Telling a story

By Anne Krapfl
April 16

"Elements of Erudition," a mural of 16 laminated glass pieces by Des Moines artists Rebecca Ekstrand and Tom Rosborough, was installed in the new north atrium of Lagomarcino Hall last month. The collage of images symbolizes the School of Education's core mission. Iowa's Art in State Buildings legislation requires that 0.5 percent of a new building or remodeling budget be set aside to purchase art, making the mural part of Iowa State's Art on Campus collection.

The School of Education will celebrate its remodeled space and new leadership during a reception on Friday, April 24 (3-5 p.m.). A ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Lagomarcino courtyard. Photo by Christopher Gannon.

Civil Rights office will make site visit to campus

By Diana Pounds
April 16

Several officials in the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will make a site visit to Iowa State April 20-22 to follow up on a complaint about ISU's handling of a sexual assault allegation made by one student against another.

The OCR, a division of the U.S. Department of Education, will determine whether ISU officials handled the alleged sexual assault properly and review university policies and procedures for responding to student allegations of sexual misconduct. Iowa State is among more than 100 higher education institutions under review by the OCR.

The complaint to OCR stemmed from an alleged sexual assault last spring, said university counsel Paul Tanaka. A criminal charge has been filed, and university disciplinary actions are pending in connection with the alleged assault. Because of federal privacy law, the university generally doesn’t comment on specific cases, he said.

During their campus visit, OCR officials will interview those involved in handling the sexual assault allegation and meet with student focus groups.

Individual meetings

The OCR team also will hold open office times April 21 and 22  for individual students, faculty and staff who'd like to discuss civil rights issues. To assure the confidentiality of appointments, a poster board will be set up near the Memorial Union desk, just outside the Great Hall entrance, starting Monday. Each individual will select a card that contains a 15-minute appointment time and location (MU room). 

In preparation for the site visit, the university already has provided the OCR with thousands of pages of documents on prior sexual harassment and assault cases and university policies, procedures and training on discrimination, harassment and violence.

"Iowa State is cooperating fully with the review," Tanaka said. "We believe the alleged sexual assault was properly handled. We have invested a lot of effort in improving our policies and procedures for handling these cases. We have staff that care and diligently follow up. Our records show that we take sexual assault seriously and pursue action against students who violate our policies."

Background: OCR visit

By Diana Pounds
April 16

When was the complaint filed?

The complaint was filed with the Office for Civil Rights on Sept. 29, 2014. Iowa State received notification of the complaint from the OCR on Oct. 20.

Who filed the complaint?

The OCR hasn't released that information.

What is the nature of the complaint?

Iowa State has been asked to show how its policies and handling of an alleged sexual assault were prompt and equitable.

Did police investigate the alleged assault?

Yes. Charges have been filed.

Has the university taken any action?

Yes. Student disciplinary charges have been filed against a student. To maintain the integrity of the process, additional details of the case are not expected to be released.

How many sexual assaults have been reported in recent years?

The OCR seeks information on cases from fall 2011 to the date of the complaint. In that time, there were 59 reports of possible sexual assault by students.

What happened in those 59 cases?

• 32 cases: The victims elected not to participate or file a complaint
• 5 cases: The victim could not identify the assailant
• 12 cases: The university pursued disciplinary action
• 10 cases: Disciplinary action wasn't pursued because the allegation didn't appear to be supported

What were the results of the 12 disciplinary actions?

• 9 students were found responsible (4 were expelled, 4 received suspensions and 1 received a deferred suspension)
• 1 student was found not responsible
• 2 cases are in process

Welcome, times two

By Paula Van Brocklin
April 16

University human resources (UHR) recently welcomed two directors to its staff.

Edward Holland

Edward Holland joined UHR on March 10 as director of benefits. He is responsible for managing and administering the university's benefit programs and plans.

Holland comes to Iowa State from the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Human Resources Enterprise, where he worked since 1997. He most recently served as the risk and benefits manager.

Holland earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Iowa State, and a master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

Holland's office is in 3680 Beardshear. He can be reached by phone at 294-4350, and by email at edhollan@iastate.edu.

Emma Mallarino Houghton

Emma Mallarino Houghton joined UHR on April 13 as director of classification/compensation. Her responsibilities include the development, implementation and administration of classification and compensation programs and policies.

For the past nine years, Mallarino Houghton worked for The MITRE Corp., McLean, Virginia, where she most recently served as a strategic human resources business partner, assisting division directors achieve their business management goals.

Mallarino Houghton earned bachelor's degrees in dietetics and microbiology from Iowa State, and a master's of professional studies in human resources and employment relations from Pennsylvania State University, State College.

Mallarino Houghton's office is in 3750 Beardshear. She can be reached by phone at 294-6458 and by email at emh@iastate.edu. 

 

Got a complaint (or fix) for Osborn Drive? Please share.

By Diana Pounds
April 16

Osborn Drive is a graphic example of the effects of six years of record-breaking enrollment at Iowa State. Between classes, the road that skirts the north edge of central campus teems with pedestrians, bicycles, skateboards, cars, delivery trucks and buses.

Several ideas for reducing congestion and improving safety on the street are under discussion. But before settling on a solution, university planners want to hear from faculty, staff and students who frequently use Osborn.

"It's often difficult for people to adapt to road changes, even minor ones," said Cathy Brown, assistant director for planning in facilities planning and management (FPM). "Before we begin making significant changes on Osborn, we want members of the university community to help us weigh current options and offer their own ideas."

Input stations April 23

Input gathering begins in earnest Thursday, April 23, when university staff and transportation consultants host three drop-in sessions -- two outside and another in the Memorial Union. Representatives from FPM and SRF Consulting, the firm assisting in the Osborn project, will staff the sessions. They'll share some of the proposed Osborn Drive fixes and gather input. The open sessions will be held:

• 9-10:30 a.m., Tent at Osborn Drive and Stange Road
• 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., On the south side of Parks Library
• 1:30-3 p.m., Memorial Union Pioneer Room

Some Osborn options

The options thus far come from several groups studying Osborn traffic. FPM staff, SRF consultants and College of Design classes have been brainstorming Osborn Drive solutions for some time. Proposals include:

• Moving bus routes to outside lanes
• Removing street parking
• Prohibiting delivery vehicles during class changes
• Adding bike paths
• Widening sidewalks

The last option will be partially underway soon. A sidewalk-widening project (along the north side of Osborn Drive, between Morrill Road and Science I) is scheduled this summer.

The other options will be the object of more study and input this spring. Brown encourages Osborn users to be part of the solution by participating in the open sessions next week.

Ideas and comments also can be submitted by completing a short survey.  The survey will be available through May 8.

Faculty P&T list goes to regents next week

By Anne Krapfl
April 16

The state Board of Regents will be asked to approve 70 Iowa State faculty promotion or tenure awards when it meets April 23 at the Iowa School for the Deaf, Council Bluffs. A live audio stream of public portions of the meeting will be available on the board's website. The full agenda also is online.

Proposed ISU faculty promotions for 2015-16

	Women	Men	Total
Promotion with tenure	17	22	39
Promotion (previously tenured)	8	19	27
Promotion without tenure	0	3	3
Tenure without promotion	0	1	1
Total	25	45	70

 

A year ago, 76 ISU faculty received tenure or promotions. Systemwide, the board will consider 209 recommendations for faculty promotion and tenure, including 113 from the University of Iowa and 26 from the University of Northern Iowa.

When the board has approved Iowa State's 2015-16 list, it will be posted to the faculty advancement page on the provost office's website.

At ISU this year (2014-15), at least 70 percent of tenure-eligible faculty are tenured in 45 of 65 departments, the library and five of the seven colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Design, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine.

ISU faculty (2014-15 academic year)

	Women	Men	Total
Tenured	277	726	1,003 (53%)
Tenure eligible	143	172	315 (17%)
Non-tenure eligible	322	248	570 (30%)
Total	742	1,146	1,888

 

Input on salary increases

Faculty and staff representatives of non-unionized employee groups at all of the regent institutions each will have a few minutes to present key ideas to the board on salary adjustments for the year that begins July 1. ISU speakers are Professional and Scientific Council president Amy Tehan and Faculty Senate president Kevin Schalinske. The board is scheduled to discuss FY16 salary increases at its June 4 meeting.

Parking permit rates

The board took a first look in March at proposed campus parking rates, including the Memorial Union ramp, for fiscal year 2016 and is expected to approve the rates next week. Permits would go up $3 (motorcycle) to $12 (reserved, 24-hour reserved and MU annual rate) annually under the proposed rates.

Student financial aid report

The board will receive the three universities' annual report (2013-14 academic year) on student financial aid. At Iowa State last year, 84.5 percent of all undergraduates received financial aid, need-based or not. By residency status, 88 percent of resident undergraduates received financial aid and about 78 percent of nonresident undergraduates received financial aid.

Iowa State's pool of institutional aid for undergraduates continues to increase, to $70.1 million last year, up from $56.8 million two years ago. Last year's institutional aid included just over $50 million in need-based aid awarded to 12,222 students, and $20.1 million in non-need-based aid to 5,003 students. About 40 percent of the need-based and about 22 percent of the non-need-based institutional aid went to resident undergraduates.

At Iowa State last year, nearly 36 percent of all seniors graduated without debt; about 28 percent of graduating seniors who were Iowa residents graduated without debt. The average debt for those graduating with college debt was $27,940 (down 5.5 percent from two years earlier); the average need-based debt was $13,485 (down 3.3 percent from two years earlier).

Residence and dining rates

The board also is expected to give final approval to new student room and board rates beginning July 1. As proposed, most residence hall and on-campus apartment rates would go up 3 percent, an increase of $112 to $216 for the year, depending on the building. The exceptions are a proposed 2 percent increase ($93-$113) at University and Schilletter Village apartments, and 8 percent ($464-$586) for off-campus leased apartments. Student meal plans would go up approximately 3 to 3.5 percent, depending on the plan selected.

In other business, Iowa State will seek board permission to:

• Sell $30 million of dormitory revenue bonds to partially cover the costs of constructing a residence hall east of Buchanan Hall and renovating the Friley Hall dining center. This is the first of two scheduled bond sales for the projects.
• Name the Jack Trice Stadium south club section as the Sukup End Zone Club in honor of the Sukup family, Sheffield. The Sukups, owners of Sukup Manufacturing, made a multimillion dollar pledge to the athletics department, a portion of which was applied to the $53 million end zone project.
• Lease three acres of southeast Hamilton County farmland for five years, beginning May 1, on which ISU will construct and operate a 400-foot meteorological tower as part of the multi-institutional Crop/Wind-energy Experiment (CWEX) research project. The lease is for $1,000 per month.

Popular laser exhibit extended for after-hours viewers

By Diana Pounds
April 16

By popular request, the laser show that's been bedazzling Morrill Hall visitors over the past month will be open for after-hours viewing. So far, artist Dan Corson's laser installation "Coherence" in the Christian Petersen Art Museum has been available during the usual museum hours -- 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Many of those exiting Corson's mesmerizing manipulation of laser beams and mirrors asked if the exhibit could be extended to weekends or evenings so that they could bring family and friends, said Allison Sheridan, university museums program coordinator.

In response, museum staff added these weekend and evening viewing times for the exhibit:

• Sunday, April 26, 1-4 p.m.
• Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (commencement open house)
• Wednesday, May 27, 6-8 p.m.

The exhibit will remain open regular weekday hours (11 a.m.-4p.m.) during the break between the end of spring semester and beginning of summer. The exhibit runs through May 29.