Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
Feb. 11, 2021
Inside news
Eliminating obstacles to students continuing their education is the goal of the Eligible to Enroll, Not Enrolled campaign. The campaign began in 2016 but adjusted for the pandemic as more units and people across campus worked together to help students.

On the heels of a collaborative effort over winter break to re-enroll fall students, Iowa State surpassed the spring enrollment projection set last June by more than 200 students.

Acknowledging the university's budget challenges, the Professional and Scientific Council's compensation and benefits recommendation for fiscal year 2022 doesn't specify a suggested salary increase. 

Peter Hong began Feb. 1 as the new director of the ISU Startup Factory, a role in which he also will oversee the I-Corps and Iowa Go-To-Market programs. 

A look back at how ISU changed its cleaning protocols for a pandemic and the dozens of loyal custodians who got on board with the new assignment.
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • Regents committee meetings scheduled for Feb. 17
  • 'Tracing Race at ISU' initiative seeks digital project proposals
  • Input sought on national strategy for inclusivity in innovation and inventing
  • Face coverings still required on campus, around Ames
  • Applicants sought for fall student fellowship in university museums
  • Fall junior applicants sought for scholarship
Around campus
The focus of the ninth annual event is on making work cultures more caring and human-centered. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in follow-up experiential learning sessions next month. Registration closes Feb. 22.

Faculty, staff and students share the university's 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Advancing One Community awards, which honor efforts to foster inclusive environments and promote justice and equity at Iowa State.

Iowa State trials to integrate row crops with prairie strips will receive $1.1 million from the Bia-Echo Foundation to aid faster adoption of the practice on farms. Integrating native vegetation within crops leads to better soil health, water quality and biodiversity.

Using survey data and computer modeling, assistant professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology Eric Riddell found that climate change is impacting birds more than small mammals in the Mojave Desert.

An Iowa State program to help Iowa towns harness their data has led to four offshoot projects to help support community recovery related to economic vulnerability, substance use and general support.

David Nicholas, who as an ISU graduate student invented a digital encoding process that made fax machines commercially viable, died last month. He was 76. Before a long career at Rockwell Collins, Nicholas' doctoral research paved the way for fax machines, leading eventually to $36 million in licensing revenue -- one of the most valuable ISU patents.
Retirements
Upcoming
  • David Frisk, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, March 1
  • Rhonda Jay, residence department, March 1
  • Robert "Carl" McCarley, building maintenance services, facilities planning and management, March 1
  • Gary Oja, building maintenance services, facilities planning and management, March 1
  • Wanda Martin, facilities services, facilities planning and management, March 3
Seminars and conferences
Arts and events
Music faculty will perform a Valentine's Day-themed concert Friday, Feb. 12 (12:30 p.m.) in the Sukup Hall atrium. In-person attendance is allowed with face covering and physical distancing requirements in place, and a livestream will be on Facebook.

Reiman Gardens' annual Orchid Fest will be held Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13-14 (10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). A variety of orchid species will be on display and for sale, and the Central Iowa Orchid Society will answer questions to help growers. Additionally, the current exhibition in the Hughes Conservatory is an orchid display, "Mirror, Mirror on the Phal." The general public pays gardens admission; Orchid Fest is free for members and ISU students. No preregistration is needed but face coverings are. Capacity will be limited.
Learning opportunities
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) programming
Previous Inside coverage
About us
Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions may be directed to 515-294-7065.