Faculty and staff are invited to attend a town hall meeting on Drake’s institutional accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission on Thursday, Sept. 14, beginning at 4:15 p.m. in the Shivers Hospitality Suite. Kevin Saunders, director of institutional research and academic assessment, and Craig Owens, professor of English, will present a brief but compelling summary of our case for reaccreditation.

Please note the time of the social has been adjusted so that faculty and staff can also take in two other campus events: The Constitution Day lecture and reception from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Law School and the Women’s and Gender Studies social from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

During the social hour immediately following the presentation, guests can enjoy a beer, glass of wine, or non-alcoholic alternative, and reconnect with one another as we embark together on the beginning of the academic year. Worried about running out of things to talk about during the social? We’ve got you covered. An array of posters will bring the accreditation process to life and celebrate our many collective achievements since our last HLC review, nearly 10 years ago.

In addition to complimentary beverages, there will be snacks and popcorn. Parking is available nearby. There is no cost to attend.

Save the date: Future town hall and social events 
Each event will begin with an informational town hall, followed by a social.

• Thursday, Oct. 12, 3:30–6 p.m., Shivers Hospitality Suite
• Wednesday, Dec. 6, 3:30–6 p.m., Shivers Hospitality Suite
• Tuesday, Feb. 6, 3:30–6 p.m., Shivers Hospitality Suite
• Thursday, March 8, 3:30–6 p.m., Shivers Hospitality Suite
• Wednesday, April 11, 3:30–6 p.m., Shivers Hospitality Suite

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Faculty and Staff Appreciation Lunch: Join us on Wednesday, Sept. 6 for lunch. Drake faculty and staff can dine for just $5!

We Heard You! Drake Dining has made some exciting changes based on your feedback. This year we’ve introduced extended dining hours! Hubbell Dining will now be open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for lunch and from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for dinner.
 
—Jennifer Bowersox, Drake Dining Services

The All Staff Council Special Events Committee invites Drake staff to participate in a service project benefitting Joppa Outreach on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Two shifts are available, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–5 p.m. Volunteers will help build tiny homes for Joppa’s Tiny Home Village, which serves homeless men and women in Des Moines. The build will take place in the parking lot across from the Alumni House. There are a limited number of spots available for these shifts, so please register online as soon as possible. This is a great opportunity to work together with fellow Drake staff to fill a community need! Light refreshments will be available and staff will have the opportunity to put their name in for a raffle for a parking pass for the 2018–2019 year.

Also, bring a canned food item or non-perishable items to help stock Drake’s Free Little Pantries!

If you are not available at this time but would still like to volunteer, shifts are available all week long as a part of DU Good Day. Click here for more information or to register. Full-time Drake employees are eligible for eight hours of Community Service Leave—check with your manager to see if this is an option.

—Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning

Drake Athletics is excited to announce an exclusive pre-sale of both men’s and women’s basketball season tickets available to Drake faculty and staff. Faculty and staff can take advantage of discounted pricing with a valid Drake Card. To purchase season tickets, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or tickets@drake.edu.

Season tickets go on sale to the general public Sept. 15, so be sure to take advantage of this special offer to lock in the best seats.

Men’s Basketball

• Premium Center (C,D,E,N,O,P)—$124 per seat plus $250 Bulldog Club donation
• Premium Outer (A,B,F,G,M,Q,R)—$124 per seat plus $150 Bulldog Club donation
• Reserved Center (3,4,5)—$124 per seat plus $250 Bulldog Club donation
• Reserved Outer (1,2,6,7)—$124 per seat plus $150 Bulldog Club donation
• General Admission (8-25)—$75 per seat plus no Bulldog Club donation

Women’s Basketball

• Reserved Sideline (A-G, M-R)—$60 per seat
• Reserved Baseline (S-T)—$50 per seat

Questions? Call 515-271-3647 or email tickets@drake.edu.

— Tom Florian, Ticket Sales and Donor Management

A reminder, the first Friday FYS lunch/discussion is this Friday, Sept. 8, at noon in Olmsted Center, TMR 133. These meetings are open to those with an interest in possibly teaching FYS in the future. It is too late to order a lunch, but you are welcome to bring your own and join us.

Our first meeting to begin planning the spring semester Engaged Citizen Experience with the theme Nourishing (Feeding) the World, is this Friday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. in Old Main, Room 208. Among the events we will be planning are our annual conference and a film series. For additional information contact me at arthur.sanders@drake.edu.

For the past two years, a group of faculty and staff have been meeting monthly to discuss issues related to creating inclusive learning environments. We will be continuing those meetings and opening them to anyone on campus who wishes to talk about the challenges, successes, and failures we have faced as we try to navigate this difficult issue. This semester the group will be meeting the second Monday of the month at 3:30 p.m. Thus, our first meeting will be at 3:30 on Monday, Sept. 11 in the Drake Room. If you have any questions, contact me at arthur.sanders@drake.edu.

—Art Sanders