All posts by Ashton Hockman

CHINA Town Hall

The eleventh annual CHINA Town Hall will take place Oct. 24 and will feature Ambassador Susan E. Rice, former national security advisor and U.S. ambassador to the UN, as the webcast speaker.

CHINA Town Hall is a national conversation about the country’s economic, political, and security relations with China. More than 80 venues around the country, including Drake, participate in the event. The webcast will be shown from 6 to 8 p.m. in Sussman Theater, and will be preceded by a live, on-site discussion with Ira Kasoff titled, “Are We on the Verge of the Chinese Century.” The event is free and open to the public.

China’s emergence as a global power, role as an important trading partner, and potential collaborator in key U.S. global policies ensures that U.S.-China relations will affect the lives of every American. This discussion will help participants to understand the challenges and opportunities of what has been characterized as the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century.

Ira Kasoff is an author and senior counselor with APCO Worldwide. He is a former deputy assistant secretary for Asia with the U.S. Department of Commerce, principal commercial officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, commercial counselor at the American Embassy in Tokyo, and senior commercial officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong. Earlier in his career, Kasoff worked for the Boston Consulting Group, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and as the Beijing representative for the Fuqua World Trade Corporation.

Ambassador Susan E. Rice was national security advisor (2013–2017) for the Obama administration and U.S. permanent representative to the UN (2009–2013), as well as U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs and senior director for African affairs at the National Security Council. Her critical role as a presidential advisor developing and executing U.S. foreign policy make her perspective on the relationship especially relevant during this uncertain time in the bilateral relationship.

Jeffrey Kappen, College of Business & Public Administration

Fall Sussman Lecture to feature South Carolina Mayor

Join The Harkin Institute as it welcomes Columbia, S.C., Mayor Stephen Benjamin to Drake on Monday, Oct. 30. Mayor Benjamin will discuss some of the top issues facing American cities and their elected leaders at 7 p.m. in Sussman Theater, Olmsted Center.

The city of Columbia has confronted many social issues faced by local governments across the country, including ongoing conversations about race, equality and the role of monuments in our society; sanctuary cities and creating welcoming environments; and how cities have become more proactive in the face of state and federal government inaction.

Benjamin was first elected mayor of Columbia in 2010 and currently is seeking his third term in office. He serves as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and will assume leadership of the organization in 2018. Benjamin has been praised as a thoughtful, innovative leader on issues facing Columbia and American cities in general.

As the capital city of South Carolina, Columbia has been at the center of ongoing discussions about how and where to display confederate symbols, and in 2015, removed the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina Capitol grounds.

Earlier this year, Benjamin joined mayors across the country seeking clarification on how local authorities should enforce immigration policies and potential consequences for communities that identify themselves as “sanctuary cities.”

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Emily Schettler, The Harkin Institute

Participation requested: Survey of Administrative Services

An important aspect of our Continuous Improvement Plan is annually assessing our performance in delivering services to campus. To that end, I encourage you to complete the fall 2017 Survey of Administrative Services. It should take approximately ten minutes to fill out.

The survey focuses on six areas: Human Resources, Facilities Planning and Management, Information Technology Services, Finance, Public Safety, and University Communications. The survey was developed by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment in collaboration with several other of our colleagues. Continuous improvement efforts are meant to drive intentional and strategic action. Your feedback will help these departments understand where service gaps may exist and how they can better meet the needs of our University.

Thank you in advance for your participation. I look forward to sharing the results with the campus community.

—Marty Martin, President

Open house to celebrate new additions to Sprout Garden

The Sprout Des Moines Urban Youth Learning Garden at Drake will host a free open house on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 12 p.m. to celebrate new additions to the garden, share fall and winter gardening tips, and distribute samples of fresh produce. The open house will take place at the community garden located on the corner of Drake’s campus at Forest Avenue and 25th Street.

A pre-open house for Drake faculty and staff will be held on Friday, Oct. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Faculty and staff are encouraged to stop by and enjoy their lunch break in the newly furnished garden.

The open house will feature the unveiling of a new porch swing and pergola. It will also include a local expert discussing fall and winter gardening, sampling of fresh produce, refreshments, music, and community fellowship.

The event is free and open to the public; donations of canned foods and personal hygiene products are accepted, but not required.

For more information on the event or garden, contact Amanda Martin at amanda.martin@drake.edu.

Lindsay Finnell

‘Did U Know’ course to highlight campus departments and services

This past year, Drake held a series of Did U Know classes that highlighted University departments and campus services. Based on positive feedback, Human Resources will be offering the class again with new topics.

The first presentation will be held Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m., in Olmsted Center, Rooms 310/311. It will cover Public Safety, Event Management, Campus Mail Operations, and Card Operations. Scott Law, director of public safety and operational services; Matt Miller, university events manager for the office of conference and event services; Tim Reger, mail service manager of postal operations; and Sara Heijerman, student services center manager, will present.

Participants will earn BUILD (Bulldogs United in Learning Drake) credits and be entered into a drawing at the end of the semester.

Additional BUILD information, including an online registration form, is accessible under the blueView Employee tab, in the Learning & Development section of Human Resources.

Email Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu for more information.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Work/life balance class

The demands of work and family share importance in our lives but how do we budget our time? Join presenter Johanna Dunlevy from Employee and Family Resources on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 10 a.m. in Olmsted Center, Rooms 310/311, as she shares how effective life skills can help to make informed decisions and manage stress. Attendess will learn how to develop a blueprint for time management and sort out what is and isn’t important in order to restore balance in everyday living.

Participants will earn BUILD (Bulldogs United in Learning Drake) credits and be entered into a drawing at the end of the semester.

Additional BUILD information, including an online registration form, is accessible under the blueView Employee tab, in the Learning & Development section of Human Resources.

Email Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu for more information.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Last day for biometric screenings Thursday

Time is running out to participate in the Drake Wellness Incentive program. If you’re on Drake’s health plan and wish to save approximately $300 off your health insurance premium in 2018, you must complete a wellness screening and online wellness assessment.

Log into the UnityPoint Health online registration form with the username DRAKE and password SCREEN (in all CAPS). The only day left to receive an on-campus screening is Thursday, Oct. 19 between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. in the lower level of the Olmsted Center. If the appointment schedule is full, contact Linda Feiden by Wednesday, Oct. 18. There will be no make-up dates­­––this is your last chance.

If you registered for an on-campus screening but don’t remember your appointment date and time, check your received, spam, or deleted email folders for an email confirmation from UnityPoint with the subject: Health Screen Confirmation. It would have been delivered to the email address you entered on your registration. Questions regarding the on-campus UnityPoint screenings should be sent to unitypointhealth.desmoines@gmail.com.

If you need to cancel an on-campus screening, send an email to jennifer.umphfleet@unitypoint.org with your name, date, and time of appointment you wish to cancel. You will need to re-register online for a new appointment. Changes can be made up to 48 hours prior to the appointment, if slots are still available.

If you have already completed your biometric screening, don’t forget to complete your online wellness assessment on wellmark.com by Nov. 17.

For questions, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu or 271-1880.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Open enrollment begins Friday

The open enrollment period for employee benefits will begin Friday, Oct. 20. Look for an email from Human Resources on enrollment instructions for Drake’s medical, wellness, dental, and flexible spending account plans.

Medical and dental rates will remain unchanged again this year. In the current health care environment, this is certainly good news. Plan participants should be commended for taking care of their health, participating in wellness programming, and using their benefits wisely. Human Resources and the University Benefits Committee also deserve thanks for making key changes over the past several years, resulting in a more stable plan with less volatility and greater predictability.

The open enrollment period is a good opportunity to reflect on the guiding principles of Drake employee benefits, which is to provide:

  • Quality benefits that are responsive to the needs of employee’s and their families
  • A total benefit package that is competitive with our peers and other Iowa employers
  • Straightforward, efficient benefits that maximize our resources for the most impact

One of the key features of the Drake medical plan is protection in the event of a catastrophic illness. For example, the out of pocket maximum that any participant will pay in any plan year is lower than the median of other institutions of higher education and Iowa employers. To hear more about plan features and decisions like these, plan to attend one of three informational meetings on:

  • Oct. 26, at 3 p.m.
  • Nov. 1, at 12 p.m.
  • Nov. 14, at 2 p.m.

All three meetings will be held in Olmsted Center, Room 310.

—Venessa Macro, Finance and Administration

Calling all first-gen Bulldogs

The Office of New Student Programs is looking for staff and faculty who were the first in their family to earn a four-year degree to help support and engage with first-generation students on campus.

First-generation staff and faculty are encouraged to wear a “First Gen Bulldog” button Oct. 23–27 to show support for current first-generation students and to help them identify with faculty and staff who understand their experiences.

To conclude the week, a lunch will be held Oct. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Cowles Library, Room 201. The lunch will be casual with pizza provided. Feel free to drop in and out as needed. First-generation faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend.

If you are interested in participating by wearing a button and/or attending the lunch, please fill out a survey.

This initiative is part of the Office of New Student Programs’ efforts to grow Drake’s support and resources for first-generation students. Approximately 10–14 percent of first year students at Drake are the first in their family to pursue a four-year degree. Click here for more information and to watch a video of faculty, staff, and students sharing stories and advice on the first-generation experience.

For questions, contact Marina Verlengia at marina.verlengia@drake.edu.

—Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs