Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
April 11, 2024
Inside news
The changes focus on term faculty members' ability to hold administrative roles, and guidance for periodic reviews and reviews for renewal and advancement. Associate vice president of public safety and chief of police Michael Newton also addressed policing at the university.

All four finalists for Iowa State's senior vice president and provost post will interview on campus in April. Day 1 of their visits include a 3 p.m. forum with the campus community.

From among 30,000+ works of art in university museums' collections, instructors can use examples that complement their curriculum to reinforce students' critical thinking and communication skills. The best part? You don't have to find it, you just need to express your interest.

A research handbook for students covering key steps of the research process and a data dashboard of course materials costs across campus are among the projects to receive funding from a 2022-31 strategic plan initial investment.

The division of student affairs is hosting the first Cy's Finals Frenzy April 28-30 to promote healthy study habits and personal wellness during prep week. Volunteers are sought for various assignments, mostly on Sunday.

The nine projects, with representation from all eight colleges to impact student-centric instruction across the university, will share a total of $385,552 -- the most funding of any year of the program. Six of the nine relate to artificial intelligence in the curriculum.

Clients of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory say the lab's speed, expertise and devoted service make it the behind-the-scenes foundation of Iowa's livestock and poultry industries. This feature is the fourth in the news service team's 2024 Innovation at Work series.
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • LeBaron Hall construction is focus of April 25 meeting
  • Undergraduate research symposium is April 16 on campus
  • Design spring art sale is April 17-19, earlier than usual
  • Reiman is open late for spring blooms
  • Reminder: Applications due April 15 for fall family weekend
  • Translational AI Center is the focus of April innovation lunch
  • Celebrate ISU Extension and Outreach Week April 15-20
  • Author on homelessness to give keynote at campus symposium
  • Hach's Thiel Atrium to be dedicated April 17
  • Register for suicide awareness walk on April 27
  • Ugandan baskets for sale in the Workspace April 8-20
Around campus
Iowa Staters filled campus lawns early Monday afternoon to share the experience of a partial solar eclipse.

ISU Dining's bakery team is hosting pop-up shops this week with specialty items not usually found in campus bakery cases. Thursday's shop is at the West Side Market in the Union Drive Community Center, Friday's is at the MU Market Cafe across from the bookstore in the Memorial Union.

A mobile recording studio from the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching is serving online students and their instructors. The studio is a lectern cart that holds the equipment: computer, cart-mounted monitor, high-quality webcam, wireless mic system, Wacom tablet for drawing notes, light kit and a branded backdrop. CELT also has a 10-page toolkit for instructors looking to improve their online courses with engaging videos.  

Iowa State engineers are working to create a modern power grid that's smart and flexible enough to efficiently distribute renewables. Solar and wind power plants are unpredictable sources of electricity, but successfully integrating them helps meet the energy demands of millions.
Retirements and receptions
Employees, their colleagues or supervisors are invited to submit retirements and departures to inside@iastate.edu. Inside doesn't receive this information from a central source.

This week
  • Retirement, Ed Lyon, Reiman Gardens, April 12 (3-6 p.m., Garden Room, Reiman Gardens)

Next week
  • Dedication, Thiel Atrium in Hach Hall, honoring former faculty member Pat Thiel, chemistry, materials science and engineering, and Ames National Laboratory, April 17 (5 p.m., Hach Hall)

Upcoming
  • Retirement, Ann Oberhauser, sociology and criminal justice, April 24 (2-3:30 p.m., remarks at 2:30 p.m., 311 East Hall), post well wishes to Oberhauser's Kudoboard
  • Retirement, Warren Franke, kinesiology, April 25 (3-5 p.m., 213 Forker)
  • Retirement, Dave Ross, student services, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, April 29 (2-4 p.m., remarks at 3 p.m., Harl Commons, Curtiss Hall)
  • Retirement, Beate Schmittmann, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, April 30 (4-6 p.m., program followed by reception, Sun Room, Memorial Union), post well wishes to Schmittmann's Kudoboard
  • Retirement, Lisa Ingalls-Hurley, student wellness, May 1 (no public event)
Campus forums
  • Candidate 1, April 15, Alliant Energy-Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall
  • Candidate 2, April 17, Sun Room, Memorial Union
  • Candidate 3, April 22, Sun Room, Memorial Union
  • Candidate 4, April 29, Alliant Energy-Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall

  • Virtual meeting, April 25 (9-10 a.m., via Microsoft Teams), construction activities, impact on campus circulation, project timeline, Q&A, email Liz Clarke, facilities planning and management, by April 24 to receive the meeting link
Arts and events
A celebration to mark the completion of the model carillon and the collaboration among departments that designed and built it will be held Sunday, April 14 (4 p.m., Sukup atrium, Biorenewables Complex). Following remarks, enjoy music and refreshments. The public is welcome.

Head writer of satirical site The Onion, Mike Gillis will discuss how the First Amendment protects speech, even when snarky in tone, during his lecture, "The Onion: Comedy, Controversy and the First Amendment," on April 17 (7 p.m., MU Sun Room). All are welcome; admission is free. His lecture is part of the Greenlee School's 22nd annual First Amendment Days observance.
Learning opportunities
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) programming
Previous Inside coverage
About us
Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions may be directed to 515-294-7065.