Inside Update

Feb. 14, 2013
Announcements and news for ISU faculty and staff

Senate passes annual review policy
Guidelines for the annual review policy were approved at the Feb. 12 Faculty Senate meeting. Senators also heard comments from the provost's office about the latest developments surrounding the Harkin Institute.

Update on Business dean search
Feb. 7 was the deadline for College of Business dean candidates to apply and receive preferred consideration, though applications will be accepted through Feb. 18. More than 30 applications had been received as of last week.

Leath meets with legislative appropriations group
President Steven Leath, accompanied by his regent university peers and Board of Regents leaders, made his annual presentation to the Legislature's education appropriations subcommittee Tuesday in Des Moines.

Hort Club is helping Cupid deliver
The Horticulture Club's annual Valentine's Day fundraiser features roses, carnations, Cyclone bouquets and custom arrangements. Club members will be selling the flowers on Feb. 14 outside the University Book Store entrance; prices range from $2 to $50.

Energy secretary Chu calls for action, now
"When the price of oil goes up, we punch the panic button. When the price of oil goes down, we punch the snooze button. This is not a good energy policy," U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in a talk on campus Tuesday.

More news: Inside Iowa State

The following announcements were added this week:
-- Enrollment deadline for LTC insurance extended to Feb. 28
-- Nominations sought for Margaret Sloss Gender Equity Awards
-- Franke will present Rossmann Manatt lecture on Feb. 22
-- That little structure? It's a Troxel Hall mockup
-- Volunteers needed for State Science and Technology Fair
-- Registration is open for March 1 ISCORE

See: Announcements

CELT names associate director for online education
Ralph Napolitano, the Al and Julie Renken Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been named associate director for online education in the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. In this joint appointment between CELT and Engineering-LAS Online Learning (ELO), Napolitano will help faculty create exceptional online learning experiences, collaborate on university-wide initiatives and oversee ELO online course development and support.

CELT programs
Register via AccessPlus (click on Employee > HRS Training > Courses > Enroll). Workshops are in 1230 Communications.
-- Blackboard Learn: Monitoring Student Learning in Bb Learn, Feb. 19 (2:10-3 p.m.)
-- Class Climate: Refresher on Class Climate (mid-term), Feb. 19 (9-10:30 a.m.)
-- Bb Learn: Developing Your Course in Bb Learn, Feb. 20 (1:10-2:40 p.m.)
-- Bb Learn: Using Tests, Quizzes and Surveys, Feb. 21 (1:10-2:40 p.m.)
-- Bb Learn: Grade Center Essentials, Feb. 22 (9-10:50 a.m.)

See: Descriptions and times

The following conference was added this week:
-- Heat Stress Symposium (PDF), April 4-5, Ensminger Room, Kildee Hall

-- Tom Kroeschell, athletics communications director, to director of broadcast scheduling with Cyclones.tv and the athletics department's future Mediacom channel

ISU nutritionist: School vending rules are needed
Proposed changes to federal rules on food and beverages sold in school vending machines and school stores are overdue, says ISU nutritionist Ruth Litchfield, who chaired the group that created the Iowa's Healthy Kids Act several years ago. The goal is to reduce student access to calories, sodium and sugar during school hours.

MU art collection is timeless
There are 275 pieces in the Memorial Union's permanent art collection. Complementing the timeless collection are another dozen works of art that are part of the university's public art inventory and 275 pieces available for rent.

Agronomy to measure state soil moisture levels
Soil moisture levels will be monitored statewide, thanks to upgrades in agronomy weather stations at several research and demonstration farms.

MBA graduates: Consistent hiring trends at Iowa State
With graduation still several months away, the majority of students in Iowa State's MBA program have received their first job offer. Many MBA schools nationally report steady growth in the job market.

Your Library
In this issue of Your Library newsletter: "My Library" link is now in Blackboard; ISU Library and the Writing and Media Center begin a new collaboration; and ISU joins HathiTrust (the world's largest digital library).

This week
-- Retirement: Jean Tilley, food science and human nutrition, Feb. 14 (2-4 p.m., short program at 3 p.m., 331 Palmer)
-- Retirement: Tom Logue, IT Services, Feb. 15 (2-4 p.m., program at 3 p.m., Extension 4-H Youth Building)

Next week
-- Retirement: Rohit Trivedi, materials science and engineering and U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, Feb. 18 (3:30-5 p.m., MU Campanile Room)

Upcoming
-- Farewell: Mary Jo Gonzales, Dean of Students office, Feb. 27 (3-4:30 p.m., MU Cardinal Room)
-- Retirement: Joan Ballard, ISU Extension finance, Feb. 28 (2:30-4 p.m., 3150 Beardshear)

Details about these events are on the university calendar.

Residence department
Four candidates will interview this month for Iowa State's associate director for residence life position in the residence department. Their interviews will include an open forum (10-11:30 a.m.) with the campus community:
-- Sarah Holmes, ISU residence department, Feb. 15, 136 UDCC
-- Rachel Wagner, University of Dayton, Feb. 19, 136 UDCC
-- Jacque Bollinger, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Feb. 22, 1132 Eaton
-- Tyler Page, University of Missouri, Feb. 26, 136 UDCC

Details about these events are on the university calendar.

Award-winning Biloxi Blues takes the stage at Stephens Feb. 15
Neil Simon's Tony Award-winning play, Biloxi Blues, will make a stop at Stephens Auditorium Feb. 15 for a 7:30 p.m. performance. Tickets, $37 ($28 for youth; $25 for students), are available at the Iowa State Center ticket office or through Ticketmaster.

The Voca People dazzle with vocal acrobats
The eight-person musical theater group, The Voca People, will bring their out-of-this-world vocals to Stephens Auditorium on Feb. 21 for a 7:30 p.m. performance. Tickets, $34-$38 ($28 for youth; $25 for students), are available at the Iowa State Center ticket office or through Ticketmaster.