Inside Update

Sept. 29, 2011
Announcements and news for ISU faculty and staff

News

Leath named Iowa State's next president
Steven Leath, vice president for research and sponsored programs for the University of North Carolina system, will become Iowa State's 15th president. His appointment is effective Feb. 1, 2012.

Central funding will support new initiatives: Apply by Oct. 14
A new funding request process awards dollars from the central Institutional Excellence Fund to units or interdisciplinary teams for new initiatives grounded in the university's strategic plan. Proposals require a cash or in-kind match of undefined size. Requests are due Oct. 14.

Survey: ISU remains a great place to work and learn
The results of the 2011 University Life Survey, distributed to faculty, staff and students last February, are complete. Responses are positive and consistent with the previous two surveys, despite three years of budget challenges.

Geoffroy presents last convocation address
Maintaining high student enrollment and increasing sponsored research funding are among the goals president Gregory Geoffroy identified for the university community during his Sept. 26 convocation address. Geoffroy stopped short of laying out a full agenda, ceding that to his successor, Steven Leath.

Semester break again will include partial shutdown
Iowa State will be partially closed for an 11-day stretch (Dec. 23-Jan. 2) during semester break again this winter. The period includes three university holidays, four weekend days and four work days. Units are encouraged to make plans and communicate them with employees and clients as soon as possible.

More news: Inside Iowa State

Announcements

The following announcements were added this week:
-- Mark your calendar: All-Iowa 1K is Oct. 7 at noon
-- Oct. 5 CESMEE brown bag seminar looks at Iowa Project Lead the Way
-- Reminder: Nominations for Emerging Leaders Academy needed by Oct. 10
-- Faculty, staff invited to Family Weekend kickoff Sept. 30
-- College of Human Sciences online auction benefits United Way; bids close at noon Sept. 30
-- HeartReach Mobile Lab comes to campus Oct. 26

See: Announcements

Teaching

CELT programs
Register via AccessPlus (click on Employee > HRS Training > Courses). All workshops are in 1230 Communications.
-- Blackboard (Bb) Learn: Assessments, Oct. 5 (2:10-3:40 p.m.)
-- Bb Learn: Creating, Submitting and Grading Online Assignments, Oct. 6 (2:10-3:10 p.m.)
-- Bb Learn: Interactive Grading Rubrics, Oct. 6 (3:30-4:20 p.m.)
-- Respondus: Creating Test Pools, Quizzes, Surveys for Blackboard Learn, Oct. 10 (1:10-2:10 p.m.)
-- Bb Learn Grade Center I: Fundamentals, Oct. 11 (10-11:30 a.m.)
-- Bb Learn Grade Center II: Advanced, Oct. 12 (10-11:20 a.m.)
-- Bb Learn: Developing your Blackboard Learn Course, Oct. 12 (2:10-3:40 p.m.)
-- Blackboard Users Group, Oct. 14 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

See: Descriptions and times

Seminars and conferences

The following conference was added this week:
-- Iowa Regents Institutions Disability Awareness Summit, Oct. 14

See: Announcements

Appointments

-- Bruce Babcock, professor of economics and director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, as the next holder of the Cargill Endowed Chair in Energy Economics and director of the Biobased Industry Center, effective Oct. 1
-- Andrew Severin, former post-doc in agronomy, as associate scientist and manager of the new Genome Informatics Facility

Around campus

Banned books observance is this week in the library
In observance of Banned Books Week (Sept. 24-Oct. 1), a display in the Parks Library lobby includes a selection of banned and challenged books from the ISU collection and the 2011 list of banned books. A dedicated YouTube channel also features a virtual read-out -- individuals reading from banned books -- and Iowa Staters are welcome to add their videos to the site.

Student use of financial literacy offerings is increasing
The university's investment two years ago in more financial literacy resources for students is seeing a return. The numbers of students helped by a for-credit course, workshops and counseling assistance at the Financial Counseling Clinic are on the rise.

Ground breaking for ABE building is Friday
Gov. Terry Branstad, state senators and representatives, and members of the state Board of Regents will visit campus for a ground breaking on phase 2 of the Biorenewables Complex Sept. 30 (3:30 p.m., north of Howe Hall). When it's completed, phase 2 will house the agricultural and biosystems engineering department.

Open houses/receptions

This week
-- Reception: Cyclone Family Weekend kickoff, Sept. 30 (2-5 p.m., MU west terrace; rain location: MU Great Hall)

Next week
-- Open house: Margaret Sloss Women's Center, Oct. 4 (10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sloss House)
-- Reception: National Arts and Humanities Month, Oct. 6 (6-8:30 p.m., program at 6:30 p.m., MU Campanile Room)

Details about these events are on the university calendar.

Arts and events

Victorian drama launches new ISU Theatre season
ISU Theatre opens its 2011-12 season with the dramatic tale of Hedda Gabler. The production begins its two-weekend run at Fisher Theater on Friday, Sept. 30.

ISU choirs join voices at Collage of Choirs
More than 300 students from all academic disciplines and majors will perform together during the ISU Collage of Choirs Oct. 2 (4 p.m., Stephens). Tickets, $10 for adults and $5 for students, are available at the Stephens box office.

It's Family Weekend
Iowa State's annual Cyclone Family Weekend kicks off Friday, Sept. 30. A schedule of events, including college receptions for students and their families, is available online.

Cyclone Stampede rodeo is this weekend
The ISU Rodeo Club's annual Cyclone Stampede returns to the outdoor arena on State Avenue, south of U.S. Highway 30. Collegiate teams from the Great Plains region will compete in rodeo events at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. Tickets are $5 in advance, $8-$10 at the gate. Advance sales are 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 29-30, outside Lush Auditorium, Kildee Hall.

Textiles and textile artists of India
Cindy Gould, ISU art and design, will give a lecture, "An Indian Love Affair," Oct. 4 (5:15 p.m., 2019 Morrill). Her talk is in conjunction with an exhibition of traditional textiles from India in Morrill Hall's Mary Alice Gallery through Dec. 9.

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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