All posts by Aaron Jaco

Campus Announcements Archive

Cowles databases and National Library Week

Learn about: Cowles Library Resources
Did you know Cowles Library has more than 250 databases available to Drake students, faculty, and staff? We’re highlighting these valuable resources on the Cowles Library blog. Learn more about how GREENR can help you!

National Library Week
Celebrate National Library Week with Cowles Library April 9–15! This year’s theme is “Libraries Transform.” Visit the library to help us transform a book cart, transform candy into art with the Literary Peep-o-Rama Contest, and check out our “Libraries Transform Questions into Answers” display. Visit our National Library Week webpage for more information!

Campus Announcements Archive

Go All In April 4–5

Last year, 132 employee donors went All In for The Drake Fund in the 24-hour fundraising campaign. This year, the All In campaign has set a goal to have more than 500 donors donate over $100,000 in the 24-hour period.

The faculty and staff social will be Tuesday, April 4, from 4-6 p.m. in Parents Hall South. We’re excited to involve students in this social because, for the first time ever, they are participating in the All In campaign as well.

A few challenges have been set for faculty and staff only. All members (students, faculty, and staff) of the campus community who give during the campaign will be entered into a drawing for a homemade pie hand-delivered to their office from Provost Mattison. The drawing will be held at the April 4 social event and you must be present to win. Staff member Niki Smith, JO’08, GR’15, will donate $1 for every faculty and staff who give during the campaign. Finally, the first 50 faculty and staff donors will receive a special prize delivered to them.

For now, you can like the Facebook page, RSVP to the Facebook event, and invite your friends to go All In with you.

Campus Announcements Archive

Statewide tornado drill March 29

The Iowa Statewide Tornado Drill on Wednesday, March 29. A Test Tornado Watch will be issued at 10 a.m. for the entire state followed by the Test Tornado Warning around 10:30 a.m.

Severe weather can strike at any time in Iowa, making it important for all of us to be prepared to find the most secure shelter available no matter where we are. The statewide drill provides the Drake community with an opportunity to test their planning and readiness to be able to quickly seek appropriate shelter in case of a real severe weather emergency. By practicing and increasing readiness across the campus, Drake’s students, faculty, and staff can feel confident and prepared in the event of actual severe weather emergencies.

Tornado Facts:

  • They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
  • Funnel clouds usually last less than 10 minutes before dissipating, and many only last several seconds. On rare occasion, cyclones can last for over an hour.
  • They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
  • The average tornado moves southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
  • The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph.
  • Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.
  • Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time.

Know the Terms:
Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a tornado hazard:
Tornado Watch—Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

Tornado Warning—A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

If you are under a tornado warning, seek shelter immediately! Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head.

If you are in: Then:
A structure Go to a pre-designated area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of a small interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck.
In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
Put on sturdy shoes.
Do not open windows.
A manufactured home or office Get out immediately and go to a pre-identified location such as the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.
Outside with no shelter If you are not in a sturdy building, there is no single research-based recommendation for what last-resort action to take because many factors can affect your decision. Possible actions include:
Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If your vehicle is hit by flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park.
Take cover in a stationary vehicle. Put the seat belt on and cover your head with your arms and a blanket, coat, or other cushion if possible.
Lie in an area noticeably lower than the level of the roadway and cover your head with your arms and a blanket, coat or other cushion if possible.
In all situations:
Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter.
Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries.

—Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Occupational Therapy facility open house

On Thursday, April 13, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., the College of Pharmacy and Health invites faculty and staff to an open house and tour of the occupational therapy program facilities at 3003 Forest Ave. (the previous bookstore location).

Some highlights of the space include:

The LifeStyle Redesign Lab is featured on the first floor, which will be used for instruction on adapting a home, as well as assisting students in teaching patients how to use lifestyle adjustments for different abilities and needs in daily living. The space includes a 1-bedroom apartment, an ergonomic office, a model Hy-Vee grocery store, and a streetscape featuring an ‘OT Cruiser’.  The Occupational Therapy Department has a community service goal to make the Lifestyle Lab available to the central Iowa occupational therapists periodically for use with their patients.

The lower level contains flexible learning labs/classrooms, a conference room, and a student commons area. Drake ITS has worked with the faculty on the technology incorporated into the classrooms and labs and will be available to demonstrate the new technology during the open house.

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program began in Summer 2016 with the first cohort of 26 students. The OTD is a three-year program, requiring two years of classroom and laboratory work and one year of fieldwork experiences in practice sites around the nation. The second cohort of students will begin in May of 2017 with an expected enrollment of 28 students.

—Renae Chesnut, Dean, College of Pharmacy and Health Science

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Called to be True Blue: Emma Daily

Emma Daily, senior strategist, visual design in the Office of University Communications, was surprised in early March with the Called to Be True Blue Award from All Staff Council. Her nominator, colleague Tim Schmitt, praised Emma, in particular, for her work as a designer and project leader in support of the Annual Fund.

“She effectively leverages and combines her experience as an alum with her professional knowledge and experience to communicate Drake’s message in ways that go far beyond her role as a designer,” Schmitt wrote. “Perhaps more important is [her] skill at bringing every person on a project together in a collaborative effort that is natural and effective. She is the model of an effective communicator.”

Make your own nomination!
The Called to be True Blue Award recognizes Drake staff members and teams who epitomize the values of leadership, teamwork, integrity, and commitment to the University. If this sound like someone you know, please nominate them at www.drake.edu/asc/recognition. Recipients are automatically in the running to win a year-end Sapphire Award, the highest staff recognition at Drake.

—All Staff Council Recognition Committee

For Students Archive

Deadline extended: Join the Violence Intervention Partner Team

The Violence Intervention Partner (VIP) Team is recruiting! We could use your help in identifying and encouraging students to apply to join this team. VIP provides 24/7 advocacy services on the Drake campus to anyone in need of support and/or assistance due to sexual assault and/or harassment. The main goal of VIP is to assist student members of the Drake community with compassionate, informed, and confidential sexual assault response support. VIP consists of student advocates who are specially trained to provide appropriate support in incidents of sexual and domestic violence on campus. VIP members complete a 30-hour victim counselor training the week prior to school starting.

If you are interested in helping others or know any students that you think could make great advocates, please encourage them to apply!

We have extended the application deadline to Friday, March 31, at 4:30 pm. The online application can be found at:
http://drake.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eWJvE0EoyFzgddr

—Tess Cody, Prevention Coordinator for Sexual and Interpersonal Misconduct

For Students Archive

Recruiting College Positive Volunteers

The Community Engaged Learning Office is currently recruiting Drake students to become College Positive Volunteers (CPV). The program trains students to be ambassadors of higher education with a goal of increasing college enrollment and success for all students, with special attention to traditionally underrepresented students.

The community partnerships developed through College Positive Volunteers at Drake will center around school and community-based youth groups. Through these partnerships, CPVs will host Des Moines middle and elementary school students on campus, provide college access programming for Des Moines students at all levels, and serve as mentors/tutors in existing programs. Through various activities, CPVs will build a college-going culture and increase college knowledge around college preparation, paying for college, career selection, financial resources, etc. CPVs may oversee a scavenger hunt on campus with middle school students, lead a workshop on scholarship essay writing for high school students, or visit schools to talk about what life in college is all about.

This opportunity is great for any student interested in working with youth. Contact Jeffrey Czerwiec in the Community Engaged Learning Office at jeffrey.czerwiec@drake.edu.

—Jeffrey Czerwiec

For Students Archive

Apply for the Drake Community Action Board

The Drake Community Action Board (CAB) is currently seeking applicants for the 2017–2018 Community Action Board. If you are passionate about the relationship between service and social justice, and you want to be a part of a collaborative team dedicated to engaging students in the community in meaningful and reciprocal ways, apply for CAB! Apply by this Friday, March 31, at 11:59 p.m. Questions? Contact jamie.willer@drake.edu.