Inside Update

Dec. 9, 2010
Announcements and news for ISU faculty and staff

News

If you're off campus for winter break . . .
For the second year in a row, university officials are encouraging (but not mandating) that departments and units shut down during winter break. Find out how to prepare offices and buildings for your extended absence.

Senate debates NTE teaching limits, faculty misconduct policy
A set of recommendations for targeting and tracking non-tenure eligible teaching loads, and new handbook language for the faculty misconduct policy were topics of discussion at the Dec. 8 Faculty Senate meeting.

Council considering performance pay, effort reporting
Professional and scientific council members will vote next month on motions endorsing a new effort reporting policy and a retooled performance pay program.

Get ready for the flexible spending account deadline
All 2010 flexible spending account claims must be filed by April 30, 2011 (eligible expenses must be incurred by Dec. 31). Employees who miss the deadline forfeit any unclaimed money in their flex accounts. Included are some tips to help you claim your cash.

Save a seat at the campus sustainability symposium
Registration is open for Iowa State's third annual symposium on sustainability, Feb. 21-22, 2011, in the MU. Registration is free; all students, staff and faculty are invited to learn more about successful "green" campus initiatives and help decide what the next ones ought to be.

More news: Inside Iowa State

Announcements

The following announcements were added this week:
-- Save the date: Financial aid mini-conference is Feb. 4, 2011
-- Reading improvement clinic for 1-8 graders is taking applications for spring
-- Book club, reading group proposed for spring at Sloss women's center
-- Next Osborn Club lecture is Dec. 13
-- CODAC art sale runs through Dec. 10
-- You can help Reiman Gardens get a grant for a rain garden
-- Forestry Club's tree sale ends this weekend

See: Announcements

Around campus

ISU students help Lake Delhi residents explore options
For the past three months, an ISU landscape architecture class has worked with residents affected by the Lake Delhi dam failure to sort out options for the future of the lake and surrounding area. The students are sharing their report with Gov. Chet Culver's Lake Delhi Recover and Rebuild Task Force, and also will present their analysis Friday afternoon in the Memorial Union.

ISU researcher helps protect soldiers
Cheryl Farr, Iowa State's new Noma Scott Lloyd Chair in Textiles and Clothing, has been part of several design teams that created and tested military functional apparel and emergency protective gear. She has plans to create a product development and testing lab in hopes of bringing federally funded functional design research to ISU.

A little bug fun
An annual friendly competition among campus entomologists asked participants this year to create a humorous scene with dead insects and get it photographed. The results? Quite entertaining.

Design faculty, grad students contribute to way-finding project
Graphic design faculty and graduate students were part of a two-year collaboration to create universal symbols that help non-English speakers find their way in health care facilities. The 22 navigational symbols, along with 28 designed previously by professionals, were released this fall for use in facilities around the country.

Departmental newsletters

Your Library
The library's winter break schedule, a historical look at ISU's oldest student club, and usage and cost data on some of the library's most-used journals are among the stories in this edition of Your Library - Newsletter.

Stories in agriculture
Global research partnerships, student exchanges, study abroad programs and service projects are highlighted in the most recent issue of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' STORIES magazine.

Open houses/receptions

This week
-- Retirement: Corly Brooke, College of Human Sciences administration, Dec. 9 (2-4 p.m., MU Great Hall)
-- Retirement: Sally Gleason and Dave Scott, ISU chemistry, Dec. 9 (2-3:30 p.m., Hach Hall lobby)
-- Retirement: Max Porter, ISU civil, construction and environmental engineering, Dec. 10 (2:30-5 p.m., MU South Ballroom, program at 3:15 p.m.)
-- Open house: Christmas 1870s, Dec. 11-12 (1-4 p.m., Farm House Museum)

Next week
-- Retirement: John Maves and Mary Joyce VeVerka, ISU architecture, Dec. 13 (2-3 p.m., Lightfoot Forum, Design)
-- Retirement: Deb Michel and Dennis Olson, ISU animal science, Dec. 14 (3:30-5 p.m., Kildee atrium, program at 4 p.m.)
-- Retirement: Don Wirth, Iowa Public Radio, Dec. 14 (3-5 p.m., program at 4 p.m., MU Campanile Room)
-- Retirement: Dianne Anderson, ISU Survey and Behavioral Research Services, Dec. 15 (3:30-5 p.m., 1109 Snedecor)
-- Retirement: Tom Hillson, ISU Ag Experiment Station, Dec. 16 (2-4 p.m., 142 Curtiss)
-- Retirement: Pam Myers, ISU electrical and computer engineering, Dec. 16 (2-4 p.m., 3041 ECpE Building Addition)
-- Reception: Fall graduates, family and friends, Dec. 18 (following commencement through 5 p.m., Alumni Center)

Upcoming
-- Retirement: Barbara Tice, ISU parking division, Dec. 20 (2-4 p.m., 168 Armory)
-- Retirement: Richard Hoversten, ISU controller's department, Dec. 21 (1:30-3 p.m., 1155 Administrative Services Building)
-- Farewell: Peg Highland, ISU controller's department, Dec. 21 (1:30-3 p.m., 1155 Administrative Services Building)
-- Retirement: Karen Larsen, ISU parking division, Dec. 22 (no public event planned)
-- Retirement: Linda Younger, Office of Student Financial Aid, Dec. 22 (no public event planned)
-- Retirement: Cheryl Shreve, College of Business administration, Dec. 31 (no public event planned)
-- Retirement: Marilyn Lane, Office of University Counsel, Dec. 31 (no public event planned)
-- Retirement: Merle Pochop, Center for Industrial Research and Service, Dec. 31 (private event planned)
-- Farewell: Jessica Rohrig, TRIO Educational Talent Search program, Jan. 3 (2-3:30 p.m., 307 Enrollment Services Center)
-- Retirement: Gary Osweiler, veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, Jan. 13 (3-5 p.m., Alumni Room (2542), Vet Med)

Details about these events are on the university calendar.

Arts and events

The Nutcracker returns to Stephens
New York-based professional dancer Joy Voelker returns to her hometown to star in the annual local production of The Nutcracker Ballet. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, and 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Stephens Auditorium.

Cyclone teams competing at home this week:
-- Track and field, Holiday Preview, Dec. 10 (2 p.m., Lied)
-- Gymnastics, intrasquad, Dec. 10 (6 p.m., Hilton)
-- Men's hockey, vs. Iowa, Dec. 10 (7:30 p.m., Ames/ISU Ice Arena)
-- Women's basketball, vs. Columbia, Dec. 12 (12:30 p.m., Hilton)
-- Men's basketball, vs. Texas Southern, Dec. 12 (5:30 p.m., Hilton)
Ticket information: Cyclone athletics, hockey

More campus events
Talks, performances, athletic contests and other campus events are listed on the university calendar. Also, see the Arts and Entertainment page.

Submitting your news
Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by the Office of University Relations. Send Update news to inside@iastate.edu. For questions, call 4-7958.

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