ISU President Gregory Geoffroy spoke about various issues the university has had to face throughout the past year, before handing out awards to several faculty and staff members at the fall convocation Monday afternoon.

“It was a particularly challenging year last year because of economic woes,” Geoffroy began.

Geoffroy said he hopes “that the worst of the budget issues are behind us.”

He said that despite the difficult year, Iowa State made great progress on a number of fronts.

An area of progress Geoffroy mentioned was the record enrollment this fall of 28,682 students.

“When you look at the trend over the past six years … all of our growth has come from international students and students from Minnesota, Illinois and a number of other states,” Geoffroy said.

He said the graduation rates in Iowa have been declining, which is why the university has to focus on out-of-state students. There isn’t enough graduates in Iowa to focus on growth, Geoffroy said.

Geoffroy mentioned that Iowa State enrolls significantly more transfer students from community colleges than any other university.

“What all of this means … [is] our academic programs are remaining exceptionally strong,” Geoffroy said.

He said that Iowa State had a 27-percent increase in sponsored funding, bringing totals up to $388 million.

“We raised over $101.1 million in private support … I’m very proud of the alumni association and the great job it does,” Geoffroy said.

He said this year’s overall goal is $800 million for the fundraising campaign, and Iowa State is currently at $794 million.

“It’s not been so bright in our state support,” Geoffroy said.

He said state appropriations went down 22 percent between 2000 and 2009, essentially $63 million.

“Predominant reasons for those budget cuts is the general status of the national economy and also because of competing state priorities,” Geoffroy said.

He said in 1996 Iowa State received just more than 1 percent of tax revenues in the state of Iowa, but in 2010 Iowa State gets just more than 0.6 percent.

Geoffroy said during the past few years the university has strongly emphasized salary freezes and reductions but it’s time to “find some way to give reasonable salary increases for next year.”

Geoffroy also announced that the university has reached a goal it set back in 2003 to double the endowed faculty positions from 75 to 150.

He mentioned the buildings that were affected by floods this summer, and the loss of two teams from the Big 12.

Geoffroy said the Big 12 has a television contract he will be looking at soon.

Geoffroy finished with a thank you to the “tremendous support to alumni and friends.”

“We must maintain our high standards and high expectations,” Geoffroy said.

Winners:

Distinguished Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences:

• Alicia L. Carriquiry, professor of statistics
• Carol A. Chapelle, professor of English

Anson S. Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering

• Rodney O. Fox, Herbert Stiles Professorship in Chemical Engineering and professor of chemical and biological engineering

University Professor

• Suzanne Hendrich, Charolette E. Roderuck Faculty Fellow in Food Science and Human Nutrition and professor of food science and human nutrition
• Max L. Porter, professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering
• Richard C. Schultz, professor of natural resource ecology and management
• Stephen J. Wilson, Janson Professorship in Mathematics and professor of mathematics

Regents Award for Faculty Excellence

• Robert E. Mazur, professor of sociology
• Sarah M. Nusser, professor of statistics
• Roger A. Smith, professor of educational leadership and policy studies
• Gregory L. Tylka, professor of plant pathology
• Robert J. Weber, David C. Nicholas Professorship and professor of electrical and computer engineering

Regents Award for Staff Excellence

• Cynthia R. Hadaway, office coordinator, Department of Residence
• Thelma L. Harding, program coordinator, Graduate College/Graduate Minority Assistance Program
• Letita J. Kenemer, program coordinator, Memorial Union
• Judith K. Strand, program coordinator, Department of economics
• Karen A. Zunkel, director, Program for Women in Science and Engineering

Louis Thompson Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award

• C. Lee Burras, professor of agronomy and professor of geological and atmospheric sciences
• Brian L. Steward, associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering

James Huntington Ellis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Introductory Teaching

• Charles R. Kerton, associate professor of physics and astronomy

Margaret Ellen White Graduate Faculty Award

• William R. Graves, professor of horticulture

International Service Award

• James M. McCormic, professor and chairman of political science
• Manju B. Reddy, associate professor of food science and human nutrition

Iowa State University Award for Departmental Leadership

• Ruth S. MacDonald, professor and chairwoman of food science and human nutrition

Iowa State University Award for Early Acheivement in Teaching

• Julia Dominguez-Castellano, associate professor of world languages and cultures
• Brent A. Holland, assistant professor of art and design
• Stacey Weber-Feve, assistant professor of world languages and cultures

Iowa State University Award for Academic Advising Impact

• Russel E. Mullen, professor of agronomy
• Barbara A. Osborn, program coordinator/lecturer, Department of horticulture

Iowa State University Award for Early Acheivement in Academic Advising

• Autumn N. Cartagena, academic adviser, Department of sociology

Iowa State University Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research

• Alan M. Myers, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology
• Hongwei Xin, professor of agriculture and biosystems engineering & professor of animal science

Iowa State University Award For Mid-Career Achievement in Research

• Frank Krennrich, professor of physics and astronomy
• Elisabeth J. Huff-Lonergan, professor of animal science

Iowa State University Award for Early Achievement in Research

• Zhiqun Q. Lin, associate professor of material science and engineering and associate professor of chemical and biological engineering and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

Professional and Scientific Research Award

• Ruth Shinar, scientist, Microelectronics Research Center

Iowa State University Award for Achievement in Economic Development in Iowa

• Thomas J. Barton, distinguished professor in liberal arts and sciences and professor of chemistry
• Robert R. Coacher, account manager, ISU Extension

Iowa State University Award for Achievement in Intellectural Property

• Iver E. Anderson, senior scientist, Ames Laboratory and adjunct professor of materials science and engineering

Professional and Scientific Excellence Award

• Matthew E. Besser, assistant scientist, Ames Laboratory
• Mary E. Meier, athletic training program director and assistant director of athletic training experience, Department of kinesiology
• Kathryn K. Wieland, director, College of Business Career Center

Carrol Ringgenberg Award

• Douglas L. Wood, associate scientist, Department of civil, construction and environmental engineering

Professional and Scientific Outstanding New Professional Award

• Sara K. Harris, administrative specialist, Department of electrical and computer engineering
• Meghan C. O’Brien, extension program specialist, Department of economics

Iowa State University Award for Outstanding Achievement in Extension or Professional Practice

• Charles V. Schwab, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering & Extension safety specialist
• J. Gordon Arbukcle, assistant professor of sociology and Extension rural sociologist

Iowa State University R.K. Bliss Extension Award

• Kapil Arora, agricultural engineering program specialist

Name Professorships and Chairs

• Michael Cho, associate professor of biomedical sciences and Lloyd Chairman in Biomedical Sciences
• David Jiles, collaborator professor of electrical and computer engineering and Palmer Departmental Chairman in Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Michael Kenealy, university professor of animal science and Eldred and Donna Harman Professorship for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
• James McElroy, university professor of management and Raisbeck Professorship in Business
• Balaji Narasimhan, professor of chemical and biological engineering and associate dean, college of engineering and Vlasta Klima Balloun Professorship in Engineering
• Richard Poist, professor of supply chain and information systems and Walker Professorship in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Brent Shanks, professor of chemical and biological engineering and Mike and Jean Steffenson Professorship
• Michael Spurlock, professor of food science and human nutrition and Virginia M. Gladney Professorship
• Janette Thompson, associate professor in natural resource ecology and management and Harmon Family Professorship in Forestry
• John Thompson, dean of College of Veterinary Medicine and Stephen G. Juelsgaard Dean’s Chairman in Veterinary Medicine
• Judy Vance, professor of mechanical engineering and Joseph C. and Elizabeth A. Anderlike Professorship in the College of Engineering
• Gary Wells, distinguished professor in liberal arts and sciences and professor of psychology and Wendy and Mark Stavish Chairman in Social Sciences
• Arthur Winter, assistant professor of chemistry and Carlyle G. Caldwell Endowed Chairman in Chemistry
• Richard Wlezien, professor and chairman, aerospace engineering and Vance and Arlene Coffman Endowed Department Chairman in Aerospace Engineering