Can't get enough of Cy

Cy Statue at MU

Cy's Tribute, which honors our nation's armed services, is one of 30 themed, life-size Cy statues – nine on Iowa State property – set in place around town earlier this week. The CyclONE City tour is a project of the Ames Chamber of Commerce's 27th Leadership Ames class, timed to commemorate the city's sesquicentennial and intended to benefit local nonprofits. Statue sponsorship proceeds will be donated to the Emergency Residence Project, Mainstream Living, Youth and Shelter Services and the ISU Foundation to fund a student scholarship for an Ames resident.

Cy's Tribute was sponsored by the university and painted by artist Lou Wendel of Cedar Rapids. It's located on the north lawn of the Memorial Union. Statues will be on display through Dec 4. Photo by Amy Vinchattle.


Meet Kevin Schalinske, Faculty Senate president

Faculty Senate president Kevin Schalinske

Position at ISU

Professor, food science and human nutrition

Years at ISU

15 years

What one word would you use to describe yourself?

Laid-back. Even when I'm extremely busy or under a lot of stress, you're not going to be able to tell.

What interests do you have outside of work?

Music, art and sports, but family probably is the biggest one.

Why did you run for president?

I think as you get more involved in Faculty Senate, you really see what is going on at the university and the ability to have an impact is realized.

What strengths do you bring to the senate presidency?

I was director of graduate education and I think I learned from that. I'm a very active listener. I let people talk. I get things done promptly and I'm never hesitant to get help if I don't know something. I engage other people to get their help.

What is your top priority this year?

We have a couple things we started a while ago that we need to work on. Post-tenure review has been on the books for a while, but we need to try to address some of the issues. The other one -- that still is in the early stages and we want to complete -- is looking at position responsibility statements (PRS). Our initial plan is to get a landscape of what variations there are across campus, and develop some best practices about what goes into a PRS.

What challenges face the senate this year?

We need to be diligent on some of the things we've implemented and make sure they're moving forward, and communication is one of them. Last year we stressed the communication between general faculty, their senators and the Faculty Senate. We want to keep on that.

What would you like to tell the faculty you represent?

I'm open to hear comments in any way, shape or form at all times. I think the general faculty should always feel free to contact me or anyone else on the Faculty Senate when there's an issue. I promise to act on whatever the issue is.


Meet Amy Tehan, P&S Council president

P&S Council president Amy Tehan

Position at ISU

Training, document control and records management coordinator, U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory

Years at ISU

Seven, including five years at the Ames Lab.

Describe your work

I have three program areas -- training, document control and records management. Training is mostly focused on health and safety-related issues; we do have some administrative and process training. I coordinate all of that. For the document control, we have very specific requirements regarding policies, procedures, plans, guidelines and things like that. I coordinate that whole program. Records management is pretty self-explanatory -- we have very stringent requirements about maintaining our records.

What one word would you use to describe yourself?

Engaged or passionate.

What interests do you have outside of work?

In the summer time, I play softball and sand volleyball. I like to read, which I do pretty much every day. I ride my bike a lot and run races three to four times a year. I try to catch as much live music as I can.

What strengths do you bring to the council presidency?

I have a real desire to engage P&S staff and build the community. I think maybe we've gotten away from that in past years, or it's just fallen through the cracks. We're trying to get back at that and that's a real passion for me. I'm also very team-oriented. I'm really good at making sure that everyone on the team is engaged and feels like they have ownership and are a part of the process and decisions that are made.

What is your top priority this year?

Making sure that P&S staff are being recognized and highlighted as a vital component of the university, because they are. I think it doesn't get talked about enough.

One of my priorities since I joined the council has been diversity issues, so the creation of the vice president for equity and inclusion last year was a huge step forward in that. I really want to see that role blossom this year.

What challenges face the council this year?

We had a rough transition in council leadership a few years ago and a lot of knowledge about council history was lost. We're still trying to build that back up. It was a challenge last year and it continues to be a challenge to try to rebuild what we had before.

Another challenge that's related to that is that we've lost some of our engagement with P&S staff. From my experience talking with P&S staff, they're oftentimes not aware of what the council does, or how much they do or what they're working on. We need to make sure that P&S staff know what we're doing, that they're informed about our activities and that they have a voice in decisions we're making.

What would you like to tell the staff you represent?

I want to urge P&S staff to get involved, in any way they are comfortable with. I think it changes your perspective on the university. You find out things you had no idea about before. It gives you pride in where you work and you have a stake in what happens and what decisions are being made. It really changes how you look at your job and your career.

We have an incredible community at the university, and P&S staff make up the largest percentage of employees. We really need to take advantage of that and make our voices heard -- to be involved and demonstrate that we care what happens here and that we want to make a difference.


Near you: Good spots on campus to eat

Harvest Cafe

ABE's Harvest Café opened last month in the foyer of the biorenewables complex, the newest of ISU Dining's campus locations. Photo by Anne Krapfl.

Maybe you scored a coveted parking spot in your lot this morning. Or you want to meet an other-side-of-campus friend for lunch. If you're looking for lunch or a mid-morning snack, there are plenty of options on campus. Most are operated by ISU Dining, including its newest venue, ABE's Harvest Café, located inside the south doors to Elings and Sukup halls. In addition to sandwiches, salads and desserts from ISU Dining's bakery and commissary, the café offers specialty coffees and daily hot lunch options. Its name is a tip of the hat to the agricultural and biosystems engineering department.

Full-time Iowa State employees have the option of activating a staff charge plan on their ISUCards, in which purchases at an ISU Dining location are deducted from their paychecks each month. Sign up for this option via AccessPlus.

Listed below, by format and then by location, are on-campus dining options this fall.

Cafés

ISU Dining operates the cafés in partnership with the unit(s) in each building. Each has its unique features. Hours vary by location and day of the week.

Memorial Union (ground level)      MU Market and Café
State Gym    Froots
Elings/Sukup halls   ABE's Harvest Café
College of Design      Design Café
Library               Bookends Café
The Hub        Hub Grill and Café
Caribou Coffee
Fredericksen Court Community Center         Hawthorn Market and Café
Lagomarcino Hall   Courtyard Café
Curtiss Hall Global Café
Gerdin Building Business Café
Vet Med complex      Gentle Doctor Café

 

Restaurants

All three venues provide a sit-down option. At the first two, you'll purchase your meal at a counter; the third option includes wait staff at your table.

Memorial Union (ground level) Food court
Union Drive Community Center Clyde's Sports Club
MacKay Hall The Tearoom*

*A lunchtime learning laboratory for students in the Quantity Food Production and Service Management class, the Tearoom will open for the semester on Thursday, Sept. 11 (sit-down and take-out options). Reservations are required; call 4-3330. Closed Saturday through Monday.

 

Outdoor lunch (seasonal)

East side of Union Drive Community Center  The Grill, Monday through Thursday (11 a.m.-1 p.m.)

Several private vendors were awarded food service contracts through the ISU purchasing department. They'll serve Monday through Friday (11 a.m.-2 p.m.) as long as the weather allows, and accept cash and credit cards.

South of Hoover Hall Streets of Europe
South of Coover Hall Indian Delights
North of Bessey Hall Finley’s Curbside Beastro
El Mexicano
South of Beardshear Hall The Cheesesteak Factory

 

Residence dining centers

The dining centers feature multiple stations serving a variety of foods, one admission price for non-students and an all-you-care-to-eat format. A little self-discipline is essential on that last one.

Union Drive Community Center Union Drive Marketplace
Oak-Elm residence halls Conversations Dining
Maple-Willow-Larch Commons Seasons Marketplace

 

Convenience stores

The C-stores stock snacks, beverages, frozen foods and convenience items. The East and West side markets offer Godfather's Pizza (slices and whole pizzas) and made-to-order deli sandwiches.

Maple-Willow-Larch Commons East Side Market
Union Drive Community Center West Side Market
Wallace-Wilson Commons South Side Market

 

Vending machines

With more than 100 ISU Dining-serviced vending machines and 180 beverage machines distributed among about 70 buildings, this is a quick, dependable option, particularly at odd hours. Some locations offer sandwiches, ice cream and microwavable meals, in addition to snacks and beverages. Vending machines accept bills and coins.

Ice cream sale

Another weekly option (Wednesdays only) is the Dairy Science club's ice cream sale, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. near the Lush auditorium north doors in Kildee Hall. An 8-ounce cup costs $1. Fall flavors will include vanilla, chocolate, triple chocolate, strawberry, mint chocolate chip, s'mores, Twix, Oreo, Reese's and Butterfinger.


Smiley on fall lectures lineup

janesmiley

Jane Smiley, a Pulitzer Prize winner and former ISU English professor, will speak on campus this fall.

If you want to learn about science, agriculture, economics or literature -- or even have a few laughs -- mark your calendars for this fall's lecture series. A few programs are highlighted below. To find out more about these and other upcoming lectures, access the lectures schedule online. All lectures are free and open to the public.

"How Science Will Revolutionize Business, Medicine, Jobs and Life," Michio Kaku, Sept. 19 (7 p.m., Stephens Auditorium)

Kaku is a theoretical physicist, science advocate and television personality whose two books, Physics of the Impossible and Physics of the Future, were New York Times bestsellers. He's made numerous television appearances, including 60 Minutes, The Colbert Report and several Discovery Channel programs. He also is featured in the Science Channel series, Futurescape.

"Telling Our Story: The Future of Iowa's Farm Families," Bill Northey, Sept. 30 (7 p.m., 127 Curtiss Hall)

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is a fourth-generation farmer from Spirit Lake. He returned to his family's farm after graduating from Iowa State in 1981. In addition to serving two terms as Iowa's secretary of agriculture, Northey also has been president of the National Corn Growers Association, member of the Iowa Farm Bureau, Dickenson County Soil and Water Conservation District commissioner, and cofounder and president of Innovative Growers.

"A Conversation with Jane Smiley," Jane Smiley, Oct. 6 (7 p.m., Memorial Union, Sun Room)

Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres and former Iowa State English professor (1981-1996), has written a new novel called Some Luck, a story that follows an American farm family during three transformative decades. Smiley has authored numerous novels, five nonfiction works and a book series for young adults. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and received the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature.

"In the Footsteps of Norman Borlaug: The Golden Years of Wheat Production," Sanjaya Rajaram, Oct. 13 (8 p.m., MU Great Hall)

Rajaram, a plant scientist, was named the 2014 World Food Prize Laureate for his scientific research that increased world wheat production. His breakthrough breeding technologies significantly alleviated world hunger and provided nutritious food throughout the world. Rajaram succeeded Norman Borlaug in leading the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center's wheat-breeding program, developing 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51 countries. A 7 p.m. reception and student poster display will precede the lecture (MU South Ballroom).

"Planet Money Live!" Jacob Goldstein and David Kestenbaum, Oct. 23 (8 p.m., MU Great Hall)

Goldstein and Kestenbaum, correspondents with National Public Radio's Planet Money team, tell humorous and insightful stories about the economy to millions of listeners on Morning Edition, All Things Considered and This American Life. In addition to his NPR work, Goldstein has written for The New York Times Magazine and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications. Kestenbaum has been an NPR correspondent for 15 years.

"Rethinking America's Global Mission," Gen. Wesley Clark, Oct. 29 (8 p.m., MU Great Hall)

Clark, a retired U.S. Army four-star general, was NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (1997-2000), where he led NATO forces in Operation Allied Force. He previously served in Vietnam, where he commanded an infantry company in combat and was severely wounded. Clark has commanded at the battalion, brigade and division levels, and served in several staff positions, including director of strategic plans and policy. He has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Defense Distinguished Service Medal (five awards), Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, honorary knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments, and numerous awards from other governments, including France's Commander of the Legion of Honor award. Clark has authored several books, including his latest Don't Wait for the Next War: Rethinking America's Global Mission. Clark currently is chairman and CEO of a strategic consulting firm bearing his name, and co-chairman of Growth Energy.


Music department's opening concert is Sept. 7

The music department will present its annual "Fanfare Concert" on Sunday, Sept. 7 (3 p.m., Tye Recital Hall, Music Building). Admission is free and all are welcome.

The concert will feature members of the faculty, including internationally-renowned opera star Simon Estes, and several students. It also will feature the Amara Piano Quartet, the resident faculty chamber ensemble for the music department.

Faculty performers include vocalist Mary Creswell, percussionist Matthew Coley, oboists Amy Christensen and Kevin Schilling, cellist George Work, violist Jonathan Sturm, pianist Jodi Goble and saxophonist Mike Giles.

Department chair Michael Golemo said the concert will showcase "both the excellence and the diversity of our faculty. It is a unique concert because it features truly virtuoso musicians, both vocalists and instrumentalists, performing a wide variety of music.

"It's a great way to begin our academic year -- highlighting the excellence and range of the faculty and students within our department," he said.