All posts by Maureen De Armond & Chris Nickell

HR Information Archive

OSHA offers suicide prevention awareness resources

When most people think about the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), they think about workplace safety—having the right equipment to safely do the job (ear plugs, knee pads, safety goggles), putting signs up when the floor is wet, and the like. However, OSHA also works to improve mental health of employees in the workplace.

Through a two-year agreement, OSHA is partnering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), to promoting workplace mental health and suicide prevention awareness. September is also National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and you are encouraged to  take some time to review the OSHA/AFSP resources.

Suicide Prevention: 5 Things You Should Know Poster

One of the AFSP resources linked here shared information about  Risk Factors and Warning Signs.

Warning signs

Something to look out for when concerned that a person may be suicidal is a change in behavior or the presence of entirely new behaviors. This is of sharpest concern if the new or changed behavior is related to a painful event, loss, or change. Most people who take their lives exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do.

Talk: If a person talks about:

  • Killing themselves
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Having no reason to live
  • Being a burden to others
  • Feeling trapped
  • Unbearable pain

Behavior: Behaviors that may signal risk, especially if related to a painful event, loss or change:

  • Increased use of alcohol or drugs
  • Looking for a way to end their lives, such as searching online for methods
  • Withdrawing from activities
  • Isolating from family and friends
  • Sleeping too much or too little
  • Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
  • Giving away prized possessions
  • Aggression
  • Fatigue

 Mood: People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Loss of interest
  • Irritability
  • Humiliation/Shame
  • Agitation/Anger
  • Relief/Sudden Improvement

We encourage everyone to take a few minutes to watch a video, review a poster, or read an article shared on this site. As with planning for any kind of crisis (tornados, fires, etc.), we hope we never need to deploy the resources, but it is always helpful to know where to go to learn more when you really need the help.

Reminder: New 3 Digit Number Available to Get help now.

— Maureen De Armond, HR; Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety

Campus Announcements Archive

Self Service registration changes coming Sept. 27

Drake is continuing to roll out updates to our Self Service system. The next update will be to the registration-related pages, including the schedule of classes, student registration screens, and the course catalog.

On Sept. 27, you will access registration tools, schedule of classes, and course catalog via a new Registration and Schedule link on the Registration card in Self Service or via the Student Profile left navigation menu. We have created numerous registration-related Knowledge Base articles to help you navigate this change, you can access them here.  Students will still be able to access the current Registration pages by clicking the Registration and Schedules (Legacy) link on the Registration card.  This link will be available through February 17, 2023.

Faculty and staff will also be redirected to the new Registration landing page to access the schedule of classes and course catalog. If you do not currently see the Registration card in your Self Service screen, click the blue Discover More button. To add the card to your homepage, click the bookmark icon in the upper right corner of the card. Providing registration overrides and viewing your advisees’ schedules will remain available in the current Self Service pages.  For more information, view the Self Service Knowledge Base articles here.

— Jenny Tran-Johnson, Registrar

Strategic Updates Archive

U.S.-China Symposium to feature author and journalist John Pomfret

The U.S.-China Symposium at Drake University will take place Nov. 17 in Olmsted.

John Pomfret is an award-winning journalist and author of The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom: America and China, 1776 to the Present. He will deliver a lecture on U.S.-China relations at the symposium. This event is free and open to the public. Register at drake.edu/branstad. 

The symposium will be hosted by Ambassador-in-Residence Terry Branstad, former U.S. Ambassador to China and Governor of Iowa. This annual event will convene experienced professionals, academics, and other experts to speak on various topics related to China and U.S.-China relations.

“I am extremely pleased to welcome John Pomfret to Drake for the inaugural U.S.-China Symposium,” said Ambassador Branstad. “John brings extensive experience and knowledge of the relationship between the United States and China, and his book The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom provides the most complete overview of the history between our nations and was considered required reading for all of the diplomats stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. I look forward to his engagement with the Drake community this fall.”

In addition to speaking at the symposium, Pomfret will join the Ambassador Branstad’s Fall 2022 book club discussion on Nov. 17 at 11:30 am. Participants will read The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom. All Drake students, faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome to participate. Books will be provided at no cost to the first ten students to register.

To register for the book club, please email ambassador@drake.edu.

About John Pomfret

Raised in New York City and educated at Stanford and Nanjing Universities, John Pomfret is an award-winning journalist who worked with The Washington Post for decades.

Pomfret was a foreign correspondent for twenty years, including seven years covering China – in the late 1980s during the Tiananmen Square protests, then from 1997 until the end of 2003 as the bureau chief for The Washington Post in Beijing.

Pomfret is the author of the best-selling Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China (1996). His book, The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom: America and China, 1776 to the Present (2016) was awarded the 2017 Arthur Ross Award by the Council on Foreign Relations.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Campus Announcements Archive

Law School to host blood drive Oct. 21

The Drake Law Delts are sponsoring a LifeServe Blood Drive on Friday, Oct. 21, from 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. in Cartwright Hall, Kern Commons (2nd floor.) All members of the Drake community are welcome to participate. Your donation might help save your neighbor, friend, family member, or a stranger in our community!

The Blood Drive is held as part of the Law School’s celebration of Cady Day of Public Service. The annual Cady Day of Public Service honors and celebrates the life and legacy of late Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady and his commitment to public service, access to justice, and civil rights.

Appointments are necessary. Click here to schedule your appointment.

— Theresa Howard, Law School

Campus Announcements Archive

Free financial and medical powers of attorney and living will clinic

Drake Law School is offering a free community clinic to help individuals prepare powers of attorney and/or living will documents as part of Cady Day of Public Service, Friday, Oct. 21. Participants may choose from three convenient sessions: 9–10:30 a.m., 12–1:30 p.m., or 4–5:30 p.m.

Each session will consist of a 30-minute overview about powers of attorney and living wills followed by a one-on-one appointment with a licensed attorney and/or Drake Law student to complete the required documents. Attorneys will be available to answer additional questions. Participants will have the opportunity to obtain signed and notarized documents for their files.

The clinic will be held at the Law School, Cartwright Hall, Room 201.

No one is too young or too old to have these documents. Living wills and powers of attorney provide important guidelines and information for the people you love and care about—just in case the worst happens. Click here to register.

— Theresa Howard, Law School

For Students Archive

J-Term 2023 travel seminar deadline extended

Don’t have plans for J-Term yet? Looking to get out of Des Moines and see the world? Earn three AOI credits? Gain a new perspective? The following travel seminars are accepting applications until Oct. 1, 2022.

Bahamas: Leadership at Sea (Global and Cultural Understanding AOI)

Indonesia: Urban Development and Conservation

South Africa: Religions of South Africa (Global and Cultural Understanding AOI)

Thailand: Research, Exploration, and Reflection (Information Literacy AOI)

Washington DC: Inside Washington: Exploring Bipartisan Solutions (Engaged Citizen AOI)

To apply and learn more about these offerings you can click on the program title, and it will take you to Terra Dotta, our application management system.  Use your Drake ID and password to login.  First-year students are not eligible to apply.

For questions about a specific travel seminar, contact the course instructor. For general study abroad or application questions, contact studyabroad@drake.edu.

— Maria Rohach, Global Engagement

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Coffee with the Provost kicks off in Kerns Commons Sept. 19

Faculty and staff will have a number of opportunities for drop in chats and coffee with Provost Sue Mattison this year. The first will be Monday, Sept. 19, from 3–4 p.m. in Kerns Commons, Cartwright Hall.

In previous years, the coffees have all been at the Cowles Library cafe, but this year they will be held at various locations around campus. You can search the Campus Calendar for Coffee with the Provost to find a compete list.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

For Staff Archive

Lunch with colleagues, submit a question for All-Staff Council

All Staff Council is holding a Bulldog Connect Networking Lunch on Wednesday, Sept. 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come join us for a $5 lunch at Hubbell Dining Hall. We encourage attendees to wear their Drake name tag. Anyone is welcome to come—bring a fellow Bulldog along with you. Look for the table with the Drake swag and a special Bulldogs Connect table tent in Hubbell.

Also a reminder that All Staff Council invites you to share any suggestions, concerns, or other feedback you’d like us to look into using this form. (If you’d like us to respond to your feedback directly, please include your name and contact information, otherwise let us know your thoughts anonymously.)

— Megan Franklin, Athletics

For Students Archive

Dinner with dean of students

Join Dean of Students Hannah Clayborne for a chance to have dinner and catch up on things that are happening at Drake this semester. This is a great opportunity to make connections with fellow students along with the Dean of Students. Dinner will be provided for students. Sign up in advance; space is limited to 10 students. Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up.

For questions, contact Gina Ryan at gina.ryan@drake.edu.

— Gina Ryan, Dean of Students