Hello,
Welcome to the fall 2015 semester! It’s an exciting time to be at Drake as we welcome new students, faculty and staff to our Bulldog community. I have now been on campus for two months, and during that time I have met with a number of units to talk about what we’re doing well and how we can improve. Those with whom I’ve met thus far have shared many helpful insights. I will continue to meet with administrative and academic units throughout the fall in order to gain a deeper understanding of where Drake is and where we hope to go.
Part of moving the University forward is beginning the search for a new provost. In order to increase our engagement in the process and to save financial resources I made the decision to handle the search internally, without the help of an outside consultant. Darcie Vandegrift, associate professor of sociology and department chair, will lead the search committee, supported by Venessa Macro, chief administration officer, and Laura Schwarz from Human Resources. The following are the voting members of the committee:
- Darcie Vandegrift, Associate Professor of Sociology (Chair)
- Gretchen Bataille, Board of Trustee Member
- Sally Beisser, Professor of Education
- Sandy Hatfield Clubb, Athletic Director
- Royce Fichtner, Associate Professor of Business Law
- John Gitua, Associate Professor of Chemistry
- Annique Kiel, Director, Drake Administered Programs Abroad
- Teresa Koch, Professor of Librarianship
- Kevin Maisto, Student Body President
- Kathleen Richardson, Dean, School of Journalism & Mass Communication
- Stacy Salazar, Law Student (3L)
- Bob Soltis, Professor of Pharmacology
- Bryan Thomas, Coordinator, Student Success Programs
- David Wright, Associate Professor of Journalism
- Ellen Yee, Professor of Law
I’d like to thank Terri Vaughan, Ben Ullem, and Renae Chesnut as they continue to serve leadership roles for the College of Business and Public Administration, Drake Law School, and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, respectively. Searches will be conducted during the current academic year for the next deans of the Law School and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Terri has agreed to extend her tenure as dean of the College of Business and Public Administration through the 2016–2017 academic year.
On a separate note, many of you may have noticed our new weekly internal newsletter, OnCampus. It is my hope that this newsletter, along with additional attention to internal communications, will provide a centralized source of relevant information and contribute to an environment of two-way, timely, and transparent communication on campus.
I will continue to update the campus community on a regular basis as we undertake new initiatives and continue to deliver an excellent learning experience to our students. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with questions, concerns, or ideas.
Regards,
Marty