Announcements
January 2022
Meal swipe donation period is Feb. 7-11
ISU Dining's Give a Swipe program, in which students with meal plans can donate flex meals or dining dollars to students in need, will hold its spring semester donation period Monday-Friday, Feb. 7-11. The maximum donation allowed is two flex meals, $16 worth of dining dollars or a combination of one flex meal and $8 in dining dollars. The meals donated during donation week will be available all semester. Students in need of a meal can contact one of six offices to receive assistance.
COVID-19: By the numbers
For the week that ended Jan. 23, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 37.36% (130 of 348 tests completed), down from 38.2% 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. 26 was 34.32%, 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 64.6% as of Jan. 26. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
'Smile and Write' resumes Feb. 1
Smile and Write, an online program for faculty and staff that leverages peer accountability to make progress on projects, manuscripts, curriculum, etc., resumes Feb. 1. Weekly two-hour sessions (Tuesdays 11 a.m.-1 p.m.) will be held Feb. 1-April 26. About a dozen other sessions are scheduled Feb. 3-April 29 on the other four days of the week. Participants should register in advance to receive the Zoom link for each two-hour session. Non-Tuesday sessions will meet:
- Monday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Feb. 28), noon-2 p.m. (Feb. 7, April 11)
- Wednesday, 10 a.m.-noon (Feb. 16), 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (March 9), 1-3 p.m. (April 6)
- Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (Feb. 3, March 24), 12:30-2:30 p.m. (April 21), 2-4 p.m. (Feb. 24)
- Friday, 10 a.m.-noon (March 18, April 29), noon-2 p.m. (April 1)
Cy's House of Trivia scheduled for April 9
After a two-year hiatus, the athletics department's Cy's House of Trivia is scheduled for Saturday, April 9 (6:30 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m.), in Hilton Coliseum. Table renewal registration (for 2019 teams) and lottery entry (for first-time teams) are open through Feb. 25. The entry fee is $550 for an eight-person team. The event features eight rounds of 10 questions each.
IP Corner launches Feb. 4
The IP (intellectual property) Corner, with Gary Griswold, former chief IP counsel at 3M, and Patrick Klepcyk, director of the office of innovation commerialization, will launch Fridays, Feb. 4 and 18 (9 a.m.-noon, 3121A Student Innovation Center) and continue monthly on the second and fourth Fridays through spring semester. They will help students, faculty and staff understand general issues related to intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets or confidential information. General topics that may be addressed are how to document activities that may be inventive, the patent application process, when/how/why to file a patent application and how the university works with inventors and researchers.
Nominations for supplier awards due Feb. 28
Procurement services seeks the campus community's help to recognize suppliers who have provided exceptional value and extraordinary customer service to the university and helped support the department's mission to provide efficient, timely and effective services. If you've worked with a supplier in the past year worthy of recognition, nominate them by Feb. 28 for a 2022 Supplier Award in the following areas (click on the links for details and eligibility):
Join 'Make to Innovate' 10th anniversary celebration online
Make to Innovate, a project-based learning program in the aerospace engineering department, is marking its 10th anniversary in a celebration Jan. 28 from 2:30-4 p.m. at the Student Innovation Center. A list of speakers is available online. Registration for in-person attendance is closed, but the event will livestream on Zoom. The event also will introduce the Make to Innovate Lab of the Future Challenge, a competition for student teams to envision the lab needs of students, faculty and universities in 2050. The challenge is sponsored by John Deere and will offer $10,000 in prize money.
New look for interlibrary loan site launches Feb. 7
University library's interlibrary loan (ILL) request site is getting a new look on Feb. 7, but it will function largely as it did before. Patrons still will be able to submit ILL requests for articles, books and other materials but on a website that will look a little different.
Fall honors seminar proposals due Feb. 11
The University Honors Program invites proposals for an Honors seminar in Fall 2022. These one- or two-credit courses, offered for a half or full term, allow Honors students to examine topics of current or special interest. Seminars are offered on a pass/fail basis and enrollment is usually limited to 17 students. Honors allocates $500 per seminar for the professional development of the instructor(s). Proposals are due Friday, Feb. 11; the proposal form is online. Details and guidelines can be found on the Honors website. Contact Leisha Estep or Laurie Smith Law with questions or for more information.
Early registration closes Jan. 31 for annual P&S conference
Registration is open for the 10th annual Professional and Scientific professional development conference, Cultivate Your Adventure: Engage, Innovate, Evolve, Wednesday, Feb. 23 (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Gateway Hotel and Conference Center). Sessions will focus on rebuilding and maintaining professional relationships as well as personal development within the areas of leadership, health and wellness, professional resources and relationship-building with colleagues. Experience this in-person opportunity to connect with colleagues from across campus. Early registration is $120 through Jan. 31, and registration is $140 Feb. 1-15. The conference schedule and session descriptions are available on the conference website.
Reiman Gardens offers workshop series on gardening basics
Reiman Gardens is offering a 12-workshop series for beginning gardeners that will meet 1-2 Saturday mornings per month from February through September. Reiman staff members are the instructors. The cost is $200 ($150 for members and ISU students) or $20 per workshop ($15), and includes more than $200 of tools, seeds, plant starts and containers. Preregister for the full series by Feb. 13.
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 business attire free 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. 10 (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.
Printing services website unavailable Jan. 18
Printing services' computer servers are not functioning this morning (Jan. 18) due to an overhead water leak in the server area. The website, including order forms, is not available and printing staff are unable to work on clients' digital files until the problem is fixed. A timeline for bringing services back online still is being assessed.
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.
COVID-19: By the numbers
For the week that ended Jan. 9, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 38.08% (123 of 323 tests completed), up from 35.44% 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. 12 was 27.02%, 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 64.1% as of Jan. 12. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
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.
By the numbers: COVID-19
For the week that ended Jan. 2, the positive rate for COVID-19 tests completed at the Thielen Student Health Center was 35.44% (28 of 79 tests completed), up from 5.65% 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. 5 was 14.73%, 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 63.7% as of Jan. 5. The CDC changed the definition for "eligible population fully vaccinated" to include those 5 years and older; previously it counted residents 18 years and older. Iowa State is providing weekly updates on these and other public health benchmarks on its COVID-19: By the numbers website.
Make to Innovate to celebrate 10th anniversary Jan. 28
Make to Innovate, a project-based learning program in the aerospace engineering department, is marking its 10th anniversary in a celebration Jan. 28 from 2:30-4 p.m. at the Student Innovation Center's step-a-torium. The event also will introduce the Make to Innovate Lab of the Future Challenge, a competition for student teams to envision the lab needs of students, faculty and universities in 2050. The challenge is sponsored by John Deere and will offer $10,000 in prize money. A list of speakers and a link to RSVP is available online. Registration to attend in-person is due by Jan. 10.
Study Abroad Fair set for Jan. 20
The spring Study Abroad Fair will be held Thursday, Jan. 20 (10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., South Ballroom and Sun Room, Memorial Union). The event is a one-stop shop for students to learn about adventures available abroad, including internship and study abroad experiences lasting from one week to one year. Also, all members of the campus community -- students, faculty and staff -- can apply for a U.S. passport at the fair. More information about the fair is available on the Study Abroad Center website.
Oral history interviews with extension professionals are online
The library's special collections department and university archives has released the Extension and Outreach Oral History Project, featuring interviews with seven extension staff members who have served more than 40 years at Iowa State: Cheryl Clark, Joel DeJong, Donna Donald, Russ Euken, Paul Lasley, Jack Van Laar and Barbara Woods. The audio interviews, conducted by the library, are available online.
Former Design dean Mark Engelbrecht has died
Mark Engelbrecht, professor of architecture and dean emeritus of the College of Design, died Dec. 30 in West Des Moines. He was 83. Engelbrecht joined the Iowa State 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.
Arts and events
"The Crucible" and "John Proctor is the Villain," will run in tandem during two weekends, April 18-28, at Fisher Theater.
