Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
March 18, 2021
Inside news
Last week marked the start of our pandemic year. Inside asked several campus leaders to reflect on those earliest turbulent weeks in March 2020.

Fall 2021 on campus will look far more like 2019 than 2020, if vaccines are soon as widely available as expected. In announcing the Moving Forward Coordinating Committee last week, President Wendy Wintersteen said the intention this fall is returning in full.

Recognizing the advantages of the online environment -- not its limitations -- helps instructors keep learning interesting. And awareness of students' emotional needs often benefits instructors as they deliver course content.

The finalists' visits will include a virtual one-hour forum with the campus community. Candidates will be announced the day prior to their arrival on campus.

Going virtual helped Parks Library fill a need with the Open Scholar Café. The monthly forum provides a place for peers to discuss open research and scholarship.
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • Restrictions eased for sororities, fraternities
  • Applications due April 18 for Miller OER mini-grants
  • P&S Council election to be held March 22-26
  • Nominations due April 19 for Ivy Women in Business Awards
  • Dairy Science Club resumes its Wednesday ice cream sale
  • Rock of Ages livestream concert is April 24; tickets support Stephens
  • Pappajohn Center hosts free 'Start Something' workshops during March and April
Around campus
Praising the integrity of head men's basketball coach Steve Prohm's program, athletics director Jamie Pollard explained in a March 16 video message why he decided to replace Prohm and "reboot" the program.  

Dean Dan Grooms led a group of Veterinary Medicine faculty to New Jersey earlier this month to make sure a determined student battling cancer received his Iowa State Doctor of Veterinary Medicine diploma.

Spring's reputation for new beginnings is especially apparent at the university's animal science farms, where dozens of baby animals arrive every week this time of year.

Psychology professor Douglas Gentile worked with researchers to design an education framework that gives K-12 students some tools to be savvy digital consumers. COVID-19 has increased the dangers to them as they spend more time online.

Supply chain management chair Mike Crum co-authored a report that examines the supply chain weaknesses the pandemic exposed. Improving transportation infrastructure and establishing a federal supply chain office are among the recommendations.
Appointments
Retirements
Next week
  • Christine Meraz, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, March 25
  • Julie Lelonek, ISU Startup Factory/Pappajohn Center, March 26, share wishes on her Kudoboard

Upcoming
  • Norio Nakagawa, Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, March 31
  • Charlene Shaw, Graduate College office, March 31, share wishes on her Kudoboard
  • Dr. Kent Schwartz, veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, April 1
  • Greg Yeakel, pharmacy, Thielen Student Health Center, April 1
  • Jeff Mattson, central stores, April 2
  • Dr. Gregory Stevenson, veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, April 2
  • Jim Oberender, power plant, facilities planning and management, April 5
Seminars and conferences
Open forums
Forums will be held 3-4 p.m. via Webex. Candidates will be announced one day prior.
  • March 25 
  • March 29
  • April 1
  • April 5
  • April 9
Arts and events
The ISU Wind Ensemble will perform a virtual concert Wednesday, March 24 (7:30 p.m. from the Tye Recital Hall, Simon Estes Music Hall).

Distinguished Professor emerita of Liberal Arts and Sciences and former state poet laureate Mary Swander will read her poetry during university museums' "Poetry, Farming and More!" event March 28 (2-3 p.m.). It's being offered as a Zoom webinar but also with limited in-person screening in the Brunnier Art Museum, Scheman. Advance registration is required.

Three virtual forums this spring, the first on March 22, offer aspiring writers a chance to connect with authors, many of them ISU faculty and staff, who have published nonfiction, poetry and novels.
Learning opportunities
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) programming

Center for Communication Excellence programming
Interpersonal communication seminar series, all sessions 3:30-5 p.m.
  • Planning and Participating in Difficult Decisions, March 29
  • You Should Have Heard Them Listen: Verbal and Nonverbal Approaches, April 1
  • Sticks and Stones Will Break My Bones and Words Will Never Hurt Me: Verbal Messages, April 5 
  • It's Not What You Said, It's How You Said It: Nonverbal Communication, April 8
  • It Takes Two: Conflict Management, April 12
  • Small Talk That Takes You Big Places: Social Communication, April 15
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About us
Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions may be directed to 515-294-7065.