All posts by Ashton Hockman

News & Achievements Archive

Faculty accomplishments: Aug. 29

Last month, Associate Professor of English Lisa West participated in the weeklong Council of Independent Colleges Seminar on Landscape and Identity at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Conn. The seminar focused on art history and the use of visual culture in teaching, with the thematic focus on British and American landscape art of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Council of Independent Colleges is a group of independent liberal arts colleges and universities that organizes events, seminars, and activities to improve leadership on the university level, institutional visibility within communities, faculty development, and the contributions of higher education to society. West has been teaching at Drake for 15 years. She received her doctorate degree from Stanford in English and American Literature.

— Lisa West, Department of English

Featured Events Archive

This week in Drake athletics

Women’s Soccer
Drake vs. UMKC
Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.
Cownie Soccer Complex

Football
Drake vs. South Dakota
Sept. 2 at 6 p.m.
Drake Stadium

Women’s Soccer
Drake vs. North Dakota State
Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.
Cownie Soccer Complex
*Stub Swap—Redeem your football ticket from Sept. 2 for complimentary admission to the match!

— Tom Florian, Ticket Sales and Donor Management

HR Information Archive

Monthly Motivator: Contributing to a healthy environment

Each month, Human Resources will introduce a new Monthly Motivator as a fun and simple way to promote healthy habits. The Monthly Motivator for September is all about contributing to a healthy environment. The goal is to find ways to preserve Mother Earth. It could be as simple as picking up litter around your workplace or home, shortening your showers, or safely disposing medicines.

Click here  for a copy of September’s Monthly Motivator flyer, which includes a tracking form and more information on the challenge.

Use this as an opportunity to discover new ways to protect the planet. Compete with your co-workers to see who can mark off the most days on their tracking form, share ideas on ways to be green, or create a team building activity around the challenge.

Keep a-look-out for October’s challenge.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Healthy eating class: Sept. 19

In today’s busy world, it can be hard to find time to prepare healthy meals, which means more dining out, fast food, or processed snacks. Join Lucas Flaherty on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 10 a.m. in the Olmsted Center, Room 310/311, as he shares some easy and quick healthy meal planning advice. This presentation includes both information on programs such as Blue Apron as well as more traditional tips if you are buying from a grocery store and cooking at home. And, for between meals, discover some quick, low-cost, healthy snacks.

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

Contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu to register for this class. The 2017–2018 BUILD online registration form will be available soon.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources 

HR Information Archive

Unwind with a chair massage

Relax and re-energize your day with a chair massage. Ten- and 20-minute chair massages will be offered on campus Sept. 20 and 21 and Nov. 7 and 8. Cost is $10 for a 10-minute massage. Payment should be given directly to Anne Boal, licensed massage therapist, at the time of appointment. Correct change, cash, or check is required.

Those who participate will have the chance to win a gift certificate for a free 10-minute chair massage. One name will be drawn from those who receive a massage in September, and again in November.

Click the link below to register for the day and time of your choice. You may register for one or two time slots per registration sheet.

Sept. 20: Cowles Library, Collier Heritage Room, 2–4 p.m.

Sept. 21: Aliber Hall, Conference Room 204,  11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Nov. 7: Cline Hall, Conference Room 101, 2–4 p.m.

Nov. 8: Olmsted Center, Drake Room, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

For additional information, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources 

For Students Archive

Student workers to complete paperwork at Student Services Center

Human Resources and Student Services are partnering to provide a convenient service to newly employed students. Newly employed students who work on campus will complete their I-9 and W-4s at the Student Services Center, in Carnegie Hall. To comply with federal law, students will still be required to provide original documentation to complete this paperwork by the first day that they work. A list of acceptable documents is accessible online. As a reminder, only students who have never worked on campus need to complete this paperwork. Student work should not begin until the I-9 (and documentation) has been completed.

— Debra Wiley, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Drake Athletics to host faculty/staff appreciation week: Oct. 6–13

New this year, Drake Athletics will host a faculty/staff appreciation week. Faculty and staff are eligible to receive up to four complimentary tickets to the events listed below. Tickets may be picked up at the Drake athletics ticket office Monday–Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or at the ticket window on game day. A valid Drake Card must be shown at time of pick up.

Women’s Soccer
Drake vs. Indiana State
Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
Cownie Soccer Complex

Football
Drake vs. Dayton
Oct. 7 at 1 p.m.
Drake Stadium

Men’s Soccer
Drake vs. Loyola
Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
Cownie Soccer Complex

Women’s Soccer
Drake vs. UNI
Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.
Cownie Soccer Complex

Volleyball
Drake vs. Missouri State
Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.
Knapp Center

More information is available at www.DrakeTix.com/promotions. For questions, call 515-271-3647 or email tickets@drake.edu.

— Tom Florian, Ticket Sales and Donor Management

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

From the Office of the Associate Provost

Friday FYS lunch/discussion: Sept. 8

The first Friday First Year Seminar lunch/discussion will be held Sept. 8 at 12 p.m. in TMR 133. While these meetings are designed for those currently teaching FYS, we welcome those with an interest in teaching FYS in the future. If you would like to attend, click here  and note your lunch preference.

Engaged Citizen Experience planning meeting: Sept. 8

Each spring semester, Drake sponsors its Engaged Citizen Experience––a series of cocurricular events designed to bring Drake students, staff, and faculty together with the Greater Des Moines community to discuss important political and social issues. The theme for the spring semester will be: Nourishing (Feeding) the World. The theme was selected based on student interest as reflected in a survey done of returning students last April, as well as feedback from faculty and staff who either attended a meeting on Aug. 16, or who sent their perspectives to us. It is an issue with multiple dimensions at the local, state, national, and international levels.

If you are interested in helping plan Engaged Citizen Experience events, including our annual Engaged Citizen Conference and documentary film series, the first meeting will be held on Friday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. in Old Main, Room 208.

Join the discussion on inclusive learning environments: Sept. 11

For the past two years, a group of faculty and staff have been meeting monthly to discuss issues related to creating inclusive learning environments. The meetings will continue and will be open to anyone on campus who wishes to talk about the challenges, successes, and failures we have faced as we try to navigate this difficult issue. This semester, the group will meet the second Monday of the month at 3:30 p.m. Hence, the first meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11, in the Olmsted Center, Drake Room.

For questions, contact Arthur Sanders at arthur.sanders@drake.edu.

— Arthur Sanders, Associate Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Town hall meeting on HLC accreditation and social event

Faculty and staff are invited to attend a town hall meeting on Drake’s institutional accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. in the Shivers Hospitality Suite. Kevin Saunders and Craig Owens will present a brief but compelling summary of our case for reaccreditation and an overview of our continuing preparations. A short Q&A will follow the presentation.

During the social hour immediately following the Q&A, guests can enjoy a beer, glass of wine, or non-alcoholic alternative, and reconnect with one another as we embark together on the beginning of the academic year. Worried about running out of things to talk about during the Social? We’ve got you covered. An exciting array of posters will bring the accreditation process to life and celebrate our many collective achievements since our last HLC review, nearly 10 years ago.

In addition to complimentary beverages, there will be snacks and popcorn. Parking is available nearby.

— Drinda Williams, Provost’s Office

Campus Announcements Archive

Construction of Ray Promenade: Street and building access points

Construction began yesterday on the Robert D. and Billie Ray Promenade. All gates will be closed, limiting access to the construction area. The project, although weather dependent, is expected to be completed by the middle of December.

The Law School Parking Lot (north of Opperman Library) will remain open until approximately Oct. 15. When accessing campus, from east to west, use the north side of Forest Avenue or the south side of Carpenter Avenue.

Weitz Construction will be closing the south lane on Forest Avenue from the Science Connector Building to 27th Street. Concrete barriers will be installed on the south lane to enable pedestrians to use the west cross walk at 27th Street and Forest Avenue. Carpenter Avenue and Painted Street will be closed for construction. Click here for a map of the impacted construction area.

Building Access

The construction project will impact several buildings on campus. The buildings affected are listed below. The doors will be open to faculty, staff, and students.

  • Collier-Scripps: use the north doors
  • Olin: use the southwest door or the northeast door
  • Human Resources and the International Center: accessible from Forest Avenue using the Law School parking entrance. Enter The Point using the north door for Human Resources and the East door for the International Center.
  • Cartwright Law School: use the south doors

For questions, contact Jolene Schmidt at jolene.schmidt@drake.edu.

— Jolene Schmidt, Facilities Planning and Management