All posts by Ashton Hockman

Campus Announcements Archive

Iowa statewide tornado drill March 23

The Iowa Statewide Tornado Drill will take place on Wednesday, March 23, at 10 a.m. The statewide drill allows us to test our planning and readiness and practice seeking appropriate shelter in case of a real tornado. Faculty, staff, and students should participate in the drill by following campus severe weather plans and going to the lowest level of their building, away from doorways and windows. 

March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month in the State of Iowa. Every year on the fourth Wednesday of March, the State of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department in conjunction with the Governor’s office run a statewide tornado drill. In years past Drake participates in this drill while testing our own procedures and protocols. The University will test its campus notification system, consisting of the sirens located in the blue light phones at the same time the City of Des Moines and Polk County test emergency sirens.

Tornado Facts:

  • Tornadoes 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 more than an hour.
  • Tornadoes 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! Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head.

— Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety

Strategic Updates Archive

Reminder: Please complete the Great Colleges survey

Full-time faculty and staff received an email Monday, March 21, from ModernThink with an invitation to participate in this year’s Great Colleges to Work For survey. Thank you to those who have completed the survey already. If you haven’t, please take time to complete it. It is easy, quick, anonymous, and the primary tool used by the University to gather feedback on our workplace culture.  

Instructions on how to access the survey are included in the email.  The survey period ends Friday, April 2.  

For questions, contact Maureen De Armond or Nate Reagen.  Thank you! 

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Nate Reagen, Office of the President

Campus Announcements Archive

Iowa statewide tornado drill March 23

The Iowa statewide tornado drill will take place on Wednesday, March 23, at 10 a.m. The statewide drill allows us to test our planning and readiness and practice seeking appropriate shelter in case of a real tornado. Faculty, staff, and students should participate in the drill by following campus severe weather plans and going to the lowest level of their building, away from doorways and windows. 

March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month in the State of Iowa. Every year on the fourth Wednesday of March, the State of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department in conjunction with the Governor’s office run a statewide tornado drill. In years past Drake participates in this drill while testing our own procedures and protocols. The University will test its campus notification system, consisting of the sirens located in the blue light phones at the same time the City of Des Moines and Polk County test emergency sirens.

Tornado Facts:

  • Tornadoes 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 more than an hour.
  • Tornadoes 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! Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head.

— Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety

Strategic Updates Archive

DMPS Community Stadium at Drake University moving forward

Drake is pleased to announce that on March 10, The Des Moines School Board approved bids to build the DMPS Community Stadium at Drake University. The new stadium, located on land donated by Drake to DMPS east of the Knapp Center, will serve DMPS high school football and soccer programs and be the new on-campus home field for the Drake men’s and women’s soccer teams. Construction on the stadium will begin this spring with projected completion in the fall of 2023. More information on a celebratory groundbreaking ceremony will be shared in the near future.​

Strategic Updates Archive

Great Colleges to Work For survey: Your participation is needed

The Great Colleges to Work For (GCTWF) survey is back! On March 21, full-time faculty and staff will receive an email invitation to participate. 

What is the Great Colleges to Work For survey? 
The Great Colleges to Work For survey is the primary employee survey used by the University to gather feedback on our workplace culture. The survey is administered by ModernThink, a management-consulting firm focusing on workplace quality in higher education.  More information about the Great Colleges to Work For survey is available at greatcollegesprogram.com. 

Why should I participate? 
Your voice matters and your responses help the University identify opportunities to improve workplace satisfaction and engagement. Your responses provide valuable insight into employee opinions and needs. Overall responses are reviewed to identify actionable areas for improvement over the next year. We hope all employees will take time to complete this important survey. Our goal is to exceed last year’s response rate of 62%. The higher the response rate, the more accurate and complete the results.

Is participation mandatory? 
Participation is voluntary, although we do hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to share your feedback and make sure your voice is heard. A high response rate will help ensure an accurate representation of employee perspectives. 

Are my responses confidential? 
By having a third-party provider facilitate the survey process, your participation and the feedback you provide will be completely anonymous. No one at Drake will be able to trace results back to individuals. Drake will receive reports summarizing the results—but will not have access to any individual response data. Furthermore, ModernThink does not report back results for areas that have less than five respondents. Learn more by reading the Statement of Confidentiality. 

When and how do I participate? 
The 2022 survey period begins Monday, March 21, and ends Friday, April 1. The survey is administered online by ModernThink. Full-time faculty and staff will receive an email invitation to participate in the survey from ModernThink on March 21. 

How long will it take to complete the survey? 
It typically takes about 10–15 minutes to complete the survey depending on the amount of feedback you provide. 

How is the data used and will the results be shared? 
Consistent with past practice, a summary of the survey results will be shared with employees and will be used to identify our strengths and opportunities for improvement. Several key measures and targets in the University’s continuous improvement plan (CIP), and in many unit-level CIP’s, are tied directly to feedback from the survey. ModernThink also provides valuable benchmark data that we can use to compare our results against other similar institutions. This information helps senior leaders and individual units make informed, strategic decisions about new initiatives. 

Can I complete the survey during work hours? 
Yes. Faculty and staff are encouraged to complete the survey during working hours. Completing the survey is an important contribution that you can make to strengthen our campus community. 

Thanks for your support in advance! 

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Nate Reagen, Office of the President

Campus Announcements Archive

Men’s Basketball heading to Arch Madness in St. Louis

The Drake Men’s Basketball team is heading to Arch Madness in St. Louis March 3–6 where they are the 3-seed and will take on Southern Illinois on Friday, March 4, at 8:30 p.m. Drake University students can purchase $10 student tickets with their student ID card at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. To learn more about how to cheer on the Bulldogs in St. Louis, visit https://www.draketix.com/mvcstudents. 

— Aimee Lane, Athletics

For Students Archive

Working Worldwide info sessions

Do you have plans for after graduation? Interested in living and working abroad? Look no further than Working Worldwide, an opportunity for recent graduates to live and work in Kosovo for a year. Applications are now LIVE, and you can apply in Terra Dotta. Application deadline is April 1. 

Additionally, we’ll be holding information sessions throughout March. Here’s information on two upcoming sessions: 

At these information sessions, we will look at the placement opportunities and answer any questions you may have. If you are looking to expand your horizons, develop skills to be a competitive professional, and do something different after graduation, Working Worldwide is the program for you! If you have any questions, reach out to Nathan Jacobson (Nathan.jacobson@drake.edu), education abroad coordinator.

— Nathan Jacobson, Global Engagement

Campus Announcements Archive

Barbershop talk Friday

All Black men (students, faculty and staff) are invited to unwind and have a nice barbershop talk with people who look like them on Friday, March 4, at 4 p.m. in Collier-Scripps, Room 005. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Just bring yourselves and your thoughts as we talk about life, purpose, and goals. Drake students Parfait Ouedraogo and Damon Harrell are the organizers.

— Jen Harvey, Provost’s Office

Strategic Updates Archive

The Ones campaign hits $125 million milestone, now more than halfway to goal

Projects made possible by gifts to The Ones are already making a difference at Drake. Nearly four months after launching, the University’s comprehensive campaign is now more than halfway to its $225 million goal.

Donors have gifted $125 million to The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave and the Bold. The gifts will fund new scholarships that create opportunities, institutes that strengthen communities, and facilities that expand possibilities.

Some major gift highlights from the initial round of contributions:

  • Campaign co-chair and Drake Trustee Suzie Glazer Burt has donated more than $8 million to the campaign. Her generosity will help the Drake women’s basketball program reach new heights. She also changed the Drake campus, and the lives of thousands of local children forever, by funding the creation of the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club at Drake University.
  • Campaign co-chair and Drake Trustee Mark Ernst, BN’80, and his wife, LeighAnn Davis, believe so strongly in the mission of Drake University they have pledged $3 million for the University to use with no restrictions.
  • Peggy Fisher, FA’70, the chair of the Drake University Board of Trustees, and her husband Larry Stelter, are giving $3.325 million to the campaign. Their gift will be felt throughout the university including the Burt Club, the men’s basketball program, and the University’s annual fund and endowment. They will also help create the University Center, the future focal point of the Drake Campus.
  • Drake Trustee Paul Schickler, BN’74, GR’83, and his wife Claudia will make a difference in the health and viability of rural communities with a $6 million gift that will be used in part to create the Jay N. Darling Institute. The Schicklers’ gift will also help fund the men’s basketball program and Knapp Center renovation.
  • The Drake University Law School Refugee Clinic will be able to provide free legal services to individuals applying for asylum in the United States thanks to a $1 million gift from Karen Shaff, LW’79, and her husband Steven Jayne, LW’78.
  • Every year, one student with exceptional potential and a financial need will be able to attend Drake University Law School due to a $1 million gift from Sheldon Fleck, LW’75, and his wife Terry Fleck, PH’74. The chosen scholar will receive full tuition and additional financial support.
  • Honorary Campaign Chairs, Bill, BN’57, and Jean Buchanan, are inspiring entrepreneurs through the Buchanan Center. The Buchanans are gifting an additional $2 million to the Center to enhance its programming.
  • The University Center is coming closer to fruition with a $2 million gift from Gary Porter, BN’72, and his wife Melissa. In addition, the Porters have contributed a $100,000 endowed gift to the Changemaker Scholars program, which will help students use their talents to create positive change in the world.
  • Generations of Drake students will benefit from a $3 million collective gift from Meredith Corporation (now Dotdash Meredith) and the Edwin T. Meredith Foundation to renovate and enhance Meredith Hall, the home of Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Renovation work begins this summer.
  • Students who are the first in their families to attend a four-year university will benefit from a $1 million gift from the David J. Noble Foundation to the Noble Center in Drake’s College of Business and Public Administration. The gift will be used to create scholarships and fund the programming of the Center. In 2014, the late David Noble and American Equity committed $1.5 million for the CBPA to create the Noble Center.

Read the full press release, or for more information on the campaign, visit: theones.drake.edu.

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Bulldog Applause goes to Institutional Research and Academic Assessment

The Bulldog Applause program was created by the All Staff Council to let staff know how much they are appreciated, and to inform campus about the different departments at Drake.

Congratulations to the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment department for being recognized with the most recent Bulldog Applause. We appreciate all the work you do at Drake! Since Griff II was unavailable for the meeting, Christine shared her dog, Lucy, for the photo. Read a Q&A to learn more about the department:

The All Staff Council Recognition Committee honored the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment team with a Bulldog Applause. Since Griff II was unavailable to attend the meeting, Christine’s dog, Lucy, joined. 

How many staff members are in the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment department? 
We are a small but mighty team of three staff members.

What is the primary function of the team? 
The Office of Institutional Research and Academic Assessment serves as a source of information about Drake University. Our mission is to provide data, reports, and research that support institutional planning, strengthen teaching and learning, and promote understanding of the nature and quality of education at Drake University.

What staff member has been on the team the longest? 
Christine Marchand, institutional research coordinator, has been on the team for 13 years.

Who is the newest team member? 
Jessica Armstrong, data analyst

What campus building does your team “live” in?  
Howard Hall

What are some recent accomplishments that others in the University might not know? 
The team is going to roll out a suite of new reports using PowerBI as a reporting tool, which will add visualization and filtering tools to make information more accessible.

How does this staff foster a sense of community and belonging through their activities or sharing together here at Drake? 
The OIRA team enjoys engaging with others across the campus community in an effort to put information to good use. We may be data and assessment geeks, but the interactions with others is great fun. We frequently engage in projects that gather information about ways to improve our community (e.g., Climate Survey).

— Teresa Downs, Human Resources