ISU president: University is on right path
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Iowa State University is poised not to ride, but lead the trend as Iowa and the nation head down a path of biorenewables.
Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy said five years ago ISU targeted biorenewable energy strands, well before the surge of biofuels took hold. Now, biorenewable programs involve at least 15 departments in five ISU colleges and 13 research centers, and "we have several hundred faculty members working in this area," Geoffroy told the Journal's editorial board Monday.
He said ISU researchers are on the cutting edge of finding even more uses of crops for biorenewables. As that happens, Geoffroy said, it is paramount to make sure ISU salaries are ample enough to keep critical professors that other universities look to hire away. That has been a challenge, he said, after the budget cuts of the early 2000s.
"Professors are the heart of a university," Geoffroy said.
After a period of double-digit tuition increases to make up for decreased revenues from the Iowa Legislature, he said, tuition increases are now tracking more along 5 percent per year. He said the university appropriations from the legislature are climbing, and this year finally reached the level the college last had in 1997. If the currently discussed funding for 2007-08 pans out, Geoffroy said, ISU will have the revenue back to what was seen in 2001.
Visiting Sioux City with a contingent of high-level university staffers for a series of events, Geoffroy also took time to take in the Historic Fourth Street location where a new ISU School of Design satellite college is being created.
"It is great for Sioux City, and also for our students," Geoffroy said.
As part of the Great Places endeavor to boost Sioux City quality of life aspects, the design school was announced in 2006. Located a half block south of Beth's Flowers, 1014 Fourth St., near Tom Foolery's Pub and adjacent to a historic brick alleyway, the site is being renovated with a Great Places grant of $530,000. About 6,000 square feet will be available for undergraduate and graduate students to create their projects, many of which will be experimental and eye-opening.
"We were told it is to be done in a few months," Geoffroy said, with classes to start by the fall semester. "They are really preserving a lot of the character, but also making it modern."
There will be a push beginning with the April 2007 VEISHA celebration on the Ames campus to commemorate the university's sesquicentennial. ISU was founded in 1858 and 150th anniversary events will take place through spring 2008, Geoffroy explained.
"You'll see it everywhere," he said.
The ISU enrollment stands at 25,462, and last year saw a record number of applications from students seeking entrance to Iowa State. Geoffroy said the demographics of smaller Iowa high school graduating classes is a factor with which the college must contend, but said with solid recruitment ISU is holding it's own in enrollment. About 78 percent of enrollment comes from native Iowans.
"I am very, very proud of the total educational experience that the students receive," Geoffroy said.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy said five years ago ISU targeted biorenewable energy strands, well before the surge of biofuels took hold. Now, biorenewable programs involve at least 15 departments in five ISU colleges and 13 research centers, and "we have several hundred faculty members working in this area," Geoffroy told the Journal's editorial board Monday.
He said ISU researchers are on the cutting edge of finding even more uses of crops for biorenewables. As that happens, Geoffroy said, it is paramount to make sure ISU salaries are ample enough to keep critical professors that other universities look to hire away. That has been a challenge, he said, after the budget cuts of the early 2000s.
"Professors are the heart of a university," Geoffroy said.
After a period of double-digit tuition increases to make up for decreased revenues from the Iowa Legislature, he said, tuition increases are now tracking more along 5 percent per year. He said the university appropriations from the legislature are climbing, and this year finally reached the level the college last had in 1997. If the currently discussed funding for 2007-08 pans out, Geoffroy said, ISU will have the revenue back to what was seen in 2001.
Visiting Sioux City with a contingent of high-level university staffers for a series of events, Geoffroy also took time to take in the Historic Fourth Street location where a new ISU School of Design satellite college is being created.
"It is great for Sioux City, and also for our students," Geoffroy said.
As part of the Great Places endeavor to boost Sioux City quality of life aspects, the design school was announced in 2006. Located a half block south of Beth's Flowers, 1014 Fourth St., near Tom Foolery's Pub and adjacent to a historic brick alleyway, the site is being renovated with a Great Places grant of $530,000. About 6,000 square feet will be available for undergraduate and graduate students to create their projects, many of which will be experimental and eye-opening.
"We were told it is to be done in a few months," Geoffroy said, with classes to start by the fall semester. "They are really preserving a lot of the character, but also making it modern."
There will be a push beginning with the April 2007 VEISHA celebration on the Ames campus to commemorate the university's sesquicentennial. ISU was founded in 1858 and 150th anniversary events will take place through spring 2008, Geoffroy explained.
"You'll see it everywhere," he said.
The ISU enrollment stands at 25,462, and last year saw a record number of applications from students seeking entrance to Iowa State. Geoffroy said the demographics of smaller Iowa high school graduating classes is a factor with which the college must contend, but said with solid recruitment ISU is holding it's own in enrollment. About 78 percent of enrollment comes from native Iowans.
"I am very, very proud of the total educational experience that the students receive," Geoffroy said.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
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