During summer 1997, the vice provost for Extension moved Extension to Communities from the College of Agriculture to the College of Design. In early 2005 the College of Design's associate dean for research and outreach was appointed director of the newly renamed Extension Community and Economic Development (CED). This move holds the promise of furthering the college's agenda of integrating instructional and research programs with outreach to Iowa communities, governments and nonprofit organizations.

 

Through Extension CED and the College of Design's Institute for Design Research and Outreach (IDRO), faculty, staff and students work closely with county extension offices, city and county governments, citizen groups, businesses, nonprofit organizations and others to provide information and education in several broad specialty areas: community visualization, environmental design and town craft, implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), historic preservation, spatial analysis using geographic information systems, planning and zoning training and nonprofit management training.

 

The college's part-time distance education coordinator helps schedule off-campus sections of college courses, apply for continuing education units (CEUs), and promote the college's distance and continuing education programs to Iowa community college students and professionals. This position also supervises the real-time recording and distribution of courses on DVD to off-campus learners.

 

A faculty member from the landscape architecture department serves as the college's PLaCE (Partnering Landscape and Community Enhancement) program coordinator. She facilitates contact between PLaCE applicants and the College of Design faculty, staff and/or students assigned to assist selected applicants with their projects.

 

A part-time IDRO staff member based in the Johnson County Extension Office in Iowa City is responsible for coordinating, promoting and expanding the Nonprofit Management Academy (NPMA) throughout Iowa. This person works closely with county extension personnel and local government and nonprofit leaders.

 

The college has a GIS Coordinating Committee that coordinates and promotes ISU Extension Design's GIS Geospatial Technology Program and GIS Short Courses.

 

The College of Design Advancement Council serves as an ambassador of the college to alumni, friends and corporations to advance external relations with these constituent groups.

 

The College of Design Communications Board is responsible for developing the college's communications plan to inform and educate constituent groups, including alumni, Iowa communities and design professionals.

 

Advisory boards (Architecture Advisory Council, Landscape Architecture Practitioners Advisory Council, Interior Design Advisory Board) advise their respective departments and programs regarding curricula and practice-related issues; provide a professional network for faculty and students; support the programs with generous volunteer time and expertise; and sponsor events that benefit their programs, such as the annual golf tournament sponsored by the Architectural Advisory Council that raises money for the departmental lecture series.