Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
Oct. 19, 2023
Inside news
Iowa State's fourth winter session runs Monday, Dec. 18, through Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, fully occupying the four-week break between fall and spring semesters. Here are staffing guidelines for that window.

During the Course Design Institute, faculty work with CELT instructional designers on improvements in the areas of course content, learner interaction, instructional technology and accessibility. Students benefit, and instructors gain an understanding of what constitutes strong course design. The next institute begins in December.

From data services and digital publishing to free access to academic publications, the university library provides a suite of services to promote ISU research and scholarship around the globe.

Graduate faculty are invited to train their students to use two empirically validated open educational resources that boost students' knowledge of discipline-specific research writing conventions. The tools will be demonstrated during a Nov. 15 luncheon.

The Professional and Scientific Council's resolution essentially reinforces the language in the state Board of Regents' annual appropriations requests to the state on behalf of the universities: If there's a separate salary bill for state employees, regent university employees would like to be included.
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • Flu shot clinic for employees ends Friday
  • Single-game basketball tickets go on sale Oct. 19
  • New option: Split your paycheck among up to three bank accounts
  • Oct. 28 campus 4K run/walk supports Green Dot mission
  • Fall edition of Iowa Stater honors Trice's legacy
  • Students offer landscape design consultations
  • Workshop on regenerative agriculture is Nov. 16
  • Funeral for ISU Dining cook Fred Breitsprecker is Oct. 19
  • How to verify safety course completion in Workday Learning
  • Reminder: Public comment period for Catt Hall draft report closes Oct. 29
  • Nominations due Dec. 1 for several alumni association awards
  • Student club-hosted 'Trunk or Treat' is Oct. 26
Around campus
In teams, 270 first-year Design students created experimental works they'll wear, carry, roll, fly or otherwise transport in a "processional performance" Oct. 25-26 on the west side of campus. Here's more about when and where you can support them.

SHOP, Iowa State's student-led pantry, provides a critical service to peers living with food insecurity. As the demand has escalated, so has university support, including the hiring this semester of a full-time staff member whose primary responsibility is coordinating the pantry.

Senior forestry major Sierra McCoy is helping everyone learn about campus trees with signs next to them. Anyone walking by can scan a QR code and that tree's information pops up on their phone.

An early acceptance program between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the animal science department aims to educate more veterinarians to practice production animal medicine. Nationwide, fewer than 4% of veterinarians choose this option.

Donald Trump remains in the lead among GOP voters in Iowa after the second Iowa State/Civiqs poll organized by Luken Professor of Political Science Dave Peterson. Ron DeSantis gained 3% in second place and Nikki Haley was third.
Appointments
  • Zengyi Shao, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, as the Hershel B. Whitney Professor, Global Initiatives. 
  • Rizia Bardhan, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, as the inaugural Jean H. Steffenson Professor in Chemical and Biological Engineering
Events
The Science II Prairie, located between Science and Science II halls, is 50 years old this year. A celebration, featuring brief remarks and cake, will be held on Friday, Oct. 20 (4 p.m., Lot 37, east of the prairie).

The Live Green initiative will host its annual fair to observe October as Sustainability Month on Monday, Oct. 23 (10 a.m.-2 p.m., library south lawn). Learn from student and community organizations, enjoy sustainability-themed prizes and refreshments (bring your own mug for hot tea and apple cider). Non-perishable food items will be collected for The SHOP student food pantry in Beyer Hall.

The 2023 World Food Prize laureate, Heidi Kühn, will visit campus Monday, Oct. 23 (8 p.m., MU Great Hall) for a conversation about her work with President Wendy Wintersteen. Kühn is the founder and CEO of Roots of Peace, a nonprofit that replaces landmines with sustainable agricultural land and trains farmers, working currently in Afghanistan, Vietnam and Ukraine. At 7 p.m., a student poster session precedes their conversation.

The Memorial Union will host the October edition of Ames Chamber of Commerce's 'Business After Hours' on Tuesday, Oct. 24 (5-7 p.m., Campanile Room) to share its renovations and wayfinding improvements. Building tours begin at 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. University employees are invited.

ISU Theatre's first production of the season is the musical "Head Over Heels," billed as a love story and modern fairy tale. Performances are Oct. 27-28, Nov. 2-3 (7:30 p.m.) and Oct. 29, Nov. 5 (3 p.m.), all in Fisher Theater. General admission tickets are $25 for adults and free for Iowa State students and youth.
Learning opportunities
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) programming
Register.
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About us
Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions? Email inside@iastate.edu or call 515-294-7065.