COLLEGE NEWS
- State legislators to hear from ISU on livestock topics
- Associate dean for extension candidates to speak
- Want feedback on teaching? Try this new program
- International impact of distance ed: a discussion
- Computers for students available to ag departments
- Vision 2020 student internship conference set Feb.
25
- New office for NCR Center for Rural Development
- College awards presented at convocation
- Deadlines & Reminders
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
- College organization chart, directory available
INFOGRAZING
- Professional Workers in Ag Directory on the Web
- Farm Bureau looks to change ag research bill
EXTERNAL VOICES
- Farmers will soon pinpoint markets
MARGINALIA
- Beef brouhaha a boon to news bureaus
C O L L E G E N E W S
STATE LEGISLATORS TO HEAR FROM ISU ON LIVESTOCK TOPICS
On Monday, Jan. 26, the college will conduct a mini-symposium
for state legislators on environmental topics related to hog production.
Dean David Topel will chair the meeting, which features presentations
from faculty in sociology, agronomy, ag & biosystems engineering
and economics, and from state officials in natural resources and
public health. The symposium will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15
p.m. in the Iowa Motor Truck Association headquarters, Des Moines.
After the meeting, more than 30 posters detailing ISU research
and education efforts will be displayed in the Iowa Capitol, with
ISU experts on hand to answer questions.
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR EXTENSION CANDIDATES TO SPEAK
In February, two candidates will interview for the position of
associate dean for extension in the College of Agriculture: John
Lawrence, associate professor of economics, and Gerald Miller,
professor of agronomy. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend
the candidates' presentations, which will be held in 1951 Food
Sciences. Lawrence's will begin at 3:30 p.m., Feb. 2, and Miller's
at 3:30 p.m., Feb. 4.
WANT FEEDBACK ON TEACHING? TRY THIS NEW PROGRAM
Are you teaching a new course or trying a new teaching method
this semester? The Department of Agricultural Education &
Studies is looking for 16 instructors in the College of Agriculture
to participate in a project that will provide unbiased feedback
on instruction. Teams of specially trained students will attend
two sessions of a course, then meet with the instructor to discuss
strategies that could enhance the learning experience. For more
information: graduate student Wendy Miskell, (515) 826-3403 or
wmiskell@iastate.edu, or professor Julia Gamon, 4-0897 or jgamon@iastate.edu.
INTERNATIONAL IMPACT OF DISTANCE ED: A DISCUSSION
"Directions for Distance Education: Implications
for International Education," a panel discussion, will be
held at 3:45 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 28, in 3140 Agronomy. Faculty
members Tom Ingebritsen, Bill Rudolph and Gene Takle will speak
on their Internet, ICN and other distance education experiences.
The panel is sponsored by Phi Beta Delta, honor society for international
scholars. For more information: Bill Rudolph, 4-8161 or wbrudolp@iastate.edu.
COMPUTERS FOR STUDENTS AVAILABLE TO AG DEPARTMENTS
Several computers are available for student use in the College
of Agriculture. There is no charge for the Mac SE and Apex computers
if departments document that the computers will be made available
only for students. The computers, purchased with support from
student computer funds, are available on a first-come, first-served
basis until Feb. 9. For more information: Steven Jungst, 4-1587
VISION 2020 STUDENT INTERNSHIP CONFERENCE
SET FEB. 25
Improving student internships in agricultural
and natural resource careers will be the focus of a conference
on Feb. 25 in the Campanile Room, Memorial Union. Sponsored by
Vision 2020, the meeting will bring together faculty, students
and administrators from the College of Agriculture and Iowa's
community colleges, as well as representatives from business and
industry, government agencies and other groups providing student
internships. For more information: Bill Silag, 4-2698 or bsilag@iastate.edu.
NEW OFFICE FOR NCR CENTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
The offices of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
have moved from East Hall to 107 Curtiss Hall. Phone numbers and
e-mail addresses remain the same. The fax number is 4-3180. The
center, one of four in the nation that coordinate rural development
research and education, marked its 25th anniversary in 1997.
COLLEGE AWARDS PRESENTED AT CONVOCATION
College of Agriculture awards for faculty and staff were presented
at the college's spring convocation on Thursday. For a list of
winners, see the "Latest News" link on the college's
Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/
DEADLINES & REMINDERS
Jan. 28: Directions for Distance Education: Implications for International
Education panel discussion, 3:45 p.m., 3140 Agronomy.
Jan. 30: Deadline, student study-abroad in China applications,
4-3972.
Jan. 31: Deadline, faculty development in China applications,
4-6614.
Feb. 2: Associate dean for extension presentation, 3:30 p.m.,
1951 Food Sciences.
Feb. 4: Associate dean for extension presentation, 3:30 p.m.,
1951 Food Sciences.
C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K
COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, DIRECTORY AVAILABLE
A recently revised organizational chart for the college is available
from Ag Information. For a copy, contact Ed Adcock, 4-2314 or
edadcock@iastate.edu. Also, the latest edition of Ag Information's
College of Agriculture Desk Directory lists administrators and
support staff for central administration, departments, centers
and includes university administration, extension and more on
a one-page sheet. The listings include phone and fax numbers and
e-mail addresses. To get a copy, call or e-mail Marty Behrens,
4-5616 or behrens@iastate.edu.
I N F O G R A Z I N G
PROFESSIONAL WORKERS IN AG DIRECTORY ON THE WEB
The USDA-CSREES Professional Workers in Agriculture Directory
is now accessible on the Web. The resource is a guide to 35,000
agricultural professionals employed by state research stations,
extension offices and land-grant universities. The directory is
maintained by designated personnel at land-grant universities
and experiment stations (at ISU it's Shirley Riney, Experiment
Station office). The directory can be found online.
FARM BUREAU LOOKS AT CHANGES IN AG RESEARCH BILL
Congress returns on Jan. 27 and will again discuss increasing
agricultural research funding. The Farm Bureau says it will continue
to work for the funding and to make the following changes in the
research title: improve the level of producer input in setting
research priorities; create a system to determine the relevance
of research to issues facing agriculture; enhance the merit and
peer review processes; require increased institutional collaboration;
ensure the output from research is monitored and demonstrated;
and review research funding and allocation mechanisms. (Iowa Farm
Bureau Spokesman, Jan. 17)
E X T E R N A L V O I C E S
FARMERS WILL SOON PINPOINT MARKETS
"We believe sometime in the near future, a farmer will not
plant a seed nor raise a livestock unit without knowing where
it's going to be marketed," said H.D. Cleberg, president
of Farmland Industries Inc., speaking at the Texas Agricultural
Forum in Waco recently.
M A R G I N A L I A
BEEF BROUHAHA A BOON TO NEWS BUREAUS
That cheering you heard when Texas cattle producers sued Oprah
Winfrey for allegedly defaming beef was probably from the nation's
headline writers. Here are some recent newspaper headlines on
the Oprah vs. beef trial:
Lawyers: Herd Followed Oprah
Texas Cattlemen Say Oprah Lynched Them
Jury To Hear Cattlemen's Oprah Beef
It's Oprah Vs. Mad Cow Town
Beef Barons Battle Oprah In Big Burger Bust-Up
Cattlemen Want Oprah To Eat Her Words
Top Court May Slice & Dice "Veggie Libel" Law