Inside Update

Feb. 7, 2013
Announcements and news for ISU faculty and staff

ISU continues to save costs during partial shutdown, semester break
This year's partial university shutdown and semester break proved cost- and energy-efficient ... again.

Regents approve two Iowa State property purchases
Meeting Feb. 6 in West Des Moines, the state Board of Regents approved Iowa State's request to purchase two Ames properties, one residential and one commercial. The board also appointed a task force to review openness and transparency at the regent institutions.

Welcome
Robinette Kelley is Iowa State's new director of equal opportunity. Her first day was Feb. 4.

Brag points are fodder for renewed grassroots effort
State relations staff aim to tell ISU's story by relaunching the Alliance for Iowa State coalition. Faculty and staff can participate by sharing their initiatives with the alliance, or joining the network of advocates.

Building a better look
Improvements to Hilton Coliseum's service area include a screen wall and landscaping that complement the campus entry point.

More news: Inside Iowa State

The following announcements were added this week:
-- Supply chain scholar series presentation is Feb. 8
-- Healthy volunteers sought for nutrition counseling
-- Wind turbine completes first month of production
-- Panel: Professional women balance career and family

See: Announcements

CELT programs
Register via AccessPlus (click on Employee > HRS Training > Courses).
-- Bb Learn: Developing Your Blackboard Learn Course, Feb. 12 (9-10:30 a.m., 1230 Communications)
-- Teaching and Learning Circle: Team-based Learning, Feb. 12 (12:10-1:30 p.m., 2030 Morrill)
-- Bb Learn: Using Test, Quizzes and Surveys, Feb. 13 (9-10:30 a.m., 1230 Communications)
-- Chinese Students, American Classrooms: A Teaching and Learning Circle, Feb. 13 (12:10-1 p.m., 2030 Morrill)
-- Bb Learn: Grade Center Essentials, Feb. 14 (1:10-3 p.m., 1230 Communications)

See: Descriptions and times

The following conferences were added this week:
-- Crossing the Bridge to Student Success in STEM, annual conference of a 16-institution alliance in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska funded by NSF's Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, intended to help faculty broaden participation of minorities through their own teaching and research activities, Feb. 8 (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Scheman Building)
-- Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE), March 1, Memorial Union, online registration is open
-- Iowa Water Conference, March 4-5, Scheman Building
-- Road Map for Resilience: Empowering Iowa's Local Food Economy, March 19-20, Scheman Building

-- Jianming Yu, Kansas State University, to Pioneer Distinguished Chair in Maize Breeding, ISU agronomy, effective Jan. 1

Leath responds to Harkin Institute decision
President Steven Leath responded to recent developments surrounding the Hardin Institute in a Feb. 5 statement.

Sustainability symposium is this month
The national reporter who literally wrote the book on water; leaders from sustainability-conscious Iowa-based companies; and those involved in all kinds of green activities will tell their stories during the Feb. 25-26 Symposium on Sustainability. The symposium for the campus community is free; registration is requested.

Office of Biotechnology
Updates on new equipment in the DNA and Protein facilities and acess to print and searchable online databases of campus researchers in specific fields are included in the February issue of the Office of Biotechnology's E-News.

Next week
-- Retirement: Tom Logue, IT Services, Feb. 15 (2-4 p.m., program at 3 p.m., Extension 4-H Youth Building)

Upcoming
-- Reception: Student Activities Center juried exhibit, Feb. 19 (6-8 p.m., MU Pioneer Room)

Details about these events are on the university calendar.

Cyclones face ranked foes in tandem event
The Iowa State wrestling and gymnastics teams will compete in their annual simultaneous "Beauty and the Beast" event Friday, Feb. 8, in Hilton Coliseum (7 p.m.). Wrestling will face No. 20 Northern Iowa, while the gymnastics squad takes on No. 2 Oklahoma. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students.

Shrek the Musical stops at Stephens
Shrek the Musical, based on the story and characters from William Steig's book Shrek! as well as the DreamWorks Animation film Shrek, will stage a one-night performance in Ames Feb. 13 (7:30 p.m., Stephens). Tickets, $49 and $53 ($28 for youth; $25 for students), are available at the Stephens ticket office or through Ticketmaster. Ticketholders also are invited to a pre-show family event with crafts, photo booth and prizes (6:45 p.m., Celebrity Café).

The Vagina Monologues are Feb. 14-15
The Margaret Sloss Women's Center is sponsoring The Vagina Monologues Feb. 14 (7 p.m.) and Feb. 15 (6 p.m. and 9 p.m.). All performances are in the MU Great Hall. Tickets, $12 ($10 for students), are available at the Margaret Sloss Women's Center during business hours. T-shirts ($12) and chocolates ($2 and $5) will be available. All proceeds will be donated to ACCESS and the V-Day spotlight campaign.

Play ball!
There may be snow on the ground, but the Iowa State softball team opens its home season this weekend, playing host to the Cyclone Invitational in the indoor practice facility at the Bergstrom Football Complex. Iowa State plays at 6 p.m. Friday and in doubleheaders on both Saturday (1 and 3:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1 and 3 p.m.). Visiting teams include Indiana State, IPFW, North Dakota, Northern Colorado and South Dakota State. Admission is free.