Issue: 57

COLLEGE NEWS - Ag Comm workshop for instructors on Nov. 19 - New agronomy degree and catalog changes approved - Successful Grantsmanship: USDA official to speak - Visit with USDA's Rockey at Dec. 3 meetings - Recent college events . . . by the numbers - Deadlines & Reminders COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK - Helping writing tips not just for researchers anymore INFOGRAZING - Fall enrollment at Iowa's colleges, universities EXTERNAL VOICES - Why farm? MARGINALIA - Turkey coma fells thousands on Thanksgiving C O L L E G E N E W S AG COMM WORKSHOP FOR INSTRUCTORS ON NOV. 19 Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Nov. 19, and participate in a workshop on Communications Across the Curriculum -- now named Ag Comm. The workshop will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 13 of the Brenton Center in Curtiss Hall. Rebecca Burnett and Robert Martin will conduct this workshop focusing on evaluation of assignments in communications. All faculty, instructors and graduate teaching assistants are encouraged to attend. For more information: Robert Martin, 4-0896 or drmartin@iastate.edu. NEW AGRONOMY DEGREE AND CATALOG CHANGES APPROVED The proposed non-thesis M.S. degree in agronomy has been approved, 77-21, by College of Agriculture faculty, according to the college's Curriculum Committee. On the same ballot, ag faculty approved the 1997-99 catalog changes, 96-2. The agronomy degree proposal also has been approved by the Graduate Curriculum and Catalog Committee, and will next be discussed by the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee. The new degree is in general agronomy and will be offered to off-campus students through distance education technologies. SUCCESSFUL GRANTSMANSHIP: USDA OFFICIAL TO SPEAK Sally Rockey of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service will discuss USDA grants programs at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2, in the Sun Room, Memorial Union. Rockey, the deputy administrator of the CSREES Grants Management Branch, will focus on the Fund for Rural America, a new three-year $100 million program, and give an update on Competitive Research Grant Programs, especially the National Research Initiative. This is the sixth in a series of Successful Grantsmanship seminars sponsored by the Experiment Station and the College of Veterinary Medicine. If you plan to attend, RSVP by Nov. 27 to Carla Persaud, cpersaud@iastate.edu or 4-9376. VISIT WITH USDA'S ROCKEY AT DEC. 3 MEETINGS All faculty, staff, postdocs and grad students are invited to visit with Sally Rockey of the CSREES/USDA (see item above) at several departmental/program meetings on Tuesday, Dec. 3. No registration is required. The meetings are: 8 - 8:50 a.m.: Animal sciences, 105 Kildee 9 - 9:50 a.m.: Entomology, 5 Insectary 10 - 10:50 a.m.: Plant sciences, 3140 Agronomy 11 - 11:50 a.m.: Social sciences, 142 Curtiss 1 - 1:50 p.m.: Food science & human nutrition, 142 Curtiss 2 - 2:50 p.m.: Agricultural and biosystems engineering, 142 Curtiss RECENT COLLEGE EVENTS . . . BY THE NUMBERS Number of College of Agriculture faculty, staff and spouses who attended three briefing sessions this week on the new "ISU Plan": 225 Number of parents, students and family members who attended the college's Parent and Family Weekend Reception: 200 Number of faculty, staff and Ag Council members at that reception: 50 Number of employers at Ag Career Day: 142 DEADLINES & REMINDERS Nov. 18: Leopold Center research proposals due, 209 Curtiss Nov. 19: Ag Comm Workshop, 13 Curtiss Hall Dec. 2: Successful Grantsmanship Series: USDA's Sally Rockey, Memorial Union, 7 p.m. (refreshments at 6:30 p.m.) Dec. 3: Departmental/program meetings with USDA's Sally Rockey (see item above) Dec. 21: Commencement C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K HELPFUL WRITING TIPS NOT JUST FOR RESEARCHERS ANYMORE Experiment Station Editor Carol Greiner has shared her "Word Usage for Scientific Writing" tip sheet with college researchers for years, but now it's readily available to everyone -- or at least everyone with access to the World Wide Web. The page is located off the Ag Information home page. Don't let the title fool you, the tips are good for any kind of writing. I N F O G R A Z I N G FALL ENROLLMENT AT IOWA'S COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES The following statistics on fall enrollment at Iowa's colleges and universities were prepared by the Iowa Coordinating Council on Post-High School Education: Percentage change in enrollment at ISU from fall '95 to fall '96: 0.9 Percentage change in enrollment at all 3 state universities, same period: -0.1 Percentage change in enrollment at private colleges/universities: -0.3 Percentage change in enrollment at community colleges: 0.4 State universities' percentage of total Iowa college/university enrollment this fall: 37 Private colleges and universities' percentage: 26 Community colleges' percentage: 33 Percentage change in new freshmen at state universities from a year ago: -2.5 Percentage change at private colleges/universities: -3.5 Percentage change at community colleges: 6.3 E X T E R N A L V O I C E S WHY FARM? The following reader responses were sent to Progressive Farmer when the magazine posed the question, Why do you farm? "I farm because nature is putting on a 24-hour-a-day,a-week show, and we have a front row seat." A Crawfordsville, Iowa, farmer. "Asking me why I farm is like asking me why I breathe." -- A Dothan, Ala., farmer. "I'm glad you asked why I farm. My land is too far from town for a parking lot and too flat for a golf course. Hence, I farm!" -- An Arthur, Ill., farmer. (Other reader responses can be found at a Progressive Farmer website) M A R G I N A L I A TURKEY COMA FELLS THOUSANDS ON THANKSGIVING Boring dinner conversation may not be to blame for that drowsy feeling after the Thanksgiving meal. Various neurological and physiological processes take place in your body that cause you to fall asleep on the couch before Grandma even serves the pumpkin pie. Researchers have nicknamed this "turkey coma." Large amounts of carbohydrates, like those found in potatoes, stuffing and candied yams, help the body produce serotonin, a chemical in the brain that has a calming effect, says Joseph Hulihan, a neurologist at Temple University. Also, the sudden onslaught of food sends the body's insulin production into overdrive, depleting blood sugar and causing you to feel sleepy. Plus, blood concentrates in the digestive system and away from extremities, including the brain. Top it off with alcoholic beverages and it's no wonder you're snoozing after Thanksgiving dinner. To prevent yourself from nodding off, Hulihan suggests: Don't skip breakfast or lunch Thanksgiving day; limit the amount of alcohol you drink; and get outside for some activity.