Will you be traveling abroad over the summer? Make sure to notify ITS before you go so we can ensure your access will continue uninterrupted. Submit an Account/Security Request before you leave and you’ll be set. Even if you have submitted a notification in the past, a new request is necessary this summer.

Also, remember that the eduroam wireless network is available at more than 33,000 locations worldwide. Check to see if your destination is on the list at https://eduroam.org/where/.

— Jeremy Calvert, ITS

Due to the July 4th holiday, payroll deadline will be moved up.

Instructions to set up a proxy to approve time sheets in your absence are at https://www.drake.edu/hr-internal/managerstoolkit/ under Online Time reporting.

The deadlines for the biweekly time sheets and direct pays will be:

• June 17–30 hours paid July 3, 2 p.m. Thursday, June 27, for employees and 3 p.m. that day for approvers. Please note that employees will need to estimate their hours for June 27–30.

The deadlines for student time sheets and direct pays will be:

• June 1–30 hours paid July 12, 12 p.m. Monday, July 1, for students and 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 2, for approvers.

— Lisa Etnyre, Payroll Coordinator

Join us May 3 at 6 p.m. for an exhilarating Acro yoga class, where you’ll defy gravity, build trust, and soar into a world of playful balance. Ready to relax before finals? Join us May 9 at 5:30 p.m. for a soothing session of Yoga Nidra and May 10 at 12:15 p.m. for NAMAStea– a relaxing yoga workshop followed by a cup of tea to soothe your nerves before finals week. Sign up using the Drake Rec App.

— Gail Witte, Recreational Services

We’re excited to share that Cowles Library, in collaboration with Access and Success, is introducing a Sensory Tools Collection. Crafted by Sarah Hulstein, an Occupational Therapy Doctoral student, this collection is curated to equip students with resources for sensory regulation, increased focus, and improved task completion that may be affected by sensory processing. Visit the Cowles Information Desk to explore the kits which include wobble cushions, fidget spinners, balance boards, noise-canceling headphones, and more. Please don’t hesitate to contact Cowles Library at cowleslibrary@drake.edu with any suggestions for additional tools or resources that could further support your needs. These resources are accessible to everyone, ready to be checked out and utilized within the library or in your own study spaces.

— Joanna Stankiewicz, Cowles Library

Welcome Weekend this fall will feature a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice session. The program will take place on Thursday, Aug. 22. The session will feature a variety of speakers sharing about their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice journey with our incoming class in a short TED Talk style about 5–10 minutes long.

If you are interested in sharing your DEIJ story, we would love to hear from you! Selected speakers will receive a stipend. Please fill out this short application by Friday, June 10.

— Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs

Join Drake’s Corporate Games team! This annual company-based competition for organizations in central Iowa runs from May 19 through July 31.  With over two dozen events to choose from, Des Moines Corporate Games (DMCG) is a great way to meet new people and have fun.

Events range from team-based to individual and competitive to recreational. Try everything from pickleball and golf, to a fitness walk and bags. They’ve even added ping pong this year.  If sports aren’t your interest, put together a team and volunteer at Meals from the Heartland, donate blood, or try the annual Burst Your Thirst challenge. You may participate in as many events as you want.

All in-person activities will be held in the evenings and on weekends and are free (except golf cart rental). ALL Drake faculty and staff, student employees, interns, and retirees are invited and encouraged to join Drake’s team.

One more bonus. Everyone who registers to be a part of Drake’s team will receive a Drake University quick dry sports shirt (while supplies last). Special thanks to TC&B-Authentic Brand, an Official Partner of Drake Athletics. Their financial support made the participant shirts for this year a reality. TC&B is a full-license vendor and can help with your next campus project. For more information please contact, Clark Fessler at clark@tcbcorp.com or 515-465-4693.

To participate in this year’s Des Moines Corporate Games, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu for registration instructions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

ITS staff will be applying upgrades and patches to the Banner system beginning Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m. and lasting until Sunday, May 5, at 3 a.m. During this time, Self Service, Admin Pages, ProcessMaker, Workflow, eTranscripts, TouchNet, and other connected systems will be unavailable. These updates are necessary to keep our University data secure and to install the latest features from our vendor.

If you experience issues after the maintenance is complete, contact the ITS Support Center for help by visiting service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall.

— Becky Klein, ITS

It is with deep sadness that we share that Drake University Professor Emeritus Robert C. Larson, 92, of Lincoln, Neb. passed away on March 24.

Bob positively impacted the lives of thousands of students as a chemistry professor at Drake, where he also served as the Chair of the chemistry department.

A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. Memorials to support Rett Syndrome research can be made at https://www.rettsyndrome.org/donate/ in the name of Emma Larson.

Read Bob’s full obituary. Condolences online at Roperandsons.com.

The Drake Relays are BACK on TRACK in 2024! Relays week festivities begin on Saturday, April 20, with the packet pick up for the 56th Annual Drake Road Races, which will be held the next day. Participants will compete in the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield on Tuesday, April 23. The Drake Relays will begin on the Blue Oval on Thursday, April 25 and will finish on Saturday, April 27.

We are seeking the support of more than 1,000 volunteers to be integrated into every aspect of the events. The volunteers will be instrumental in reaching our longstanding goal of guaranteeing everyone has something exciting to talk about when the events conclude.

Visit the links below to find a volunteer position.

• Drake Road Races (Saturday, April 20 – Sunday, April 21)
• Grand Blue Mile (Tuesday, April 23)
• Drake Relays (Thursday, April 25 – Saturday, April 27)

Questions? Reach out to relaysvolunteers@drake.edu.

See you at the Blue Oval!

— Aaron Nederhoff, Athletics

On April 12–14, Drake will host the 6th annual Iowa Interfaith Conference (IIC), this time in conjunction with the regional conference of the upper-Midwest American Academy of Religion (UWMAAR) on April 12-13.

These conferences will feature site visits (on Friday evening, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning/afternoon) and panels and keynotes (on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning and afternoon). The on-campus events will be held in Meredith Hall.

Here, in brief is the schedule for both events. (Also see below for detailed schedules of each and attire/etiquette information about the site visits.)

FRIDAY, APRIL 12
-3:30 pm: reception
-4:00-5:15 pm: first session (panels 1 & 2)
-6:00-6:45: Visit to Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Iowa (33916 155th Ln, Madrid)
-7:00-8:30: Visit to Islamic and Education Center: Bosniak (17630 Bosniak Ln, Granger), dinner
-9:00: Ice Cream social at Drake Diner

SATURDAY, APRIL 13
-7:45: breakfast
-8:15-9:30: second session (panels 3, 4 & 5)
-9:30: coffee break
-10:00-11:15: plenary address: Dr. Douglas Kries, “Religions and Their Communities: Is Religion Friend or Foe?”
-11:15-11:45: lunch
-11:45-1:00: screening of and panel about digital stories from Drake’s interfaith camps (Varsity Theater)
-1:00-2:15: session 3 (panels 6 & 7)
-2:30-3:25: interfaith plenary address: Sarah McCammon, “Making Sense of Religious Pluralism as an E(x)vangelical”
-3:25: coffee break
-3:45-5:00: session 4 (panels 8, 9 & 10)
-5:15-6:30: session 5 (panel 11)
-5:45-6:45: visit to Wat Lao Buddhavas (1804 E Park Ave, Des Moines)
-7:00-8:30: visit to Hindu Cultural and Educational Center (1940 E Army Post Rd, Des Moines), dinner

SUNDAY, APRIL 14
-10:00-12:00: visit to St Mary Coptic Orthodox Church
-12:00-1:30: visit to Iowa Sikh Association

— Catalina Samaniego, Senior, College of Arts & Sciences