All posts by Ashton Hockman

Campus Announcements Archive

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Events

On Monday, Jan. 20, you can honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at events across central Iowa — Make it a day ON, not a day off.

7th Annual MLK Jr. Prayer Breakfast
7:30 a.m., The Knapp Center, hosted by John R. Grubb YMCA
This community event celebrates Dr. King’s legacy and promotes his message for peace and justice and recognizes the winners of the 2020 Make a Difference Awards. Proceeds benefit the John R. Grubb Community YMCA’s annual campaign, giving local families access to the Y through financial assistance and supports enrichment programs like Starfish Academy, a summer literacy camp. Listen to keynote speakers, a gospel choir, and more. Purchase a ticket.

Undesign the Redline Exhibit
10 a.m., 2 p.m., or 5 p.m., Franklin Jr. High
Stop in for a tour of this Polk County Housing Trust Fund exhibit at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., or 5 p.m. on MLK Jr. Day. This exhibit provides background on federal policies started in the 1930s which neighborhoods were worthy of investment specifically due to the race, ethnicity, and class of residents. These policies had a profoundly negative social and economic impact on those living in “undesirable” neighborhoods, especially African American residents, that persist to this day. The exhibit takes place at Franklin Jr. High.

MLK Day of Service at Bidwell Food Pantry
Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks including helping clients check in for clothing and bread, stocking food pantry shelves, hanging and sorting donations, and cleaning and sanitizing day care rooms. Sign up on the United Way of Central Iowa’s website.

Urban Dreams MLK Day of Service
9 a.m.–1 p.m. at Urban Dreams (601 Forest Ave.)
The day of service will help the organization with thanking supporters, enhancing programming, deep cleaning the office so clients have a nice place for services, and other tasks needed. Learn more.

MLK Day of Service at Community Youth Concepts
10 a.m.–12 p.m. at CYC (1446 Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy.)
Community Youth Concepts will host service projects from 10 a.m. to noon at CYC. All are invited to participate! There will be a variety of service projects for people of all ages including: making cards for Please Pass the Love, assembling reading packets and making bookmarks for Everybody Wins! Iowa, making seed bombs and bird feeders thanks to Des Moines Parks and Recreation, and making CYC and Stowe Heights magnets to give out at the Annual Spotlight of Service Event. Come you when can, leave when you need to. Learn more.

MLK Jr. Day Packaging event at Meals From the Heartland
Volunteer for a 90-minute shift to package meals for the hungry here in Iowa and around the world. Learn more.

MLK Day of Service Blood Drive
LifeServe will host a blood drive in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. at both LifeServe locations. Donors will receive a free gift. Visit lifeservebloodcenter.org to book your appointment.

MLK Day Celebration at the Forest Avenue Library
4–5 p.m. at Forest Avenue Library
Join the Forest Avenue Library and the DSM community to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and remember the principles and beliefs for which he fought. The event will feature keynote speaker Dwana Bradley, recognition of student art and creative writing entries, and a hands-on art experience for youth with artist Jill Wells. All six DMPL locations will be closed in recognition of the holiday. Forest Ave. Library will only be open during the program. Learn more.

Volunteer Fair
5–7 p.m. at the Urbandale Public Library
Learn about volunteer opportunities and organizations to volunteer within Urbandale. In addition, those with library fines can donate a new personal care item or nonperishable food item to have fines removed.

Free admission at Science Center of Iowa
SCI invites the community to visit, explore programs and exhibits, and bring learning to life with free admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day thanks to support from Principal Financial Group.

Free ice skating at Brenton Skating Rink
8–9 a.m. at Brenton Skating Rink
Free ice skating with donations of warm clothing, such as: Hats, gloves, mittens, and socks. All donations will be distributed to area shelters. Learn more.

Sing Ebenezer! Songs and Stories from Martin Luther King’s Neighborhood
7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 21, Bldg. #6 Auditorium on the DMACC Ankeny Campus, A free-will offering will be taken
The show is an original program created by the Thresholds Music Projects, Inc.  It features two close friends of the King family.  Dr. Albert Brinson was an assistant minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church with Dr. King and his father before Dr. King was killed. The other is operatic soprano Sherry Dukes, who was encouraged in her singing by the Rev. King, Sr. and went on to sing with the Houston Grand Opera. They will be joined by Broadway and film performer Roosevelt André Credit and world renowned opera star Simon Estes. Learn more.

People are also encouraged to reflect upon our complex history and how we might best honor Dr. King’s legacy. Iowa Campus Compact shares these resources to explore:

Please contact Amanda Martin, Assistant Director for Community Engaged Learning, at amanda.martin@drake.edu or 515-271-2767 for more information.

Strategic Updates Archive

Democratic presidential debate parking update

Today (Tuesday, Jan. 14) Drake will host a nationally-televised live Democratic presidential candidate debate in Sheslow Auditorium, sponsored by CNN, the Democratic National Committee, and The Des Moines Register.

The debate will bring a large number of people to campus, including audience members, national media, campaign staff, and others. This creates a substantial amount of logistical planning, as well as parking and security concerns that all members of the campus community should be aware of. Please make note of the following:

  • The Bell Center gym is restricted and open to only media today and tomorrow. The Bell Center is the site of the “spin room” where reporters can talk with the candidates and representatives following the debate.
  • Old Main will close at noon today for security reasons and reopen tomorrow morning.
  • Parking Lot 13 (South of Forest Avenue and adjacent to the Ray Promenade) is closed to campus today and reserved for media.
  • Parking Lot 1A (adjacent to the Dial Center) is designated as the campaign visibility area. Parking is unavailable today through the end of the event.
  • Parking Lots 16 (Olmsted Center) & 24 (Aliber Hall) are open to debate attendees as well as University Community members.
  • The block of Carpenter Avenue west of 25th Street is closed today through the conclusion of the event.
  • There will be a heightened police presence on campus today. Also, expect some traffic delays and temporary road closures as candidates and reporters arrive to campus.

Thank you for your help in ensuring that this is a positive experience for all of the individuals visiting campus, as well as for all members of our campus community.

— Scott Law, Director, Public Safety & Operational Services

Strategic Updates Archive

University Avenue construction update

During the week of Jan. 12, there will be construction related activity in the 2900 block of University Avenue between 29th Street and Walgreens. This activity is related to planned relocations of three homes to the Sherman Hill neighborhood, currently planned for Feb. 11 starting at 9 p.m. (weather postponement date is Feb. 18). We are pleased that there is continuing interest in the purchase of endowment-held houses for the purpose of relocation and continued use. As we plan for future University and neighborhood uses and evaluate the feasibility of continuing to maintain and operate rental properties, a key part of our strategy is to seek opportunities to encourage home relocation. Over the past few years, four homes have been relocated from Drake property.

Not all of the vacant homes on this block are able to be moved due to structural damage or other conditions that prevent relocation. Some of those homes need to be removed in order to facilitate the process of relocating the other homes. That process will begin this week, with contractors scheduled to be on site on Wednesday, Jan. 15.  Drake has worked closely with Habitat for Humanity to facilitate the reclamation of items from within these homes. Steps have also been taken to abate any environmental conditions in the homes.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Kelly Foster at Kelly.foster@drake.edu.

Additional work is underway on plans for this area going forward. We look forward to sharing more on plans for the future in the coming weeks.

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer 

HR Information Archive

2020 Wellness premium incentive program guidelines

In 2019 we took a closer look at the faculty & staff wellness program, including biometric screenings, to determine best practices as it relates to the well-being of our staff.  Aggregate reports indicated that wellness program biometric screenings did not significantly improved health measures for organizations’ participants. While screenings identify basic health risks, employees may or may not follow up with a physician for treatment of any conditions or issue detected in the screening. Biometric screenings are also limited in scope while annual physicals cover a wider array of physical and mental health conditions, including a review of health history, medications, vaccinations, mental health symptoms, and scheduling of recommended preventative screenings.

Articles were placed in OnCampus and HR Monthly explaining potential changes to the wellness premium incentive program.  After carefully reviewing the comments,the decision has been made to move forward with a physician only option in 2020. 

Those employees wishing to participate in the wellness program and receive the reduced premium for the 2021 plan year will need to complete an annual physical with a primary care doctor between Dec. 1, 2019, and Nov. 30, 2020, and submit the attached Physician Exam Completion Form by Dec. 2, 2020. 

We extended our timeline for receiving a physical back to Dec. 1, 2019, to include those employees with December physicals.  Any employee who completed their physical last December should have their physician fill out the attached Physician Completion Form and return it to the Drake Human Resources Office, attention Linda Feiden. 

The on-campus UnityPoint screening and Hy-Vee screening option will no longer be available.  Also, we will continue to offer voluntary on campus screenings with the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, but they will not take the place of the annual physical with a primary care provider.

Should you have questions, please contact Linda Feiden in Human Resources at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Tree work to begin on campus

Earlier this year, Facilities Planning and Management staff walked the campus with a registered arborist from Perficut Companies to develop a maintenance plan for trees on Drake’s campus.  The work includes crowning, pruning away from buildings, and removal.  The trees being removed have begun to decay and have become safety hazards. Removing them helps to preserve the health of remaining trees and maintains the safety of everyone who visits campus from falling limbs that have died. Perficut will be on campus over the next 2–3 weeks completing the tree work depending on weather and accessibility to the trees with equipment.  If you have questions, please contact Patrick Williams, grounds supervisor.

View a map for a location of trees that require pruning, crowning, or removal.

— Patrick Williams, Grounds Supervisor

Strategic Updates Archive

New capital planning process in the works

Facilities, Planning & Management ( FP&M) has seen a significant increase in requests for capital planning and management services since the addition of the Design and Planning manager position (Michelle Huggins). Currently, there are over 20 projects in various stages of planning being managed within FP&M, including construction of the Harkin Institute, University streetscape improvements and updates to Hubbell Dining Hall. With increased demand for these services, has come the need to develop a process to manage the approval, scheduling, and managing of projects.
In the coming months, FP&M will redesign its process for requesting capital and project planning services. Much like the Portfolio Project Management Process in ITS, the process will assess and gain executive approval for facilities related project requests, allowing for a more systematic planning and execution cycle. 


As this new process is being developed (between now and April 15th), there will be a moratorium on new planning/design and capital project requests. If you currently have a request for design or planning services, you will be contacted with what to expect on your project during this moratorium phase. If you have a critical need during this period, please contact me directly and we can discuss the best approach for evaluation of your capital planning needs. 

Watch for more updates on the new process in future editions of OnCampus.

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer 

Campus Announcements Archive

Drake Neighborhood Association installs holiday lights

Be sure to drive by campus in the evening to check out the holiday decorations the Drake Neighborhood Association installed on the construction fences. The Association hung lights at key spots in the neighborhood and held a special holiday lighting event Monday, Dec. 16. The lights and event were possible by a grant from Invest DSM, several neighborhood volunteers, and cooperation from Drake Facilities Planning and Management and Drake Public Safety, Weitz Construction, and Nelson Development. Hopefully, this brings some holiday cheer to neighbors as we exercise construction patience.

— Ryan Arnold, director of community engagement, University Advancement