All posts by Aaron Jaco

Featured Events Archive

DREAMERS and the Caucus Season

What: DREAMERS and the Caucus Season: Immigration reform activists talk about undocumented college students and engaging presidential candidates.
When: Oct. 27, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Cowles Library, Room 201

How does being an unauthorized immigrant shape the experience of going to college? Meet a Drake alumnus, Hector Salamanca; student Kenia Calderon; and immigration advocate Erica Johnson, as they discuss the experiences of undocumented young adults in Iowa colleges. Learn about how activists educate peers on campus and presidential candidates to advocate for change. This event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by La Fuerza Latina and the Department of Sociology.

—Submitted by Darcie Vandegrift, Associate Professor of Sociology, Department Chair

Featured Events Archive

Empty Place at the Table campaign coming to Drake

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, the Violence Intervention Partner team will bring the Empty Place at the Table campaign to Drake in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As part of the campaign, chairs will be marked off with caution tape in the Hubbell/Quad dining areas and a variety of classrooms around campus as a representation of students on college campuses who must drop out of school due to the long-lasting effects of domestic and dating violence. There will be a short note written on the chalkboard/whiteboard of every classroom explaining the campaign as well.

Please send any questions to alysa.mozak@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Jessica Rick

HR Information Archive

Celebrating employment anniversaries

Congratulations to the following employees celebrating employment anniversaries at Drake in October!

Cindy Adams, Human Resources
Tammy Agey, Provost’s Office
Violeta Aleman, Legal Clinic
Sandra Alvarez-Herrera, Head Start
Michael Andreski, Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Administrative Sciences
Rihana Banu, Facility Services
Jill Batten, Pharmacy and Health Sciences
LaRon Bennett, Athletics
Debra Booth, Law School
Mario Castro, Facility Services
Marilea Chase, Dean’s Office, Pharmacy
Cassandra Clyde, Head Start
Kimberly DeJoode, Head Start
John Edwards, Law Library
Kelly Foster, Finance and Administration
Naomi Gachii, Facility Services
Ryan Grams, Public Safety
David Hanson, Law Library
John Harrell, Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Ryan Harris, Athletics
William Hennan, Law School
Shelley Hurst, Student Records and Academic Information
Jessica Lang, Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Carrie Lewis, International Admission
Debra Lukehart, University Communications
Anita Mozga, School of Education
Jennifer Newton, Undergraduate Admission
Brett Niederhauser, Public Safety
Sharyn O’Connor-Beener, Chemistry & Physics
Robert Overturf, DTS
Jennifer Reitano, Business and Public Administration
Sandra Ries-Wandrey, Head Start
John Rovers, Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Administrative Sciences
Charitie Schaer, Business and Public Administration
Jolene Schmidt, Finance & Administration
Laura Schwarz, Human Resources
Sara Sommerlot-McWeeney, University Communications
Deborah Ann Striegel, Facility Services
Mary Vaske, Head Start
Marina Verlengia, Student Life Center
Rashmee Virmani, DTS
Richard White, Public Safety
Oleg Zastarinny, Physics and Astronomy

—Submitted by Laura Schwarz, Administrative Support Specialist

HR Information Archive

Want to save $300? Don’t miss your chance!

If you’re on Drake’s health plan, you can save $300 off your health insurance premium in 2016 by participating in the Drake Wellness Incentive. In order to qualify, you must complete a biometrics screening and online wellness assessment.

On-campus biometrics screenings will take place between 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. in the Bell Center on the following dates:

  • Oct. 28, 29, and 30
  • Nov. 3, 4, 10, and 13

To schedule your screening, click here, and use the username DRAKEU and password SCREEN2015 to log in. Once you sign up, please make a note of your screening date and time, as you will not receive a reminder email.

If you need to cancel your on-campus screening, email jennifer.umphfleet@unitypoint.org with your name and date and time of cancelled appointment. You will need to re-register online for a new appointment. Changes can be made up to 48 hours prior to the screen time.

Signed up but don’t remember your date/time? Look at your received or deleted emails for an email confirmation sent to you by unitypointhealth.desmoines@gmail.com with the subject: Health Screen Confirmation.

If you’ve already completed your biometrics screening, don’t forget to take the online wellness assessment via myWellmark by Dec. 4.

Visit the Wellness Incentive Program site to learn more about the wellness incentive, your options, and for a FAQ document. Questions may be directed to Dianna Lei-Butters at diana.lei-butters@drake.edu or 271-1871.

—Submitted by Cindy Adams, Associate Director, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Campus-wide benefits meeting tomorrow

“A Report to Faculty and Staff: The Status of the Drake Medical and Dental Plans.”
Oct. 27
10 a.m.
Olmsted Center, Room 310

Drake benefit consultant, Mark J. Becker, will provide a history of Drake’s philosophy and approach to employee benefits, a comparison of current Drake benefits to benchmark data, and address the positioning of Drake’s plans for the future.

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will also provide a brief overview of the transition to CVS/Caremark. If you can’t make this meeting, two more presentations are scheduled:

Nov. 6
1 p.m.
Room 301, Olmsted Center

Nov. 11
3 p.m.
Drake Room, Olmsted Center

Also mark your calendar for the Annual Benefits Fair:
Nov. 6
8:30–11:30 a.m.
Parent’s Hall, Olmsted Center

—Submitted by Marlene Heuertz, Assistant Director, Benefits

Campus Announcements Archive

Sidewalk closure

While a new roof is installed on the Bell Center gym, the sidewalk at the corner of 27th Street and Clark Street (next to the north side of the Bell Center) to the north entrance of The Knapp Center will be closed during business hours starting today, Oct. 26. The sidewalk will be closed each morning at approximately 7 a.m. and re-open at about 5 p.m. This project will take approximately three weeks depending on the weather. Please use the sidewalk on the north side of Clark Street.

—Submitted by Jolene Schmidt, Director, Operations and Support Services

Campus Announcements Archive, For Faculty Archive

Faculty Senate meeting recap

The October meeting of the Faculty Senate included presentations from:

  • President Martin, who presented a continuous improvement plan, which draws on the strategic plan and the University accreditation process
  • Gary Johnson, director of human resources, who discussed the work of the faculty salary administrative review group and progress on meeting benchmarks for faculty salaries
  • Michelle Rogers, assessment coordinator, who shared the process and measures used to assess the Drake Curriculum and Areas of Inquiry (AOI)

Also, the senators discussed processes leading to potential revisions of the Drake Curriculum.

—Submitted by Nancy Geiger, Student Information Analyst

Campus Announcements Archive

Need some new desk chairs?

If your department requires desk chair replacements due to broken chairs or new hires, Drake has a selection of three standardized HON chairs, which fit most needs and budgets. Samples to test are located in the Purchasing Department, 316 Old Main. Please email Caron Findlay (caron.findlay@drake.edu) to set up a time to try them out!

—Submitted by Caron Findlay, Director, Purchasing and Business Services

For Staff Archive

Apply for a Staff Development Grant today

Drake full-time staff can apply for a Staff Development Grant to pursue professional development opportunities that will enhance performance consistent with the needs of the department and/or University. These opportunities may include off‐campus conferences or workshops, online webinars or video training programs, and non‐credit classes such as those offered through community educational programs. The maximum award is $800.

Please see the Staff Development Grant policy for eligibility and complete details on how to take advantage of this benefit.

—Submitted by Cindy Adams, Associate Director, Human Resources