All posts by Aaron Jaco

Strategic Updates Archive

Sharing the findings from the Campus Climate Assessment

In February 2015, we asked faculty, staff, and students to share their thoughts on and experiences with the campus climate at Drake. Now, it’s time to turn those results into action. To learn more about the findings, join us for an open forum with Sue Rankin, principal at Rankin & Associates, the consultant who helped us conduct the survey. All members of the campus community are invited to attend the forums, which will be held in Sussman Theater in the Olmsted Center:

Monday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m., or
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 3:30 p.m.

Visit www.drake.edu/climate-assessment to read the executive summary of the results and to learn more about the Campus Climate Assessment.

Together, we make Drake stronger.

News & Achievements Archive

Get your discounted season tickets to men’s and women’s basketball!

Faculty and staff can take advantage of discounted season tickets for men’s and women’s basketball. Get them before they’re gone!

Men’s Basketball
Premium Center (C,D,E,N,O,P)—$124 per seat + $250 Bulldog Club Donation
Premium Outer (A,B,F,G,M,Q,R)—$124 per seat + $150 Bulldog Club Donation
Reserved Center (3,4,5)—$124 per seat + $250 Bulldog Club Donation
Reserved Outer (1,2,6,7)—$124 per seat + $150 Bulldog Club Donation
General Admission (8-25)—$75 per seat + No Bulldog Club Donation

Women’s Basketball
Reserved Sideline (A-G, M-R)—$50 per seat
Reserved Baseline (S-T)—$40 per seat

All Drake University faculty and staff can take advantage of discounted pricing with a valid Drake Card (ID). To purchase your season tickets, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or email tickets@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Tom Florian, Assistant Director, Ticket Operations and Donor Management

For Faculty Archive

Call for proposals: Nelson Institute Global Pressing Issues Grant

The Nelson Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs invites proposals for a two-year grant commencing Jan. 1, 2016, for interdisciplinary faculty-student research projects addressing a global issue of broad public importance.

The purpose of this initiative is to enhance Drake’s involvement in examining and approaching pressing global issues, thereby helping position the University as a global knowledge hub in service to local, national, and international communities.

Through a series of focus groups held in spring 2015, Vice Provost for International Programs Christa Olson identified two clusters of global pressing issues that Drake, together with its local and international partners, has the expertise and institutional capacity to address with depth and breadth:

  1. Food and water security and environmental sustainability
  2. Global public health and access to quality health care

Several other issues were identified in which Drake has experience and expertise, but not with breadth across campus and disciplines: poverty and access to quality education, bridging cultures, immigration and refugees, and freedom of information and expression.

We especially encourage research proposals that relate to these issue clusters, although proposals on other topics are welcome, and no priority will be given based upon topical area.

See the full call for proposals at Nelson Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs. The submission deadline for proposals is Dec. 1. Proposals should be sent to Denise Ganpat (denise.ganpat@drake.edu).

—Submitted by Drake International

Strategic Updates Archive

From President Martin

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

News & Achievements Archive

Jen Hogan receives honor

Jen Hogan, associate director, international programs and services, has been named a Mentor for the Institute of International Education’s program, “Connecting with the World: International Relations for Higher Education Institutions.” Working virtually with professionals from around the globe, Jen will provide mentorship to participants from Myanmar. Included in the topics Jen will cover are:

  • International office roles, responsibilities, and tasks
  • Academic partnerships
  • Developing a university mission statement
  • University marketing/branding and social media

—Submitted by Drake International

News & Achievements Archive

Drake news: Week of Sept. 7

The most recent edition of eBlue, Drake’s alumni newsletter, highlights three recent pharmacy alumni’s research on the effects of medical marijuana on post traumatic stress disorder, as well as the unique stories behind memorabilia in the Alumni House.

The Des Moines Register recently featured Drake student Roy Ju, who earned the designation as a Fellow of Society of Actuaries; he is the youngest person ever to receive this credential, the top awarded by the Society of Actuaries.

News & Achievements Archive

Drake welcomes 53 new employees

Welcome the following new employees at Drake!

Beth Diehl, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (started in July)
Valerie Thacker, School of Education (SOE)
Lindsay Woodward, SOE
Douglas Stilwell, SOE
Shannon Saunders, Athletics
Christopher McMahon, Athletics
Dalton Moberly, Athletics
Nathan Bollhorst, Athletics
Katelyn Sobotka, Athletics
Markisha Wright, Athletics
Zachary Elsbecker, Athletics
Sean Giza, Arts & Sciences
Carter Roberts, Arts & Sciences
Lauren Beal, Arts & Sciences
Tiffany Roby, Arts & Sciences
Lauren Breman, Arts & Sciences
Emily Kruse, Arts & Sciences
Kayla Jenkins, Arts & Sciences
Inbal Mazar, Arts & Sciences
Patricia Storlie, Arts & Sciences
Jill Allen, Arts & Sciences
Nate Holdren, Arts & Sciences
Paul Brizzi, Arts & Sciences
Bryan Hall, Arts & Sciences
Emily Newman, Arts & Sciences
Anne Peterson, Arts & Sciences
Deirdre Caputo-Levine, Arts & Sciences
Ann Skallerup, Public Safety
Matthew Main, Public Safety
Rick Welch, Public Safety
Kayla Choate, Law School
Christopher Gill, DTS
Cassie Paterson, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (CPHS)
Katie Shields, CPHS
James Kolnik, Residence Life
Luis Cordoba, Residence Life
Victoria Smith, Head Start
Lori Archer, Head Start
Stephanie Charron, Head Start
Stephanie Young, Head Start
Brenna DeGan, Alumni & Development
Grace Provenzano, School of Journalism & Mass Communication (SJMC)
Catherine Staub, SJMC
Matthew Thornton, SJMC
Petros Tesfazion, College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA)
Carl Vieregger, CBPA
Alanah Mitchell, CBPA
Heath Henderson, CBPA
Jamie Grandstaff, CBPA
Cameron Tuai, Cowles Library
Christopher Nickell, Environmental and Health Safety
William Kirby, I Have a Dream Foundation
Roberto Macedo-Davila, Facility Services
Saul Leon-Ortiz, Facility Services

—Submitted by Human Resources

News & Achievements Archive

Arts & Sciences news

Theatre for social change
Last spring, students from Art of the Interview together with Law, Politics, and Society major Clare VanEchaute interviewed Drake women on campus about their experiences with gender violence. The interviews turned into a series of theatre scenes entitled “How It Goes.” Last spring, the students performed the piece to Roosevelt High School students in Petra Lange’s Women in Literature course, sponsored by the Slay Fund for Social Justice and the Drake Sociology program. We hosted the high school students for breakfast and had a discussion afterwards. We also listened to their poetry readings as part of an exchange.

At Drake’s Welcome Week, “Sex, Drugs, & Drake” included two of the scenes from “How It Goes” into the performance. Alysa Mozak was an advocate for the scenes’ inclusion because they captured the experiences with gender violence on campuses.

The process and theatre piece generated rich learning for students and an opportunity to learn about interviewing, sociological research, an important social issue, and how to use theatre for social change.

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

 

John Graham elected to VASTA board of directors
John Graham, associate professor of theatre, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA), an international organization dedicated to advancing “the art, research, and visibility of the voice and speech profession.”

—Submitted by John Graham

 

Drake granted neuroscience honor society charter
Over the summer, Drake was approved to shelter a chapter of Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society in Neuroscience. Drake’s is the 53rd charter issued since the society was established in 2006 and the first in Iowa. Brian Sanders, professor of psychology and neuroscience, will be the faculty adviser for the chapter.

Drake has approximately 60 neuroscience students who are active in summer research opportunities at major research institutions and the Drake University Conference on Undergraduate Research in the Sciences (DUCURS).

The decision to issue a charter for Drake was unanimous. Comments from the reviewers included:

  • “Clearly, Drake University is a very special place and I’m excited to have one of our national chapters there.”
  • “Drake University offers a well-established neuroscience major with strong, interdisciplinary course offerings.”
  • “The neuroscience faculty are relatively sizeable, include a diverse range of research interests, are productive in scholarship, and engaged with students in the classroom and in the laboratory.”
Featured Events Archive

“Freedom to Grieve”

Luther W. Stalnaker Lecture
“Freedom to Grieve”
Nancy Berns, Professor of Sociology
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
Jordan Stage, Sheslow Auditorium

When someone we love dies, we have to make sense of a new world. Nancy explores the challenges people face when learning to live with loss in a culture that pushes the idea of “closure.” People grieving face not only the pain of a loss, but social expectations about how they should grieve.

Consequences follow when we force people to use a universal roadmap for grieving and then judge those who do not follow it as wrong or sick. Nancy will explain how people need freedom to grieve because it is through grieving that we give visibility to the pain felt, the world shattered, the person lost, the joy remembered, and the love continued. She argues that rather than needing “closure,” people can learn to carry joy and grief together.

Reception to follow in the Madelyn M. Levitt Hall of Honor.