AG ONLINE

The College of Agriculture Newsletter
Iowa State University
March 22, 1996 No. 40

C O N T E N T S
COLLEGE NEWS
- Sunday marks Animal Science centennial
- Improving students' communication, April 3 and 4
- Second Teaching With Technology seminar scheduled
- Deadlines & Reminders
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
- April a busy month for visitors -- Offer a map
- NCA team visits campus April 1-2
INFOGRAZING
- A few numbers on ISU financial aid
EXTERNAL VOICES
- No shortage of young farmers
MARGINALIA
- Babe, you're no Ham-let

C O L L E G E N E W S
SUNDAY MARKS ANIMAL SCIENCE CENTENNIAL
More than 600 have registered to attend Sunday's celebration of the first 100 years of ISU's animal science department. "A Heritage of Leadership" will draw attention to the impact that faculty and students have had on the animal industry. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m., second floor, Scheman Building, and a luncheon runs 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Judging team trophies from the past will be displayed in the Brunnier Gallery. The program begins at 1 p.m. in C.Y. Stephens. A reunion and barbecue for former faculty, students and judging team members will begin at 4 p.m. at Kildee Hall.

IMPROVING STUDENTS' COMMUNICATION, APRIL 3 AND 4
A symposium on using group case studies and term project peer reviews in the classroom will be held for College of Agriculture faculty and staff, noon-1 p.m., April 3, and repeated 3:30-4:30 p.m., April 4, both in 3140 Agronomy. This is the last of three college-sponsored symposia on improving students' communication skills. Paul Brackelsberg, animal science, and Ron Deiter, economics, will present examples of communications assignments in their classes. For more information: David Russell, 4-4724 or drrussel@iastate.edu.

SECOND TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR SCHEDULED
A second Teaching With Technology Seminar for agriculture faculty and staff has been scheduled in the Brenton Center. It will be held 1-3 p.m., Tuesday, April 23. Space is limited, so contact Jeanette Drewry (4-1862 or drewry@iastate.edu) soon. The seminar will explain classroom technology and other services available in the center.

DEADLINES & REMINDERS
- March 24: Animal Science Centennial Program, 1 p.m., C.Y. Stephens
- March 25: Industry-Faculty Research Relations Workshop (Successful Grantsmanship Series), Campanile Room, Memorial Union, 7-9 p.m.
- March 28: The Role and Potential for Site-specific Farming in Agriculture in 2020 - Grant Mangold of Ag/Innovator Magazine, 4:10 p.m., 2050 Agronomy (sustainable agriculture seminar)
- April 4: The Role of Food Production and Processing to Iowa's Economy in the 21st Century - Alan Barkema, Federal Reserve Bank-Economic Research Service, 4:10 p.m., 2050 Agronomy (sustainable agriculture seminar)

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K
DON'T MAKE APRIL THE CRUELEST MONTH -- OFFER A MAP
April is one of the busiest months for campus visits by prospective students and their families. Time for a reminder that providing maps for visitors is a courtesy that helps them feel welcome. Ag Information has maps of main campus and south campus that emphasize College of Agriculture buildings and facilities, and can be customized to suit your needs. They're available as Word or PageMaker documents for Macintosh (a Word for Windows version is being developed). The maps are set up to be printed on 8.5 x 11 paper and include room for customized information on the back. The maps can be sent to you as hard copy, an e-mail attachment or on disk. Contact Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu, and specify the version you want: main campus or main/south campus combined.

NCA TEAM VISITS CAMPUS APRIL 1-2
The North Central Association accreditation team will hold meetings on campus Monday, April 1. The team will choose some departments and offices to visit on Tuesday. And team members will stop and talk to people informally as they make their way across campus.

I N F O G R A Z I N G
A FEW NUMBERS ON ISU FINANCIAL AID
From ISU's Office of Student Financial Aid. All numbers are from 1994-95.
Total funds awarded to ISU students from financial aid programs (scholarships, grants, loans, employment): $134,554,496
Total funds awarded from largest source of aid (Federal Direct Educational Loans): $62 million
Total funds awarded from second largest source of aid (institutional and private programs): $47 million
Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 73
Percentage receiving financial aid in 1990-91: 66
Number of undergrads in work study and other campus employment: 4,468
Average earnings for undergrad workers: $1,046
Number of grad students in teaching and research assistantships: 2,199

E X T E R N A L V O I C E S
NO SHORTAGE OF YOUNG FARMERS
There's no shortage of young farmers, says Luther Tweeten, an Ohio State University agricultural economist. While the average age of farmers has increased since the late 1950s, the percentage of farmers under age 35 has declined little during the same period. Tweeten added that it now takes fewer farmers to produce food because of advances in technology and agricultural methods. Farming continues to possess a potent appeal for many young people, he said, and part of the lure is financial. The net worth of farmers when they reach retirement age averages nearly $368,000, compared with $90,000 for other Americans. (From a March 20 Associated Press story.)

M A R G I N A L I A
BABE, YOU'RE NO HAM-LET
In this the year of "Babe," it might seem that the only fitting number to open Monday's Academy Awards broadcast would involve piglets, but producer Quincy Jones says no livestock will grace the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. In New York, the producers of "State Fair" are also opting out of an authentic porker portrayal. The Broadway show's swine salute, "More Than Just A Friend," is sung not to a prize-winning boar but to an imaginary one. All this prompts the question: Is the real thing so unmanageable onstage? Animal behaviorist Warren Eckstein attests to pigs' suitability -- "as long as they have proper socializing and exposure, and providing the flooring is comfortable." (The New Yorker, March 25)

AG ONLINE
Ag Online is a biweekly 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? Contact 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: April 5. Deadline: April 1.