All posts by Aaron Jaco

Strategic Updates Archive

From the president: July 25

Originally sent July 18:

I am very pleased to acknowledge Dr. Sue Mattison as the new Provost for Drake University on her first official day in the position. Given Sue’s extended transition since her announcement in January, I am sure that she has become well known to many of you over the last six months. Nevertheless, please take time over the next few weeks to again welcome Sue to Drake. She is very excited to finally be in the position full-time and looks forward to working with all of us to move Drake forward.

I also want to thank Joe Lenz once again for serving this past year as Interim Provost. I will be forever thankful to Joe for having said “yes” when in the spring of 2015 I asked him to step into this role. He has done a wonderful job. Please find an opportunity to thank Joe for rendering such outstanding service to our community.

As we welcome a new chief academic officer to Drake, we should take a moment to reflect on the importance of our mission. What we do makes a real difference in individual lives and in society at large. In the last month we have seen unbelievable acts of violence take place around the world – Orlando, Istanbul, Dhaka, Nice and elsewhere. Whatever other motivations might be in play behind these events, certainly they share the common denominators of hate and intolerance. Education is one of the most powerful antidotes to these forces. Education opens minds and hearts – it creates understanding and union where none existed before. This is what we are about and we have our role to play in making the world a better place by becoming ever more engaged, locally and globally.

I hope everyone is enjoying summer and finding some time to recharge. I am heading to Yellowstone tomorrow with family for some hiking and camping. I will be back at Drake two weeks from today for the start of Iowa Private College Week. Of course, a few weeks after that it is Welcome Weekend and we are then off and running.

—Marty Martin

Strategic Updates Archive

University Avenue RFP issued

I hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying summer. I am writing to let you know about an exciting development in Drake’s renewed effort to advance the vibrancy of the surrounding neighborhood. With President Martin’s leadership and the collaborative work of an advisory group of faculty, staff, neighborhood, and community members, steps are being taken to explore future developments along University Avenue. Today, Drake issued a request for proposals to developers for projects along a portion of Drake-owned land south of University Avenue. This marks an exciting first step in assessing what might be possible as we look to building a lasting legacy for Drake and the surrounding neighborhood.

I hope you will take some time to read the press release below, which was issued July 18.

—Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Drake University issues RFP for development along University Avenue

Marking a renewed commitment to the growth and development of the Drake Neighborhood, Drake University announced today that it is seeking proposals from a pre-determined group of eleven Iowa firms to develop a plot of University-owned land along University Avenue in Des Moines. The University has formally set expectations that any proposal submitted must be in keeping with the neighborhood’s character and beneficial to Drake students, neighborhood residents, and the economic growth of the area.

The University is collaborating with the Neighborhood Development Corporation to accomplish this ambitious goal. The NDC is a community-focused, non-profit that works to revitalize neighborhoods and promote sustainable development in part through urban planning and real estate development consulting services. Working closely with organizations that have vast local experience will help ensure projects that drive economic development going forward.

“Drake University has been an anchor in Des Moines for 135 years and, with this request for proposals, the University is leading the way in attracting transformative development to the neighborhood,” said NDC Executive Director Glenn Lyons. “Drake is setting themselves and the community up for success by forming a special committee to guide this project’s trajectory, including campus administrators, faculty, staff, trustees, a local business owner, and neighborhood residents.”

Drake University President Marty Martin, who recently celebrated the conclusion of his first year on campus, said the University is looking at tangible and viable ways for Drake to integrate more fully with the surrounding neighborhood.

“The plans that come out of this process will be a collaborative effort that catalyzes economic development in the area and enhances the student and community experience,” Martin said. “Drake is committed to working with partners who will build something that people will be proud of and is befitting of this prominent location.”

Martin also noted the impact that construction on the north side of campus is already having on recruitment efforts for students interested in STEM programs. Those improvements already have campus abuzz with the sights and sounds of growth, whereas the University Avenue project will add a new dimension of excitement for students and the surrounding community.

The site the University is immediately turning its attention to is located on the south side of University Avenue between 25th and 27th Streets, excluding First Christian Church. Most of the nearly 2.65-acre site neighboring First Christian Church has sat empty for years; it previously served as the home of Memorial Hall, which was built in 1905 and razed in 1996 due to age. Long-term plans under consideration call for assessing development possibilities elsewhere along University Avenue, with this first phase spurring future growth.

Developers will have six weeks to respond to the RFP. The University will then assess the proposals, including any necessary work to prepare the site for development. Drake will engage the neighborhood and surrounding communities throughout the RFP process to ensure the community is apprised of new developments. In the coming months, the University will lead key stakeholders through the formation of a master plan for development along University Avenue, which will take into account long-term needs for the University and its students as well as economic development for the areas surrounding campus.

News & Achievements Archive

Drake Neighborhood Farmers Market

The Drake Neighborhood Association has brought back the Drake Farmers Market. The market is now a nonprofit corporation organized for the purpose of promotion and development of urban gardening, food and food preparation education, and the health benefits of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables. The Farmers Market is located on 26th Street south of University Avenue (across from Old Main).

Questions or concerns, contact Nick Valdez, neighborhood & community relations manager for Drake University, 515-271-2394, nick.valdez@drake.edu.

News & Achievements Archive

SJMC news: Week of July 25

Drake students had another strong showing in this summer’s Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication magazine contest. Drake Magazine, edited by senior Melissa Studach, won first place for general excellence, as well as first place in design under art director Susanna Hayward, JO’16. Judge Scott Burton, executive editor of ESPN the Magazine, commented, “I’m gobsmacked by how great this entry is — every bit the equal of many professional city magazines … I mean seriously: Wow. Are you sure you all aren’t professionals?”

The Annual, with editor-in-chief Emily Gregor, JO’16, won first place for editorial and Drake Magazine won second place. The senior capstone website, Urban Plains, won honorable mention for online magazine. In addition, Colton Warren, JO’16, and Cole Norum, JO’16, won writing awards, and junior Katie Bandurski won an award for her magazine prototype.

—Kathleen Richardson, Dean, SJMC

News & Achievements Archive

Faculty accomplishments

Erik Maki named 2016 Health-System Pharmacist of the Year
The Iowa Pharmacy Association recently honored Drake University Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Erik Maki with the association’s 2016 Health-System Pharmacist of the Year Award.

Maki specializes in the area of internal medicine as an associate professor in Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He is a clinical specialist at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, where he is a consultant for the hospitalist program and rounds with the internal medicine teaching team. He also precepts pharmacy students and Mercy’s pharmacy residents. Read more about Erik in the Drake Newsroom.

Shontavia Johnson receives Inspriring Women in STEM Award
Shontavia Johnson, professor of law at Drake Law School, has been selected as a recipient of INSIGHT Into Diversity’s 2016 Inspiring Women in STEM Award.

INSIGHT Into Diversity, the oldest and largest diversity magazine and website in higher education, aims to spark meaningful conversations about the critical role of diversity in higher education.

The publication’s annual Inspiring Women in STEM Award honors women across the country who work to make a difference in the fields of STEM through mentoring, teaching, research, programs, and initiatives.

Johnson, who took over as director of the Intellectual Property Law Center and Kern Family Chair in Intellectual Property Law at Drake Law School on July 1, engages young people in STEM fields in both her professional work and the community.

In her intellectual property law courses, Johnson teaches law students how to help scientists and inventors patent their ideas. She has coordinated events featuring STEM components for middle and high school students and volunteers for community groups with STEM-related initiatives.

In addition, Johnson is the founder of a nonprofit organization dedicated to exposing students from underrepresented groups to various career options, including those in STEM fields. She serves as a faculty adviser to the Student Intellectual Property Law Organization and recently sat on the board of directors of both the Iowa Intellectual Property Law Association and the Science Center of Iowa.

Johnson also engages with students through the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) and spoke about intellectual property careers as a panelist on the JRF Law School and Legal Careers Panel. JRF recently selected her as a recipient of the organization’s 42 Alumni Under 40 Award.

“Shontavia has mentored and inspired many women and underrepresented groups in the intellectual property field,” wrote her nominator. “She mentors students on Drake University’s campus frequently, both at the Law School and undergraduate levels. She also serves as a mentor to young people who connect with her through various platforms.”

Among her many accolades, Johnson has received the Ladas Memorial Award from the International Trademark Association, the Gertrude Rush Award from the Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys, and the Nation’s Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40 Award from the National Bar Association and IMPACT. She is also a member of the National Black Lawyers-Top 100 professional honorary organization.

Most recently, Johnson was named a Fulbright Specialist Roster Candidate. The Fulbright program awards grants to U.S. faculty and professionals on the roster to engage in collaborative projects at institutions all over the world.

Before joining Drake Law School in 2010, Johnson worked as an intellectual property attorney at the law firm of Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough, LLP, in Greenville, S.C., and was a Westerfield Fellow at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Johnson received her B.S. in biosystems engineering from Clemson University and her J.D. from the University of Arkansas.

For more information about Johnson, see her Drake Law School faculty profile.

Johnson will be recognized along with the other honorees in the September STEM issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity.

Featured Events Archive

Drake alumna Darci Vetter to speak on campus

Members of the public are invited to a free talk this month by Drake alumna Darci Vetter, chief agricultural negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Ambassador Vetter, who served as deputy under secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture prior to joining the U.S. Trade Representative, will speak with 25 young African professionals who are studying at Drake this summer as part of the U.S. State Department’s Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

The event will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, in Sussman Theater on the lower level of Drake’s Olmsted Center. Vetter will discuss issues involving U.S. agricultural trade with Africa, as well her career path and current responsibilities. A Q&A session will follow her prepared remarks.

Vetter was student body president during her time at Drake. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University in 1996 and went on to earn a master’s degree from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.

HR Information Archive

Join Weight Watchers at Work!

The Iowa State Fair is less than a month away. If you want help navigating your way through red velvet funnel cakes, double bacon corn dogs, and fried macaroni & cheese (which alone has 1,756 calories!), Weight Watchers may be the solution.

Please join us at the last class of the current Weight Watchers at Work session on Monday, Aug. 1, at 11:15 a.m. in Cline Hall Conference Room 127. All faculty and staff who are interested in joining the next session will complete their registration and start the series the following week.

The cost is $156 for a 12-week renewable series with a minimum of 15 participants. Payment may be made in a lump sum or split into three payments.

Weekly meetings include a confidential weigh-in prior to the meeting, followed by a 30-minute class. Weight Watchers’ unique mix of face-to-face interaction with a trained leader, group support, accountability, digital tools, and the convenience of meetings in the workplace have helped participants be more successful than those who try to lose weight on their own.

If you are interested in joining Weight Watchers at Work, please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu. If you are interested but cannot attend the Aug. 1 meeting, arrangements can be made. Contact Linda for details.

—Linda Feiden, Assistant Director, Wellness & Engagement

Campus Announcements Archive

Keeping Drake’s information secure: PCI compliance

Throughout the summer, I’ve been providing details about our new Information Security initiatives. These initiatives are designed to improve the security of our confidential information and keep us in compliance with an ever-growing list of legislation and industry regulations. This week I’m discussing Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance.

The PCI Security Standards Council maintains and periodically updates requirements that businesses like Drake must adhere to when processing credit or debit cards as payment. The main requirement is compliance with the Data Security Standard (DSS). This document contains approximately 250 unique requirements for processing payment cards—everything from the way the technology environment is built to how each card is scanned or typed. These requirements are designed to protect consumers from identity theft and financial fraud.

Drake must submit an Attestation of Compliance (AoC) at regular intervals to prove that we are following DSS. The major payment card companies and banks regularly review these AoCs to ensure every organization is compliant. In a process similar to academic accreditation, organizations that are not fully compliant can be sanctioned or have card processing privileges revoked.

The responsibility of PCI compliance is on all of us. Whenever we interact with financial or payment information, we influence that information’s security. Processing payment cards is, and will continue to be, a crucial service we provide to our community, students, alumni, and their families.

Have any questions or thoughts about PCI compliance? Feel free to contact me at informationsecurity@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Peter Lundstedt, Information Security Manager

For Students Archive

Olmsted Center undergoing changes

We are pleased to announce some exciting changes and initiatives taking place at Olmsted Center.

First, the University Book Store will move operations to Olmsted Center over the summer. The bookstore will be located on the western end of the first floor (west of the Pomerantz stage area). This move presents a great opportunity to bring Drake-branded items, as well as textbooks, closer to students, faculty, and staff.

We are also undertaking a focused effort to enhance student study and gathering spaces. Student feedback will be used to reconfigure various furniture settings within Olmsted Center. The emphasis will be on creating spaces consistent with student needs and preferences. Because the book store move to Olmsted required the space formerly occupied by the D- Lounge and a portion of the Bulldog Lounge to be repurposed, the focus on creating alternative spaces for students throughout Olmsted Center is especially important. Some of the ways we plan to enhance study and gathering spaces include:

  • New seating options—Students will be asked to give input into seating options and configurations. You can start today: Please complete this special survey designed for this purpose. Additional opportunities to provide feedback will be available as students return in August.
  • TMR room availability for studying—The lower level TMR rooms will remain open during designated times when they are not in use. This will allow students to utilize these rooms for collaborative or private study spaces.
  • Pomerantz Stage Area—The Pomerantz Stage Area, when not in use for an event, will be set up for student use. The type of furniture—soft seating or tables—will be assessed based on student feedback.

A frequently asked questions document provides more information on the reasons behind the bookstore move and steps taken thus far to plan for future changes.

We hope you are having a wonderful summer and are excited to unveil and undertake these improvements once you return to campus.

—Sentwali Bakari, Dean of Students

Strategic Updates Archive

From the Provost

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New Director of Sponsored Programs
I want to extend a warm welcome to Mary Pat Wohlford, who joined Drake on July 1 as our new director of sponsored programs. She comes to Drake from The Registry, the nation’s premier interim higher education executive search firm. Her most recent assignment for them was as associate vice provost at Suffolk University. She has extensive experience in grants management and sponsored programs in a variety of universities, including Suffolk, Albany State University, Kansas City University, and Des Moines University. She has a B.S. degree in health information management from Stephens College, an M.S. in health care administration from Des Moines University, an M.A. in industrial design and technology from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies from Iowa State University. I am certain she will bring valuable leadership and direction to Sponsored Programs.

Learning Symposium
Here is one last reminder to register for the 2016 Learning Symposium, Inclusive Excellence. In addition to an exciting array of sessions, this year’s Symposium features two new additions. First, as previously announced, our guest presenter for the afternoon session will be Jennifer Godinez, AS’97, associate director of Minnesota Education Equity Partnership. Second, over the lunch hour we will be announcing the 2016 recipient of the Principal Financial Group Global Citizenship Award. The 2015 recipient, announced at last fall’s Convocation, was Professor Ellen Yee.

2016 Learning Symposium: “Inclusive Excellence ”
Aug. 19, 7:45 a.m.–1:40 p.m.
Sheraton West Des Moines
1800 50th Street, West Des Moines

Register and select the sessions you would like to attend here—space is limited by the size of the rooms.

Last Hurrah
This is my final contribution to OnCampus as interim provost. (That sudden breeze you just felt was a collective sigh of relief from campus.) I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the support and encouragement you have extended to me during the past 15 months. Over the past few weeks, people have been asking me if I am looking forward to the end of my term, which may be their way of hinting that they are looking forward to that end. The truth is that serving as your provost has been a privilege and a pleasure (for me at least), and a role I never imagined myself filling when I came to Drake 34 years ago. I am deeply grateful to President Martin for his trust in asking me to serve as your provost, and it has been an exhilarating experience to have had the opportunity to work with him during his inaugural year. I also want to thank Keith Summerville, who has done an extraordinary job as interim dean of Arts & Sciences, leaving the college in better shape for me than I left it for him. Finally, I know that you will extend the same generosity of spirit to Sue Mattison, as she becomes provost on July 18, that you gave to me. Thank you.

—Joe Lenz, Interim Provost