Christine Urish, professor of occupational therapy, and Sarah Grady, professor of pharmacy practice, will teach a Mental Health First Aid course on Friday, June 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Fitch Hall, Room 102. If you are interested in attending, email Sarah Grady at Sarah.grady@drake.edu.

Mental Health First Aid is an international, evidence-based program that teaches people to identify, understand, and respond to the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

— Sarah Grady, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

The DART bus service is expanding transit options this June with the addition of two new DART On Demand zones in north Des Moines and West Des Moines. DART will also once again extend D-Line service on Saturdays through October for the Downtown Farmer’s Market, beginning at 8 a.m.

As a service reminder, there will be no DART bus service on Monday, May 29, in recognition of Memorial Day.  Regular weekday service will resume on Tuesday, May 30.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Since March 13, 2020 repayment on most federal student loans have been paused with a 0% interest rate. The student loan payment pause will end 60 days after the litigation over the student debt relief program is resolved OR August 29, 2023 (whichever is sooner). More information about the payment pause and the status of the student debt relief program is available at www.studentaid.gov.

Included below is content that was designed to aid borrowers who will begin/resume repayment later this summer.

• How to Prepare for Successful Student Loan Repayment
• How to Pick the Right Repayment Plan
• Tips & Tricks to Prepare for Student Loan Repayment
• Topic Index for Helpful Student Loan Content
• Avoiding Student Loan Scams

Drake’s Financial Aid Office is available to assist with questions related to federal student loan repayment. Contact us if we can be of service!

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

The Zimpleman College of Business is implementing a new leadership structure to enhance its ability to manage and develop faculty, recruit new students, and support current students in achieving their goals.

This new lineup, dubbed the Senior Leadership Team, supersedes the Administrative Council, and includes the promotion of several recognized leaders into college-wide roles and the continued contribution from a number of proven leaders. These changes will take effect July 1, 2023:

New and revised roles: 

• Alanah Mitchell will become the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs with a focus on faculty management and development.
• Kelley Ellis will become the Associate Dean of Student Affairs with a focus on recruitment and current student support.
• Kailee Springer will continue to serve as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs with an enhanced focus on current student advising and retention through the introduction of our blended advising model, and will collaborate with Kelley on admission and recruitment initiatives.

New leaders in current roles:

• Lendie Follett will become the Information Management and Business Analytics Department Chair and serve as co-director of the Data Analytics program.
• Lori Solsma will become the Department Chair and Director of the School of Accounting.
• Doug Bujakowski will become the Department Chair and Director of the School of Actuarial Science and Risk Management.

Continuing roles:

• Danette Kenne will continue in her role as Assistant Dean of Strategic Initiatives.
• Jenny Jones will continue in her role as Director of Graduate Programs and will join the Senior Leadership Team.
• Sheri Gavin will continue as the Zimpleman Budget and Office Manager.

I want to thank Sean Severe for the work he has done to move the Zimpleman College of Business forward during his tenure as Associate Dean. As he is welcomed back into the faculty, it is clear that his sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, passionate, and compassionate approach to leadership has been essential to the success of the College.

— Alejandro Hernandez, Dean of the Zimpleman College of Business

Drake University will host the Iowa High School State Track & Field meet on campus Thursday, May 18, through Saturday, May 20.

The State High School track meet brings a large number of high school athletes as well as guests to campus. This is a reminder that parking and travel on and around campus will be significantly impacted.

It is highly recommended that if you are coming to campus that you use public transportation, if at all possible. If you do plan on driving, the Olmsted Lot (lot 16) will be held for Drake Permit holders only from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. You are free to park in any other open Drake lot with a valid Drake permit on Thursday and Friday at no charge, but only the Olmsted lot will be held for permit holders from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. With the large number of guests expected, parking will be difficult to find on campus. Please remember that cars that are parked on the grass, illegally in handicap spaces, or blocking operations will be towed without notice.

In addition to parking lot use, please note the following closures and restrictions:

• Forest Avenue will be closed from 27^th Street to 29^th Street Thursday – Saturday from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. for safety reasons.
• There is NO PARKING on Forest Avenue between 27^th Street and 29^th Street on those days from 7 a.m. –7 p.m.
• There is no parking on Clark Street between 27^th Street and 24^th Street
• School buses will be parked on Forest Avenue throughout the event between 27^th Street and 24^th Street.
• Lot 18S (Studio Arts) will be closed from Tuesday, May 16, through Saturday, May 20 for the concessions area.

Check out the schedule for this year’s state track meet, and more.

— Scott Law, Public Safety & Operational Services

The corner of 30th Street and Carpenter Avenue has seen massive improvements over the course of the past two years. Most recently, thanks to funding from a Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant, there are now 14 Adirondack chairs and a three-person glider installed at the Sprout Food Forest. We hope you will check it out this summer and take the time to get outdoors!

More improvements are coming.
Later this month, a large cantilever umbrella will be installed over the outdoor classroom and interpretative signage throughout the Food Forest.

Reserve the outdoor classroom
Sprout is now located as an option on the Drake EMS reservation system. Consider hosting your class or a team meeting in the garden.

Volunteer with us!
All are welcome to dig and play in the dirt. No prior experience is necessary and a volunteer training will be provided. Sign-up on DUgood.

— Renee Sedlacek Lee, Community Engaged Learning

Microsoft has started using number matching in Microsoft Authenticator in place of approval requests. As you sign-in to myDrake, Banner, and other resources protected by multi-factor authentication (MFA), you will be provided a number that you enter into Microsoft Authenticator. Number matching enhances security by ensuring you’re the person signing in. For questions, please contact the support center.

More information from Microsoft can be found here.

If you have issues authenticating, visit service.drake.edu/its, call 515-271-3001, or visit the Support Center in the lower level of Carnegie Hall.

— Shawn Madsen, ITS

Renovations to Meredith Hall are proceeding on schedule, leading up to occupancy prior to the start of the Fall 2023 semester.

A new roof is nearly finished, and exterior painting is planned for the end of May 2023. Site demobilization activities and grounds restoration is expected to begin in June 2023.  On the interior, completion of classrooms, corridors, and offices continue as planned.

— Rob Ebel, Facilities Planning & Management

Building schedules will change at the end of this week to accommodate the summer semester. Most building hours will shorten from their normal academic year schedules to help maintain security in the summer months when there is less traffic on campus.

Faculty and staff will still be able to utilize their authorized access plans (for example, 24/7 access to their office buildings), but the automated extended hour student plans will be shut off during this time.  Regular building hours and extended student access will resume at the start of the fall semester.

Please contact Public Safety (515-271-2222) if you have a door access emergency, or contact the Student Services Center (515-271-2000 or studentservices@drake.edu) if you have a general card access question or concern.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

Drake Dining has revised their hours this week to make late-night study sessions a little better. View finals week hours of operation.