News Archive
Tuesday, December 14 2004
News
ISU's Department of Residence to cut budget by an additional $400,000
The Department of Residence will reorganize and restructure its operations to further balance its budget by $400,000. The latest budget reduction is in addition to a $2.7 million cut announced in September, bringing the total FY 2006 budget cuts to $3.1 million.
Geoffroy will ask Regents to approve college combination at ISU
President Gregory Geoffroy today (Dec. 13) announced that he will recommend that the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, approve a plan to combine the colleges of Family and Consumer Sciences and Education into a new college that would be named the College of Human Sciences.
Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan
Student Winners
Thirteen teams from across Iowa pitched their business proposals to a group of professional business investors. Matt Ostanik, Master's of Business Administration, won for his proposal "Electronic Exchange." Ostanik's plan creates an online service that will automate the paperwork generated by architects while buildings are under construction. The second team of Melanie Davis, senior in computer science; Doug Houghton, graduate student in electrical and computer engineering; and Shahzaib Younis, a 2004 computer science graduate from Iowa State; won for their proposal "Proximity Innovations." The students' business plan is for a newly formed Ames-based research and software development firm that is creating an interactive travel tool for tourists for state tourism boards.
ISU commencement is Dec. 17-18
An estimated 1,749 students will receive degrees from Iowa State at fall commencement. Catherine Woteki, dean of the College of Agriculture, will address the graduate class. John Forsyth, president of the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, is the undergraduate speaker.
Gilman Hall reopened after minor chemical reaction
Iowa State University Police evacuated Gilman Hall for approximately 45 minutes Thursday afternoon (Dec. 9) as a precaution after a chemical reaction occurred. No injuries or property damage were reported.
The chemical, methyl lithium bromide, was stored in an ether solution, which serves to stabilize the chemical. The chemical is highly reactive to water and air, and can present a flash fire danger if not properly stabilized. There was no explosive danger, ISU Police Commander Gene Deisinger said.
ISU Police, Environmental Health and Safety and the Ames Fire Department were called to room 2631 Gilman Hall after researchers noticed bubbling and changes in the methyl lithium bromide. The chemical was stabilized, placed in a different container, and transported to the chemical waste handling facility at Iowa State.
Gilman Hall was reopened and normal activity resumed at 4:14 p.m.
Faculty Senate approves college combination
The Faculty Senate narrowly approved a proposal to combine the colleges of Education and Family and Consumer Sciences. While the senate overwhelmingly favored the combination of the two colleges, the narrow vote reflected divisions over the proposed name for the new college. President Gregory Geoffroy is meeting with leaders from the two colleges and the Faculty Senate and will provide his recommendation to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, next week.
Minority Student Affairs office adopts new name
ISU's Office of Minority Student Affairs will now be known as "Multicultural Student Affairs," effective immediately.
Iowa State to Independence Bowl
The Iowa State football team will play Miami University in the Independence Bowl Dec. 28, at 5:30 p.m. The game will mark the Cyclones' fourth postseason bowl appearance in five seasons.
Lee Enterprises, Inc. Supports Greenlee School's "First Amendment Days" Celebration
Iowa-based newspaper publishing company Lee Enterprises, Inc., Davenport, and the Lee Foundation have together pledged $80,000 to support Iowa State University's First Amendment Days events and activities. The celebration is sponsored by the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication.
Keep pets safe over the holidays
Holiday hustle and bustle can unleash hazards that put pets in peril, says an Iowa State University veterinarian. Dr. Kim Langholz reminds pet owners about potential risks.
ISU's Food Safety Answers program offers holiday food-safety tips
With the holiday season approaching, Iowa State University Extension offers tips and online resources for safely
handling
food at the "Ask a Food Safety Expert" (www.foodsafetyanswers.org). The
site contains more than 600 frequently asked food safety questions that cover purchasing, leftovers and everything in
between. ISU Extension and Iowa State's College of Family and Consumer Sciences sponsor the site.
Night lights
Iowa State's Memorial Union basks in the glow of holiday lights.
ISU in the news
Life-long aggression linked to violent video games
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Some of the popular video games on thousands of Christmas lists may increase the likelihood of violence and aggression in children, says Craig Anderson, professor of psychology at Iowa State. In a paper published for the Victorian Parenting Centre and Young Media Australia, he said violent video games were worse than violent movies.
ISU looks to boost corn, soybean growers
Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil
Extension education and production research are two primary objectives of ISU's Corn and Soybean Initiative.
"Iowa has the best crop producers in the country and they just keep getting better," says Greg Tylka, the initiative's coordinator and an ISU plant pathology professor. Tylka said the initiative will help integrate Iowa State's applied research, extension programs and expertise in corn and soybean production. The goal is to improve Iowa growers' productivity and to help them be more competitive globally.
Criminal lineups get a makeover
The Christian Science Monitor
Eyewitness testimony expert Gary Wells, a professor of psychology at Iowa State, says changing the way witnesses view suspect photos can significantly alter the results. He supports a sequential lineup -- in which witnesses view each person one by one instead of with five others. Wells' research shows that using the sequential method makes incorrect identifications dip by a third.