Extension's 2026 garden calendar now on sale
The 2026 Garden Calendar, "A Bounty of Bulbs," may be purchased for $9 through the ISU Extension Store, online or at 119 Printing and Publications Building. This year's edition highlights the beauty and variety of bulbs, such as spring tulips, summer lilies, autumn crocuses and even winter's amaryllis, adding color to landscapes year-round.
Nominate a senior for the Wallace E. Barron Award
The ISU Alumni Association is accepting nominations for the Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award, which recognizes outstanding ISU seniors who display high character, outstanding achievements in academics and university/community activities, and promise for continuing these exemplary qualities as alumni. Applicants must be an undergraduate student with senior classification status (90+ credits) and a 3.0 cumulative GPA at the end of the 2025 fall semester. Seniors graduating in fall 2025 are eligible. Nominations are due Dec. 1. Questions can be emailed to Katie Lickteig.
Homecoming buttons go on sale Sept. 29
Buttons to celebrate Homecoming 2025 (Oct. 19-25) go on sale for $5 on Monday, Sept. 29, in the University Book Store, Memorial Union, and the Innovate 1858 store, Student Innovation Center. The button provides daily admission to lunch on central campus Monday-Thursday of Homecoming week (the faculty/staff-dedicated line returns) and a 10% discount at the Innovate 1858 store that week. Campus units can order buttons in bulk (minimum of 10 buttons) for delivery.
Financial education workshop series begins Oct. 7
The Financial Wellness at Work project supports Iowa State employees with additional financial wellness support services. The financial education workshop series begins Oct. 7 with "Time for a Financial Checkup" followed by "Money Smart: Taking Control of your $," which is a two-part workshop on Oct. 16 and 30. "Mission Possible: Saving" will be Nov. 5, and the series concludes Nov. 12 with "Borrowing Smart." The fall series virtual workshops are held from noon until 1 p.m. and is made possible through a partnership between ISU Extension and Outreach and university human resources.
Preregistration is required at least 24 hours prior to each session, and registrants will receive login information by email. Questions about the workshops can be directed to Barb Wollan, Health and Human Sciences educator, bwollan@iastate.edu or 515-832-9597.
Faculty, staff volunteers sought for Three-Minute Thesis prelims
The Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) planning committee seeks faculty and staff volunteers for preliminary rounds on the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 22 (2:30-3:30 p.m., 4-5 p.m.). The 3MT is a competition in which graduate students summarize their research with audiences outside their discipline in three minutes or less and using one static slide. Volunteers serve in judging, timekeeping and doorkeeping roles. Complete an online sign-up form to indicate your interest in volunteering.
Workshop introduces tool for using, sharing public data
ISU Extension and Outreach's Community and Economic Development unit will offer an in-person workshop, "Unlocking the Power of Community Data: Visualizing and Sharing Your Local Data," on Monday, Oct. 20 (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Economic Development Core Facility). Learn how to use Tableau Public, a tool for creating interactive dashboards and data stories with a free, user-friendly method that translates raw data into compelling visuals. The workshop is for community leaders, analysts, planners, nonprofit staff and anyone who wants to make sense of data. The cost is $200; ISU faculty and staff and county extension employees receive a 15% discount. Online registration is open through Thursday, Oct. 16.
Welch Avenue has reopened in campustown
The city of Ames project that had closed Welch Avenue from Chamberlain to Hunt streets since late April has concluded. The upgrades included water main, storm and sanitary sewer replacement, street and sidewalk reconstruction and street light replacement.
Oct. 10-12 'Spirits in the Gardens' tickets are on sale
Reiman Gardens is selling time-entry tickets for its annual "Spirits in the Gardens" halloween celebration, being held this year the weekend of Oct. 10-12. Tickets are $16 ($14 for members and ISU students, $7 youth 2-12 years). Enjoy more than 1,000 hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns, chemistry shows, cosplay, trick-or-treating and (optional) costumes.
Stange Road traffic switches to center lanes Sept. 17
Two-directional traffic on north Stange Road will move to the center two lanes in time for the morning commute on Wednesday, Sept. 17. Traffic will remain head-to-head in the center two lanes. Additionally, the second southbound lane will open south of the Ioway Creek bridge to shorten wait times at the traffic light at 13th Street. With traffic in the center lanes, the contractor will install the new pedestrian path and light fixtures on the west side of the road. The intent is to open the eastern-most lane (northbound) when the street lights are functioning.
Innovation Impact lunch club set for Sept. 26
The September edition of the Innovation Impact Lunch Club will feature a panel of manufacturing heavy hitters (Curries Assa Abloy, John Deere, Metalcraft) with a presence in the ISU Research park. CIRAS director Mike O'Donnell will moderate. The event is Friday, Sept. 26 (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., lunch at 11:15 a.m., training room, ISU Economic Development Core Facility in the research park). The free series is hosted by ISU's office of economic development and industry relations especially for its faculty and staff partners, but open to all. RSVP to mndooley@iastate.edu.
Former Post leader reflects on media expansion
Eugene Robinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, author, political analyst and former assistant managing editor of The Washington Post, will present the 2025 Manatt-Phelps Lecture in Political Science on Wednesday, Oct. 1 (6 p.m., MU Sun Room). He'll look at how the rise of 24-hour cable news, the internet, social media and corporate consolidation has transformed media -- and what that means for news audiences.
Lecture looks at liberty language in Declaration of Independence
Danielle Allen, director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, and director of the Democratic Knowledge Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, will explore the themes of liberty, equality and the power of language in the Declaration of Independence and their relevance today in a lecture on Thursday, Oct. 2 (6 p.m., MU Sun Room). Her talk is titled, "Do Words Matter? The Language of Liberty in the Declaration of Independence."
Short course on beginner GIS offered Oct. 1-2
ISU Extension and Outreach is hosting an in-person, two-day beginner GIS class, Essentials of ArcGIS Pro 3 on Oct. 1-2 (8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, Economic Development Core Facility, 1805 Collaboration Pl.). The cost is $600 (with a 50% discount for all ISU-affiliated staff, students and faculty); register online. Questions may be directed to Bailey Hanson or Jay Maxwell. Participants will explore:
- Essentials and tools of ArcGIS Pro.
- Map-making with GIS data.
- Geoprocessing basics, featuring common tools like buffering, clipping and making selections.
Tearoom opens for lunch service on Sept. 16
The Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom in 23A MacKay will open for the semester on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The Tearoom is a restaurant/classroom teaching program in ISU's hospitality management program. Payment is by credit/debit card only. This semester's service format will feature:
- Grab-and-go cold food items on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the front of the Tearoom.
- The weekly special ($10) and other hot items, with optional dine-in service, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Reservations are recommended for dining-in, but walk-ins are welcome.
Register for Oct. 4 introductory BBQ class
The Iowa Pork Industry Center, collaborating with meat science program faculty, is offering an Introduction to BBQ class on Saturday, Oct. 4 (9 a.m.-1 p.m., Kildee Hall). The public is welcome. Participation is limited and registration is required. The $75 registration fee covers all supplies. Participants will learn about the basics of grill care, a variety of spices and marinates, how to prepare pork products (such as loins, chops, Boston butt and ribs) and how to cook them. They'll have an opportunity to grill pork products and sample their creations.
Workday integration powers new directory
In July, Iowa State launched a redesigned public personnel directory. The upgrade improves search accuracy and resolves previous issues with short names and punctuation. It also updates the site to match the ISU web theme. The URL remains the same -- info.iastate.edu. The directory was built with Workday as the personnel data source, ensuring the directory stays accurate, secure and easier to maintain over time. Individuals still have the option to keep their information hidden from public view, while full details remain accessible within Workday profiles.
Fall GIS series includes workshops, celebrations
Co-hosted by the GIS Support and Research Facility and Parks Library, a series of GIS events and workshops in The Catalyst this semester is designed to help faculty, staff and students discover powerful GIS (geographic information system) tools and resources. Four workshops require registration; drop-in observances for Earth Observation Day (Oct. 14) and GIS Day (Nov. 19) do not.
Honors program seeks spring seminar proposals
The university honors program invites proposals for one- or two- credit honors seminars for spring 2026. Experienced instructors typically are faculty or P&S staff, but also can be graduate students. Seminar topics range widely from architecture to zookeeping. The goal is to engage students deeply in a topic in an active learning environment. Enrollment is capped at 17 students and grading is pass/fail. The honors program offers $500 to seminar instructors to be used for professional development. More information for instructors is online; the proposal submission deadline is Friday, Sept. 26. Questions may be directed to honors program faculty director Stephen Gilbert.
Academic freedom historically, from professional norm to First Amendment right
David Rabban, Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas School of Law, will present the 2025 Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Lecture on Thursday, Sept. 25 (6 p.m., MU Sun Room). His talk will compare the professional norm of academic freedom that originated from the 1915 declaration of the American Association of University Professors with the development of academic freedom as a First Amendment right, as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court beginning in the 1950s. He also will explore the development of a distinctive First Amendment right of academic freedom that protects the expert speech of professors for societal interest in the production and dissemination of knowledge.
Nominate a library employee for staff award
Any member of the Iowa State community can nominate a library employee (of any classification) for the 2025 Linda Shallcross Soukup Library Staff Award, which recognizes exceptional contributions by library staff who advance the mission of the library through innovation, leadership, service and community impact. Nominations are due Sept. 30, and can recognize work completed in the prior fiscal year or sustained accomplishments over time. Eligibility and submission details are available online; questions may be emailed to the Library Awards and Recognition Committee.
Iowa Nutrient Research Center shares fall seminar series
Better water quality through regional collaborative research is the focus of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center's fall seminar series. The presentations take place the second Wednesday of each month, September through December, (3:10-4 p.m., 3306 Elings or virtual). The December seminar will be held online only. Details about each seminar are on the center's website under the events tab.
Showcase for summer graduate career exploration is Sept. 9
Learn from 18 Ph.D. students majoring in different engineering fields during the Graduate Career Exploration Program poster showcase on Tuesday, Sept. 9 (11 a.m.-1 p.m., Student Innovation Center atrium). Pizza will be served. Over the past 14 weeks, the students participated in this new career services program in the Graduate College. During the showcase, they'll present their potential career paths, share the knowledge and tips they acquired from the program and insights gained from multiple informational interviews with professionals in those careers.
How you can contribute to the business attire pop-up shop this month
Iowa State's free Business Attire pop-up shop, which has a permanent space in the east Memorial Union, is accepting new or gently used business attire to share with students in preparation for the fall career fairs Sept.17-Oct.14. Items sought most frequently by students are blazers, suits, slacks, large and tall menswear, loafers, flats, dress shoes, ties, steel toed work boots, purses and accessories. Donations can be dropped off at the Memorial Union Multicultural Center (around the corner from the information desk) during Memorial Union open hours. Monetary donations can be made to the professional attire closet fund at the ISU Foundation. Questions can be emailed to thecloset@iastate.edu. Volunteers also are sought during the pop-up shop student shopping hours on Sept. 10-11 and set-up on Sept. 9; sign up online.
2025 voting information available in Canvas
Did you know 2025 is an election year? Iowa voters will choose their city and school board leaders on Nov. 4, and voters in other states also may participate in state or local elections. The Center for Cyclone Civics prepared an updated, nonpartisan, non-ideological Canvas module for the 2025 election. Instructors can find it in Canvas Commons by searching for Cyclones Vote 2025, and are asked to consider downloading the module in their Canvas shells as an optional resource for their students. By making the module optional and not tied in any way to class content, downloading the module does not violate the university's germaneness policy (Faculty Manual section 7.2.1.2).
Faculty should NOT offer any incentives, such as extra credit, to students for completing the module, registering to vote or voting. Doing so could be considered bribery under Iowa law (Iowa Code §722.1). Questions may be directed to the Center for Cyclone Civics at cyclonecivics@iastate.edu.
Fall workshops focus on faculty professional development
The office of the senior vice president and provost is hosting seven workshops during fall semester on various aspects of faculty development. Some will meet in person; some will be hosted virtually. Register for each event online. The fall lineup is:
- Sept. 25 (2-3:15 p.m., virtual), ISU ADVANCE: Building A Strong Portfolio for Term Faculty Advancement
- Sept. 26 (11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 3580 Memorial Union), Writing Your Next Chapter: How to Find Your Mojo at Mid-Career
- Sept. 30 (10-11:15 a.m., virtual), Responding to Disruptions: Creating Learning Spaces that Support Student and Faculty Success
- Oct. 14 (2-3 p.m., virtual), Preparing Effective Award Nominations
- Oct. 15 (1-2:15 p.m., 3580 Memorial Union), ISU ADVANCE: Promotion from Associate Professor to Professor
- Oct. 16 (noon-1:30 p.m., luncheon, Campanile Room, Memorial Union), Fostering Strong Mentoring Relationships
- Dec. 4 (11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., virtual), Planning for Post-Tenure Review
Reminder: Employment and benefits center moves to north campus next week
On Tuesday, Sept. 9, university human resources' (UHR) benefits and service center offices will move to the Warren Madden Building (formerly Administrative Services Building), 2221 Wanda Daley Dr., on the north side of campus. These two teams will comprise the new ISU Employment and Benefits Center, just inside the south doors on the first floor. The UHR service center and benefits staff will operate in 3810 Beardshear until 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8.
Remodeled spaces in the Warren Madden Building provided the opportunity to bring many of the key services and units that new employees, hourly student employees, graduate assistants and retirees use for their initial appointment, hiring and retirement transactions. In addition to the two UHR offices, the payroll and procurement teams returned last month to the Warren Madden Building, and parking services will staff a satellite office there.
The Madden Building features short-term parking in front of the building, and it's also accessible via four CyRide bus routes (Cardinal, Gold, Brown and Peach). Additional details, including maps and directions, are on the Employment and Benefits Center website. To help introduce employees to the building site, ISU WellBeing will host a special walk to the Madden Building on Tuesday, Sept.16; no registration required. Participants should meet at noon near the front steps of Beardshear Hall.
Volunteers needed for mass pumpkin carving at Reiman Gardens
Individuals and groups are needed to turn 1,000+ pumpkins into hand-carved jack-o-lanterns for Reiman Gardens' annual "Spirits in the Gardens" Halloween celebration Oct. 10-12. Two-hour volunteer shifts are available Oct. 1-4 and Oct. 8-10. Volunteers receive a free ticket to Spirit in the Gardens for each shift they complete. Register to volunteer by Sept. 26 (all volunteers must be at least 13 years old).
Center for Communication Excellence celebrates 10 years
The staff in the Center for Communication Excellence, Graduate College, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Faculty and staff are invited to a reception drop-in event on Monday, Sept. 15 (9:30 a.m.-noon, MU Campanile Room). Part 1 (9:30-10:30 a.m.) will celebrate the history of the center. After a short coffee break, part 2 (11 a.m.-noon) will focus on the impact and vision of the CCE.
Study Abroad Fair is Sept. 11
The Study Abroad Center will host its fall Study Abroad Fair on Thursday, Sept. 11 (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., MU Great Hall). Learn about interning, studying and volunteering abroad in experiences ranging from one week to one year. Students can enter their names for a chance to win study-abroad scholarships.
Field of Memories flag exhibit is Sept. 12
The staff in Student Counseling Services is sponsoring its fourth annual Field of Memories flag exhibit on Friday, Sept. 12 (9 a.m.-3 p.m., lawn south of Parks Library). The exhibit represents the 1,100 U.S. college students who die by suicide each year. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate by personalizing a flag with a message of hope, in honor of a life lost to suicide, or to encourage an individual who struggles with depression. Student Counseling Services staff members will be present to support those impacted by the exhibit.
Register now for sweet roll workshop in November
Members of the Culinary Science Club are offering a hands-on cinnamon roll workshop on Friday, Nov. 7 (6-7:30 p.m. 200 MacKay). Participants will learn how to make classic cinnamon rolls and other sweet roll options (pecan butterscotch, orange swirl and lemon blueberry) -- and leave with fresh rolls, recipes and a yeast dough to practice at home. The registration fee is $40 per person; register online.
Security training required for NSF-covered researchers
Effective Oct. 10, National Science Foundation-covered individuals with or pursuing funding will be required to complete annual research security training under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Two approved training options are available through Workday Learn. This requirement is in addition to the U.S. Department of Energy's research security training requirement, which took effect on May 1. Visit the office of research ethics' Research Security Training page for details on training content, deadlines and how to access the modules.
Library archive is collecting August Ireland travel content
Special Collections and University Archives at Parks Library has a project to collect Iowa State content from those who traveled in Ireland for the historic football game against Kansas State on Aug. 23. Travelers may contribute their photos, videos, written memories and other files for this crowd-sourced initiative. More information is online.
Translational AI Center offers fall micro-credential courses
The Translational AI Center (TrAC) offers industry-focused AI micro-credentials for professionals ready to advance in translational artificial intelligence. Learn practical, hands-on skills, from foundational AI techniques to cutting-edge applications, and receive a digital badge for each 4-week, self-paced online course completed. The cost is $500/course for faculty, staff and industry professionals with basic Python programming knowledge and a basic understanding of deep learning. Iowa State students pay the cost of one credit per course. In collaboration with Iowa State Online, TrAC is offering the following courses this fall:
Foundational AI courses
- Mastering PyTorch, September
- End-to-End Natural Language Processing, October
- End-to-End Computer Vision, November
Advanced AI courses
- Graph Neural Networks, September
- Scientific Machine Learning, October
- Reinforcement Learning, November
Reminder: Sept. 1 is university holiday
University offices are closed and classes will not meet on Monday, Sept. 1, in observance of the national Labor Day holiday.
Faculty research mentors sought for first-year Honors students
Faculty are invited to participate in the 2025-26 First-Year Honors Mentor Program. In the fall, interested faculty register for the program by creating project profile(s) in the Honors program's online system to be matched with interested students. Project profiles are due Oct. 1. Faculty then mentor students in a research or creative project for HON 2900H credit in the spring. Researchers who are not faculty (e.g., with Ames Lab, post-docs) are welcome to participate in the program, but will need permission to access the project website; email Stephen Gilbert or Nina VanDerZanden with questions.
Honor former Cyclones on the 2026 Women Impacting ISU calendar
To mark the 20th year of the Women Impacting ISU calendar, the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics will publish a 2026 commemorative edition of the calendar featuring women who left Iowa State prior to the first calendar in 2007. Instructions and a link to the nomination form are on the Catt Center website. Nominations must be received by end of the day on Sunday, Sept. 28. Selection of the 2026 calendar honorees will be open to the Iowa State community. In early October, voting instructions and a link to the ballot will be distributed via email to all current faculty, staff and students.
Balance in constitutional powers is subject of Constitution Day Lecture
Former U.S. ambassador and former U.S. senator from Arizona Jeff Flake will discuss the current state of the balance of constitutional powers in the United States for Iowa State's 2025 Constitution Day Lecture on Monday, Sept. 15 (6 p.m., MU Sun Room). His talk is titled, "When Congress Steps Back: A Call for Restoring Constitutional Balance in Governance." All are welcome.
Book highlights the man behind C.Y. Stephens Auditorium
An entry in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' relaunched STORIES magazine highlights a new book about 1925 alumnus C.Y. Stephens, for whom Iowa State's performing arts auditorium is named. A full PDF of the book is available for download online, and a limited number of hard copies are for sale at the University Book Store in the Memorial Union. It was written by another alumnus, Steven Jones. The fall edition of STORIES is in mailboxes the week of Aug. 25.
Iowa landowners asked to help track fall monarch migration
Researchers with the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium, of which Iowa State is a member, are asking Iowa landowners to help document the fall south migration of thousands of monarch butterflies via an online form, phone or email. The butterflies funnel through Iowa, using sheltered areas to rest in clusters before continuing their journey south. Community members who observe monarchs resting on public lands are asked to report what they see, too. Documenting roosting sites helps guide conservation strategies across the continent.
Fall session of ISU KIN KIDS starts Sept. 16
The fall session of ISU KIN Kids (formerly called ISU Swim & Gym) starts on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The program provides physical education lessons twice a week -- Tuesdays and Thursdays (4-5:30 p.m.) -- to children ages 4-12 years in the kinesiology department, Forker Building. Activities include cooperative games, dance/rhythm, tumbling, sport skills, etc. Children's participation helps the department develop strong physical education teachers for the state of Iowa and beyond. Email the director, Jenny Smith, with questions or to receive the registration link.
Fall poster sale runs Aug. 20-29
The Memorial Union will host its fall poster sale Aug. 20-29 (Campanile Room, main level). Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays and noon-6 p.m. over the weekend. Find an extensive collection of imagery, ranging from timeless classic posters to fresh-off-the-press artist prints. Prices range from $8 to $15, and proceeds directly support the Memorial Union Art Gallery. The public is welcome.
A few reminders about university travel
As the academic year begins, business-related travel increases in volume. The team in the controller's department reminds faculty and staff to reference its travel information site before making travel arrangements. A few key reminders are below:
- Expense reports should be submitted within 120 days of the last day of travel. If submission within this timeframe isn't possible, an exception request can be submitted for review. Approval is not guaranteed. More details.
- While combining personal and business travel doesn't happen often, on occasions when it does, follow ISU's procedures carefully to ensure compliance. If necessary, an exception request can be submitted for review. Approval is not guaranteed, and the traveler may be responsible for all related expenses. More details.
- Travelers who choose to drive instead of fly will be reimbursed for the lower of the two costs: actual driving expenses or projected flying costs. To ensure proper reimbursement, please follow the procedures outlined by ISU. If necessary, an exception request can be submitted for review. Approval is not guaranteed, and the traveler may be responsible for all related expenses. More details.
South 16th Street reconstruction update, Aug. 15
Crews finished paving the south lanes of South 16th Street in front of the Veterinary Medicine campus on Aug. 7 and the new trail along the south side of the road by Aug. 14. Paving at the intersection with Riverside Drive is nearly complete, and the Vet Med pedestrian trail has reopened. Wood rail fencing is being installed along the north side of the road. Lane striping is scheduled for next week, and substantial completion of the project, which includes reopening all four lanes of South 16th Street and the east driveway to the college, still is anticipated by Friday, Aug. 22. Additional work, including streetlight installation, grading and grass seeding, will extend beyond this date. The two-summer city of Ames project will widen South 16th Street to four lanes between University Boulevard and Apple Place.
Research project managers' next meeting is Sept. 9
The Research Project Management Council, supported by the office of the vice president for research, will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9 (3 p.m., 0308 Elings, light refreshments provided). The short agenda includes a mini-presentation on micro-credentials Registration is requested. The council is open to all P&S staff who manage sponsored research projects or programs. The group's direction is guided by the needs and priorities of its members, ensuring that the council remains responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities. Contact Nicole Scott or Stacy Renfro with questions.
Student organizers seek volunteer judges for Homecoming events
The Student Alumni Leadership Council seeks campus partners to volunteer as judges for this fall's Homecoming events. Lights, Camera, Cyclones will be held Oct. 19-25, and is an opportunity for staff and faculty to support students and some of Iowa State's cherished traditions. To get started, complete this online interest form (which includes descriptions of specific assignments) by Sept. 30.
Innovation lunch club meets Aug. 22
The August edition of the Innovation Impact Lunch Club will feature several "superstar" ag startup tenants in the ISU Research park. It will meet on Friday, Aug. 22 (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., lunch at 11:15 a.m., board room, ISU Economic Development Core Facility in the research park). Learn more about these cutting-edge startups and some global companies investing in the technology of tomorrow. The free series is hosted by ISU's office of economic development and industry relations especially for its faculty and staff partners, but open to all. RSVP to mndooley@iastate.edu.
Enrollment and student success reports now available
The latest Power BI Data Mart reports for enrollment, retention, graduation, degrees awarded and student credit hours are available via Institutional Research's (IR) resources website or the Workday dashboard "Academic Affairs for Administrators." Administrators and those who had access to e-data in the past should be able to access the new reports. These reports leverage the new Data Mart system developed during the transition to Workday Student, offering improved accuracy, consistency and insight into key student metrics. In a campuswide effort, IR, the office of enrollment research and analytics (ERA) and IT Services have worked to validate and publish these reports to support informed decision-making across the university.
As a reminder, e-data Cognos will sunset this fall but the original e-data reports have been reproduced in Power BI and will continue to be available for those who need them. For any immediate data needs not yet available, departments may contact studentdatarequest@iastate.edu.
Annual community rummage sale does the job
The ninth annual Rummage RAMPage July 25-Aug. 2, a community rummage sale jointly hosted by the city of Ames and ISU's Office of Sustainability, raised a record $72,641 for 51 non-profit organizations staffing the event, and found new homes for 131,434 pounds of furniture and housewares. Over nine years of Rummage RAMPage, more than 996,000 pounds of material have been diverted from the landfill and area non-profits have earned $357,495 for their role. Save the dates: The 2026 event is scheduled for July 24-Aug. 1.
Undergraduate Research Assistantship applications now available
The office of student financial aid is accepting applications for the 2025-26 Undergraduate Research Assistantship (URA) program, which matches juniors and seniors with faculty members who provide hands-on experience in a formal research environment. The funding split is an estimated: 60% college work-study program, 40% employing department. Faculty interested in participating should complete the faculty application on the URA website. For more information, contact Julie Arnold, 294-0103.