The College of Agriculture Newsletter
Iowa State University
February 17, 1995 No. 12

C O N T E N T S

COLLEGE NEWS
- Finalists for executive associate dean
- ISU gets biggest cash gift
- Gift-giving for agriculture
- New communications group
- MIPM saving a bundle
- 100 sign up for workshop
- Deadlines & reminders

COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK

- ISU facts in Spanish, Russian

INFOGRAZING

- Soil testing lab '94
- Business-university collaborations

MARGINALIA

- Home cooking, '90s style


C O L L E G E N E W S

FINALISTS FOR EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN
Three finalists for the college's executive associate dean position will be interviewed in March. Finalists and dates they will be on campus are: Colin Scanes, professor and chair, Department of Animal Science, Cook College, Rutgers University -- March 9-10; Dennis LeMaster, professor and head, Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University -- March 14-15; and Michael Chaplin, professor and head, Department of Horticulture, ISU, March 20-21. More details in next Ag Online.

ISU GETS BIGGEST CASH GIFT
The largest-ever cash gift to ISU was announced today (Friday). The $5-million gift from the Lied Foundation Trust will fund the Christina Hixson Opportunity Awards. The $2,500 scholarships will be awarded each year to 100 Iowans (one from each county and one more) who might otherwise be unable to attend ISU. Application deadline: March 15. The gift kicks off an ISU campaign to raise $26 million for scholarships. Check local media and the next Inside Iowa State for more details.

GIFT-GIVING TO AGRICULTURE
Gifts to the College of Agriculture totalled $1,631,627 for the first half of the fiscal year, according to the ISU Foundation. Tops in gift activity were the College of Engineering ($5,589,686) and the Athletic Department ($3,670,375). Other gifts included Vet Med at $2,874,495 and Family & Consumer Sciences, $1,330,152. Total ISU gifts from July to January: $30,976,816.

NEW COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Ag Information Services has formed a communications advisory group to examine ways to improve college internal communications. If you have thoughts or ideas, please contact: Barbara Kalsem, ag & biosystems engineering; Linda Drennan, ag education & studies; Ina Couture, agronomy; Bruce Menzel, animal ecology; Renee Knosby, animal science; Deanne Brill, biochemistry & biophysics; John Schlenker, economics; Donald Lewis, entomology; Judy Strand, food science & human nutrition; Rose Turner, forestry; Kim Gaul, horticulture; Anita Nimtz, microbiology, immunology & preventive medicine; Mary Jo Vivian, plant pathology; Ramona Wierson, sociology; Doug Bull, zoology/genetics; Marty Behrens, administration; and Ag Information staff.

MIPM SAVING A BUNDLE
The Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Preventive Medicine is saving a bundle . . . literally and figuratively. To reduce costs of paper and making copies, MIPM began a program last summer encouraging e-mail communication among faculty, staff, collaborators and students. Examples of e-mail replacing hard copy: meeting minutes, announcements, information requests, job opportunities, a newsletter, appointment scheduling. Also, students log on to the MIPM server to get some course notes and syllabi.

100 SIGN UP FOR WORKSHOP
More than 100 faculty and staff have registered for "Human Resources: Enhancing the Professional Work Environment in the College of Agriculture,"the Feb. 28 professional development workshop. Deadline for signing up was today (Feb. 17). Signups will still be accepted on Monday, Feb. 20. Questions? Call Robert Martin, 294-0896.

DEADLINES & REMINDERS
FEB. 21 -- University Research Grant applications due, 104 Curtiss.
FEB. 22 -- Examples of impacts of research, extension and teaching from departments and centers due, 304 Curtiss; for report by Joint Council (U.S. land grants and USDA agencies).
FEB. 22 -- FFA Breakfast, 2nd floor, Curtiss, 7:30 a.m.
FEB. 28 -- College professional development workshop, Scheman, 5 p.m.
MARCH 1 -- Instructional Development Project proposals due, 124 Curtiss.
MARCH 1 -- P&S Professional Development Grant requests due, 107 Beardshear.
MARCH 1 -- Final deadline, approval of experimental summer-session courses.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K

ISU FACTS IN SPANISH, RUSSIAN
Spanish and Russian versions of "How it Works," the pocket-size ISU fact book, are available from the International Agriculture Programs Office, 117 Curtiss. For more information: Mary de Baca, 294-1851 or mmdb@iastate.edu.

I N F O G R A Z I N G

SOIL TESTING LAB '94
In 1994, the Soil Testing Laboratory in the Department of Agronomy tested 14,453 soil samples. Forty-six percent were from crop fields, 28 percent from fields where research is conducted and 7 percent from lawns and gardens. The rest were samples from crop and research fields tested for soil nitrate or cornstalk nitrate. The lab provides information and recommendations on soil nutrients, helping people make decisions on fertilizer and herbicide use.

BUSINESS-UNIVERSITY COLLABORATIONS
Businesses that collaborate with universities on projects report 59 percent higher productivity than competitors, according to a Coopers & Lybrand survey. But more than half of the companies reported problems, including: a faculty culture not receptive to business; lack of interest by academicians in designing programs and resources for business; insensitivity to growth-oriented goals; and inappropriate course material for employee training. (Investor's Business Daily, Feb. 6)

M A R G I N A L I A

HOME COOKING, '90s STYLE
Kraft Foods doesn't for a minute believe people are turning into a nation of health-conscious dieters. "Americans don't change their habits that fast. It's like a glacier," says Kraft's executive VP in charge of cheese. A survey found the top three entrees in American homes in 1994 were pizza, ham sandwiches and hot dogs. Macaroni and cheese was number six. "Like it or not, these are the foods of the '90s," says a survey official. (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 25)

AG ONLINE

Ag Online is a bimonthly electronic newsletter for ISU College of Agriculture faculty and staff. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag Online subscribe" to bmeyer@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe: Send "Ag Online unsubscribe" to same address. Comments? Call, write, e-mail or fax editors Brian Meyer (bmeyer@iastate.edu) and Ed Adcock (edadcock@iastate.edu), Agriculture Information Services, 304 Curtiss Hall, Ames, IA 50011. Phone: 515-294-5616. Fax: 515-294-8662.
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