University Continues to Get Wired

The University of Iowa has pledged to wire every residence hall room on campus with a data port by the end of January 2001. This will give every residence hall student a ready-made connection to the campus Ethernet network and high-speed access to the full range of student services the University provides on-line. Students can use Ethernet to register electronically, check out classes on-line, look up past syllabi and reading lists for courses, apply for financial aid, find information about University organizations, or even apply for a degree. The University Libraries offer an on-line catalog to their 4-million holdings, as well as encyclopedias, dictionaries, and magazine indexes. Hillcrest, Daum, Mayflower, and Quadrangle are up and running on Ethernet. Workers will finish installing individual data ports and communication closets in Burge, Currier, Stanley, Rienow, and Slater during the fall 2000 semester.

Articulation Agreement Signed

The University of Iowa has signed an articulation agreement with Kirkwood Community College to help incoming students who already hold associate of arts (A.A.) degrees.

These students will transfer seamlessly into the University with all General Education Program requirements satisfied, except foreign language, and, in the case of the Henry B. Tippie College of Business, global studies.

Students who enroll in participating institutions with the intention of completing their degrees at the University qualify for a variety of services, including enhanced advising, early access to resources, and assistance with applications for admissions, housing, and/or financial aid.

What’s the Buzz in Biz?

Two new on-line projects at the Henry B. Tippie College of Business promise to help students in their professional careers.

Bizfolio (www.biz.uiowa.edu/bizfolio/) is a student-initiated project that provides students with an on-line arena for sharing professional electronic portfolios with potential employers. A team of professionals offers a series of training sessions each semester to teach students the necessary technology and to guide them through the creation of a professional web site. The College of Education has a similar program.

BizAlum (www.biz.uiowa.edu/bizalum/faq.html) allows students to keep their University e-mail addresses after graduation. Rather than providing e-mail service, the College of Business forwards incoming mail to an alum’s current e-mail address, much as the post office forwards letters to those who move. Alumni are responsible for keeping their contact information up-to-date. The free lifelong service is intended to help former students stay in touch with colleagues.

Bricks and Mortar

During the 1999-2000 year, several major construction projects on campus were completed or made significant progress.

On the Health Sciences Campus, the Newton Road Parking Ramp opened just in time for the beginning of fall classes. It provides parking for 800 cars. A pedestrian overpass over Highway 6, which will connect the campus at the parking ramp to the International Center, will be completed sometime during early 2001. Construction continues on the Medical Education and Biomedical Research Facility, which will be completed by fall 2001. The facility was funded in part by contributions from alumni and friends of the College of Medicine, the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, the Sahai family of Webster City, and the Roland and Ruby Holden Family Foundation of Williamsburg.

A new addition at the southeast corner of the Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences opened for fall classes. The addition, which should be completed by fall 2001, provides facilities for teaching and research. The entire complex is named for engineering graduate Gary Seamans and family, whose $3-million contribution assured its completion.

Also, the complete interior renovation of the Biology Annex and construction of an addition to the biology complex were completed this year.

Fire Safety Improvements in the Residence Halls

Fire safety projects, which will eventually upgrade the fire protection systems in all the residence halls, continued during the 1999-2000 fiscal year. All improvements exceed the requirements of the state fire code.

Mayflower’s detection and sprinkler systems were completed. In addition, Hillcrest Residence Hall received a new fire detection system in the living areas, and the food services renovation project completed the fire safety upgrades in the dining area (see Mile Markers, page 34).

The design phase of the Currier and Stanley residence halls projects was completed; construction will begin there during the 2000-2001 fiscal year, including new detection and sprinkler systems in Stanley and a new detection system in Currier’s living areas.

The new detection systems can specifically detect which smoke alarm has gone off. Staff receive notice at the residence halls’ 24-hour information desks, and they have been trained on how to read the devices. The residents are now evacuated from buildings more quickly.

Drug Company Signs License Agreement

The University of Iowa Research Foundation granted IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corp. exclusive worldwide license to use a UI discovery that may help treat prostate cancer.

San Diego-based IDEC will use the UI-discovered antibody 5E10 in conjunction with some of its own therapeutics to develop new immunotherapies for prostate cancer. 5E10 is a prostate-specific, surface-reactive monoclonal antibody. The hope is that someday doctors will be able to use 5E10 to help better deliver radiation doses directly to cancerous tissue.

The 5E10 discovery was made by Michael Cohen, professor and head of pathology; Oskar Rokhlin, adjunct professor of pathology; and George Weiner, director of the University’s Holden Cancer Center and associate professor of internal medicine.

Since its creation, the UI Research Foundation has helped the University to obtain more than 200 patents. The UI Research Foundation also maintains a roster of technologies available for license and works closely with potential industry partners such as IDEC to see that UI inventions have an opportunity to be commercialized for public benefit. The UI Research Foundation currently has more than 120 active licenses.

New Menu Options for Students

Students in University of Iowa residence halls are dining like international travelers after changes made in meal service during the 1999-2000 year. Menu options are healthier and more varied than ever before. The new Hillcrest Market Place offers entrees ranging from Asian to south-of-the-border Mexican fare. The food court features individual "shops," including the Big Ten Bakery, Grand Avenue Grill, Field of Greens, Soups of the Day, the Westside Deli, and Piazza Cafe. At Burge Hall, a popular new Clinton Street Deli has been installed, where students may choose from a variety of breads, meats, cheeses, and toppings for their sandwiches. Hawkeye Express to-go bags were designed for busy students or those who have classes during traditional sit-down meal times.

Student Services Office in the IMU

Students at Iowa asked for a place on campus where they could find all the information and services they need, and the vice president for student services responded.

As part of its plan to create a student-centered campus, the Office of the Vice President for Student Services moved to the second floor of the Iowa Memorial Union. Relocating this office placed it in closer proximity to the Office of Student Life and was one of the first steps toward making the IMU the campus town square.

Over the next decade, Student Services will implement a three-phase master plan designed to improve services. The new design will include:

• a town square–the IMU, serving as the hub of the town square, will be linked to a Student Services Super Center where students can go for one-stop service;

• a new east campus wellness/recreation facility;

• remodeling of the west campus wellness/recreation facility;

• marketplace food service centers that serve east, west, and north campus residence neighborhoods; and

• a skylink connecting the IMU to Halsey Hall, Calvin Hall, and the IMU Parking Ramp.

Student Ambassadors Make Wishes Come True

Last September, 27 seriously ill children came from as far away as Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to tailgate and watch a football game with the University of Iowa Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA), a volunteer student service organization.

This was the fifth year SAA partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to host the Make-A-Wish Gameday, an event culminating in the University of Iowa versus Northern Illinois University football game in Kinnick Stadium.

Along with more than 130 of their family members, the children forgot about hospital rooms and medical tests as they enjoyed a tailgate party and outdoor picnic. Refreshments were served by SAA and provided through donations by local merchants. Afterward, participants were treated to a pep rally and entertained by Hawkeye celebrities ranging from cheerleaders to head basketball coach Steve Alford. Each child was given gifts to commemorate the event: a Gameday V t-shirt, Hawkeye cookie bouquet, Hawkeye football poster, as well as free tickets for themselves and their families to the football game.