All posts by Aaron Jaco

Strategic Updates Archive

Interim dean of admission named

As you know, I will be stepping away from the Office of Admission and Student Financial Planning at Drake effective May 3. In addition, Laura Linn, director, admission, will move on to her new position on May 7. To ensure operational continuity between the timing of those departures and the time when Keith Summerville will assume the role of deputy provost (July 18), we have decided to name an interim dean to handle day-to-day operations in the office.

We are pleased to announce that Carrie Lewis will assume this role effective May 3. Carrie earned her bachelor’s degree from Drake in 1997. She assumed the role of international admission counselor in the fall of the same year. She was promoted to the role of assistant director of international admission in 1999, a role she has excelled in since. As part of her commitment to international admissions, she has traveled to more than 60 countries, territories, and foreign states. Carrie is a member of the International Association for College Admission Counseling and was invited to join the CIS Regional Service Committee for Latin America in 2015.

Her 17 years as a leader in the Office of Admission has her well poised to facilitate the transition between the current organizational structure of the Office of Admission and Student Financial Planning and the new structure that will have the Office of Admission reporting up through the deputy provost. Carrie will remain in the role of interim dean until the search for the dean of admission is complete.

Please join us in welcoming Carrie Lewis to her new role as Interim Dean of Admission.

—Tom Delahunt, Vice President for Admission and Student Financial Planning, and Keith Summerville, Interim Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

Campus Announcements Archive

From the Office of the Provost

Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum Workshop. June 13–June 15. RSVP to marc.pinheiro-cadd@drake.edu. 

Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) is a growing movement that enhances students’ abilities to utilize language skills by applying them in other disciplines. This workshop will inform faculty members about CLAC and describe how they can assist students in reinforcing and furthering their knowledge of other disciplines through the second language they have studied. Students will be able to acquire information about the discipline and recognize the distinctive viewpoints only available through the second language. Workshop participants will learn how to create a “linked” course—one that supports a course currently being taught but that utilizes curricular materials written in a second language and from a particular cultural perspective. (For more information, please see the CLAC Consortium’s website: http://clacconsortium.org. Drake is an institutional member.) 

For example, a course on the politics of the Middle East might be linked to a one-credit-hour course in which the students read and discuss texts in Arabic. The students return to the politics course and tell the students and professor what they learned from sources not generally accessible to most students. Another model has instructors incorporating elements of CLAC into an existing course without adding the additional one-credit-hour course. These are two models, but there are many other possibilities about which workshop participants will learn.

This is the second CLAC workshop held at Drake. Last summer, 12 faculty members attended the workshop and of those, eight have implemented a version of CLAC principles in a class. In October 2016, Drake will host the 10th Cultural and Languages Across the Curriculum’s national conference (http://clac2016.wp.drake.edu). 

Ten participants will be paid $200/day for each day of the two-and-a-half-day workshop. We will meet from approximately 9a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday. Lunches will be provided. Those who then develop a linked course will receive an additional $500 after the revised syllabus has been submitted to Marc Pinheiro-Cadd.

Details on the facilitator will be forthcoming soon.

 We hope you will join us in June.

Provost Mobile Office Hour:  Thursday, 1–2 p.m., Cowles Library Cafe

—Joe Lenz, Interim Provost

Strategic Updates Archive

From the President

Once again I am writing to you to share re-organization news, this time in my own office. In May, Linda Ryan, executive assistant to the president and secretary of the University, will retire after 24 years of service. During her time with Drake, Linda has served four presidents and worked tirelessly as the liaison to the Board of Trustees. She has been instrumental in preserving the history of this University and planned countless high-profile events for our campus community. In addition, she served in many leadership roles outside of Drake, including as executive director of the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education and as a board member of the Executive Women’s International, Des Moines Chapter. Linda’s insights have been invaluable to me as I’ve transitioned into this role, and her deep well of knowledge about the institution will be hard to replace. I hope you will join me on May 4 for a reception to honor Linda—an invitation will go out to campus in the coming weeks.

 Linda’s departure presented the opportunity to rethink how the Office of the President is organized, and we are moving forward with restructuring. I’m pleased to announce that, effective today, Shannon Cofield will become chief of staff. In this role, Shannon will be responsible for direction and oversight for all activities and services provided by the Office of the President, and will serve as a primary point of engagement with many constituencies, including our Board of Trustees. She will also manage execution of Drake’s continuous improvement plan and oversee community engagement. Shannon’s relationships in Greater Des Moines, and strategic leadership and vision will be vital to the continued success of this office. We will hire an executive assistant to the chief of staff (using Linda’s vacated line) who will support Shannon in managing the implementation of the continuous improvement plan.

 Renee Sedlacek, currently interim director of community engagement and service-learning, will move under the Provost’s Office as director of community-engaged learning. This move aligns with our goal of integrating service-learning across the curriculum. Community engagement will remain under the Office of the President, and a search is underway to fill the vacant neighborhood and community relations manager position. It should be noted that all of the moves detailed herein will not result in any new costs.

 I am confident this reorganization will streamline operations and improve our ability to serve the campus and our many other constituencies. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

 Best regards,

 Marty

HR Information Archive

Keep your identity safe!

Join us Thursday, April 7, at 1 p.m. in the Olmsted Center, Room 310, for an informative session: “Watch Out! Keeping Your Identify Safe”, which is part of the Excellence in Learning & Development Program.

Daily headlines warn of identity theft, fraud, and the latest data breach. In fact, in 2013 fraudsters stole a staggering $18 billion from consumers. What the bad guys looking for? Come to this interactive session to gain a better understanding of the information and privacy threats targeted to you and your family, and receive pointers from Drake’s Information Security Manager, Peter Lundstedt, on how to reduce chances of becoming a target.

Participants will receive two credits towards the Excellence in Learning & Development Certificate.

—Debra Wiley, Assistant Director, Human Resources

News & Achievements Archive

Massage therapy for faculty, staff, and students

Drake Wellness is again making massage therapy available to Drake faculty, staff and students in the Wellness Center. Special Drake rates are offered at $30/30 minutes, $50/60 minutes, $75/90 minutes. Add-ons are also available. Contact massage therapist, Anne Boal directly at 515-988-8760 or anneboalwellness.com to schedule an appointment. Extended morning and afternoon appointment times are available.

—Anne Boal

News & Achievements Archive

Volunteer with the Adult Literacy Center

The Adult Literacy Center at Drake University is seeking volunteers eager to change the lives of local adults by helping them achieve basic literacy (reading, writing, and/or speaking) skills. A tutor training will be held Friday, April 22, 5–8 p.m., and Saturday, April 23, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., at the School of Education.

Volunteers will learn about characteristics of adults who lack literacy skills, the potential causes for adult illiteracy, and skills for delivering multisensory reading instruction. Registration is required and can be completed by contacting Anne Murr at anne.murr@drake.edu or 515-271-3982.

Learn more about the Adult Literacy Center in the Drake Newsroom.

News & Achievements Archive

Spanish Language Conversation Table

Are you going to a Spanish-speaking country this summer or next semester? Would you like to begin learning a few words in Spanish for an upcoming study abroad semester or travel seminar? Do you want or need to keep up your foreign language fluency? Drake’s Department of World Languages and Cultures wants to help.

Spanish Conversation Table is scheduled for Mondays, 1–2 p.m., and Fridays, 2–3 p.m., in Meredith Hall, Room 204. All levels of Spanish speakers are welcome. The group warmly supports all participants with an opportunity to practice Spanish; no long-term commitment is required to attend. A native speaker facilitates the conversation in Spanish in an informal setting.

For further information, contact Associate Professor Eduardo Garcia Villada at eduardo.garcia@drake.edu.

—Drake International

News & Achievements Archive

CPHS news: Week of April 4

Rodney Carter, PH’76, dean of the School of Pharmacy and professor of pharmacy practice at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, was selected to receive the 2016 Lawrence C. and Delores M. Weaver Medal of Honor, the highest honor given by Drake University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. As part of this honor, he will deliver the 2016 Weaver Medal of Honor Lecture on Wednesday, April 27, at 2 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend the lecture, which is free open to the public. To learn more about Carter, visit the Drake Newsroom.

News & Achievements Archive

College of Arts & Sciences news: Week of April 4

William Klipec, associate professor of psychology, recently published a research manuscript that has implications for the treatment of cocaine addiction.

The article published in Behavioural Brain Research is titled “Loss of the trpc4 gene is associated with a reduction in cocaine self-administration and reduced spontaneous ventral tegmental area dopamine neuronal activity, without deficits in learning for natural rewards.” To learn more about William’s research, visit the Drake Newsroom.

In other publishing news, Avery Gregurich and Angela Ufheil, both writing majors, had creative nonfiction published in Oakland Arts Review (Vol. I Winter 2016), an international undergraduate arts journal.