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Inside Iowa State, a newspaper for faculty and staff, is published by the Office of University Relations.

April 4, 2008

Announcements

YWCA Ames-ISU hosts MLK book study

Mary Sawyer, ISU religious studies and African American Studies, will lead a book group that discusses Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero, by Vincent Harding. The focus will be on King's emphasis on institutional racism and economic issues of racism and classism. Discussions will be held Thursdays (April 3, April 17 and May 1) from 6 to 7 p.m. in the multipurpose room at the ISU Black Cultural Center, 517 Welch Ave. Bring your dinner if you like. The book is available at a discount through the YWCA Ames-ISU. Registration is required; call 4-1663 or e-mail swolfe@iastate.edu.

Reiman facilities open for season

The conservatory and butterfly wing at Reiman Gardens, closed since Jan. 1, reopens Saturday, April 5. The gardens will be open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week through Dec. 31. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the gardens will close at 7:30 p.m. Renovations to the conservatory complex this winter included changes to the gift shop and cafe), and creation of a classroom space that seats up to 300 people.

Summer housing

Summer on-campus housing will be available in Buchanan Hall and Frederiksen Court and SUV apartments. Current residents get a summer rate and can live on campus without taking classes or being registered for the fall semester. More information is available online.

Summer dining

Dining facilities that will remain open during the summer are Union Drive Marketplace, West Side Market, Clyde's Sports Club, MU Food Court, Hawthorn Market & Café and several cafés located in academic buildings. The Hub Grill/Caribou Coffee and MU Market and Café will open this summer.

Open house for student employees

To observe National Student Employment Week, the Office of Student Financial Aid will host an open house for ISU students (employed on or off campus) April 16, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the ground floor of Beardshear. Enjoy free food and register for door prizes. Congratulations to ISU Student Employee of the Year Brad Gee and student employees of distinction Victoria Birkenholtz and Rachel McCulloh.

Regulating biotechnology symposium is April 23

Experts will share perspectives on how regulation of biotechnology must be responsive to technology innovation at the fifth annual symposium of Iowa State's Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products (BIGMAP) April 23 (8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.) at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. Register for "Biotechnology Policy and Law" ($75 for ISU faculty and staff; $25 for ISU students) online.

Sesquicentennial series airs April 7-9

A three-part series celebrating 150 years of Iowa State will be aired on Mediacom's access channel 22 in Des Moines and Ames April 7-9. The hour-long segments begin at 7 p.m. each night. KCCI news anchor Kevin Cooney hosts the series.

Call for proposals

The ISU ADVANCE Program has allocated $5,000 for the 2008-09 academic year to partner with campus units that support lectures, seminars and colloquia. This pilot program has two categories:

  • Two $1,000 lectureships to help bring outstanding speakers in science, technology, engineering and math fields to campus. Proposals due April 15.
  • Ten $300 awards to assist departments in bringing speakers to campus. Applications will be reviewed throughout the year.

More information and application requirements are online.

Library seminar is April 16

Rebecca Jackson and Jan Fryer, faculty in the library's social science and humanities department, will lead an April 16 seminar on using the Foundation Center's Cooperating Collections program (of which ISU is a participant) to write successful grant proposals to non-government foundations. The Foundation Center has databases with detailed information about grant makers and grants. The seminar will be held from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. in 192 Parks Library. Preregistration is required at http://libsrv3.lib.iastate.edu/seminars/register.php. For more information, contact Jody Graden, 4-6117.

New mileage rate in effect

For travel expenses incurred on or after March 19, the default rate of 28.5 cents per mile remains unchanged. However, the maximum mileage reimbursement rate changed from 48.5 cents to 50.5 cents. Travelers qualify for the maximum mileage reimbursement rate in any of these circumstances:

  • The round-trip is less than 100 miles.
  • The traveler is permanently based off-campus.
  • The traveler was unable to reserve a vehicle from Transportation Services.
  • The traveler is not an ISU employee or student.

The university's mileage reimbursement rate is tied to rates issued by the U.S. General Services Administration. Questions may be directed to Bill Cahill, 3-5124, or Kathy Dobbs, 4-6653.