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This is an archived copy of the 2014-2015 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

Student Life

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Memorial Union Activities and Services

The Memorial Union is an historic building that is regarded as the heart of campus life and the center of informal education at Iowa State University.

515-296-6848; www.mu.iastate.edu

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation:

  • Underground (bowling, billiards, video arcade, Nintendo Wii)
  • Maintenance Shop: live music
  • Student Union Board: weekly films, comedy, hypnotists, special events, much more
  • Art exhibits and art-for-rent
  • Workspace (art and crafts classes for fun, studios for work in wood, photo, pottery; button maker, screen printing, die cut machine)
  • Big screen TVs; pianos to play
  • Lectures

Student Organizations

  • Student organization offices and meeting space; recognition process.

Dining & Shopping

  • Food Court & MU Market & Café
  • University Book Store

Study Spots

  • Browsing Library & Computer Lab; Chapel; Multicultural Center
  • Lounges: Main, West, Pride, Commons & more

Services

  • Hotel, meeting rooms, catering
  • Parking ramp
  • Copy Center
  • Soults Family Visitor Center
  • ATMs, Ticket Office, Lockers
  • U.S. Post Office – full service
  • Student Legal Service

Distinctive Feature

  • Gold Star Hall, an active memorial to Iowa State service personnel lost in the nation's conflicts

Student Activities Center

Director of Student Activities, Asst. Director - Memorial Union

George Micalone

Coordinator for Leadership and Service

Kevin Merrill

Coordinator for Art Programs

Letitia Kenemer

Coordinator for Entertainment Programs

Jim Brockpahler

Coordinator for Student Organizations

John Taylor

Underground Recreation Center Manager

Doug Swanson

The Student Activities Center (SAC) in the Memorial Union is committed to helping students learn inside and outside the classroom by offering countless ways to get involved at Iowa State through leadership, service, arts, entertainment and recreation activities.

The Student Activities Center includes: the Workspace (arts studio), the Maintenance Shop (entertainment venue), the Underground (recreation center/ bowling alley), leadership and service programs, art galleries in the MU, Multicultural Center, and management of the recognition of over 700 campus and student organizations. For a complete list of recognized organizations visit www.stuorg.iastate.edu.

The staff provides assistance to student and campus organization leaders, members and advisers on an individual or group basis. This office produces Newsline, an online newsletter distributed twice a month to officers and advisers of recognized student and campus organizations. Available on the SAC website are resources for student and campus organizations including the event authorization process, publicity and promotion ideas, constitution writing guidelines, and officer transition information. The Student Activities Center is home to the Leadership and Service Center which provides hands on support for students interested in leadership and service opportunities and student organization officers looking to better their clubs. In addition the SAC offers a 2-credit course called Leadership ISU, where students learn leadership skills through a series of activities and seminars, as well as many other leadership conferences and retreats.

Annual SAC events include: ClubFest I & II (organization involvement fair), WelcomeFest (Ames and ISU opportunity fair), Coach Talks (hear from Men's and Women's head basketball coaches), Iowa State Leadership Experience (one-day leadership conference), Social Justice Summit, and Winterfest (celebration of all things winter). Student Activities Center staff advise key student organizations including: Student Union Board, ISU AfterDark, Dance Marathon, Freshmen Council, Student Volunteer Services, CyServe Council, and VEISHEA.

More information is available at the Student Activities Center, located in the East Student Office Space in the Memorial Union (across from Panda Express); online at www.sac.iastate.edu; or by calling (515) 294-8081.

Lectures

www.lectures.iastate.edu/

Throughout the academic year, the Committee on Lectures brings to the campus a number of speakers eminent in national and international affairs, the sciences, and the arts. In addition to giving formal lectures, a number of these speakers meet with students informally for discussions. Through these lectures and discussions the students are given a well-rounded presentation on subjects and areas affecting their culture, educational and economic philosophy, and scientific development. Past speakers include scholars E.O. Wilson and Stephen J. Gould; activists Gloria Steinem and Anita Hill; actor and comedian Bill Cosby; poet Maya Angelou; and astronaut Sally Ride.

The Institute on World Affairs is an annual series of speakers and on a topic of international interest held in the fall. Spring semester, the Institute on National Affairs is held with a topic of national concern as its focus. Focus, an annual fine arts festival with emphasis on student creativity in the arts, is held in the spring. The Committee on Lectures also sponsors or co-sponsors dramatic, dance, and musical events.

Students are encouraged to contact the lectures program office and become involved in the planning of these events.

Honor Societies

Honor societies at Iowa State University provide opportunities for students who excel in the classroom and want to network with others in their major. Below is a list of honor societies followed by a brief description.

Members of these honor societies are eligible for transcript recognition through the Office of the Registrar. More information, including the complete list of honor societies, can be found on the student organization website at https://sodb-stuorg.sws.iastate.edu/list-type.php?id=12 .