Inside Update

Nov. 1, 2012
Announcements and news for ISU faculty and staff

Wind turbine is symbol of renewable energy
Site preparation is under way for a small wind turbine that will be erected in the northeast corner of campus between CyRide and the power plant. The turbine will be up and running before Dec. 31.

Learning from each other: Graduate students and high school students
An NSF-funded program puts graduate students studying science, technology, engineering and math into K-12 classrooms to help them learn how to communicate science to non-scientists. Participants say it also boosts the quality of the science education.

Regents vote to end tuition set-aside for resident students
Tuition dollars from in-state undergraduate students no longer will be a revenue source for student financial aid, under changes approved Oct. 25 by the state Board of Regents. Instead, the board will ask the Legislature this winter to fund a new financial aid program for the three regent universities and the schools' foundations to raise millions of dollars in private funds for scholarships.

VP Quisenberry to retire from post on Jan. 1
Vice president for research and economic development Sharron Quisenberry has announced she will retire from her post on Jan. 1. As an entomology faculty member, she will work on special university initiatives through June, when she will retire from the university.

New policies on youth activities and child safety will affect you
Maybe your university work routinely involves contact with children under 18. Or maybe you only occasionally encounter youth in the workplace when, for example, school kids are touring a facility or a colleague's child is temporarily hanging out in the office. In either case, you'll need to get acquainted with new and updated policies involving children and required reporting of suspected abuse.

Net-ID, email access to end for employees who leave the university
Information Technology Services is changing its practice regarding Net-ID and email access for employees who leave Iowa State. Effective Nov. 1, an employee's Net-ID will be suspended the morning after his or her final date of work.

More news: Inside Iowa State

The following announcements were added this week:
-- Reminder: Fall back this Sunday
-- YWCA dessert fundraiser is Nov. 8 at Hilton
-- P&S Council open forum is Nov. 1
-- Student organization receives $7,500 grant
-- Writing and Media Center open house is Nov. 7
-- VRAC's Halloween Fun House runs Nov. 1, 3 and 4
-- Enrollment for biotech techniques courses is open
-- Finalists announced for ISU Foundation president

See: Announcements

CELT programs
Register via AccessPlus (click on Employee > HRS Training > Courses). Workshops are in 1230 Communications.
-- CC: Refresher on Class Climate (End of semester), Nov. 6 (9-10:30 a.m.)
-- BUG: Blackboard Users Group, Nov. 9 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

See: Descriptions and times

The following conferences were added this week:
-- 15th annual Student Financial Aid Mini Conference for ISU faculty and staff, Dec. 7 (8-11:30 a.m., 0020 Hixson-Lied Center)

Studying ethics in role-playing simulations
Researchers at Iowa State and West Chester University of Pennsylvania are creating a virtual world where science and engineering students role-play ethical issues in an engaging and safe environment. The first of these NSF-supported simulations will be released during a Nov. 14 Google+ event.

Two finalists will interview this month for foundation post
The ISU Foundation has named two finalists for the position of foundation president. Patricia Borger, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and Roger Neuhaus, University of Arizona, will interview on campus during the first two weeks of November.

Outreach efforts net Friend of Science Award
The Iowa Academy of Science recognized the ISU Office of Biotechnology's outreach education efforts and outreach education coordinator Mike Zeller with its Friend of Science Award.

Next week
-- Reception: "Adaptive Interface: Light, Space and Comfort" exhibit, Nov. 5 (5:30-7 p.m., Lightfoot Forum, College of Design)
-- Open house: Writing and Media Center, Nov. 7 (1-2:30 p.m., 300 Carver, ribbon-cutting at 1 p.m.)

Upcoming
-- Open house: "Is There a Santa Claus? A Victorian Christmas at the Farm House Museum," Nov. 10-11 (1-4 p.m., Farm House Museum). Exhibition opens Nov. 5 (PDF).
-- Reception: Recognition of ISU student veterans, Nov. 15 (4:30-6:30 p.m., MU Great Hall, program at 5 p.m.)

Details about these events are on the university calendar.

Candide offers light look at life's obstacles
A four-day run of the opera Candide begins Thursday, Nov. 1, at Fisher Theater. The production, which features 26 cast members and a 32-piece orchestra, is a joint effort of the ISU Theatre and music departments.

Film details art controversy
University Museums will present the film The Art of the Steal on Nov. 1 (7 p.m., Brunnier Art Museum). The movie follows the controversy of a Philadelphia doctor's multi-billion dollar collection of Post-Impressionist paintings. Following the doctor's death in 1951, ownership of the collection fell into question, eventually leading to the dissolution of his will.

Skip dinner, eat dessert
YWCA Ames-ISU is hosting "Just Desserts: A Taste of Chocolate and More" on Nov. 8 (7-8:30 p.m., Johnny's, Hilton Coliseum) to raise money for programs and scholarships at the YWCA. Tickets ($35 for one, $50 for two, $15 for students) must be purchased in advance by calling 4-1663 or stopping by the YWCA Ames-ISU office, 210 Lab of Mechanics.

Cyclone basketball teams tip off 2012-13
The Cyclone basketball teams open their seasons with exhibition games at Hilton Coliseum in the next week. The women play host to Northwest Missouri State Nov. 1 (7 p.m.) and William Penn University Nov. 6 (7 p.m.), while the men face Minnesota State, Mankato, on Nov. 4 (1 p.m.).