All posts by admin

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

COVID reminders; free government-provided COVID tests

Unfortunately, COVID-19 has not gone away. In fact, in recent weeks, we have seen an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations both nationally and within the State of Iowa. We want all of our employees and students to remain healthy and be in the best position to recover quickly if they do get sick.

Sharing Is Not Caring…During Flu Season: Whether the cause is COVID-19, the flu, or a strong cold, if you have active symptoms (a fever, runny nose, cough, congestion), please do not come to campus. Have a plan: test for COVID. Call in sick, if you need to. Work from home if you are feeling okay but concerned you could be contagious. Visit our COVID-19 and Other Contagious Illnesses page for additional guidance.

Have COVID Tests on Hand: Starting on Sept. 25, the government is once again allowing households four COVID free tests that can be ordered from Covidtests.gov. If you do not have COVID tests at home, we encourage you to order more free test kits to have on hand.

Get Your COVID Booster: Boosters are now available and the CDC recommends updated COVID-19 vaccine for fall/winter virus season. It is easy to schedule online a time to get your booster with CVS or another pharmacy.

Get Your Flu Shot, Too: You can get your flu shot when you receive you COVID booster. Thanks to our friends in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Hy-Vee, there are also still flu shot dates available to receive your shot on campus.

As we head back into cold and flu season, please be thinking about both yourself and others.

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

For Students Archive

Admission Cole-ition Volunteer opportunity

As you will recall from your own college search, the most influential person you talked with during your college visits were current students. The interaction that you have with prospective students and family members will impact their future interest in Drake and ultimately play a significant role in the student’s decision-making process. 

The goal of the Office of Admission is to articulate and communicate Drake’s mission statement which serves as a promise. As a representative of Drake, it is critical that you know, understand and communicate the tenets of the mission of the University through information and stories. As a member of Cole-ition you will provide tours to families, interact with prospective students, meet Drake staff and students, get service hours, develop speaking skills, and have a great resume builder!

If you are interested fill out this form with your information:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2jSVnZdysnZkexJTxJPoIDL6qv3DqpPzft26VCVz6OUmn-A/viewform?fce_id=bd75ed72-d919-4544-b0eb-3c0e94ce726b

An informational session will be held on Friday, Sept. 29, from 1:30–2:15 p.m. in Sussman Theatre.

For questions, email admissioncoleition@drake.edu.

— Reed Nenonen, Senior, School of Education

HR Information Archive

ESF e-form overview and training

Human Resources is excited to officially roll out the new intuitive, easy-to-use and track Employee Status Form (ESF) e-form supported by ProcessMaker.

During the past several months, Human Resources has worked with Tyler Spoon, assistant director, enterprise applications in ITS, to convert this commonly used Word doc form into a digital process that automatically routes information to the appropriate approver.  We also appreciate the time, patience, and insights of staff within Drake University Head Start and the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences as they agreed to be our testing population in the soft launch of this form.  ESFs are a form that is primarily used by Budget Office Managers and other authorized employees to change an employee’s status. (Learn more about ESFs on our ESF webpage)

Are you interested?  We would love to provide the campus community an opportunity to learn more about the new e-form—and begin using it.  We have scheduled two opportunities (a virtual and an in-person) for you to see—and begin using—this form, both occurring during the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 28.  If Thursday doesn’t work for you, no problem. We can also schedule ad hoc times on the registration form below.  We know that once you see it, you will love it.

Thank you in advance for your interest in this enhanced form.  Please let us know which session you would like to attend by completing the registration.

— Debra Wiley and Teresa Downs, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Slay Fund call for applications: Receive funding for a social justice-oriented project, event, or partnership

The Slay Fund for Social Justice invites proposals for the 2023–2024 year, which are available to Drake faculty, staff, and both undergraduate and graduate students. We are proud to offer this opportunity to support social change initiatives on campus (or with the community), to sponsor events which raise social justice consciousness and advance equity on campus, and to develop innovative experiences which meet the moment to help make Drake, Iowa, and our world a more just and inclusive place to live.

This fund is made possible through the generous support of Drake alumni, Brent and Diane Slay, who share these goals and their love of Drake University with us.

What types of projects are funded?

There are four broad categories for small- and large-scale grants:

  • Student research/internships
  • Pedagogy for social justice
  • Campus-wide events and speakers
  • Long-term programs with community partners

Descriptions of past projects, including the most recent annual report, are available on the website to help potential applicants develop their proposals. Typical awards range from $1,000 to $7,500, with multi-year projects also considered by the selection committee.

How do I apply?

To apply to the Slay Fund, please visit our website to consider your project’s fit with the goals of the Slay Fund. Proposals (and questions) should be sent to the Jill Allen, Director of the Slay Fund, at slayfund@drake.edu. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis during the year, with a cut-off date of December 5th in fall, and May 5th in the spring.

—Jill Allen, Associate Professor of Psychology & Director of The Slay Fund for Social Justice

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

International scholar reception Sept. 28, 4 p.m., Levitt Hall

Drake University is delighted to be hosting six international scholars from around the world on campus this fall, the most we have hosted in more than a decade.  The international scholars are serving in various capacities, including teaching, research, and mentorship, and they bring a unique global perspective to our community.

The Office of Global Engagement is hosting a welcome reception for the international scholars in Levitt Hall on Sept. 28 from 4–6 p.m. Please come and meet the scholars, help welcome them to campus, and expand your global network.

The scholars include:

Ines Rojas
Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish and Communication & Cultural Literacy
College of Arts & Sciences and Bright College
Home Country: Venezuela

Zahir Cerkini
Fulbright Scholar
Law School
Home Country: Kosovo

Suryani Wijaya
Fulbright Scholar
College of Arts & Sciences
Home Country: Indonesia

Yajuan Jiang
Research Scholar
Law School
Home Country: China

Hua Zhang
Research Scholar
Law School
Home Country: China

Juan Del Valle Rosales
Research Scholar
College of Arts & Sciences
Home Country: Mexico

Please join us as we celebrate these scholars and their contributions to our campus community.

— Bonnie Ehler, Global Engagement

For Students Archive

Delayed release of 2024–2025 FAFSA

The release of the 2024-2025 FAFSA will be delayed until December 2023 (exact date TBD). The delay is due to the implementation of changes required by the FAFSA Simplification Act. The 2024-2025 FAFSA is the application for need-based assistance and federal student loan programs for the summer 2024, fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters. It is available to students who are US citizens or eligible non-citizens.

The delayed release for the 2024-2025 FAFSA is a one-time occurrence. We expect that future FAFSA releases (2025-2026 year and beyond) will return to an October 1 release date. When the exact release date for the 2024-2025 FAFSA is known, an update will be provided.

The changes include modifications to the formula that calculates the Student Aid Index (SAI) (previously known as the Estimated Family Contribution, or EFC). We anticipate that some students’ financial aid eligibility for 2024-2025 will be impacted by these changes. Therefore, we encourage students to use the Federal Student Aid Estimator (available now) to determine how their estimated Student Aid Index (SAI) for 2024-2025 compares with their Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) for this current year (2023-2024).

The Financial Aid Office is committed to helping students understand and plan for any changes in their financial aid eligibility.

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Bulldog Connect Lunch Oct. 4

Join colleagues from across campus for the next Bulldog Connect lunch on Oct. 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Hubbell Dining Hall (come and go as your schedule allows). Lunch is only $5. This is a great opportunity to meet and network with others from across campus. This event is held the first Wednesday of each month. Sponsored by All Staff Council’s Events & Community Service committee (faculty are welcome, too!).

— Elissa Johnson, On behalf of All Staff Council

Strategic Updates Archive

You’re invited: Major gift announcement Oct. 6 at 1:15 p.m. in Sheslow

The Center for Public Democracy will be receiving a major gift and will be hosting an event to honor the donors.

You’re invited!
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to join President Marty Martin, Co-Executive Directors of the Center for Public Democracy Rachel Paine Caufield and Scott Raecker, alumnus Ron Olson (BN’63) and his wife Jane, and members of the Drake Community for a special announcement celebrating Drake’s strong leadership in civic and political engagement.

When: Oct. 6 at 1:15 p.m.
Where: Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University

Drake University is proud to serve as the nation’s epicenter for democratic discourse, dialogue, and action focused on supporting a healthy democracy. For decades, Drake has been the place where policy makers, community members, and our nation’s future leaders convene to tackle society’s most pressing, complex, and vital issues.

This high level of civic engagement is the foundation on which we built the Drake University Center for Public Democracy in 2022, and now the Center is ready to embark on its next great era—ensuring that Drake is the school of choice for politically minded students everywhere.

Due to the confidentiality of this announcement, there are limited details we can provide at this time. It is our hope that you can trust the significance of this historic moment and accept the invitation to share this experience with the Olsons.

News & Achievements Archive

CPHS approved to pursue Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program

In June 2023, the Drake Board of Trustees approved the pursuit of an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Once approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing (IBON) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the first cohort will begin in Fall 2024. The College will also seek national accreditation.

Students enrolled in the 3 + 1 ABSN program will have the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, along with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. The accelerated BSN degree will require three semesters of full-time coursework throughout the fall, spring, and summer following the completion of prerequisites.

The program will partner with Broadlawns Medical Center which will provide preceptorships, clinical education, and additional facilities and laboratory spaces. The partnership will allow the program to offer students a range of experiences among diverse patient populations.

“The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences believes that investing in the education and preparation of nurses is important for the overall well-being of our communities,” said CPHS dean and professor Renae Chesnut. “By offering an intensive curriculum that compresses the requirements into a condensed timeframe, we are accelerating the pathway for individuals who are passionate about making a difference in people’s lives and helping bridge the gap between healthcare needs and the available nursing workforce.”

Applications to the program will become available following the IBON and HLC approvals.

Strategic Updates Archive

TODAY: Governor Ray Day ice cream social

Celebrate the legacy of Governor Robert D. Ray with an ice cream social on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 2:30-4 p.m. on the Ray Promenade outside of Collier-Scripps Hall. Ice cream novelties will be served. The rain location will be inside Collier-Scripps Hall on the lower level.

Governor Robert D. Ray, the 11th President of Drake University and 38th Governor of Iowa, had an impact that extended beyond the state of Iowa and positively impacted people around the world. Best known for his humanitarian efforts and transformation of state government, Governor Ray’s legacy lives on through the work of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University.

The Ray Center invites the entire Drake campus community to celebrate Tuesday, Sept. 26, as Governor Ray Day in the state of Iowa.

Learn more about Governor Robert D. Ray’s life and legacy.

— Megan Wesselink, Robert D. & Billie Ray Center