OnCampus will move to a biweekly schedule through the summer months. The newsletter will be delivered to faculty, staff, and student inboxes every other Tuesday. It will resume to a weekly distribution schedule Aug. 27.
Summer distribution dates:
Tuesday, May 21
Tuesday, June 4
Tuesday, June 18
Tuesday, July 2
Tuesday, July 16
Tuesday, July 30
Tuesday, Aug. 13
Tuesday, Aug. 27
Ashton Hockman, University Communications & Marketing
Short’s Travel is the exclusive provider for all Drake air travel transactions. When using the Drake P-Card for airfare, it should only be used with Short’s and no other airline booking sites. This eliminates the need for reimbursement requests to Accounting for air travel. If you feel that you require an exception, please contact Caron Findlay prior to making your arrangements.
— Caron Findlay, Business and Finance Office
Most campus buildings have shortened or administrative hours (7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) during the summer.
Additionally, doors to most buildings will be locked for the Memorial Day holiday (Monday, May 27). Card access will still allow you to access your authorized buildings, but they will be locked to the general public due to decreased staffing and foot traffic. Regular door schedules will resume on Tuesday.
Please contact Public Safety (515-271-2222) if you have a door access emergency during this time. Feel free to email the SSC (studentservices@drake.edu) if you have a general (non-emergent) card access question or concern.
Have a great summer!
Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center
The Drake Choir and Chamber Choir will tour Italy, France, and Austria, beginning May 22. Enjoy their concert program at a performance on May 21, 4 p.m., at St. Ambrose Cathedral, 607 High Street, in downtown Des Moines. There is no charge for this concert, which will be followed by an ice cream social sponsored by Drake President Marty Martin. Please note that this is a change of location.
Kayla Jenkins, College of Arts & Sciences
Help three local non-profits (Drake Head Start, Grubb YMCA, and Central Iowa Shelter + Services) provide meals this summer during a donation drought by purchasing these products now through May 15:
— Bagels/bread
— Beef jerky products
— Canned items
— Non-refrigerated meals
— Pasta meals
— Protein/granola bars
Students, there are collection bins around the C-Store for donations. For faculty, staff, and students who do not regularly visit the C-Store, contact Hannah Cohen at hannah.cohen@drake.edu to schedule a donation pick up.
Any donation makes a difference, even if it is not one of the specific products above. Your donation will help provide aid to community members in need.
Contact hannah.cohen@drake.edu with questions or concerns.
Hannah Cohen, AS, JO
As we have in previous years, Drake is pleased to once again host the Iowa State High School Track Meet, one of the largest state high school track events in the United States. Like last year, the meet will occur prior to the end of the academic year, beginning on Thursday, May 16, and concluding on Saturday, May 18.
We are taking extra steps to plan for the overlap of this event with other year-end activities on campus—including commencement and move out—and we ask that you do the same.
Because of the increase in activity and to help with general safety, we will be using several steps that we used for the Drake Relays, including a partial closing of Forest Avenue. Please note the following:
Street Closures
Plan ahead for parking challenges
Adhere to parking restrictions
Residential students plan your move out
Residential students who complete their exams by Wednesday, May 15, are strongly encouraged to move-out at that time to avoid the increased traffic and congestion that will occur from Thursday to Saturday. If you cannot move out by Wednesday, plan for plenty of extra time.
Contact us ahead of time with questions or concerns
If you have specific concerns or questions regarding parking from Thursday, May 16, to Saturday, May 18, please contact Scott Law as soon as possible at scott.law@drake.edu. While there is limited room for exceptions to these parking rules and restrictions, I am happy to listen and discuss any concerns. It is easier to be proactive, prior to events beginning, rather than reactive, once the meet has begun.
Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation.
Scott Law, Executive Director Campus Public Safety & Operational Services
Are you spring cleaning, tidying up at the end of this semester, or perhaps retiring? Consider donating your Drake memorabilia and treasures to the Office of University Communications and Marketing to auction off for their scholarship fund. Their unique fundraising efforts caught the attention of The Chronicle of Philanthropy in this article.
The office has collected pieces of Drake memorabilia over the years and auctioned them off on their scholarship Facebook page. Many Bulldogs on campus have expressed a generosity of spirit in donating items they have once found joy in, but are now ready to let go after binging the Marie Kondo series. Some past items have included a piece of the blue oval, Bulldog bookends, flags, bobble heads, Drake basketball sketches, signed Bucksbaum posters, and a mixed CD personally curated by Vice President for Advancement John Smith.
If you have any items to donate, or want to make a financial contribution, please email us at socialmedia@drake.edu.
Niki Smith, University Communications and Marketing
Pets are an important part of many employees’ lives. Please keep in mind, however, that not everyone is comfortable around animals and that there are health, safety, and sanitation reasons why restricting animals in University buildings is appropriate. Drake University Policy prohibits pets in campus buildings unless they are a part of a controlled science lab, are Service/Assistance Animals, or are part of a regulated sponsored mascot program. Even in those instances, registration and appropriate controls are in place. Our campus is a diverse community with thousands walking through our doors each year, and adhering to our policy will make this a welcoming environment for everyone. The full policy can be found in the University Policy Library.
Chris Nickell, Director of Environmental Health & Safety
The end of the school year is fast approaching, and we would like to remind everyone on campus to unplug electrical items in their offices that are not necessary. This is especially true if you are going to be off campus for more than one week. We have scheduled an electrical shutdown of the entire campus on July 5 for approximately six hours. This electrical shutdown could cause computers and other electrical devices problems. Please help Facilities Planning and Management to save money by decreasing the University’s utility costs.
Jolene Schmidt, Facilities Planning and Management
Our beloved live mascot, Griff, turns SEVEN on Wednesday, May 8! We will be celebrating by extending birthday wishes on social media on his birthday, tagging him @drakeugriff. We encourage you to share your favorite photo(s) and send him virtual birthday wishes, using the hashtag #GriffTurns7. On Friday, we will be throwing him a party from 12–1 p.m. in Helmick Commons in conjunction with SAB’s Final Friday event. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome! If the weather does not cooperate, the party will be moved inside Olmsted. We encourage everyone to stop by and have a frozen treat (while supplies last) and snap a photo with Griff.
— Erin Bell, Associate Director of Marketing, University Communications & Marketing
