During the summer, contractors have been hard at work making improvements to Olmsted. We are pleased to share that the project is on time and on budget. Contractors will be on site working on final touches through the end of September.  A few milestones to note:

• The Bulldog Shop will be open on Monday, August 11.
• The 2025 Learning Symposium will be hosted in Parent’s Hall on Tuesday, August 19.
• Olmsted will open to the public on Wednesday, August 20.
• Starbucks will be up and running on Wednesday, August 20.
• Fun new branding elements will be installed through the month of September.
• The new On The Go Convenience Store is planned to open at the end of September. The existing C-Store in lower level of Hubbell will be operational until the On The Go store is complete.
• The Drake Room will be offline through September 5.
• Steam Line replacement is completed with testing of the systems over the week of August 11.  Site restoration and landscaping replacement will continue through the month of September.
• Student Services Center will be permanently located on the 1^st floor of the Johansen Student Center.
• Former SSC location in the breezeway of Olmsted will serve as a Welcome Desk for Olmsted and staffed by our events team.
• New mail room package pick-up lockers are installed in the lower level of Olmsted.

We are excited for all of campus to see the improvements!

— Heather Winslow, Capital Projects

Drake University strictly prohibits hazing in all forms. In accordance with The Stop Campus Hazing Act and Iowa Code § 708.10, all students, faculty, staff, and affiliated organizations are expected to uphold a culture of respect and safety.  For more information related to hazing, resources, and contacts, please review the University’s hazing policy.

— Jerry Parker, Vice President & Dean of Students

Microsoft recently began moving suspicious emails to a “quarantine” area instead of users’ junk folders within Outlook. To view or release these messages, you’ll need to log in to a separate site at https://security.microsoft.com/quarantine. 

To simplify message management while still protecting you, ITS staff members are working to make adjustments to these new settings so that messages will once again be routed to your “junk” folder instead of the quarantine. We will continue to keep campus informed on whether a permanent fix can be applied. 

If you have questions or concerns, contact the ITS Support Center by submitting a ticket through our service portal (service.drake.edu/its) or by calling 515-271-3001. 

— Becky Klein, ITS

The Divine Nine Project, located east of Painted Street, will begin on Aug. 4. The work includes adding concrete foundations, granite benches, and stainless steel elements near the Paint It Black circle, situated between Meredith Hall, Jewett Hall, Cowles Library, and the Johansen Student Center.  During construction, there will be some short-term sidewalk closures and directional signage in the area.

— Heather Winslow, Capital Projects, Facilities Planning & Management

With The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave and Bold having come to a successful close in October 2024 securing more than $265 million in gift commitments, the University maintained the campaign website for eight months before archiving it and taking it offline. This means any materials, including email signatures, containing links to the site are no longer active. However, you can still find campaign results and video content for each of the campaign priorities on Drake’s newsroom. 

Update your email signature 

If your email signature still includes The Ones logo at the bottom, please follow these steps to updated it:  

• In Outlook, select “Outlook” in your top navigation 

• Select “Outlook Settings” 

• Select “Signatures” 

• Under “Signature Name,” highlight your current signature and click “Edit” 

• This will open an editable window. Simply highlight the bottom portion of your signature with The Ones logo and delete it. Then click “Save” 

Recycle campaign materials 

We are no longer using our campaign brochures (AKA case statements). Please find a time to recycle any unused materials. 

— Pam Pepper, University Advancement

Join us in celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and our recently awarded “Gold” certification. Earlier this year, the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center became only the second building in the United States to achieve the Gold Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification.

On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, The Harkin Institute will host an unveiling ceremony for the certification plaque that will hang in our atrium. The ceremony will be followed by a panel discussion that will cover the benefits of universal design and how to implement accessibility features in your work place. Light refreshments will be provided.

Before the unveiling, guests will have a chance to check out the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center for themselves! The building will be open for self-guided tours starting at noon. The Harkin Institute staff will be on hand for any questions you have throughout the tour.

American Sign Language and live-captioning (CART) in English will be provided for all attendees during the unveiling ceremony and panel discussion. ASL interpreters will also be on hand from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. for those who need interpretation during the open house portion of the event.

WHAT: Gold Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Celebration and Panel Discussion
WHEN: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Open house and self-guided tours: 12:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Unveiling ceremony: 3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Panel discussion: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Tom and Ruth Harkin Center (2800 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310)
RSVP: Please RSVP via Eventbrite if you plan to attend the unveiling ceremony and panel discussion

— Kathryn Kuckelman, Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement

In accordance with Iowa state law, Drake University allows students to request immunization exemptions under certain circumstances, including medical or religious grounds, though these requests are subject to review and approval by University health officials. The exemption process requires students to complete and submit the appropriate documentation—such as signed statements or medical forms—to ensure compliance with public health standards. For full details, guidelines, and required forms associated with the immunization exemption policy, see Drake’s official policy page and Health Center resources: Communication Regarding Immunization Exemptions and Health Policies and Forms.

— Jerry Parker, Vice President & Dean of Students

ITS staff are happy to share that the updated SPSS license for 2025 is now available. To request the download and license to update your software, submit a Software Request ticket through the ITS service portal. ITS staff will respond with the license code and assist you in updating your software.

If you have any additional questions, contact us by submitting a ticket though the ITS service portal at service.drake.edu/its, visiting us in lower level Carnegie Hall, or by calling the Support Center at 515-271-3001.

— Greg Christie, ITS