The College of Agriculture Newsletter
Iowa State University
July 21, 1995 No. 23

C O N T E N T S

COLLEGE NEWS
- And there's a great view of the Butter Cow
- Wanted: News on college alumni
- Faculty/staff retreat
- Summer orientation
- Animal Science Roundup
- Virtual university

COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK

- E-mail brevity

INFOGRAZING

- If it's been bugging you

EXTERNAL VOICES

- Shortcuts

MARGINALIA

- Avoid sand traps by satellite


C O L L E G E N E W S

AND THERE'S A GREAT VIEW OF THE BUTTER COW
Blue ribbons to all who have volunteered to staff the college's Iowa State Fair exhibit. Thanks! Still, there are openings that need to be filled. Volunteers get a FREE admission ticket and parking pass to the fair, which runs Aug. 10-20. The exhibit, "Gardens Excite the Senses," focuses on the Reiman Gardens. No special knowledge is needed. To find out when volunteers are needed, call Ed Adcock, 294-2314, or edadcock@iastate.edu.

WANTED: NEWS ON COLLEGE ALUMNI
The College of Agriculture Alumni Society is getting ready to publish Ag Alumni Forum, its annual newsletter mailed to 17,000 alumni. The Forum includes a "People You Know" section with one-sentence items on alumni accomplishments. If you know of a former student, friend or colleague who is a graduate of the college and has a new job, received an award or had another recent recognition, contact Ed Adcock, 294-2314 or edadcock@iastate.edu. Include major and graduation date if possible. DEADLINE: Aug. 4.

FACULTY/STAFF RETREAT
External communications will be spotlighted at the College of Agriculture's faculty/staff retreat, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Aug. 17, Holiday Inn-Gateway Center. A presenter from the Foundation for American Communications will outline ways academia can best work with the media. The retreat also focuses on communication with current and potential stakeholders. A sign-up sheet was recently mailed to faculty and staff. RSVPs are due Aug. 4 to Norma Hensley, 23 Curtiss. For more information: Robert Martin, Ag Education and Studies, 294-0896.

SUMMER ORIENTATION
Summer orientation in June brought 447 prospective students to College of Agriculture departments. This was the first year that individual departments organized sessions for students and their parents. Some reactions: Ron Deiter, ag economics adviser, said, "Having parents and students together made them more comfortable and willing to ask questions." Woody Hart, entomology adviser, said, "Students and parents seemed to like the open atmosphere" of the sessions, and that "our first experience hosting an orientation meeting was encouraging." The next round of orientations is Aug. 17-18.

ANIMAL SCIENCE ROUNDUP
More than 140 high-school-age 4-H members from 55 Iowa counties learned about modern animal-science technologies at the 10th annual Animal Science Roundup in June. The Roundup also is a chance for young people to learn about ISU and consider careers in animal agriculture. Workshops were taught by more than 40 ISU faculty and staff and livestock industry representatives. The 4-Hers competed in a quiz bowl on material presented in workshops; prepared video public service announcements on current issues; and had a make-your-own-omelet breakfast. The Roundup is coordinated by animal science faculty and the state 4-H and youth program office.

VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY
Distance education, or the "virtual university," will provide a variety of educational opportunities to more people -- that was a future trend noted by participants at a Visioning the Future forum in March. Sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies, the forum looked at the future of graduate studies in ag education. Implications of this trend: Ag education providers must be prepared to deliver distance education. Strategies: Determine the learner's needs and identify educational experiences that can be delivered via distance education. For more information on forum results, contact Alan Kahler, 294-0894.

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

E-MAIL BREVITY
Be brief. Generally, the easiest-to-read e-mail is short and to the point. If you have more to say on a listserv, send a message to the list announcing a long message, or "book," and how other subscribers can request it. It is bad form to drop a huge message into 2,000 mail boxes, which can cause enormous management problems. The best rule for considering the size of a message is the same one you should consider as to the content of your message: THINK BEFORE YOU SEND. (A tip from David Riggins, Gopher Jewels Project.)

I N F O G R A Z I N G

IF IT'S BEEN BUGGING YOU
It's summertime, and people's thoughts (and flyswatters) turn to insects. Here's a couple "Did you know . . . ?" college facts to shoehorn into the conversation at your next backyard barbecue:
Number of specimens in the Iowa Insect Collection, located in the entomology department (approximate): 1 million
Number of phone calls fielded by Extension entomology specialists last year (approximate): 5,300

E X T E R N A L V O I C E S

SHORTCUTS
"There is no shortcut to anywhere worth going." -- Beverly Sills.

M A R G I N A L I A

AVOID SAND TRAPS BY SATELLITE
Golf cart makers are adding global positioning satellite technology to the vehicles to help guide drivers through unfamiliar courses, especially when traversing them involves a little street driving. GPS systems have another advantage: when parked close to the ball, they calculate the distance -- give or take a few feet -- to the flag. Golf course managers say eliminating the uncertainty speeds up the game, making way for additional golfers. (Business Week, July 3)

AG ONLINE

Ag Online is a bimonthly 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.

Next issue: Aug. 4. Deadline: July 31.
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