Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
March 12, 2020
Inside news
Iowa State instructors will teach their courses online Monday, March 23, through Friday, April 3. The two-week period comes on the heels of spring break week, and it could be extended. Campus events that draw larger crowds also are being assessed, case-by-case.

An FAQ released this week by university human resources answers many common questions about how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect Iowa State employees. A March 12 update added information about working remotely, managing student employees, hiring and university child care centers.

Classification and compensation director Emma Mallarino Houghton talked with Inside about the new class/comp structure for P&S employees and how it will roll out over the next few months.

Iowa State will move to online class for two weeks following spring break in response to COVID-19. Resources are available to help instructors through the transition as faculty and staff will continue their work on campus. 

At the Professional and Scientific Council's March meeting, President Wendy Wintersteen outlined next year's budget picture and provost and senior vice president Jonathan Wickert provided an update on the project to overhaul the student information system. 

Courtney Biere is a December alumna in event management and the new strategic engagement coordinator at the Knoll.

Iowa State employees know the university provides a strong benefit package, but one of the unheralded advantages of Workday is a more detailed pay breakdown that makes the financial value of ISU benefits clear.

Thanks to volume discounts, vendor contracts and familiarity with local sellers, Iowa State's central buying operation is difficult to beat on price. But Central Stores also prides itself on being convenient.
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • Campus visits postponed for VP for research finalists
  • Lawn mower service days set for March 27-28
  • Are your ISU Alert settings up to date?
  • Maks and Val dance tickets go on sale March 13
  • Registration help available for April 17 NASA EPSCoR symposium
  • Info sessions scheduled for employees with purchasing authority
Around campus
University leaders and key supporters of Iowa State's new poultry farm dedicated the $5.75 million teaching and research facility on South State Avenue last week. Demolition of the former farm buildings began in summer 2018; the new building is on schedule to house birds next week. Design work continues for a turkey teaching/research building added to the project last summer.

ISU scientists helped develop a new test to measure nitrogen levels in soil that improves on old tests, which didn't account for the majority of the nitrogen in soils. This could economically benefit farmers and help the environment. 
Appointments
Open houses and receptions
Next week
  • Open house, Farm House Museum, March 21-22 (1-4 p.m., Farm House Museum)

Upcoming
  • Retirement, Patty Gibler, Iowa 4-H youth development, Extension and Outreach, March 30 (3:30-5 p.m., Extension 4-H Building)
  • Retirement, Ron Cochran, building maintenance, facilities planning and management, April 1 (no public event)
  • Retirement, Doug Nelson, custodial services, facilities planning and management, April 2 (10:30 a.m.-noon, program at 11 a.m., 0162 General Services Building)
  • Retirement, Jeff Witt, utility services, April 3 (1-3 p.m., program at 3:30 p.m., FPM shops break room, General Services Building)
Seminars and conferences
  • ISU ADVANCE spring presentation, "Advancing Talent Management in Academia: A Conversation About Attracting, Retaining and Developing Women and Persons of Color," Deidra Schleicher, John and Deborah Ganoe Professor and chair, department of management, April 8 (3:30-5 p.m., 0198 Parks Library), register via Learn@ISU (under SVPP: faculty professional development)
Open forums
  • March 24, 3-4 p.m., 127 Curtiss
  • March 25, noon-1 p.m., 022 Sukup
Professional development
Provost office programming
  • Workshop, Fulbright Scholar Program, with Carleen Velez, Institute of International Education, April 9 (10-11 a.m.), no registration required, to schedule a 15-minute session with Velez that day, contact Megan Peterson by April 1

Center for Communication Excellence programming
Live webinar series, Interpersonal Communication, 3:30-5 p.m. each day, register online
Previous Inside coverage
About us
Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions may be directed to 515-294-7065.