Armed with bags of Tootsie Rolls, ISU faculty members are going

out of their way to sweeten up the first week of classes.

Staff members from the provost’s office and the departments of

business and finance, external affairs and student affairs were

outside in four prominent locations around campus from 9:45 p.m.

to 2:15 p.m. Monday and will do the same today. They are there to

welcome students, give out candy and answer questions.

Penny Rosenthal, who is coordinating operations of all four

locations both days, said President Gregory Geoffroy initiated the

candy campaign as a way to welcome students to campus.

“He was pretty committed to welcoming [them] and insuring that

their first day experience was good,” said Rosenthal, coordinator

of the Sloss House.

The student affairs department set up a welcome tent last year, but

this was the first time all four departments of the university

administration have collaborated to be on all four corners of the

campus, Rosenthal said.

The stations are located on the southeast corner of Parks Library,

in front of Curtiss Hall, northwest of the Memorial Union and south

of Lagomarcino Hall.

Staff onhand said they have answered a variety of questions,

ranging from the meaning of life to math problems.

Rosenthal said most questions she answered concerned bike

racks, parking and, of course, how to find campus buildings. For

those students, she said, the staff have plenty of campus maps to

hand out.

Assistant Provost Ellen Rasmussen said she thinks the

welcoming campaign is positive, even for students who just pass

by.

“Even for the people who just get a piece of candy and smile, I

think it matters,” she said.

Rasmussen said there was a flood of positive responses when

coordinators asked for help with the welcoming project.

Debra Sanborn, program coordinator for special recruitment

programs said she was more than happy to help.

“It’s been fun to get in the fresh air and out of our stuffy offices,”

she said.