Q. How many spaces are there on the wall?
A.  The wall will contain 60 cast bronze tablets, each with 64 individually raised plaques.

Q.  What size are the tablets and the individual plaques?
A.  The 60 bronze tablets are each 24” wide and 26” high.  Each raised plaque measures 5 1/2" wide and 1 3/8" high.

Q.  What information can I put on my plaque?
A.  There are four lines of text available on each plaque, with 40 characters allowed per line. The first line will contain the person’s name (first, middle, last, and maiden if requested). The second line will contain the person’s hometown and state. The third line will contain Iowa State degree information (for all ISU graduates) or honorary degree year (for honorary alumni). For friends of Iowa State, the third line will list the person's relationship to ISU. The fourth line may be personalized with a message of the person’s choosing. The ISU Alumni Association reserves the right to edit any and all information. All edits will be reviewed by the purchaser before the final tablet is produced. See examples.

Q.  Why is there a Campanile symbol on some of the plaques?
A.  The Campanile symbol recognizes deceased Iowa Staters. An annual ceremony will be held to honor individuals who have passed away during the previous year, at which time a new Campanile symbol will be added to those plaques.

Q.  Can I have more than one name on my plaque?
A.  No. Only one Iowa Stater may be featured on each plaque. This is due, in part, to the space required for the previously mentioned Campanile symbol that will be added for deceased alumni.

Q.  Can I choose to have my name grouped with other family or friends?
A.  Yes. Groupings of friends or family can be accommodated as long as the reservation forms are submitted at the same time.

Q.  Do I need to be a member of the Alumni Association to have my name on the wall?
A.  All participants must be members of the Alumni Association at the time the reservation is made to have their names included on the wall. The non-member rate includes an annual Alumni Association membership.

Q.  Once I submit my reservation, when will my name appear on the wall?
A.  After we receive 64 names (the amount necessary to fill a tablet), that information will be reviewed and forwarded to the manufacturer. Final proofs from the manufacturer will be forwarded to each person for a final approval before the tablets are cast.

Q.  Can changes be made once the tablet is in place?
A.  Since the tablet is cast in bronze, changes after the final proofing process are not possible. The ISU Alumni Association, with your approval, will make every effort to ensure that all information is correct before the tablets are produced. If a plaque absolutely must be changed, the individual requesting the change will be responsible for the cost of the entire tablet (approximately $2,500).

Q. What is the proofing process for the plaques?
Once an order is received in our office, it is entered into a database. Once a tablet has been filled, the 64 individual plaques are reviewed by no fewer than three staff members. The tablet is then sent on to the manufacturer to produce an "artist's proof." This proof will be returned to our office for another review, then it will be sent out to each individual plaque purchaser along with an approval form (a signature will be required on this form). Once all approvals have been received for a tablet, it will be sent back to the manufacturer for production. Tablets will be produced within six weeks of the final approved proof.

Q.  What will you do if you run out of space?
A.  Once the inaugural wall has been filled, we hope to provide additional recognition options somewhere on the grounds of the Alumni Center.

Q.  How can I find a name on the wall?
A.  The ISUAA Web Site (www.isualum.org) will contain a complete listing of all names on the wall, along with the tablet number, row number, and column number on which each name appears.

Q.  Is this tax deductible?
A.  A plaque on the Wall of Alumni and Friends is fully tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Q.  Will this count toward my lifetime giving to Iowa State University?
A.  Yes, all payments toward the wall are being processed through the ISU Foundation to ensure proper credit toward your lifetime giving to Iowa State University.

Q.  May I buy or reserve spots on a plaque for future graduates in my family?
A.  Yes. You may purchase a plaque for a future Iowa State graduate, keeping in mind that the text you choose now will be permanent. You may not, however, reserve a blank plaque to be engraved at a later date -- unless you are willing to pay the full replacement cost of an entire tablet (approximately $2,500).

Q.  The wall used to be open only to alumni.  Why did you change your participation requirements to include all alumni and friends of ISU?
A.  This change was spearheaded by the overwhelming response we have been receiving from many ISU alumni. A number of alumni wished to purchase plaques for spouses who helped them through college but didn’t attend ISU, or to purchase a plaque for a deceased parent who loved Iowa State but did not have the opportunity to attend. We also heard from long-time faculty and staff members who have devoted many years of service to Iowa State but did not receive ISU degrees, as well as from others who simply consider themselves close friends, fans, and supporters of ISU.

Additionally, the ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors views this change as the perfect opportunity to be fully inclusive of all members of the Iowa State family while affirming the overarching mission of the organization to "engage the talents and resources of alumni, students, and friends in the life, work, and aspiration of Iowa State University."

Q.  Why was the content of my plaque changed between the time I submitted it and the time I received my proof?
A.  First of all, we may have simply made an error transferring your information. Be sure to ask if you think something is wrong on your plaque proof. However, please note that for stylistic and consistency reasons we may have changed some of the content according to our styleguide:

1. We have checked all degree information against what is provided in our central university records and in many cases changed the name, type of degree, or degree year from what was submitted to correspond with university records listings. If you believe your university record contains an error with regard to your degree, please contact the ISU Alumni Association at (877) ISU-ALUM (478-2586) for assistance and further investigation.

2. In the interest of consistency and aesthetics, and in fairness to other plaque purchasers, we removed extraneous information that may have been listed on lines 1-3 of your original plaque submission. Where possible, we attempted to incorporate the information on the fourth line. All personal information and additional messages must be listed on the fourth line of the plaque. If you would like to change your fourth line in light of this, please indicate your desire on the proof.

3. The name (first) line on each plaque is listed in all caps on every plaque. There are no exceptions to this style. Maiden names are listed at the end of the line in parentheses, and nicknames are listed in quotation marks in the middle of the name. Periods are used for initials or other abbreviations unless the purchaser requested they be omitted.

4. Hometowns and states (second line) are spelled out completely, unless the submission exceeds 40 characters. In those cases, the ISUAA used Associated Press state abbreviations (Ala., Ariz., N.H., Wis., etc.) to indicate your home state. Multiple hometowns are separated with ampersands (&).

5. Degree disciplines (third line) are spelled out, unless the submission exceeds 40 characters. The ISUAA attempted to use a consistent abbreviation standard for academic majors. (For example, "Engineering" is consistently abbreviated as "Engr.") If you have questions or concerns about abbreviation of an academic discipline on your Wall of Alumni and Friends plaque, please contact the ISU Alumni Association. Multiple degrees are separated with semicolons (;).

6. Unless the fourth line contains a famous quotation, quotation marks are not used unless deemed necessary in the ISUAA's proofreading process.

7. Commas were added where deemed appropriate in the fourth line. (For example, "Go Cyclones" was changed to "Go, Cyclones.") Capitalization was also changed in some locations for the sake of consistency.

8. Other changes, such as the correction of spelling or changing of punctuation, may have been made. Please review your proof carefully to ensure it is accurate, spelled correctly, and conveys your sentiments correctly. We will be happy to work with you on a revision if you are dissatisfied with the appearance of the proof.