All posts by Ashton Hockman

Strategic Updates Archive

Your participation is needed: Take the Campus Climate Survey

Please take the Campus Climate Survey to help us better understand the current climate at Drake University. The survey is open through Nov. 26 and should take about 20–30 minutes to complete. Your participation is an opportunity to DU What Matters.

Watch the video above as Bengu Erguner-Tekinalp, associate professor of education, shares, in her perspective, one of most significant advancements in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion since the 2015 Campus Climate Assessment.

— Erin Lain, Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion

Campus Announcements Archive

Space heater safety criteria

Portable electric space heaters can be a convenient source of supplemental heat in cold weather. Unfortunately, they can pose significant fire and electric shock hazards if not used properly. Space heaters without adequate safety features, space heaters placed near combustibles, or space heaters that are improperly plugged in can cause fire and electrical hazards.

Space heaters used at Drake should meet the following safety criteria:

  • Tip-Over Power Cut-Off Switch
  • Automatic Thermostat Control
  • Overheat Protection Device (Shuts power off if unit overheats)
  • UL Approval
  • Housing That Is Cool To Touch

Safety should always be a top consideration when using space heaters. Here are some tips for keeping safe and warm when it’s cold outside:

  • Make sure your space heater has the label showing that it is listed by a recognized testing laboratory.
  • Before using any space heater, read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning labels carefully.
  • Inspect heaters for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections before each use. If frayed, worn or damaged, do not use the heater.
  • Never leave a space heater unattended. Turn it off when you’re leaving a room or going to sleep.
  • Proper placement of space heaters is critical. Heaters must be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including papers, clothing and rugs.
  • Locate space heaters out of high traffic areas and doorways where they may pose a tripping hazard.
  • Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire. Do not plug any other electrical devices into the same outlet as the heater.
  • Place space heaters on level, flat surfaces. Never place heaters on cabinets, tables, or furniture
  • Always unplug and safely store the heater when it is not in use.

— Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety

Strategic Updates Archive

The Campus Climate Survey is open

DU What Matters—that’s the theme of this year’s Campus Climate Survey. At Drake we seek to create an environment characterized by openness, fairness, and equity for all students, faculty, and staff.Please take the Campus Climate Survey to help us better understand the current climate at Drake University. The survey is open through Nov. 26 and should take about 20–30 minutes to complete. Your participation is an opportunity to DU What Matters.

Take the survey

This confidential survey is designed to gauge the current attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of students, faculty, and staff at Drake. We will use survey responses to identify opportunities for making improvements and taking tangible steps toward creating a more positive and inclusive campus climate. Please be assured that all of your answers will remain confidential, and the results will be reported in the aggregate. 

Creating change
Five years ago, when we collected data through the last climate survey, a host of positive steps were taken to make our campus community more inclusive and equitable. Here is a list of the top ten initiatives to come out of the project:

  1. Creation of the Bulldog Foundations course
  2. Creation of the Equity Action Partners
  3. Adoption of the preferred name policy
  4. Adoption of the employee leave policy
  5. Creation of Drake’s Commitment to Equity and Inclusion statement
  6. Requiring Haven training on equity and inclusion for all incoming students
  7. Development of the Flight program
  8. Overhaul of the EthicsPoint reporting platform
  9. Development of the CORE pipeline program
  10. Overhaul of the Title IX office

Win a prize!
When you complete the survey, you will be directed to a different page to submit your name into a drawing for a variety of prizes. The two sites are completely separate, so please be assured that confidentiality of survey responses will be protected. Prizes include: 

  • Drake parking pass
  • Starbucks gift cards
  • Drake apparel
  • Pizza party for residence hall floor/office
  • $200 in funding for a research assistant
  • Drake Relays tickets
  • Basketball tickets
  • Griff socks

The Campus Climate Survey has been acknowledged as an exempt study by the Drake Institutional Review Board. Additional information about the project is available at drake.edu/duwhatmatters. Thank you in advance for your contribution to the future of Drake University.

— Erin Lain, Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Faculty Fellows for Community Engaged Learning & Global Service-Learning

Thanks to support from the Slay Fund for Social Justice (http://www.drake.edu/slay) and the Olson Endowment for Global Service-Learning, the office of Community Engaged Learning (OCEL) is hiring two faculty fellows to work with the Director of Community Engaged Learning on programming and initiatives that support faculty and staff in implementing community engagement and service-learning pedagogy. The faculty fellow positions are a two-year opportunity for Drake full-time faculty members (non-tenure-track, tenure-track, or tenured) to expand, deepen, and disseminate their mastery of community engaged learning to others. Fellows will begin their term in spring 2020 and receive a $3,000 stipend ($1,500 in June and $1,500 in December). In addition to the stipend, there is funding to support participation in scholarly activities such as conferences in support of strengthening or promoting community engagement at Drake.

For specific details about each position please visit: https://www.drake.edu/community/learningservice/facultyopportunities/awardsfellowships/.

Faculty interested in serving in either role should send a letter of interest and CV to renee.sedlacek@drake.edu by Dec. 2. The statement of interest should address why you want to serve as a faculty fellow and how this position contributes to your personal, professional, and scholarly development.

— Renee Sedlacek, Director of Community Engaged Learning

Campus Announcements Archive

Major gift announcement for Meredith Hall

Please join the School of Journalism and Mass Communication on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 2:30 p.m. for a major gift announcement for the renovation of Meredith Hall. The event will be held in Meredith, Room 104. Following the announcement, there will be refreshments, networking and tours of Meredith Hall, a unique mid-century modern building designed by famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Drake is celebrating 100 years of journalism and mass communication education in 2019–2020.

— Kathleen Richardson, Dean, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Campus Announcements Archive

Retirement celebration for Jolene Schmidt

Facilities Planning and Management will host a retirement open house for Jolene Schmidt, director of capital projects, on Friday, Dec. 6, from 12:30–2:30 p.m. in the Paul Morrison Room. Jolene will be retiring after 38 years of serving faculty, staff, students and visitors. She held several roles in her career at Drake starting in the stock room and eventually being involved in over $201 million of capital improvements across the campus. All will greatly miss her vast historical knowledge of Drake’s campus growing and changing over the years.

Please join us in thanking Jolene for her dedicated service and commitment to Drake, congratulating her on this well-deserved retirement.

— Kevin Moran, Executive Director, Facilities Planning and Management

Strategic Updates Archive

United Way: Together we create change

It’s next week! The 2019 United Way Campaign will be held from Monday, Nov. 11, through 3 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15. You may read about the campaign and see the full list of incentives by visiting drake.edu/unitedway.

“United Way of Central Iowa ensures we’re able to prioritize the highest quality of youth programming,” shared Kendra Allen, director of the Burt Boys and Girls Club.

Remember, 100% of funds raised stay within central Iowa and support programing like Character Counts. “The donations impact our community’s youngest children through their early childhood educators and have direct connections to their families and caregivers,” stated Scott Raecker, executive director of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center.

There will be a happy hour campaign kickoff Friday, Nov. 8, at 3:30 p.m.—watch for a special invitation from President Martin.

— Ryan Arnold, Director, Community Engagement

Strategic Updates Archive

Volunteers needed to help spread the word about the Campus Climate Survey

Drake’s Campus Climate Assessment Survey begins next Tuesday, Nov. 5, and we are looking for 100 volunteers to help spread the word and encourage participation. Click here to sign up for a volunteer opportunity. Volunteers are needed to hang door hangers, manage pop-up stations, and handout cupcakes. Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt.

To learn more about the 2019 Campus Climate Assessment, visit the DU What Matters website

— Erin Lain, Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion