The disruptive behavior toolkit aims to help instructors identify, document and deal with disruptions in classrooms and the other places learning happens at ISU. The goal is to provide a productive experience for all involved.

Alumna Carolann Jensen began serving as the state relations officer for Iowa State this week.

New teaching assistants for English 150 and 250 spend a week in orientation before the fall semester starts. All-day sessions help the graduate students -- many who haven't taught before -- prepare to lead their first class.

Following a summer under construction, the collaboration commons area opened -- and students filled it -- this week on Parks Library's south first floor.

Penalty zones have been created east and west of Jack Trice Stadium in residential neighborhoods, where drivers will be fined $40 -- double the previous amount -- for parking illegally. The ordinance is in effect on ISU home football game days.

University offices are closed and classes won't meet Monday, Sept. 2, to observe the national Labor Day holiday.

IT Services staff upgraded the wireless access points network at Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum this summer to improve the reliability and efficiency of event ticket scanning.

ISU researchers are developing tools to help women of color or with family responsibilities in faculty positions be successful in STEM fields. The project is supported by a three-year, $996,000 grant from the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE program.

Research by an Iowa State professor calls into question previous studies that concluded agricultural land-use changes in the U.S. may as a whole store more carbon than they emit. It's an important dynamic to understand as policies are formed to combat climate change.

• Retirement, Ed Adcock, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences communications, Aug. 29 (no public event)

• Retirement, Kathy Petersen, civil, construction and environmental engineering, Sept. 4 (no public event)
• Opening reception, "It Starts With Us: Civility and the 21st Century Land Grant Mission" ReACT exhibit, Sept. 4 (4-6 p.m., Christian Petersen Art Museum, Morrill Hall)
• Retirement, Mark Murphy, Ames Laboratory, Sept. 5 (2-4 p.m., 301 Spedding)

• Farewell, Kevin Keener, food science and human nutrition, Sept. 9 (4-5 p.m., 2379 Food Sciences)
• Retirement, Deb Coates, ISU Extension and Outreach, Sept. 12 (2-4 p.m., WOW Center, 4-H Building)

• 20th anniversary Women and Philanthropy workshop, The Power of Education, ISU Foundation, Sept. 17 (9 a.m.-3 p.m., Memorial Union), $40 ($30 each for two or more), register online
• Conference, Society for Arts Entrepreneurship Education, Oct. 17-19 (Gateway Conference Center and campus locations), $140-$190, early registration through Sept. 10

Finalists: Director of the Egg Industry Center (second of 2)

• Richard Gates, University of Illinois, Aug. 29 (1 p.m., 1204 Kildee)

The Cyclone football, soccer and volleyball squads host nonconference opponents in the next week:

• Football vs. Northern Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 31 (11 a.m., Jack Trice Stadium), tickets starting at $40
• Soccer vs. Purdue, Sunday, Sept. 1 (1 p.m., Cyclone Sports Complex), free admission
• Volleyball vs. South Dakota, Tuesday, Sept. 3 (6:30 p.m., Hilton Coliseum), tickets $5

Guests may enjoy themed dinners before seven shows in Stephens' 2019-20 performing arts series. Dates run from October through March. Dinner tickets are $34, with the exception of two Valentine week dates ($42), and must be purchased at least five days in advance of the show date.