The recording of President Martin’s Town Hall presentation from Monday, Nov. 5, is available here. The video provides a great deal of useful information about the current state of higher education and Drake’s response.

Please note: The presentation is for internal audiences only.

Nate Reagen, Office of the President

Faculty and staff are eligible to receive up to four complimentary general admission tickets to the Men’s Basketball season opener vs. Buena Vista on Thursday, Nov. 8. Tickets may be picked up at the Knapp Center Ticket Office Monday–Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or at the ticket window on game day. Must show valid Drake Card at the time of pick up.

For more information please contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or visit GoDrakeBulldogs.com.

Ryan Harris, Athletics

The 2018 United Way Campaign kicked-off yesterday and will run through Friday, November 16. For faculty and staff, this is yet another invitation to live the Drake Inspiration: “Together we transform lives and strengthen communities.” You can learn more about this year’s campaign and make your contribution by clicking here.

This fall, 319 faculty and staff shared feedback about University Communications and Marketing (UCM) via the Survey of Administrative Services. Roughly 70 percent of respondents who said they work with UCM regularly (i.e., at least every few months) reported that they are satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the department’s services.

The three highest scoring areas, and the mean for each on a five-point aggregate scale, were:
1. UCM staff are courteous—4.34
2. UCM staff are professional—4.23
3. UCM staff are knowledgeable—4.10

The lowest-scoring items were:
UCM staff respond to my inquiries in a timely manner – 3.52
UCM staff help identify solutions that I otherwise wouldn’t have considered–3.45
Communication from my area is better as a result of having worked with UCM–3.37

All survey respondents — whether they work regularly with UCM or not — are most satisfied with campus communications (4.15), including OnCampus and leadership messages, and with digital content (3.77), such as photography and videography. Respondents perceive student recruitment communications (3.19) and strategic communications planning (3.40) as the areas needing the most improvement. All other services provided by UCM scored above 3.50.

Following are some recent or current initiatives that are helping improve the work of UCM and the team’s impact on the University:

• Implemented a new project management system, to better track progress on active projects and determine capacity for new initiatives.
• Launched and expanded the UCM online toolkit, which provides campus colleagues with a number of self-service tools and resources.
• Added the role of marketing director for the University, hired an experienced senior professional (Betsy McKibbin) for that role, and reorganized UCM staff and budget to provide stronger focus on student recruitment.
• Completed customer journey mapping from the undergraduate perspective, to understand and improve communication between Drake and prospective undergraduate students as they move through the recruitment process.
• Reassigned budget to help support academic units with student recruitment, including digital marketing (see next bullet) as well as customized videos, customized print collateral, customized gifts for visiting prospects, and other tactics. Primary focus has been on CBPA and CPHS, which have the strongest need to improve undergraduate enrollment.
• Expanded digital marketing from strictly graduate student recruitment to both graduate and undergraduate student recruitment.
• Initiated development of a digital dashboard, that will allow the University to analyze consumer behavior from real-time data pulled from digital marketing, website, social media, and the Slate customer relationship management platform.
• Refreshed the University website and upgraded all academic unit websites to the new brand platform.
• Implemented a dynamic online events calendar for the University, currently funded by Student Senate, that is greatly improving awareness of the many events happening at Drake.
• Redesigned Blue alumni magazine into a more dynamic format, to better fulfill readers’ wants and to drive more alumni engagement online. (Note: The new Blue will be mailed in the next few weeks.)
• Supported the rollout of the University’s core values, including printed collateral and digital communication.
• Installed more banners around campus (Cowles Library, Ray Promenade, Sheslow Auditorium, and Law School), as well as Drake-branded banners along 3^rd Street and near Wells Fargo Arena, heading into downtown. Note: The downtown banners and a pair of digital billboards promote Drake’s online graduate programs are being funded by that office.

We appreciate the constructive feedback. To learn more about UCM, please visit the department website, as well as the online toolkit. We would also be happy to come talk with your area about our capabilities and services.

Dave Remund, Executive Director, University Communications and Marketing

Interested in learning more about Drake’s international partner universities, and how you might become involved? Join us for breakfast and visit with special guests from six of Drake’s international partners on Thursday, Nov. 15, from 8–9:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main. Faculty and staff who have previously engaged with the partners will be present to share of their experiences. Come explore possible connections and projects! Information on funding for working with international partners will be provided. Faculty and staff winners of the photo contest will also be announced.

To learn of more exciting events during IE Week, please go to:
https://calendar.drake.edu/ieweek

As part of International Education Week, the Drake International department will be hosting an open house on Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 3:30–5 p.m. at Drake International (1213 25th Street). Meet special guests from Drake’s international partner universities and see the campus headquarters for education abroad, international student and scholar services, and international partnerships. Mingle with campus colleagues and global community partners, and cast your vote for the International Education Week photo contest!

Annique Kiel, Executive Director of Global Engagement and International Programs

On Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 2:15–3:15 p.m. in the Drake International Conference Room, located at 1213 25th Street, faculty travel seminar leaders will share best practices and tips for creating a credit-bearing global learning experience for students.

Experienced J-Term instructors will share their experiences and advice with those who are teaching J-Term for the first time in 2019 and those who are thinking about teaching J-Term in 2020 or beyond focused on travel seminars.

Maria Rohach, Assistant Director of Drake Administered Programs Abroad and Art Sanders, Associate Provost for Faculty Development, will facilitate the conversation. Visitors from Drake’s international partner universities will also be in attendance.

For more information about this event, contact arthur.sanders@drake.edu or maria.rohach@drake.edu.

Art Sanders, Associate Provost  

You won’t want to miss the next two Drake Socials!

Monday, Nov. 12: Kicking-off International Education Week

Thursday, Dec. 13: Honoring those who exemplify Generosity of Spirit

Join us Nov. 12 at 3:30 p.m. for a Town Hall meeting on International Education week, followed immediately by the Provost’s Drake Social. It will be a time to learn more about Drake’s international programs and meet some of our international partners who will be in attendance.

To get ready for the Dec. 13 social, consider nominating a colleague who is a model for Generosity of Spirit. Send the name and a sentence or two describing why this colleague exemplifies this Drake Core Value to Drinda Williams at drinda.williams@drake.edu. Generosity of Spirit: we trust the best in each other, we treat each other with respect, and we are committed to creating a welcoming environment for everyone.

Both socials will be held at the Shivers Hospitality Suite.

Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost