All posts by Aaron Jaco

Campus Announcements Archive

New location for Drake Postal Operations

Drake Postal Operations has moved to a new location. We are no longer on 24th Street. Feel free to stop in and see our new space in the lower level of the Olmsted Center. When placing orders to be shipped to Drake, please use the following addresses:

For large deliveries:  Ship to 1315 30th Street and use the loading dock.
For all other deliveries and service:  Ship or go to the lower level of the Olmsted Center located at 2875 University Ave.

For any questions about deliveries or services, call us at 515-271-4717.

—Tricia McKinney, Public Safety

Campus Announcements Archive

Your personal information is like money—value and protect it

As users and consumers of a worldwide internet, each of us has a role to play in protecting our private information. Data privacy is about your freedom—who has access to your personal activities, information, and ideas? Much of our day-to-day activity and work takes place on the internet or on an internet-capable device, but how often do we pause to consider who has access to our information, and how they are using this information?

These concepts are the theme of Data Privacy Day, an internationally recognized day on Jan. 28 that encourages every global citizen to learn how to better protect private information in a world that is increasingly connected. Here are some excellent resources about how to take back your privacy and keep your information safe:

  • Cookies and your behavior: It’s no secret that organizations use your browsing habits to offer specific products or modify prices—learn how to control what these organizations know about you.
  • Mobile devices: These convenient devices are also convenient for data thieves. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the risk to your information when you access the internet or download an app.
  • Online shopping & banking: An ever-increasing number of websites are accepting credit card information and allowing you to view or change financial information. Two-factor authentication can offer additional protection.
  • Tax season: It’s a good time to think about how our financial information stays secure, whether online or on paper. Check out this ITS blog post for information about how to avoid becoming a victim of tax fraud, and how to recover quickly if it happens to you.

ITS is coordinating the third annual Drake shred event this spring! Bring your confidential documents and have them shredded free of charge on Thursday, April 20, from 12 to 3 p.m. Look for more information in a future OnCampus issue.

Learn even more about how to secure your digital life by visiting our blog at its.drake.edu/category/security-blog/.

—Peter Lundstedt, Information Security Manager

Campus Announcements Archive

Apply for an Olson Global Service-Learning Match Grant

Applications are being accepted for the Olson Global Service-Learning Match Grant to support projects taking place in the spring or summer 2017. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the funding is gone.

Match grants are awarded to student global service-learning projects with faculty/staff support where funds or in-kind donations have been appropriated or raised, but where additional funds would be beneficial. The Olson Global Service-Learning Match Grant funds are designated to enhance global service-learning projects by providing additional funds that would otherwise not be accessible. Global service-learning at Drake is defined as the intersection of service-learning, immersion in global contexts, and intercultural education.

Requirements:

  • Funds or in-kind donations of at least $500 must have already been raised
  • Projects must have a strong global service-learning emphasis
  • Student applicants must have demonstrated faculty/staff support

Please note that we are NOT able to reimburse for individual’s mileage or personal costs. Visit the service-learning website for more information and the link to apply.

Contact: Amanda Martin, community engaged learning program coordinator, at amanda.martin@drake.edu.

—Amanda Martin

Campus Announcements Archive

Get fit this semester

Kick off the start of a new semester right by attending a Group X fitness class! The new spring schedule begins TODAY. You can find the schedule on the Rec*It Fitness app as well as on the Rec Services website: www.drake.edu/recservices/.

Are you interested in setting new wellness goals for this semester? Check out Drake’s Wellness Services. We offer various fitness and body composition assessments and can help you develop a wellness plan! Email wellness@drake.edu for more information and/or to set up an appointment!

Strategic Updates Archive

Administrative services survey update

An important aspect of our Continuous Improvement Plan is consistently and repeatedly examining our delivery of exceptional service as well as the services we provide to the campus community. Last fall, we launched the first administrative services survey designed to provide feedback on service levels in Human Resources, Facilities Planning and Management, and Information Technology Services. The survey was developed with key input by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and in close collaboration with key President’s Council members.

We were very pleased with the response rate for the survey, with 453 responses. In addition to answers to survey questions, survey takers provided significant comments, which will be extremely helpful in contextualizing the data. For each department covered by last fall’s survey, an action plan will be developed. Each department will reflect on the findings and consider ways to enhance, expand, or improve service. Watch OnCampus for additional information from Human Resources, Facilities Planning and Management, and Information Technology Services about their individual departmental results and how they plan to build on the information gleaned from this survey.

—Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Strategic Updates Archive

Reminder: Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion (APCEI) interviews

Two finalists are participating in on-campus interviews on Tuesday, Jan. 31, and Thursday, Feb. 2. Understanding that the new APCEI will work closely with students, faculty, and staff in diversity initiatives, we invite each of you to be a part of the upcoming interview process and let your voice be heard.

We have two very qualified finalists to participate in on-campus interviews:

  • Erin Lain, Associate Professor of Law and Assistant Dean for Academic Services
  • Darcie Vandegrift, Associate Professor and Department Chair for the Study of Culture and Society.

The curriculum vitae and cover letter for each candidate can be found online.

We invite you to mark your calendars for the following events:

  • Tuesday, Jan.31, at 4 p.m. in Sussman Theater for an hour-long open session with finalist Darcie Vandegrift. The candidate will present for 20–30 minutes, followed by a 30–40 minute open Q&A time.
  • Thursday, Feb. 2, at 4 p.m. in Sussman Theater for an hour-long open session with finalist Erin Lain. The candidate will present for 20–30 minutes, followed by a 30–40 minute open Q&A time.

You can find important documents regarding the Quality Initiative, Strategic Diversity Action Team’s work, and Campus Climate Survey on the climate assessment website.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support.

—APCEI Search Committee

Strategic Updates Archive

New list of benchmark opportunities now available

Using benchmark institutions for comparison is a common method to address the demand for data-driven decisions. In summer 2016, President’s Council affirmed the need to review Drake’s set of benchmark institutions. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) conducted an analysis of key indicators in national data to identify a set of institutions that are comparable to Drake.

As a result of that analysis, Drake has a new set of 15 benchmark institutions, which includes three sets of institutions—direct competitors (undergraduate admission), peer institutions (close alignment on key indicators), and aspirant institutions (high performance on key indicators). We will use this list for benchmarking purposes at the institution level. Individual units can also use this list, while recognizing that specific needs may require the use of a specialized set (e.g., athletics conference).

Benchmark Institutions

Direct Competitor Peer Aspirant
Creighton University Bradley University Santa Clara University
DePaul University Butler University University of Tulsa
Loyola University Chicago Elon University Villanova University
Marquette University Gonzaga University Loyola Marymount University
St. Thomas University Valparaiso University Texas Christian University

Please contact Kevin Saunders if you would like additional information. This set of institutions will continue to be listed on the OIRA website.

—Kevin Saunders, OIRA

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Bulldog Applause: Spotlight on Office of Admission

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In December, Drake’s All Staff Council Recognition Committee celebrated staff in Drake’s Office of Admission with a cookie delivery. Here, we learn more about this team of 23 staff members, 39 students, and one very special canine.

Mission: “Our mission is to recruit diverse learners from domestic and international markets for both undergraduate and graduate programs”—Keith Summerville, Deputy Provost, the Windsor Professor of Environmental Science

Staff members: 23, with two more yet to be hired

Student employees: 39 (29 Student Ambassadors who give tours, 10 with administrative duties)

Longest-time employee: A tie between Jo Arbuckle, associate director of admission (32 years) and Leslie Mamoorian, associate director, international and graduate admission, who has been at Drake for 38 years, 32 of them with admission

Newest team member: Another tie! Admission counselors Maggie Coleman and Adriana Slaughter started in September 2016.

Where they travel:
In U.S.: Recruitment is heavily concentrated in the Midwest—Iowa, Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Louis—but counselors also regularly travel to Indiana, Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Colorado, with some recent trips to California, Arkansas, New York, Connecticut, and Michigan.
Internationally: Two international counselors (Leslie Mamoorian and Carrie Lewis) travel all over the world, including Malaysia, China, Mongolia, Chile, Israel, Jordan, Honduras, Panama, and Zimbabwe.

News/initiatives/accomplishments

  • Recently welcomed new leadership: Anne Kremer (dean of admission) and Keith Summerville (deputy provost).
  • Griff, Drake’s live mascot, “works” in Cole Hall every Friday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., greeting and doing photo ops with visitors. He has a dog bed for naps underneath the visitor check-in desk, and a trained student “Griff handler” attends to his every need.
  • Began offering targeted campus visit days customized to specific majors or college/schools, including Politics Day, Project Teach, Business BlueChip Expo, STEM@Drake Day, Health Professionals Day, Journalism and Mass Communications Day, and more.
  • They went mobile—campus visitors can now register or view confirmation details about campus visit programs through the Guidebook App.
  • Moved/centralized graduate admission from colleges/schools to the Admission office.
  • Launched the Tuition Guarantee and Drake Commitment.
  • Implementing Slate, a content management system to help with recruitment management.

Let’s hear it for Drake’s admission team, who works tirelessly days, nights, and weekends—from Arizona to Zimbabwe—to share the Drake story with new Bulldogs.

—Jill Brimeyer, University Communications, All Staff Council