All posts by Hannah Remke

For Students Archive

Introducing the new Green Grad Program

Sign up to be a part of Drake’s new Green Grad program. The program aims to incentivize and provide recognition to students who advocate for sustainability on campus. It involves students tracking sustainable actions and reporting them, with the goal of achieving 10 sustainability points. The point scale can be found on the sustainability website, with instructions on how to report points. Participating in this program will promote engagement in sustainability research, education, service learning, and events.

Green graduates will receive a certificate and have their names displayed on the sustainability website. If you are interested in being a Spring 2024 Green Grad, please fill out the intent form and submit all points by May 3. More information and all forms can be found here.

Email hannah.remke@drake.edu with any questions and follow drakeu.sustainability on Instagram to stay updated on new initiatives.

—Hannah Remke, Sustainability Coordinator 

Campus Announcements Archive

The Writing Center is open and ready to assist students

WHAT WE DO: The Writing Center’s trained peer tutors advise and assist students at any stage of the writing process:

  • Understanding instructions/prompts
  • Generating ideas and ways to develop ideas
  • Outlining and organizing
  • Writing, expanding, revising, and/or copyediting a draft

We are a free service for all Drake students, including graduate students and those in professional programs.

HOW TO SIGN UP TO VISIT: Please go to https://library.drake.edu/writing-center/ to book an appointment with a tutor—instructions for booking and visiting are available on the site as well. Appointments are approximately 30 minutes, and students can sign up for more than one session if they wish. They may also request that a tutor keep a regular time slot available for them if they would like to come in each week.

WHERE WE ARE: Reminder: the Writing Center has moved! We are still on the lower level of Cowles Library—please follow signs to find our new, larger, more comfortable space. We offer hours daily, from mornings to late afternoon/evening (including weekends). Students with health concerns can request an appointment on Zoom.

FOR FACULTY AND STAFF: If you refer a student to the workshop or require all students to visit, please let us know via email (megan.brown@drake.edu). Ask students to bring their assignment prompt/instructions to the Writing Center, as well as any writing they have done so far. When students are referred, or required, to visit, the tutor will email you to let you know that your student has attended and briefly describe what work was done. When students attend on their own, we do not inform professors unless they specifically ask us to do so.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS please contact Prof. Megan Brown, Director of Writing (megan.brown@drake.edu).

HR Information Archive

Nominations due March 1 for Levitt Distinguished Community Service and Employee Excellence awards

All Drake faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to nominate a colleague for the 2024 Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service and Employee Excellence Awards.

The Employee Excellence Award is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. The Distinguished Community Service Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. The criteria to be eligible for each of these awards can be found here.

To nominate a colleague, submit a letter of nomination to Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent through campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu.  The subject line should read “Madelyn M. Levitt Award Nomination”.  The letter should detail specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria. Additional letters of support are not necessary. Nominations are due to Human Resources by Friday, March 1.

For additional information, please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, HR

For Staff Archive

There’s still time to use your Community Service Leave

We are grateful to everyone who braved the snow and helped with Meals From The Heartland packaging on Jan. 17. You, too, can use your Community Service Leave and be #rockinthehairnet.

There is still time to use your Community Service Leave benefit this fiscal year.

There are so many opportunities to utilize your 8 hours of Community Service Leave before the end of the fiscal year. Community service leave can be used for:

  • Volunteer or service work for non-profit community service organizations;
  • Volunteer work at a school, including the school your children or grandchildren attend (including field trips, events and school-related projects);
  • Participation in a Drake-sponsored community service activity;
  • Blood, bone marrow, and organ donation;
  • Disaster relief and emergency volunteer activities

If you need guidance in finding an organization or event, the Office of Community Engaged Learning has an online platform, DUgood, to connect you with partners in Des Moines and beyond. Need help creating a DUgood profile, logging hours and accessing data. Register now for the March 19 DUgood Basics BUILD session.

Let’s make the most of this benefit, which strengthens ourselves and our communities.

— Elissa Johnson, On behalf of All Staff Council

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Contracting resources and programs available this spring

Who can sign University contracts? What are important things to look out for when reviewing contracts? When are insurance provisions required in contracts? Where should we send completed contracts?

These questions can be answered by consulting the contracting resources section of the Drake University Risk and Insurance office web page. Sign up now for an overview of these resources and an opportunity to ask questions about the contracting process at Drake. Virtual (TEAMS) sessions are planned as follows:

Monday, March 18, from 2–2:45 p.m.

Thursday, March 21, from 11–11:45 a.m.

Please send an e-mail to ducontracts@drake.edu to register for one of the above listed sessions.

In addition, for a deeper dive into contracting principles, we are offering an on-demand online training program. If you would like to view that program, please e-mail ducontracts@drake.edu to request access information.

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

For Students Archive

Super Smash Bros. tournament Feb. 24 at 8 p.m.

Come play in a free Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament and eat some snacks in Herriott Lobby this Saturday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. We’re planning to have GameCube controllers, Pro Controllers, and a couple Nintendo Switch setups, including projecting a big display on the wall. At least one Switch has all DLC characters.

— Jake Elafros, senior

HR Information Archive

Employee Appreciation Month: Build a bulldog, BINGO, faculty/staff recess, and more

March is Employee Appreciation Month and National Employee Appreciation Day is Friday, March 1, and we are celebrating YOU! While we value Drake employees all year, we like to set aside some time for special fun in March to recognize and celebrate our amazing employees.

To help show our appreciation, Human Resources and All Staff Council invite you to take a break and join us for the following Employee Appreciation Month events:

March 1–13: Build a Bulldog

You have all probably seen the colorful bulldog statues around campus.  Now it is your turn to get creative in decorating a bulldog.  Not a bulldog statue, but a PICTURE of a bulldog. Simply send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu to receive an outline of Griff–then decorate the picture using whatever artistic materials you wish.  Send your completed picture to Linda Feiden, HR, 3rd floor Old Main, by Wednesday, March 13. All entries will go through a preliminary screening and the finalists will be on display during the BINGO event on March 20 for faculty and staff to vote on.  Prizes will be awarded to the winning entries!

March 20: BINGO!
Join All Staff Council and Human Resources on Wednesday, March 20, from 12–1 p.m. in Parents Hall South, Olmsted Center to play BINGO. This family-friendly event will include tasty treats for all, and an assortment of fun prizes for our winners.  And don’t forget to vote for your favorite “Build a Bulldog” picture.

March 28: Faculty/Staff Recess
When we were kids, recess was a part of our day, but as adults we often do not get nearly enough play time. As part of employee appreciation month, we invite faculty and staff to take a break from work on Thursday, March 28, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and join us in the Bell Center Courts 1 & 2 for recess! Play nine holes of miniature golf, try pickleball, or challenge a colleague to a game of cornhole (bags). All equipment will be provided.

All Month: Give a shout-out
In addition, we have brought back the popular Shout-Out program for Employee Appreciation Month. This is a great way to recognize your colleagues. Simply write a sentence or two thanking a colleague or team for going the extra mile or showing support to others. Submit your shout-outs to linda.feiden@drake.edu between now and March 27, and they will be compiled and posted in OnCampus.

Be on the lookout for more Employee Appreciation Month information throughout March.

— Linda Feiden, HR