All posts by Aaron Jaco

Featured Events Archive

Iowa Private College Week is Aug. 3–7

The big blow-up Spike in addition to more than 100 faculty, staff, and current students will welcome nearly 500 prospective students and families next week, Aug. 3–7, as part of the 17th annual Iowa Private College Week. Each day, visit programs will begin at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium. Students and families will enjoy music from Drake student jazz musicians, a welcome from President Martin, academic overviews that represent nine areas on campus, an admission overview, student panel, and campus tour during their visit to Drake.

“Iowa Private College Week is a true reflection of Drake’s collaborative approach between faculty, staff, and students in welcoming prospective students to campus,” says Deneen Dygert, associate director of admission. “Having nine academic sessions twice a day for a total of ninety a week is a statement about how invested the Drake community is in the recruitment of new students. It will be an exhilarating week as we execute ten visit programs and welcome approximately 500 families.”

Campus Announcements Archive

Parking changes on 27th Street

Drake will soon assume ownership of 27th Street (between Carpenter and Forest avenues) and Carpenter Avenue (between 25th and 27th streets). Effective Aug. 17, there will be significant changes to parking on 27th Street. Parking on the east side of the street will be considered commuter lot parking, requiring a commuter permit. The west side of the street will be treated as a fire lane and no parking will be permitted.

Parking and traffic flow on Carpenter Avenue will remain unchanged; however speed bumps will be installed to slow traffic and enhance safety. The speed bumps will help regulate traffic speed on streets that are no longer regulated by city ordinance or patrolled by Des Moines police.

The purchase of these two streets was approved by the board of trustees in preparation for the next phase of the STEM@DRAKE project. Construction of the School of Education and Math and Computer Science facility and the new science connector building between Olin and Fitch Halls will require that 27th Street be available for construction access and equipment. Thus, once construction begins, it is likely that 27th Street will close. In the long term, 27th Street and Carpenter Avenue will become an integrated part of campus, with plans for a pedestrian-orientated plaza and enhanced green space.

Gates will also be installed along 27th Street to allow for street closure when work begins. Access to the Jewett parking lot will continue for at least the fall semester.

For more information about the changes affecting Carpenter and 27th Street please see our frequently asked questions.
Thank you to members of the advisory group whose input is critical to working through these issues: Jolene Schmidt (Chair), Gary Johnson (HR), Scott Law (Public Safety), John Edwards (Law School), Laura Linn (Admission), Brady Randall (Athletics), Matt Miller (Events Management) Linda Ryan (President’s Office), and Lorissa Lieurance (Residence Life).

If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact Venessa Macro, chief administration officer, at Venessa.macro@drake.edu.

Campus Announcements Archive

University Bookstore sees changes

This summer, Follett Company acquired the University Bookstore. While this won’t affect students, faculty and staff who work with the Bookstore should note that email addresses for personnel there have changed. Katie Wilz can now be reached at kwilz@follett.com and Donna Hallstrom, textbook manager, at 1623txt@follett.com.

Hallstrom highlighted some potential issues for those who work with the bookstore on stocking books for courses:

  • There is a known issue with the linking from textbook express to the bookstore site. This is causing viewing from MyDusis not to show books OR to show books, but not allow them to be added to a shopping cart. There are technical people working on the issue with a high priority to fix it. For now the link is going to redirect directly to the bookstore website, which is working fine. If a student reports to you that they can’t see or can’t select books for their courses and they say they are accessing via MyDusis, suggest they go directly to the bookstore site.
  • Textbook adoptions were sent from the old system to the new. While many records transferred fine, some did not. Bookstore staff are manually comparing lists between what is now listed and what was listed before the transition, but the process is tedious and not error proof. Therefore, instructors and administrative support personnel are highly encouraged to use the website to look at the books listed and reach out to Donna via email if you see anything that needs added, deleted, or edited. This double-checking will be required this term to make sure nothing has fallen through the cracks.
  • The process for submitting online adoptions is different and changed with little notice, but is better in many ways. If you need to submit an adoption OR re-submit an adoption, the online form is near the bottom of the bookstore homepage. The first time you use the page you will need to register as a new user. You will be asked for a bookstore password, which is our store number, 1623. You will know the answers to all the other questions.
News & Achievements Archive

Volunteer at the Iowa State Fair

Everyone loves going to the State Fair! If you want to get in for free and share your love for Drake with the community, the Community Engagement and Service-Learning Office can use your help! There are several changes to this year’s involvement with the State Fair including a bigger booth space in the Varied Industries Building.

Several volunteer shifts are still open at the VI building nearly every day of the fair. VI volunteers will serve a four-hour shift (in the air conditioning!) and be expected to chat with state fair goers, give away prizes, help visitors take photos at our selfie station, and more!

Sign up today and share your love for our Bulldog community at the fair.

News & Achievements Archive

Drake news

Drake’s Actuarial Science program had plenty to celebrate this month, including a $1 million gift from Sammons Enterprises, Inc., and a renewed Center for Actuarial Excellence designation from the Society of Actuaries. Meanwhile, Drake adopted a new test-flexible admission policy, allowing prospective students to choose whether to submit a standardized test result as part of their application. The Iowa Caucus Project launched in July; the site, which will be run by students, will serve as an information and news resource on the upcoming Iowa caucuses.

News & Achievements Archive

In memoriam

I am saddened to report that Emeritus Professor of Theatre Bill Coleman passed away on July 8. Doc Coleman, as his students called him, retired from Drake in 2000 after 37 years as a member of the Theatre department, teaching generations of students. He had a prolific career as a writer and director, one that he continued to enjoy to the very end. In case you missed it, there was a wonderful feature about him in the Des Moines Register and in the most recent issue of Drake Blue magazine.
—Joe Lenz, Interim Provost

News & Achievements Archive

Institutional Research welcomes assessment coordinator

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Michelle Rogers has been named the assessment coordinator at Drake. She will join a collaborative team committed to using assessment as a means to improve academic programs and student learning. Rogers will partner with administration, faculty, staff, and students to develop and implement assessment plans for institution-wide programs. Rogers will also assist in providing workshops for ongoing assessment initiatives and serve on appropriate campus committees.

She previously worked with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium on its digital library project to support K-12 teachers in implementing formative assessment practices in their instruction. She is completing her doctoral work in educational psychology at the University of Iowa (UI).

Rogers has taught courses in educational psychology at the University of Iowa and presented her research at numerous conferences. She was honored with the prestigious Dean’s Fellowship at UI and received various grants, including the Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation award and the Iowa Measurement Research Foundation award.

For Staff Archive

July Staff Anniversaries

Congratulations to staff celebrating anniversaries at Drake in July!

Daniel Akright, University Communications
Ann Allen, Law School
Lance Berg, Alumni and Development
Lilianna Bernstein, Office of Admission
Richard Calvert, Athletics
William Clark, DTS
Sandra Clubb, Athletics
Stacey Connors, Head Start
Angela Dahl Miller, Athletics
Kathryn Dale, History
Erin Dallinger-Lain, Law School
Sarah Derry, School of Education
Wendy Diekema, Office of Admission
Charles DiSilvestro, Athletics
Leslie Flores-Cloud, Athletics
Megan Franklin, Athletics
Michael Fucaloro, DTS
Nancy Geiger, Student Affairs & Academic Excellence
Sheila Govoni, Office of Student Accounts
Alison Harms, Office of Admission
Erica Hartschen, Institutional Advancement
David Haskin, Athletics
Timothy Havenhill, HVAC
Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources
Carolyn Hill, Athletics
Jerome Hilscher, DTS
Aaron Jaco, University Communications
Scott Kerr, Athletics
Elizabeth Kozor, Alumni and Development
Robert Lampman, Maintenance/Repairs
Matthew Marr, Student Financial Planning
Kirk Martin, International Center
Kenneth Martin, Office of Admission
Randy McMullin, Residence Life
Amanda McReynolds, Community Engagement & Service
Mary Middleton, Head Start
Cherie Moen, Provost’s Office
Lisa Murphy, Athletics
Jeffrey Nichols, DTS
Amy Nichols, Undergraduate Admission
Katherine Olsen, Ray Center
Christa Olson, International Programs
Sadhaf Pervez, Athletics
Frank Pucher, Athletics
Jeffrey Raecker, Ray Center
Doreen Ramsey, Head Start
Brady Randall, Athletics
Matty Richardson, Athletics
Mark Risvold, Security
Gerardo Rodriguez, Maintenance/Custodial
Jeffrey Sabin, DTS
Joseph Scavo, DTS
Sara Schoneberg, Student Records and Academic Information
Charles Sengstock, Extension Education
Joyce Sharp, Dean’s Office, Pharmacy
Shari Tenney, Dean’s Office, Journalism
Jacob Thompson, DTS
Meaghan Tigges, Alumni and Development
Benjamin Ullem, Dean’s Office, Law School
Edward Walkwitz, Maintenance/Custodial
Emily Weaver, Alumni and Development
Desi Woods, Olmsted Maintenance

—From Human Resources and the All Staff Council