On May 3, members of the 31st Session of Student Senate were inaugurated into their new positions. Congratulations to them; we are looking forward to the positive contributions they will make around the Senate table next year!

Exec
President—Nathan Paulsen
Vice President of Student Life—Anna Gleason
Vice President of Student Activities—Anna Jensen
Student Body Treasurer—Ava Witthauer

At-Large
Academic Affairs—Nick Johnston
Campus Engagement—Olive Wassen
Community Outreach—Bakari Caldwell
Facilities & Technology—Giada Morressi
Health & Safety—JD Stehwien
Organization Council—Deshauna Carter
Student Affairs—Kollin Crompton
Student Services—Samantha Bayne

Academic
Arts & Sciences—Emily Anderson
Business & Public Administration—Daniel Newsome
Education—Darbee Farley
Fine Arts—Nick Black
Journalism & Mass Communication—Jake Bullington
Pharmacy & Health Sciences—Alex Maciejewski

—Meghan Baeza, Student Leadership Programs

The summer group fitness schedule is now available online! All classes are free to attend for Drake students, faculty, and staff. Register for classes by downloading the REC*IT FITNESS app or log in at www.imleagues.com. Classes run May 15–June 29 in the Fitness Studio at the Bell Center.

—Ellen Lowe, Recreational Services

Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Drake Student Survey. 1,419 students completed the survey out of 4523 contacts (31 percent response rate). We appreciate the engagement and want to give an update on our plans to respond to this information.

While we need additional time to fully analyze the data, here is a quick rundown of some findings.

• 91% of undergraduates and 92% of graduate students rate their experience at Drake as “good” or “excellent.”
• 86% of graduate students and 83% of undergraduates responded positively they would come to Drake again, if they were starting all over again.
• 89% of undergraduates and 91% of graduate students are “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their experiences with faculty.
• 92% of graduate and 84% of undergraduate students are “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the quality of their classes.

These represent positive findings regarding students’ overall experiences at Drake.

This month, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment will be sharing unit-specific results, compiling a summary of longitudinal results, and analyzing survey comments to identify areas of success and challenge. In the fall, we will pursue specific strategies to promote the use of this data across the University. We look forward to turning this important feedback into action.

—Kevin Saunders, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment

The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake is now accepting nominations for the Iowa Character Awards, which annually recognize individuals, organizations, and communities who demonstrate good character. Nominations are due May 9—learn more in the Drake Newsroom.

The sidewalk between Olin Hall and Fitch Hall will be closed starting May 15. The sidewalk from 27th Street and Forest Avenue running south along Olin Hall will also be closed for the summer. The sidewalk between Olin and Fitch will reopen in August prior to the start of the fall semester.

Please refer to the Summer 2017 Sidewalk Closures Map for specific locations of the sidewalk closures.

The southwest entrance of Olin Hall will be closed starting May 15. The northeast entrance will become the main entrance to Olin Hall for the summer. This will allow Weitz to complete site work at Collier-Scripps Hall and the Science Connector Building.

The map also shows other sidewalk changes near Fitch Hall and Medbury that will occur during the summer months. The schedule for these particular changes is currently being developed. The completed schedule will be shared in a future OnCampus. If you have questions please contact Jolene Schmidt at jolene.schmidt@drake.edu.

—Jolene Schmidt, Facilities Planning & Management

ITS encourages you to go out to password.drake.edu and set up your recovery options today to make your next password change, or forgotten password reset, easier.

When you sign in at password.drake.edu, you’ll be prompted to set up a Support Center question and answer to verify your identity. You will also be encouraged to set up at least one recovery option in case you forget your password. You can provide answers to a set of security questions, provide a non-Drake email address, or provide a cell phone number.

Only once you set up one or more of these recovery options, will you be able to easily reset your password yourself if you forget it in the future.

—Carla Herling, ITS

The University Archives & Special Collections honors the Year of the Fan celebration of “Mr. Drake” Paul F. Morrison with a special exhibit: “Racing Through Time:  A History of the Drake Relays.” Curated by Political Papers Archivist Hope Bibens, the exhibit is in the Collier Room on the 2nd floor of Cowles Library. Along with reproductions, the exhibit also includes original documents, historical photographs, and memorabilia. The exhibit is part of a collaboration between University Archives and Drake Athletics to preserve the rich history and tradition of sports at Drake.

—Hope Bibens, Cowles Library

Please take a few minutes to complete this online survey to help us improve your Recreational Services experience.  The last time we conducted this survey, it helped us prioritize some changes within our facilities.  We updated the locker room showers and have added some new equipment in the Fitness Studio.