A wider Farm House Lane

Concrete crew pours a section of Farm House Lane.

A team from Adair-based Caliber Concrete pours a section of the northbound lane for a new, wider Farm House Lane on June 28. Visible on the left side of the image is the Farm House Museum. The sidewalk along the east side of the lane remains open from Osborn Drive to Wallace Road. Photo by Christopher Gannon.

Last week, crews began pouring sections of concrete for a new Farm House Lane. The middle section of road is being replaced, from Troxel to Curtiss halls (access remains to parking lots adjacent to both buildings). Farm House Lane is being widened to 21 feet so oncoming vehicles can pass each other safely. The road and west sidewalk are scheduled for completion during the second week of August.

Bicycle parking zones along the lane are being replaced as part of the project. Due to delivery delays, temporary bike racks will be set until the new bike hoops arrive.


Summer enrollment tops 8,400

In courses of various durations spread across Iowa State's 12-week summer term, 8,403 students are attending school this summer. That's down about 7% from last summer's 9,074 students. It includes 5,654 undergraduates, 2,583 graduate students and 166 fourth-year students in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, whose final year is a 12-month experience.

How they're studying

Here are the ways Iowa State students are making use of summer opportunities:

About 46% of this summer's student body is studying only online. That's down from last summer's 52%, but higher than 2019's 34% -- the summer preceding the arrival of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Undergraduates make up 90% of this group.

About 39% of summer session students registered for research credits, independent study, courses at other universities through affiliated programs, or experiential learning opportunities away from campus such as internships, practicums, co-ops, service learning or travel courses. Undergraduates make up about 40% of this group.

The remaining students are enrolled in in-person and hybrid courses that offer a combination of virtual and face-to-face learning. Undergraduates make up two-thirds of this group.

The student census is collected on the 10th day (June 24) of Iowa State's second summer session. The count reflects all registration through that day, so it includes classes that concluded prior to it as well as any that haven't begun yet.

 

2022 summer enrollment, by college

College

All students

Agriculture and Life Sciences

1,131

Business

1,036

Design

367

Engineering

2,212

Human Sciences

1,072

Liberal Arts and Sciences

2,223

Veterinary Medicine

266

Graduate interdisciplinary

96

Total

8,403

Source: Enrollment management

 


Search launches for vice president for extension and outreach

Senior vice president and provost Jonathan Wickert has launched the search for Iowa State's next vice president for ISU Extension and Outreach. The search process will begin with the nomination of high-quality candidates to develop a strong and diverse candidate pool. Semifinalist and finalist interviews will be held during the fall semester.

Last month, vice president for extension and outreach John Lawrence announced his intent to retire in spring 2023.

Laura Jolly, dean of the College of Human Sciences; and Daniel Robison, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, will co-chair the search. Members of the search committee are:

  • Tennie Carlson, Iowa State Fair board
  • Shannon Coleman, food science and human nutrition
  • Rich Degner, county extension council, Polk County
  • Patrick Hatting, agriculture and natural resources, extension and outreach
  • Carol Heaverlo, administration, extension and outreach
  • Lindsay Henderson, community and economic development, extension and outreach
  • Himar Hernandez, community and economic development, extension and outreach
  • Erin Hodgson, entomology
  • Chris Johnsen, extension store and distribution center
  • Brent Johnson, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
  • Amy Kaleita, agricultural and biosystems engineering
  • Lori Korthals, human sciences extension
  • Bill Menner, Iowa Rural Development Council
  • Ajay Nair, horticulture
  • Carter Oliver, Harrison County, extension and outreach
  • Donovan Olson, Story County, extension and outreach
  • Cayla Taylor, 4-H youth development, extension and outreach

The Buffkin/Baker executive search firm, Nashville, will assist the committee, and Julie Palmer from Wickert's office will provide staff support. Additional information about the search is available on the provost's office website.


Overnight crews set bridge trusses

spectators watch bridge work

Spectators gathered the first night (June 28) as the first truss was lifted into place across University Boulevard. Photos by Christopher Gannon.

With all four lanes of University Boulevard closed four nights last week, crews were able to set in place the steel trusses and concrete spans over the road, the center section of the east gateway bridge. Side panels and Iowa State branding art will be installed on the road overpass. The structure will serve as both a southeast entrance marker to campus and a safe access route for football fans between Jack Trice Stadium and gameday parking east of the boulevard. 

The athletics department is paying for the quarter-mile long walkway with donor funds. Completion is anticipated by the end of the month so it's ready for use Sept. 3, Iowa State's first home football game. The project also includes a walkway outside the northeast corner of the stadium to connect to the north plaza area and promote year-round use of the bridge, and fencing along the west side of University Boulevard between South Fourth and 16th streets.

 

worker secures truss to tower

A team members secures the north truss to the tower on the east side of University Boulevard. The south truss lies horizontally in the left corner of the photo.

 


State operating support inches up in new fiscal year

State operating support for Iowa State is up slightly in the fiscal year that began July 1. Iowa State won't receive the more than $8.7 million in incremental funding it sought from the 2022 Legislature, but it will receive more than $2.1 million in new operating support. And two university building projects -- phase 1 of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Student Innovation Center -- will receive $30.6 million in state support.

The state Board of Regents is scheduled to approve tuition rates and operating budgets at its July 27 meeting. Tuition and fee revenues account for more than 60% of the university's general operating budget; state appropriations more than 30%.

Below is a summary of state appropriations for fiscal year 2023.

 

Higher Education funding
Subtotal: $221.9 million

  • General university $174,092,719 (an increase of $1,947,953; requested $7 million)
  • Ag Experiment Station $29,462,535 (no change)
  • Cooperative Extension $18,307,366 (increase of $150,000 for the Iowa Agricultural Extension Association to host the 2023 national meeting of county agricultural agents)

The higher education funding bill also eliminated state operating support ($345,669) for Iowa Public Radio (IPR). The network no longer is part of the university system. In February, the board approved transferring the station licenses to IPR from the three public universities. This transfer includes the radio station call signs, towers or tower leases, and equipment used to operate the stations.

 

Agriculture and Natural Resources funding
Subtotal: $4.9 million

  • Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory $4,400,000 (no change)
  • Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute, $325,000 (increase of $37,000)
  • Livestock disease research $170,390 (no change)

 

Economic Development funding
Subtotal: $6.1 million

  • Economic development (research park, Small Business Development Centers, Center for Industrial Research and Service) $2,424,302 (no change)
  • Biosciences platforms $2,623,481 (no change), requested an additional $376,519 to fully fund the three platforms Iowa State manages at $1 million each
  • Innovation fund, $1.05 million (no change)

 

State funds for facilities
Subtotal: $30.6 million

The Legislature altered the timing of state funding for one Iowa State building project and left alone a scheduled final appropriation in FY23 for another project:

  • $28.6 million for Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory phase 1 construction, to complete the state's $63.5 million commitment to this project one year early. It includes $12.5 million awarded by the 2020 Legislature for FY23 and $16.1 million scheduled for FY24. Phase 1 construction is scheduled for completion in early fall 2023.
  • A $2 million appropriation for construction of the Student Innovation Center, completing the state's seven-year, $40 million support of the project.