available for public viewing Saturday, Dec. 5 (10 a.m.-2 p.m., department of animal science teaching pavilion, 3640 520th Ave. -- State Avenue extended south). Face coverings, physical distancing and a limit on visitors will be enforced and hand sanitizer will be available. Those who are sick or have been exposed to COVID-19 are asked to stay home and visit the turkeys another time.
Symptom checker reminders continue for employees, grad students
Faculty, staff and graduate students will continue to receive Cyclones Care Daily Symptom Checker emails and text messages over the winter break. Messages to undergraduate students have been suspended from Nov. 26 to Jan. 11, 2021, but students should self-assess any symptoms and stay home if they are sick.
Gardens' gift shop reopens Dec. 7
The gift shop at Reiman Gardens, temporarily closed due to a surge in COVID-19 positive cases, will reopen Monday Dec. 7. Normal hours are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Jan. 2, the gift shop (and all of the gardens) will close at 4 p.m. to prepare for Winter Wonderscape (5 p.m.-close).
Fans will return for basketball, football games this weekend
Under previously announced COVID-19 protocols, including limited attendance open only to season ticket holders, fans will be allowed to attend the football game Saturday against West Virginia and the basketball games Sunday against South Carolina (women's) and DePaul (men's), athletics director Jamie Pollard announced Dec. 1. Recent basketball and football games had been held with no fans in attendance due to rising COVID-19 numbers. University leaders decided to resume the prior attendance plans at Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum after considering state and local test-results trends and hospitalization rates.
Arts and events
"The Crucible" and "John Proctor is the Villain," will run in tandem during two weekends, April 18-28, at Fisher Theater.
