News Archive
Saturday, December 13 2008
News
Student veterans with financial need may qualify for ISU Veterans Grant
ISU has allocated $100,000 for the ISU Veterans Grant, a new program the Office of Student Financial Aid hopes will help supplement existing GI Bill benefits. The grant will provide up to $1,000 per semester for students whose veteran status is confirmed. Preference will be given to students whose status is confirmed by Jan. 2, 2009. Awards will continue to be made as long as funding is available.
Iowa State Biobased Industry Center studies carbon emissions, other industry issues
Iowa State University's new Biobased Industry Center will support interdisciplinary research of the biorenewables industry and its economic, policy, business, social and workforce issues. The center is now sponsoring four studies, including three studies related to carbon emissions.
Iowa State's Hira offers retirement savings resolutions for the New Year
Tahira Hira, an ISU professor of personal finance and consumer economics who serves on President Bush's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, offers 10 New Year's resolutions for investors who are planning to reassess their retirement options.
Commencement set for Dec. 19-20
An estimated 1,601 students will receive degrees from Iowa State during winter commencement events Dec. 19-20. The graduate ceremony will be at be at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, in Stephens Auditorium. The undergraduate ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, in Hilton Coliseum, and will include an address by Kenneth Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation and a former United States Ambassador to Cambodia. Quinn also will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
Global resource systems major first in the nation
An interdisciplinary major that allows students to pick an international region, language and area of expertise will be offered next fall through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The first-in-the-nation major is expected to attract students interested in addressing issues of hunger and poverty in developing nations and those who want to work for companies with global connections.
Three design college programs rank in top 15 nationally
Iowa State University's programs in landscape architecture, interior design and architecture are among the top 15 in the nation, according to a survey of practitioners by DesignIntelligence, a bimonthly publication for leaders in design professions. The magazine's annual report, "America's Best Architecture and Design Schools," is the only national college ranking survey that focuses exclusively on design.
Regents approve tuition rates for 2009-10
Tuition at Iowa State for resident Iowans, both undergraduate and graduate, will go up 4.2 percent next year, following approval by the state Board of Regents Dec. 10.
Carver Trust awards Iowa State University $508,000 for two projects
ISU has received two grants from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, based in Muscatine, Iowa, to study the biochemical mechanism by which the Ebola virus evades the host immune response to infection, and also to establish an educational technology classroom within the Parks Library on campus.
Iowa Energy Center candidates to visit campus
Four finalists will interview for the position of Iowa Energy Center director the week of Dec. 15. The finalists include Anne Kimber, director of energy services for the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities; Bill Nesmith, independent consultant and senior energy advisor, National Association of State Energy Officials, Salem, Ore.; Kevin Nordmeyer, partner, RDG Planning & Design, Des Moines; and Harvey Sachs, senior fellow, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Washington, D.C.
ISU names new multicultural student affairs director
Santos Núñez Galicia has been named the new assistant dean and director of multicultural student affairs, effective Jan. 20, 2009. Núñez Galicia has been program director of the Multicultural Resource Center at the University of Kansas since June 2001. She will provide leadership to the progress ISU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs has made in improving retention and graduation rates for students of color.
Cy's in the finals
Cy has made it to the finals of the grueling Capital One National mascot of the Year competition. Fans can cast votes daily through Dec. 15.
In the news
Survey: Americans plan to scrimp, save
The Des Moines Register
A new survey indicates that, come Jan. 1, Americans will save more and accumulate less credit card debt. But cravings for instant consumption may prove too tempting to resist, says Joydeep Bhattacharya, associate professor of economics. "Consumers have the right intentions, but they overestimate what they can do," he said. "Credit card access has been easy for the past 15 years...so Americans have never had to try to quit. They've not had any practice.""
Beating washers into wind turbines in Iowa
National Public Radio
Iowa has taken the lead in the emerging field of wind energy. Some of the same workers who used to make appliances are now busy building wind turbines. Iowa State economist David Swenson provides perspective.