All posts by Ashton Hockman

Campus Announcements Archive

Door access information for new semester

All Drake faculty and staff should have automated 24/7 exterior door access to the building that their office is in, and also have extended exterior access to other academic buildings for meetings and classes.

Students from certain majors are granted extended access to buildings relating to their field of study. This is automated, and based off of either your major or specific classes in your schedule that may require access to a building. Students living in the residence halls also receive automated access to their hall, and ability to access other halls during the day.

Obtaining additional access
Additional card access is available when needed, and includes an approval process and manual update. Most manual access updates are tied to specific campus jobs or research. If you think you are missing a plan speak with your manager; main building contact; or email studentservices@drake.edu or submit an ITS Help Ticket so we can research your card issue. Please be aware that some access is based on a specific approval process, and may not be granted. Once approved, it will take an additional business day for access to be updated.

Lost cards
Lost cards are generally turned in at the Student Services Center (temporarily relocated to Hubbell Hall, next to the C-Store), and cardholders are notified via email when they are found and available to pick up. If your card has been lost, and you would like to freeze all activity until found, you can either contact the Student Services Center or freeze the card yourself in the eAccounts portal. You can also add Bulldog Bucks and check card balances in this portal. Frozen cards need to be turned back on by SSC staff if found.

If your card is lost and needs to be replaced, you may purchase a new card in the Student Services Center. The lost card will be deactivated automatically upon printing of new card. If your card is no longer working (but has worked in the past), make sure that you are registered for your fall classes. Cards will not function if you are not a current student or employee. Also, make sure there are no cracks in the card—cracked cards cannot communicate with door readers, and will need to be replaced at the Student Services Center.

Please contact the Student Services Center with card issues or questions.

Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

Campus Announcements Archive

Central Trash and Recycle Program implementation

After implementing the Central Trash and Recycle pilot program last winter, we are moving forward campus-wide with the program in the coming weeks.  A student driven initiative through the leadership education and development (LEAD) capstone and the Drake Environmental Action League (DEAL) group, the focus of this initiative is to become better stewards of the environment consistent with Drake’s sustainability goals. Not only does this effort streamline operations, but it also has a huge environmental impact by reducing over 50,000 trash liners from entering the landfill each year.

We tried this program out in several buildings last spring as part of a pilot program. This gave us the chance to collect building user feedback and adjust how the program operates. In addition, knowledge gained from working with other universities that already implemented central trash and recycle programs has proven helpful as we developed the following guidelines.

How it works:

  • Each workspace will continue to be equipped with a seven-gallon blue recycling bin as well as a tan mini bin for landfill waste. Note: If your workspace does not have one or either of these two bins, you can request them from Mitchell Wieczorek at mitchell.wieczorek@drake.edu.
  • When either bin is full, take it to your nearest centralized location and empty the individual bins into the large central bin.
  • Custodial will still empty the large central bins every day during the workweek.
  • You may wish, and we would prefer, that you to take food waste and larger items directly to the central location. Plastic liners will not be provided for individual bins. Plastic grocery bags may be used as a substitute, but we prefer you skip the bag altogether and only dispose of dry items in your individual office bin.

The day this program starts in your building, you will arrive to find your workspace bins both empty and your small bin turned upside-down in your blue bin.  Our goal is to have academic buildings transitioned by Aug. 27 and others by fall break.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping Drake to become a better steward of our environment. Please contact Mitchell Wieczorek at mitchell.wieczorek@drake.edu with any questions or concerns.

Mitchell Wieczorek, Facilities Planning and Management

 

Campus Announcements Archive

Weekend hours for ITS Support Center and Student Services

Need some extra assistance this weekend? The ITS and Student Services staff are here to help. There will be extra walk-in support hours on Saturday, Aug. 25, and Sunday, Aug. 26, from 12–4 p.m.

ITS Support is currently located on the second floor of Collier-Scripps Hall and Student Services can be found in Hubbell North (next to C-Store).

Regular walk-in support hours for the fall semester for both offices are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can find Student Services online at www.drake.edu/studentservices/  and ITS at www.drake.edu/its.

Carla Herling, ITS, and Sara Heijerman, Student Services

Campus Announcements Archive

Launch of new student success platform

The Department of Academic Excellence and Student Success is excited to formally announce the implementation of Starfish, Drake’s new student success platform. Starfish is an academic early alert and communication system. For phase one of the roll out, 107 faculty will participate in Progress Surveys, which allow faculty to easily “flag” students recognized as needing additional support. Once flagged, students receive recommendations and contact information for tutoring, advising and counseling, and services that can help them achieve academic and personal success. Faculty also have the opportunity to give students “kudos” for positive reinforcement.

Upcoming training sessions for faculty participating in phase 1:
Tuesday, Aug. 28, from 12:30-1:45 p.m., Drake Room
Friday, Sept. 7, from 10-11 a.m., Aliber Hall, Room 204

Starfish is:

  • Empowering: Starfish provides students with the information and feedback they need to make connections and become better self-advocates, thus becoming more autonomous.
  • Efficient: Faculty members contribute classroom observations with just a few clicks. Instructors, student services staff, and advisors can easily access and contact a student’s network.
  • Effective: Powerful positive encouragement is provided through kudos, and feedback on areas for improvement is provided through flags. A “close the loop” feature allows all involved to know when an issue has been resolved.

The link to Starfish is located on the MyDrake portal in two places: 1) Faculty and Advising section and 2) Administrative Tools section.

For more information, visit www.drake.edu/starfish, or contact the Starfish administrators at starfish@drake.edu with questions.

Melissa Sturm-Smith, Academic Excellence and Student Success

Campus Announcements Archive

Drake University Community Chorus

Drake University invites all interested singers to participate in the Drake University/Community Chorus, which will begin weekly rehearsals on Tuesday, Aug. 28, from 6:30–8 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium. The ensemble will rehearse and perform Ralph Vaughan Williams’ evocative Dona nobis pacem, a large-scale work with orchestra, on Nov. 10 and 11.  The chorus is conducted by Aimee Beckmann-Collier, director of choral studies. For more information, contact Aimee at aimee.beckmann-collier@drake.edu or 515.271.2841.

Aimee Beckmann-Collier, Music

Featured Events Archive

Zenith Chamber Music Festival Announces 2018 Season

Drake University is pleased to announce the fourth season of the Zenith Chamber Music Festival, August 14–18, 2018. The Zenith Chamber Music Festival is a family-friendly, annual summer concert series that brings world-class musicians to central Iowa. For the last three years, the music festival has been enhancing arts in the community by providing concert-goers a unique cultural experience in some of the most attractive venues Des Moines has to offer.

“We are thrilled to be back for the fourth season of Zenith. We are very excited to be able to offer these free concerts to the community and to showcase Zenith’s internationally-acclaimed artists,” said Artistic Director Ashley Sidon, the Briggs Endowed Professor of Cello at Drake University. “Zenith continues to bring classical music out of the traditional concert halls and into the community for an exceptionally accessible and memorable experience—our fourth year may be our best yet.”

Zenith commands a unique identity as a festival that celebrates highly acclaimed artists who bring fresh and innovative ideas to Des Moines audiences while at the same time showcasing select local artists. The festival also provides a structure for mentoring young artists. This year, young artists will have the opportunity to learn directly from the guest artists at a master class. Each performance will feature highly acclaimed musicians tackling challenging compositions. All performances being free and open to the public.

This year’s free concert series dates, times, and locations:

Tuesday, August 14: Opening night at The Ballroom at the Temple for the Performing Arts (7:30 p.m.)
1011 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA

Wednesday, August 15: Jasper Winery (6:00 p.m.)
2400 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines, IA

Thursday, August 16: Jazz with special guest Damani Phillips, Johnston Library (6:30 p.m.)
6700 Merle Hay Road, Johnston, IA

Friday, August 17: Plymouth United Church (7:30 p.m.)
4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, IA

Saturday, August 18: Drake University, Sheslow Auditorium (7:30 p.m.)
Drake University, 2507 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA

Featured musicians include:
Anna Reider, violin, concert mistress of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Helen Hwaya Kim, violin, performs with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Atlanta Opera Orchestra
Sheldon Person, viola, is assistant principal viola with the Houston Symphony
Paula Kosower, cello, is cellist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Kelly Kuo, pianist and conductor of the Oregon Mozart Players

The Zenith Chamber Music Festival is a non-profit entity of Drake University, supported by grants and donations. In addition to private individual donors, there are new and exciting corporate and foundation sponsorship opportunities for organizations interested in supporting the arts in Central Iowa through innovative programming. More information about the festival is available at http://zenith.wp.drake.edu.

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

From the President: Taking Care of our Campus

Originally sent in an email to faculty and staff Aug. 7:

As we near completion of the cleanup and restoration work resulting from the rain event on June 30, I want to extend my appreciation to our colleagues who have worked so hard to get our campus back in shape. Our Facilities Planning & Management team and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, in particular, have been working diligently to restore the spaces that were affected. Repair work relating to the majority of faculty and staff offices and student spaces, including classrooms and residence halls, will be completed and in working order prior to students returning to campus later this month. The lower level of Carnegie Hall, normally home to Student Services and the ITS Support Center, will not be ready prior to classes commencing. Those offices will operate out of Quad Creek and Collier-Scripps Hall, respectively, until repairs are completed.

In addition to managing flood cleanup, our Facilities staff have been moving forward with previously planned construction and renovation projects. These include major projects such as the Boys & Girls Club, Ray Promenade, a new floor and LED lighting in The Knapp Center, improvement in both Cowles and Cartwright Hall, and HVAC updates to the Quads. The Boys & Girls Club continues to take shape as pre-cast walls are scheduled to go up beginning August 20. The promenade is nearly finished, with only final touches such as landscaping and seeding left to be completed. The Knapp Center floor will be ready for play in mid-September. And, upgrades to the ventilation system in the Quads is nearing completion, ensuring these residence halls will be ready for move-in day in a couple of weeks. These projects, among others on campus, are indicative of our continuing improvement and our commitment to all members of our community with a vibrant learning environment.

Once again I want to thank all of our colleagues who have worked so hard this summer to mitigate the flood damage, while at the same time keeping so many major projects on track to completion. For all of us who haven’t been directly involved in this work, please take a few moments when the opportunity presents itself to thank these teammates for being there for us and for our campus!

Best regards,

Marty

Featured Events Archive

National Night Out in the Drake Neighborhood

The Drake Neighborhood is celebrating National Night Out today, Aug. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Drake Park. National Night Out, a campaign designed to strengthen neighborhood and police partnerships, happens every year on the first Tuesday in August.

Law enforcement officers invite you to turn on your porch lights, bring the family, and join neighbors at Drake Park for this annual community-building event. You’ll get to meet Drake neighborhood leaders and public safety officers, not to mention enjoy games, music, fun, and food with Drake neighborhood residents. Police officers will be grilling up burgers and serving lemonade, all for free.

The event is open to the public and brought to you by the Drake Neighborhood Association and sponsors, including Sonic Factory Studios, CopyCat Prints, and Bank Iowa.

Ryan Arnold, Neighborhood and Community Engagement Manager

News & Achievements Archive

Professor Mary McCarthy receives publication in academic journal

Mary McCarthy, associate professor of politics and international relations, wrote the article, “Coalition building and mobilization: Case studies of the comfort women memorials in the United States,” which was recently published in the academic journal Politics, Groups, and Identities.

The article explores how diaspora politics, coalition building, and the gender rights movement have come together to bring about the unexpected: the public memorialization in the United States of “comfort women,” young women from across Asia forced to provide sexual services to the Japanese Imperial Army during the 1930s and 1940s. The analysis builds on the existing literature on the role of diaspora in international and local politics but also adds the important dimension of changing gender norms.

View abstract and full article.

News & Achievements Archive

Dean Renae Chesnut receives two national AACP awards

Renae Chesnut, dean of Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, was the recipient of two prestigious awards at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s (AACP) annual meeting July 21—25 in Boston.

Chesnut received the James Robertson, Jr. Leadership Excellence in Student Services Award, and the inaugural Sustained Contribution to Administrative Practice in Pharmacy Education Award.

Both awards recognize Chesnut’s outstanding commitment to pharmacy education. The James Robertson, Jr. Award recognizes an outstanding individual who has demonstrated leadership excellence in student services throughout his or her career. The award honors Chesnut’s commitment and leadership to the development of student services and programming at Drake as well as nationally through efforts that enhances students’ success, professional development, and increases diversity and interest in the pharmacy profession.

The award for sustained contribution to administrative practice in pharmacy education recognizes Chesnut’s work over the past several years in the creation of the Association’s Administrative Services Section, an interdisciplinary forum for pharmacy education faculty and staff in administrative positions.

In a supporting nomination letter, Drake University Provost Sue Mattison praised Chesnut noting that she is “an extraordinary leader of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Dr. Chesnut’s long and dedicated service to students in the College is testament of her commitment to facilitating students’ achievement, and is key to the outstanding success and reputation of the program. She is most worthy of these award recognitions.”

“I am humbled to have received these awards,” shared Chesnut. “I had the opportunity to know and work with James Robertson, Jr., which makes it a great honor to have received the award that continues his legacy of championing student success.”

Chesnut began her academic career at Drake 25 years ago, serving as director of student services, assistant dean, associate dean, and now dean of CPHS. She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of several initiatives that have enhanced the College’s reputation. These initiatives include implementing the Health Sciences, Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) and Master’s in Athletic Training (AT) programs, as well as the pre-professional OTD and AT programs; supporting the creation of joint degree programs, including the PharmD/MPA, PharmD/MBA, and PharmD/JD; and facilitating the work of the DELTA Rx Institute, which promotes entrepreneurial leadership in pharmacy. Chesnut’s service to AACP has included chairing the AACP Student Services Special Interest Group, and the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) Advisory Council.  She has also served as the inaugural chair of both the Association’s Student Affairs Committee, and the Administrative Services Section.