—Due to the potential of strong to severe thunderstorms across portions of Iowa on Wednesday, March 23, the Iowa Statewide Tornado Drill has been postponed until Thursday, March 24 at 10 a.m.—

In preparation for Iowa tornado season, Drake University along with Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management, City of Des Moines, and the National Weather Service (NWS) will be issuing a tornado emergency test on March 23 24. Governor Terry Branstad has declared the week of March 20 as Severe Weather Awareness Week for the State of Iowa. Please proceed to a designated tornado shelter area or follow the “DUCK” safety list below.

Drake will also be testing the campus emergency mass notification system, Bulldog Alert. You should anticipate a call to the emergency telephone number you provided to the emergency notification system. The test is planned for March 23 24, with the following schedule:
• 10 a.m.—a test tornado watch,
• 10:15 a.m.—a test tornado warning
• 10:35 a.m.—test will be terminated

Because the NWS determined that weather prohibits the test from taking  place on March 23, it will now be on March 24 with the same schedule. Notifications are conducted by the NWS throughout Iowa, and Drake is not able to adjust times to accommodate classroom scheduling. We thank you in advance for your participation and commitment to keeping Drake safe. Additional information about weather alerts can be found on blueView.

Drake University Mass Emergency Notification System: As a NWS “Storm Ready Certified Campus,” Drake University will only activate the emergency notification system when the storm threat is in the immediate vicinity of the campus. Severe weather sirens are activated by the City of Des Moines on an all-city basis; the Drake emergency notification system, Bulldog Alert, is activated for severe weather if there is an immediate threat to the campus.

Remember to “DUCK”:
D—Down to the lowest level like a basement or interior room on the first level
U—Get Under something sturdy
C—Cover your head
K—Keep in your shelter until the storm has passed

—Submitted by Chris Nickell, Director, Health and Environmental Safety

Drake University complies with the Iowa Smoke Free Air Act and prohibits smoking on the Drake campus. Drake policy also prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) on campus, with the exception of performing arts performances in which e-cigarettes may be utilized by actors as part of a theatrical production.

For purposes of this prohibition, the Drake campus includes:

• All buildings on campus—residential hall rooms and common areas; work areas, private offices, conference and meeting rooms; classrooms, auditoriums, lounges, and cafeterias; stairways, hallways, and other enclosed spaces
• All property maintained by Drake University, including leased and owned property, athletics fields, sidewalks, and parking lots
• Seating areas of outdoor sporting events, stadium, and other outdoor entertainment venues
• All vehicles owned, leased, or rented by Drake University
• All vehicles when parked on University property

All students, faculty, staff, contractors, and visitors are responsible for observing the provisions of this policy.

Smoke Free Campus Environment policy and FAQ (Note: You may be directed to sign in to blueView to access this information.)

—Submitted by Cindy Adams, Associate Director, Human Resources

In its third year, the 2016 All In campaign has been set for May 10–11, from noon to noon. In 2015, the campaign raised $101,100 from 285 donors, 14 of whom were first-time donors. All of that in only 24 hours.

This year we will feature a challenge for each Annual Fund designation, and you might see some familiar faces in the campaign.

For now, you can like the Facebook page and encourage other Bulldogs to do the same, bookmark the All In website, and watch OnCampus for updates. We will announce the 2016 campaign challenges in April.

—Submitted by Niki Smith, Digital Media Specialist