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By Tara Larson

JAN. 18: STUDENTS CALL GEOFFROY HALL HOME

Named after Iowa State’s 14th president, the newest residence hall on campus opened its doors. The hall features eight floors and can house 784 students. One of the houses is named after the late Barbara Mack, Greenlee School associate professor.

MARCH 11: MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM STORMS KANSAS CITY

The Cyclones picked up their third Big 12 Tournament Championship in four years after beating West Virginia 80-74 – sweet revenge after falling to the Mountaineers twice in the regular season. Key players Deonte Burton, Naz Mitrou-Long, Matt Thomas and Monte Morris graduated in May.

MARCH 20: LEATH ANNOUNCES MOVE TO AUBURN; ALLEN FILLS IN

President Steven Leath resigned after five years to accept a new position as president of Auburn. Benjamin Allen, a longtime faculty member and former College of Business dean who was University of Northern Iowa’s president from 2006 to 2013, stepped out of retirement to serve as interim president.

JUNE 28: NURSING PROGRAM APPROVED BY BOARD OF REGENTS

The Iowa Board of Regents approved a bachelor’s degree program in nursing expected to begin fall 2018. Next, the program and curriculum needs approval from the Iowa Board of Nursing. After that, it will seek accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

JULY 13: LGBTQIA+ FLOOR OPENS IN MAPLE HALL

Spectrum, a house in Maple Hall allows students of any gender, excluding romantic partners, to live with each other. The new house gives LGBTQIA+ students the opportunity to find their most compatible roommate and live in an inclusive community.

JULY 14: UNIVERSITY BREAKS EXTERNAL FUNDING RECORD

Iowa State chalked up a record year, receiving $503.6 million in external funding, up from $425.8 million in the previous fiscal year. The increase was due in part to a large gift to the ISU Foundation, which benefits the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

AUG. 9: FIVE-YEAR TUITION PLAN OUTLINES CONSISTENT INCREASES

Interim president Benjamin Allen proposed to the Iowa Board of Regents an annual tuition increase of 7 percent each of the next five years for resident undergraduates and 4 percent for nonresidents to maintain education quality and catch up with a decade of enrollment growth.

AUG. 29: FRILEY WINDOWS SERVES UP ANOTHER WEST-SIDE DINING OPTION

The newest on-campus dining center, Friley Windows, celebrated its formal opening. Located on the east side of Friley Hall facing Lake LaVerne, the center has seating for 380 diners, an industrial vibe and multiple stations, including vegan fare and international cuisine. The door rate is $12.50.

SEPT. 11: $50 MILLION GIFT NAMES COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Iowa State announced a $50 million commitment to the College of Business from Debbie and Jerry Ivy, the largest in college history. The college has been renamed the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business, making it the first donor-named college at Iowa State.

OCT. 23: WINTERSTEEN NAMED ISU’S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

Wendy Wintersteen, dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences since 2006, was named the university’s 16th president. In addition to being Iowa State’s first female president, she is also the first internal candidate promoted to that position in over 50 years.

DEC. 3: FOOTBALL TEAM ACCEPTS AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL INVITE

Iowa State’s football team had a standout season. It faces No. 19 Memphis on Dec. 30 in its first bowl game since 2012. In October, it cracked the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2005. Head Coach Matt Campbell was named Big 12 Coach of the Year.