All posts by Nate Holdren

Join the Faculty Writers Workshops, deadline Jan. 27

Drake faculty members are invited to participate in the Faculty Writers Workshop (FWW), a writing group focused on working effectively on our scholarship. We will meet via Zoom from 10:30–11:30 a.m. on the following Fridays: Feb 3, March 3, March 24, April 14, and May 5.

This spring marks the group’s sixth anniversary and the first addition of a new co-organizer and co-facilitator, Gabriel Ford (English). The group’s goal is to help set ourselves up to make progress on our scholarship over the semester. We will read Joli Jensen’s book Write No Matter What and discuss it to the degree that participants find it useful. The session will also include discussion/workshop of the faculty members’ own scholarship and on-site writing time.

This writing group has been generously supported by the Provost’s Office, the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and the Humanities Center. There are spots for ten faculty participants. Should more than ten individuals express interest, priority shall be given to 1) Those who actively participated in the previous Faculty Writing Groups, 2) Tenure-track faculty who are not yet tenured, 3) Faculty who are members of groups under-represented.

Participants who attend all five sessions will receive a stipend of $150, pre-tax.

If you are interested in participating, please go to the link below and fill out the interest form at the following link by the end of the day on Friday, Jan. 27.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVMW7gjR7uvpjpjpH-Dc0mzh9CKznK3aHKS77xxnbNlkgiFw/viewform

For questions, email Gabriel Ford (English), Nate Holdren (LPS), or En Li (History).

— Nate Holdren, Law, Politics & Society

Call for nominations: Principal Global Citizenship Award

Nominations are being accepted for the Principal Global Citizenship Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to global engagement and internationalization efforts on the part of faculty or staff. The selected awardee will receive a plaque, up to $3,000, and will be announced at the 2023 Global Citizen Forum in March. A screening committee will review all nominations and make recommendations to the Provost.  Nominations should be submitted to Bonnie Ehler at bonnie.ehler@drake.edu by Tuesday, Feb.14, 2023. 

A letter of nomination should be submitted recommending an individual for the award and explaining the context and manner in which the nominator has come to know the faculty or staff member. This letter should speak to the following qualifications:

Pursuant to the University’s mission to develop “responsible global citizens,” explain how the nominee has made outstanding contributions at Drake toward realizing the following:

  1. Support Drake University as a global institution by creating linkages to global partners in local, national, and international settings;
  2. Develop and/or actively support global and intercultural learning opportunities for Drake students;
  3. Develop infrastructure, resources, and partnerships to support internationalization and global engagement.

The nominee must be a faculty or staff member with at least four years of service at the University. The nominee cannot have won this award within the past five years. Faculty and staff members who report directly to Global Engagement are ineligible.

Nominees who indicate a willingness to be considered will be invited to submit a resume or C.V. and a statement discussing their contributions to the above goals. Up to three letters of support from unit or institutional leadership, faculty, staff, or students will be accepted (this is optional).

Any individual who was nominated for the award in 2022 may be re-nominated if the nominator resubmits a letter offering the individual for consideration this year. Files of previous nominees are maintained for one year. If a faculty/staff member is re-nominated, the nominator will be invited to review the file from the previous year to ensure that the nomination is as current as possible.

Past recipients include:

2022 – Debra Bishop, Professor of Practice in Management & International Business
2021 – Sally Haack, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Clinical Sciences
2020 – Jody Swilky, Ellis and Nelle Levitt Professor of English/Writing Workshop
2019 – Pramod Mahajan, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
2018 – Tim Knepper, Professor of Philosophy/Comparison Project Director
2017 – John Rovers, Professor of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
2016 – Ellen Yee, Professor of Law/Director of International Programs

Nomination letters are due by Feb. 14, 2023, and should be sent as an attachment to bonnie.ehler@drake.edu. Questions may be directed to Annique Kiel, executive director of Global Engagement and International Programs, at annique.kiel@drake.edu.

— Bonnie Ehler, Global Engagement

2023 mileage reimbursement rate

Drake reimburses mileage for use of personal automobiles by employees for actual miles driven during business travel. The reimbursement rate is based on the current standard mileage rate issued by the Internal Revenue Service.

Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the standard mileage rate issued by the IRS for the use of a car will be:

65.5 cents per business mile driven, up 3 cents from the midyear increase setting the rate for the second half of 2022.

The standard mileage rate is evaluated annually by the IRS and is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile.

If you have any questions regarding the reimbursable mileage rate, please visit the IRS website, or contact Accounting at accounting@drake.edu.

— Jenifer Baugher, Accounting

Constitutional Law Center announces the 2023 Judge James Grant Iowa Constitution Lecture

The Drake University Constitutional Law Center is pleased to announce Michael Rappaport as presenter of the 2023 Judge James Grant Iowa Constitution Lecture. His lecture titled “The Challenge for Originalism from Precedent” will be delivered virtually on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. and registration is free and open to the public.

Rappaport is the Hugh and Hazel Darling Foundation Professor of Law and the Director for the Study of Constitutional Originalism at the University of San Diego School of Law. Having published numerous scholarly works, he is a highly regarded expert in constitutional law. His research interests include originalism, administrative law, the separation of power, federalism, the constitutional amendment process, and supermajority rules.

The Drake Constitutional Law Center initiated the Judge James Grant Iowa Constitution Lecture Series in 2012 to feature prominent experts on the topic of the Iowa Constitution. Judge James Grant participated in drafting the Iowa Constitution and was known for his public service, integrity, and dedication to the law. The lecture series is made possible by the generous gifts of Patrick Grant, LW’76, and the Grant family.

Visit https://bit.ly/3Ho6K71 for registration information. CLE credit is applied for and pending.

— Taylor Johnson, Law School

Discount on internet service and devices for qualifying households

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a program that  helps low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices. Eligible households can receive up to a $30/month discount on internet service (or $75/month for households in Tribal lands), as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 for computer or tablet purchases.

Eligibility is based on household income or the receipt of certain government assistance programs, including the Federal Pell Grant, SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, Free and Reduced-Price Lunch, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and other programs. Visit acpbenefit.org for more information and to apply.

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

Name change to Financial Aid Office

Going forward, the office formerly known as Student Financial Planning will be called the Financial Aid Office.

This is a change in name but not in function—our office still desires to assist students with financial planning as it relates to financing their education and repaying student loans. In making this change we seek to increase our visibility with students and parents, who are more accustomed to searching for “the financial aid office”.

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

SPARC spotlight: Nearly 20 grants awarded

The Office of Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance (SPARC) congratulates the following individuals for receiving extramural funding. The awards mentioned below were received since July 1, 2022.  Each awarded grant supports valuable research or program development.  Many of the awarded grants include funding for scholarships and research assistantships. To learn more about any of the funded projects below, please feel free to reach out to the PI/PD. To learn more about grant support please reach out to any staff member in the SPARC office or go to the SPARC website.

PI/PDSponsor  Amount Awarded
Adam CaseNational Science Foundation (NSF)    16,344.00
Meredith MooreNational Science Foundation (NSF)      4,760.00
Keith SummervillePolk County Conservation Board      8,420.75
Keith SummervilleImpact7G      2,000.00
Lance NoeIREX  215,000.00
Kim HueyIowa Space Grant Consortium      9,000.00
Pramod MahajanIowa Space Grant Consortium – scholarships      20,000.00
John RoversIowa Public Health Association      2,500.00
John RoversIowa Care Givers Assoc.      1,000.00
Lisa ProctorPolk County Behavior Health and Disabilities Services  930,536.00
Neil HamiltonAmy P. Goldman Foundation    75,000.00
Suzie PritchettOffice of Refugee Resettlement  486,601.00
Dan ChibnallIowa Space Grant Consortium      5,153.00
Kim JonesCommunity Foundation of Greater Iowa    30,000.00
Hannah SappenfieldIREX  224,999.34
Renee Sedlacek LeeIowa Department of Natural Resources    31,461.00
Walton, RayMid Iowa Health Foundation  653,566.00
Kruse, JerridIowa Space Grant Consortium    10,000.00
   

— Mary P Wohlford, Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance

Principal Center for Global Engagement partnership grants application deadline

The deadline to apply for the Drake Principal Center for Global Engagement Partnership Grants for fiscal year 2024 is coming up, with all applications due on Jan. 20, 2023.

About the grants

Drake University has established formal partnerships with multiple institutions abroad. Joint faculty and staff projects with our global partner institutions may be eligible for financial support through the Global Partnership Grants. Full-time faculty and staff members are eligible to apply for these grants for activities taking place during FY24 (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024). Preference will be given to proposals that:

  • Identify a specific set of activities with distinct outcomes with one or more of our partner institutions.
  • Demonstrate a specific impact on Drake curriculum, students, and current global partnerships.
  • Advance Drake’s global engagement with existing partners in new ways.
  • Support involvement by individuals who have not previously been globally engaged.
  • Are financially supported by the school, college, or department of the individual submitting the proposal.
  • Align with internationally or globally focused unit objects and/or the University’s Continuous Improvement Plan.

Application Process

  1. Discuss the proposed activity with your unit Director or Dean prior to submission to help determine its strategic value, and if it aligns with the unit’s global engagement priorities. The discussion will help determine the unit’s interest and ability to support the proposal with financial resources.
  2. Submit the online application via Qualtrics, which includes a description and budget (see Notes below) for the proposed activity.
  3. Deans/Directors will review all proposals for their unit with the Assistant Director of Global Partnerships and the Executive Director of Global Engagement for prioritization and to make collaborative funding decisions. Final award decisions will be announced in Spring 2023.

Notes

  • Global Engagement grant funds are not typically awarded for stipends for Drake faculty and staff; however, stipend requests may be considered for funding by your unit’s Dean/Director on a case-by-case basis. The College of Arts & Sciences will not fund stipends.
  • The College of Arts & Sciences will not fund multiple projects in a given grant cycle submitted by the same individual.
  • The College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences will not fund research through this grant.

To learn more about Drake University’s global partner institutions, please click here. For more information about this grant opportunity, and other funding opportunities by the Drake Principal CGC, please visit the official grant webpage. If you have any questions or would like further support with logistics, please don’t hesitate to contact grant program overseer Hannah Sappenfield.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Nominations open for the Adams Leadership Awards

Nominations are open! The Adams Leadership Awards are an annual, campus-wide tradition to celebrate the achievements of all student leaders and organizations at Drake University. Each May, we honor students and organizations who have made valuable contributions to the campus community through their outstanding commitment to leadership.

Please consider nominating any Drake students and student organizations who have exhibited strong leadership and excellence throughout the fall 2022 semester. Nominations can be submitted by any Drake student, faculty, or staff member.

Award categories include:

  • Outstanding First Year Student
  • Outstanding Residence Hall Leader
  • Outstanding Equity & Inclusion Program
  • Oreon E. Scott Outstanding Senior of the Year
  • …and many more!

View a full list of awards and the nomination form. Nominations will be open throughout the spring semester, but don’t wait – nominate fall 2022 events and student leaders today!

— Kristin Economos, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership