All posts by Chris Gill

Update on Student Payroll Transition Timing

A recent announcement described plans to move student-employee payroll from monthly to bi-weekly, but it has become necessary to move this transition out by about one year. The Workday project team has become aware that making this change prior to launching Workday will significantly increase the complexity of the project and introduce potential for errors in payroll processing.

By delaying the transition, we can remove a significant source of risk, reduce complexity, and better ensure that Workday payroll fully aligns with our current Banner system.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to implement Workday the right way and continue to Transform Our Future.

— Chris Gill, Chief Information Technology Officer

Digital Decluttering: It’s Good for You and the Earth

Spring is a great time to refresh more than your home or office—it’s also an opportunity to clean up your digital workspaces. Over time, files pile up, folders multiply, and it becomes harder to find what you need. But did you know that excess digital clutter also has an environmental impact? Storing unnecessary files consumes energy in data centers, contributing to a larger digital carbon footprint. By being intentional about what we keep, we help conserve energy and reduce the University’s overall resource consumption.

Start with your files in OneDrive and Teams. Take a few minutes to delete drafts and documents you no longer need and organize your active files into clearly named folders. You may also want to review shared folders or Teams channels you no longer use. As members of a campus community, we can all be good stewards of University resources by managing our digital storage responsibly.

One of the easiest ways to reduce digital clutter is to share links instead of emailing files. Using the “share” option in a digital document keeps everyone working from the same version, helps avoid confusion from multiple copies labeled “final,” and minimizes redundant data storage. These small actions, when added up across campus, can make a noticeable difference in our collective digital footprint.

The best news is that you don’t have to do everything at once. Even a quick 10-minute cleanup can help you feel more organized and efficient, while also supporting sustainability efforts and responsible use of University resources this spring.

Becky Klein
Assistant Director, Campus Engagement

Unexpected Journeys: Arts & Sciences Alumni Networking Event

Discover where an Arts & Sciences degree can take you. Join us on Thursday, March 26, from 5–7 p.m. in Johansen Student Center, Room 50 (Fisher-Stelter Hall) to hear alumni share the twists, turns, and defining moments of their career paths, from surprises and challenges to meaningful wins (registration required). Gain practical insights, learn from their experiences, and connect with fellow students and graduates during this engaging networking event.

Alumni Participants:

  • Abigail Adrian, B.A. Law, Politics, and Society, M.S. Leadership
    Employment Navigator Caseworker at Lutheran Services of Iowa
  • Dan Kreipke, B.S. Environmental Science and Policy
    Director of Programs and Outreach at the Science Center of Iowa
  • Kelly Current, B.A. History and English
    Special Campaigns Coordinator at Blank Park Zoo
  • Jill Wells, B.F.A. Painting, Minor in Art History
    Artist, Advocate, Mentor at Jill Wells Art – Mainframe Studio 447

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/ybke5s5b

Refreshments will be served and free professional headshots will be available.

Come practice networking and build lasting connections with Drake Arts & Sciences Alumni!

— Jill Allen, Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

Slay Fund for Social Justice: Call for Summer Internship Applications

Slay Fund for Social Justice: Call for Summer Internship Applications

The Slay Fund for Social Justice invites applications for funded student summer internships, available to current Drake undergraduate or graduate students for Summer 2026.

Interested students should identify a community organization or non-profit group working on a project related to community engagement, diversity, or social justice and submit a letter of interest and a copy of their resume/curriculum vitae to Dr. Jill Allen, Director of the Slay Fund for Social Justice, at slayfund@drake.edu.

Applications will be accepted through May 1, 2026, with funding decisions announced before the conclusion of the Spring 2026 Semester.

Program Requirements and Details

  • Community organization or non-profit organization partner identified, with project goals that align with the Slay Fund for Social Justice.
  • Application letter should identify project goals, contact information for internship supervisor, and a description of how the proposed internship advances both student learning and community partner goals.
  • Ability to commit to 15-20 hours per week for approximately 5-6 weeks in the summer.
  • Start and end dates of the program are flexible (based on student and community partner need), between June 1, 2026 and August 1, 2026.
  • Attendance at a pre-internship orientation meeting in May 2026.
  • Submission of a post-internship critical reflection at the conclusion of your experience, with willingness to inform the Slay Family of learning outcomes, by August 15, 2026.
  • Stipend: $1,250 awarded to student for successful completion of internship experience.
  • Preference will be granted to internship projects that are traditionally unpaid and/or supporting non-profit organizations.

Students are encouraged to follow the guidance of the Office of Community Engaged Learning & Service for identifying potential community partners or utilizing the DUGood platform to find current opportunities.

About the Slay Fund for Social Justice

The Slay Fund for Social Justice is a wide-ranging endowed fund which aims to (1) support programs and initiatives which directly advance social justice and (2) continues important ongoing work around advancing social justice work in the Drake community. This fund is made possible through the generous support of Drake alumni, Brent and Diane Slay, who have shared in Drake’s commitment to elevate diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice conversations and encourage social justice action.

— Jill Allen, Slay Fund for Social Justice Director

Humanities Reads Celebration/Book Chat March 6

Please join us for the Humanities Reads celebration of Natasha Brown’s Assembly on Friday, March 6, from 10 a.m.–11:30 a.m., in the Cowles Library Reading Room.

This is a casual event where readers of the book can chat while enjoying tea, scones, tea sandwiches, and strawberries. There will be discussion questions written by English students and Center for the Humanities Board members to prompt conversation, but no formal presentation or obligation to stick to the questions! Come for a few minutes or for the entire event. Hope to see you there.

— Jeanette Tran, Associate Professor of English

Olmsted Center Closure and Select Power Outages March 16

Facilities Planning and Management has scheduled several repairs and preventative maintenance to some key electrical equipment on campus that will necessitate power outages in several buildings on Monday, March 16, 2026.

The following buildings will be without power and will remain closed on March 16, 2026:

  • Old Main
  • Cole Hall
  • Carnegie Hall
  • Cartwright Law School
  • Opperman Law Library
  • Olmsted Center

The power outage in these buildings is scheduled to begin at 7:00am and last through 3:00pm. While there is a possibility work will be completed earlier than 3:00pm, these buildings will remain closed so as not to disrupt work schedules.

— Colin Atkinson, Associate Director, Facilities Planning and Management

Hygiene Drive and Housing Exhibit at Drake OTD Building March 23–26

Join the conversation about affordable housing in Iowa with open tours of the Community Crate, March 23–26, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., at the Drake OTD building parking lot, 3003 Forest Avenue. When you visit, consider bringing a donation for the OTD Hygeine Drive to benefit hygiene banks throughout the metro.

What is the Community Crate? Using local data and stories from Iowa housing experts, Uplift has transformed a shipping container into an interactive housing exhibit designed to dig into the challenges many Iowans face when it comes to finding a place to call home. Drake’s Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program has partnered with Uplift to host this exhibit, known as the Community Crate.

Tours are free and open to everyone. Please contact Ashley Ezzio, ashley.ezzio@drake.edu, if bringing a class or group.

FAFSA Requirement for Tuition Waiver

Students utilizing the Drake Tuition Waiver benefit for undergraduate degree programs in the Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 semesters are REQUIRED to complete the 2026–2027 FAFSA before by June 30, 2026. See Drake’s Tuition Waiver Policy for more details.

Employees should complete the Tuition Waiver Application for each semester that the employee or eligible dependent wishes to utilize this benefit.

— Laney Guintard, Financial Aid Office

Drake Law School Dean’s Speaker Series Features Melissa Murray and Stuart Delery

Drake University Law School will present Upholding the Rule of Law, the spring installment of its Dean’s Speaker Series, on March 3. Melissa Murray, New York University Law professor, legal analyst for MSNBC, and co-host of the Strict Scrutiny podcast, and Stuart F. Delery, a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn and former White House Counsel to President Joe Biden will be the featured speakers.

The event’s fireside chat and audience Q&A will begin at 3 p.m., followed by a reception at 4 p.m. The program is free and open to the public, with advance registration required.

The conversation will be moderated by Drake Law School Dean Roscoe Jones, Jr. and will explore the role of the legal profession in upholding the rule of law.“This event reflects Drake Law’s commitment to engaging students and the broader community in meaningful dialogue about leadership, civility, and the principles that sustain our legal system,” said Dean Jones. “We are honored to welcome Professor Melissa Murray and former White House Counsel Stuart Delery, whose careers exemplify public service, national impact, and promoting a more just world.”

Melissa Murray teaches constitutional law, family law, criminal law, and reproductive rights and justice at NYU School of Law. She is a co-author of the New York Times #1 bestseller The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary, and her forthcoming book, The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader, will be published in May 2026. Her writing has appeared in leading legal and national publications, including the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Additionally, Murray is a legal analyst for MSNBC and co-host of Strict Scrutiny, a podcast focused on the Supreme Court and legal culture.

Stuart Delery brings more than 30 years of experience in senior government leadership and private practice. As White House Counsel from 2022–2023, he advised the President on constitutional, statutory, and regulatory matters, managed responses to congressional investigations, and supported the federal judicial nomination and confirmation process. Previously, he served as Acting Associate Attorney General of the United States and as Senate-confirmed Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. He is currently a partner at Gibson Dunn, where his practice focuses on high-stakes litigation, crisis management, and regulatory matters involving complex legal and reputational risks.

— Taylor Johnson, Law School