The All Staff Council Special Interest Committee has been crafting a new mentor program for Drake University staff members. A survey link to sign up for the mentor program will go live July 24 and will be linked in OnCampus. Staff members who are interested in being either a mentor or mentee are asked to complete the survey. In addition, faculty members are invited to apply to be mentors.
The final deadline to sign up will be August 21. From there, placements will be made and the program will launch during the fall semester.
Visit www.drake.edu/asc/specialinterest/ to learn more about the new program. The survey link to apply will go live on this webpage July 24. If you have any questions, please reach out to Committee Chair Carla Herling at carla.herling@drake.edu or 515-271-2356.
As a reminder, the Special Interest Committee explores initiatives, questions, and/or concerns presented to All Staff Council through research, planning, and collaboration with appropriate offices on campus. If you have questions or topics of interest for the committee, please contact Carla Herling.
— Niki Smith, University Communications/All Staff Council
Clearance items at the University Book Store are now 25–75% off. New markdowns have been made on Relays and some Drake items. In addition, clearance items are available online at www.drake.bkstr.com. Shop before it’s all gone.
On Thursday, July 12, ITS will perform system maintenance that will affect registrations for the DUGuest wireless network from 10 a.m. to noon. During this maintenance period, no one will be able to register a device on the guest wireless network. Devices that have been registered on the guest wireless network before 10 a.m. should not see any disruption in service. This maintenance will not affect access to any of the other campus wireless networks.
We appreciate your patience while we perform this necessary work. If you continue to have any issues after the planned maintenance window, please contact the Support Center at 515-271-3001 or visit service.drake.edu/its to report your issue.
Ryan Arnold, Drake’s new neighborhood and community engagement manager.
Looking to enhance its relationship with the Des Moines community, Drake University is pleased to welcome Ryan Arnold to the position of neighborhood and community engagement manager.
In his new role, Ryan will establish partnerships between the University and the city, serve as the primary contact for residents and business owners in the Drake Neighborhood, and strive to strengthen the overall economic development and vitality of the area.
Ryan, who previously served as the senior minister at First Christian Church and lives in the Drake Neighborhood, has a deep understanding of the community.
“My family and I have called the Drake Neighborhood home for the last four years,” said Ryan. “I’m looking forward to combining my love for this community with my passion for Drake and continuing to move toward a more equitable, neighborly future.”
Ryan’s position will play an instrumental role in the University’s recent development projects, like the construction of a hotel, apartments, urban-style row houses, and retail space along University Avenue and the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys and Girls Club on the southwest corner of 25th Street and Forest Avenue.
Ryan’s office is located in the Alumni House. He can be reached at ryan.arnold@drake.edu. Please welcome Ryan, his wife Kristyn, and their two children, Jack and Ellie, to the Bulldog family.
Due to water damage from the storms on June 30, the ITS Support Center in Carnegie Hall is closed for walk-in support. Access to Carnegie Hall will continue to be unavailable for several weeks to allow for repairs. ITS staff are being relocated to the second floor of Collier-Scripps, and walk-in support should be open by the end of the week. More information to come.
Phone support is available by calling 515-271-3001 or you can use the IT Service Portal at service.drake.edu/its to report any issues you may be having.
We apologize for any inconvenience and will update you when the Support Center reopens in its temporary location.
The Office of Student Financial Planning is hosting a retirement open house for Susan Ladd, director of financial aid, tomorrow, July 11, from 2–4 p.m. in the Carnegie Hall lobby. Susan is retiring after 26 years of serving students, families, faculty, and staff at Drake University. She has held many roles over the years, including graduate assistant, assistant director, associate director, and university project manager for the Drake ERP (Banner) implementation. Additionally, she has served on numerous committees. Her official last day of employment was July 2. Please join us to celebrate her service and wish her well.
The Des Moines metro was hit with catastrophic flash flooding on Saturday, June 30. Drake’s campus was one of the many locations affected. The lower levels of more than 30 buildings on campus were impacted as the rapid rainfall led to power outages and overflowing storm sewers.
Facilities, Planning, and Management (FPM) has been working with the University’s insurance agent and cleanup and repair teams to assess the damage. Faculty and staff whose workspaces were affected, and will need to be temporarily relocated, were already notified by FPM. Faculty and staff who have questions, can contact Kelly Foster at kelly.foster@drake.edu.
Remediation companies SRP Environmental and Service Master are on campus and will be working until the affected buildings are cleaned and restored. Please note, SRP Environmental and Service Master are operating out of G-K lots 21 and 34.
Following the cleanup process, drywall, flooring, and other building materials, including furniture, will be replaced and restored. If you have personal belongings or specific business equipment that received water damage, please have your building contact send information/inventory to Donna Blunck at donna.blunck@drake.edu.
FPM does not expect the storm to disrupt the many construction and facilities projects underway across campus. The department is working hard to address the water damage—and confident in the progress being made—all while keeping previously scheduled projects moving forward.
We look forward to welcoming faculty and students to campus next month for the start of fall semester.
— Kevin Moran, Facilities, Planning, and Management
Enjoy coffee, baked goods, produce, and more at the Drake Neighborhood Farmers Market every Wednesday from 4:30–7:30 p.m. The market is located at 24th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, next to the Drake Park. Mark your calendars!
— Jarad Bernstein, University Communications & Marketing
The following message was sent to campus by President Martin on July 8:
“With a heavy heart, I am writing to share that our cherished friend, distinguished alumnus, and former colleague, Robert D. Ray, died this morning. Governor Ray proudly served as Iowa’s 38th governor and, later in his career, as the 11th president of Drake University, from April 1998 to May 1999. He received his B.A. in business from Drake in 1952, and his juris doctorate from Drake Law School in 1954.
Governor Ray is survived by his beloved wife, Billie, three daughters, and eight grandchildren. Plans for celebrating his life are pending, and will be announced at a later time.
Governor Ray had a tremendous impact on Iowa, the United States, and the world. In similar fashion, he served his beloved alma mater exceptionally well. His legacy will live on, of course, through the great work of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center; the Robert D. Ray Collection of political and personal papers and memorabilia from Governor and Mrs. Ray, archived at Cowles Library; the RaySociety, Drake University’s lifelong learning organization; and the Ray Promenade, a beautiful plaza to be dedicated on campus this fall.
Please join me in remembering Governor Ray, and in supporting his family at this difficult time.” — Marty Martin, President
Details of funeral, observances
Governor Ray will lay in state at the Iowa Capitol building Thursday, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Iowa Air and Army Guard troops, Iowa State Troopers, and the Des Moines Police will lead a procession of vehicles along University Avenue from west to east at approximately 4 p.m. as they travel toward the Capitol. Faculty and staff are welcome to show their support for Governor Ray and his family by standing along University Avenue as the procession passes by.
The motorcade will bring the governor into the first floor Rotunda where a brief ceremony will occur at 5 p.m. Those wishing to pay their respects at the Capitol should arrive early, as security checkpoints will be utilized.
The funeral for Governor Ray will be held Friday at the First Christian Church at 25th and University Avenue in Des Moines. The service will begin at 1 p.m. There will be limited seating. However, those wishing to observe and celebrate the life of Governor Ray can view a live stream of the service. Details of the live stream will be made public soon.
