Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
June 17, 2021
Inside news
Faculty, professional and scientific staff, merit staff, postdocs and contract employees with satisfactory performance reviews will receive the increase. 

Employees who have worked from home during the pandemic may need to reacclimate to some of the basics of daily life on campus when they return by July 1. Here's a primer.

Inside asked several employees who worked all or much of their time on campus over the last year to share a few insights and advice with their colleagues who are preparing to return.

Due to the late adjournment of the Iowa Legislature, 2021-22 tuition rates didn't make it onto the state Board of Regents' June 3 agenda. At a special meeting June 24, regents will have a first reading of fall tuition rates.

Procurement sought one contract for ISU Dining and the athletics department to leverage the higher volume and reduce costs.

The university treasurer's retirement this month will move duties to other finance leaders.

Faculty and staff who volunteer as blood donors have a new option to take paid time off to accomplish their good deed during regularly scheduled work hours. 

The Professional and Scientific Council received an update on emergency management's post-pandemic plans at the council's June 3 meeting. 
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • Ticket packages available for Stephens performing arts series
  • New Regents grant program supports OER textbooks
  • Two projects tapped for library's Tracing Race initiative
  • Share your plexiglass shield with another employee
  • Order your ISU calendars in time for the academic year
  • Provost funds will help with faculty mentoring program fee
  • Nominations due Aug. 1 for alumni association awards
  • FPM service request website deactivated June 25-30
  • Protect yourself against heat-related illnesses, sun damage to skin
  • Scoops of the day at the ISU Creamery
  • Meat Lab restocks several pork favorites
  • Reminder: Flex changes allowed at any time in 2021
  • University's COVID-19 health data posted to public archive
  • Cyclone football schedule T-shirts on sale now
Around campus
Since 2017, Iowa State has issued more than $386,000 in University Innovation Alliance completion grants to 661 students who were approaching graduation but faced financial hurdles to complete their education.

As departments remove acrylic barriers installed last year, students in Dan Neubauer's industrial design class brainstormed how the barriers could be reused and upcycled. That process also gave them time to reflect on a difficult year.

Two multidisciplinary research initiatives -- one to establish Iowa State as a national leader in enabling a rural innovation economy and the other to create a center for applying artificial intelligence in other research areas -- were awarded 2021 Presidential Interdisciplinary Research Initiative grants.

A new comic book inspired by Mosquitoes and Me, the 2-week summer science camp that's part of ISU's Urban Ecosystem Project, tells a story of the ecological devastation and disruption that would result if mosquitoes were eliminated. Science-themed comic books are effective learning tools for students, said the ISU education professor who co-wrote the comic.
Appointments
  • Aaron Steil, assistant director of Reiman Gardens, to consumer horticulture extension specialist, horticulture department, effective June 14
  • Lynn Clark, professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology, to interim department chair, effective June 16
  • Melea Reicks Licht, interim director of college relations for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, to senior director of communications for the alumni association, effective June 28
  • Sri Sritharan, professor in the civil, construction and environmental engineering department and interim associate dean for strategic initiatives, to assistant dean for research in the College of Engineering, effective July 1
  • Rick Woten, Wapello County Historical Society and Museum, to regional director with ISU Extension and Outreach (Region 25: Appanoose, Monroe, Wayne and Lucas counties), effective July 1
  • Michelle Sackville, Franklin County director for ISU Extension and Outreach, to regional director with ISU Extension and Outreach (Region 8: Pocahontas, Humboldt, Webster and Hamilton counties), effective Aug. 2
Retirements
Last month
  • Steve Howell, genetics, development and cell biology, May 15

This week
  • Deb Hearn, finance service delivery (Juniper team), June 18

Next week
  • Pat Anderson, Cindy Avalos, Marlin Clemens, Cheryl Conover, Cindy Craig, Tim Koch, Dave Roberts, Susan Simpson and Doran Tesdall, various units of IT services, June 21 (2-4 p.m., Speer Room, Reiman Gardens)
  • Connie Garnett, graduate student services, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, June 21 (2-4 p.m., atrium of the Molecular Biology Building)
  • Karen Terpstra, registrar's office, June 21 (2-4 p.m., 136 Union Drive Community Center)
  • Marty Martinez, student counseling services, June 24 (2:30-4 p.m., 0185 State Gym)
  • Cindy Stigler, service center, facilities planning and management, June 24 (2-4 p.m., 0168 General Services Building)
  • Janell Bulver, Thielen Student Health Center, June 25 (1-3 p.m., 0185 State Gym)
  • Scott Jennings, custodial services, facilities planning and management, June 25

Upcoming
  • Craig Davenport, building maintenance services, facilities planning and management, June 28 (11 a.m.-1 p.m., 0162 General Services Building)
  • Joan Piscitello, treasurer's office, June 29 (3-5 p.m., remarks at 3:30 p.m., Garden Room and outdoor plaza, Reiman Gardens)
  • Janice Seibel, Center for Multiphase Flow Research and Education, Engineering Research Institute, June 29 (1-3 p.m., 1118 Student Innovation Center/Marston water tower lawn)
  • Linda Anderson, information technology, university library, June 30
  • David Baker, Beginning Farmer Center, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, June 30
  • Philip Becraft, genetics, development and cell biology, June 30
  • Penni Bryant, office of the senior vice president and provost, June 30, send congratulations to her Kudoboard
  • Susana Bucklin, finance service delivery (Spruce team), June 30, send congratulations to her Kudoboard 
  • Michael Cleaveland, facilities, residence department, June 30
  • Deb Cochran, finance service delivery (Juniper team), June 30
  • Joe Colletti, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences administration and Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, June 30 (3 p.m. via Zoom, or join via phone: 301-715-8592, 346-248-7799, 669-900-6833 or 253-215-8782, phone participants use webinar ID 955 2387 5432)
  • Cathy Curtis, communications, College of Human Sciences, June 30
  • Kathy Debruyn, finance service delivery (Hickory team), June 30
  • Ron Deiter, economics, June 30
  • Randall Den Adel, microscopy facility, office of biotechnology, June 30
  • Norma Dowell, information technology, university library, June 30, post well wishes to her Kudoboard
  • Faye Draper, admissions, June 30 
  • Carole Gieseke, ISU Alumni Association, June 30, send cards to Alumni Center, 429 Alumni Ln., Ames, 50011 or messages to her Kudoboard
  • Robin Gogerty, finance service delivery (Spruce team), June 30, send congratulations to her Kudoboard
  • Linda Heddens, Thielen Student Health Center, June 30
  • Kai-Ming Ho, physics and astronomy, June 30
  • Jean Holt, architecture and industrial design, June 30
  • Paul Jewell, Engineering-LAS online learning, June 30
  • LuAnn Johansen, 4-H youth development, Extension and Outreach, June 30 
  • Karen Jutting, CIO office, IT services, June 30
  • Jody Kalvik, research and instruction services, university library, June 30, post well wishes to her Kudoboard
  • Paul Kassel, crops/agronomy, Extension and Outreach in north central Iowa, June 30 (9:30-11:30 a.m., stables, Clay County Fairgrounds, Spencer)
  • Karla Kelly, finance, business services and procurement, IT services, June 30
  • Tom Kroeschell, athletics digital media (Cyclones.tv), June 30
  • John Kugel, facilities, residence department, June 30
  • Paul Lasley, sociology and sociology extension, June 30, send congratulations to his Kudoboard
  • Mary Lents, animal science, June 30
  • Patti Lewis, Human Sciences Extension and Outreach, June 30, card shower: 311 MacKay Hall, 2302 Osborn Dr., Ames 50011-1078
  • Diane Luth, Plant Transformation Facility, office of biotechnology, June 30
  • Steve Malchow, athletics administration, June 30
  • Janet McClure, treasurer's office, June 30
  • Lori Merritt, office of student financial aid, June 30
  • Diane Meyer, grants hub, June 30, send congratulations to her Kudoboard
  • Annette Nelson, finance service delivery (Juniper team), June 30
  • Carla Persaud, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences administration, June 30 (3 p.m. via Zoom, or join via phone: 301-715-8592, 346-248-7799, 669-900-6833 or 253-215-8782, phone participants use webinar ID 955 2387 5432)
  • Mark Pixler, endpoint technologies, IT services, June 30
  • Rod Ragner, IT support, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, June 30, send congratulations to his Kudoboard
  • Rick Reger, sociology, June 30, send congratulations to his Kudoboard
  • Sheryl Rippke, policy library, university counsel office, June 30
  • Nancy Rosenquist, student academic services, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, June 30
  • Diane Schall, Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center, June 30
  • Deborah Schroeder, finance service delivery (Redwood team), June 30
  • Gaylan Scofield, Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer and AgOnline distance education, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, June 30
  • Shawn Shouse, agricultural engineering, Extension and Outreach in SW Iowa, June 30
  • Marti Steelman, aerospace engineering, June 30, post well wishes to her Kudoboard
  • Kris Tigges, president's office, June 30
  • Mike Zeller, office of biotechnology, June 30
  • Jody Danielson, business services, facilities planning and management, July 1, send congratulations to her Kudoboard
Arts and events
Reiman Gardens will celebrate National Pollinator Week on Saturday, June 26, with Pollinator Fest (10 a.m.-2 p.m.). A variety of pollinator-themed activities will include live bee observation, an insect zoo, butterfly and pollinator crafts, honey tasting and numerous educational displays. No registration is required, and regular garden admission fees apply.
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Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions may be directed to 515-294-7065.