Ice cream week is coming! From July 9–13, Provost Mattison invites you to gather some colleagues, take a walk down to Black Cat Ice Cream on Cottage Grove, and enjoy a free cup or cone of one of their amazing ice cream or sorbet flavors.
You can pick up your ticket for one free cup at the Provost’s Office in Old Main from July 9–12.
— Madison Bemus, Office of the Provost
Drake is proud to host 25 Mandela Washington Fellows as part of the Young African Leaders Initiative for six weeks this summer. Join us to welcome the Fellows at a reception at the start of their time on Drake’s campus.
The Drake community, along with those partners who will be interacting with the Fellows during their time here are welcome to attend. The Reception will be held Tuesday, June 25, at 4:45 p.m. in Parents Hall South in the Olmsted Student Center.
Please contact yali@drake.edu with any questions regarding this reception or the program in general.
— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center
Drake is excited and honored to be an Institute Partner for the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Beginning in mid-June, Drake will host 25 of Africa’s emerging business leaders for a six-week program on our campus. One of the highlights for Fellows during the Institute are the Home-Hosted Meals and one-on-one time with Focus Project Coaches to develop action plans to identify and address a need in their business, organization, or community.
Applications for both Home Hosts and Focus Coaches are now officially open.
Home Hosts: https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9pD3Sff2lec0IXs
Focus Coaches: https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_72vxzAMQ8GYXDNQ
To learn more about the YALI program, visit https://www.drake.edu/yali/.If you have any specific questions about the YALI program and how to get involved, please contact Jorona Johnson (jorona.johnson@drake.edu) or Lance Noe (lance.noe@drake.edu).
— Jorona Johnson, Global Engagement
On Tuesday, April 23, the Biden administration announced the Final Rule increasing the salary threshold required for many employees to remain salaried (and, thus, exempt from/ineligible for overtime).
Starting July 1, the rule increases the salary threshold at which executive, administrative and professional (“EAP”) employees are exempt from overtime pay from the current salary threshold of $35,568 to $43,888. The rule makes an additional adjustment to $58,656, effective January 1, 2025 (and automatic adjustments are built into the rule every three years thereafter).
Drake HR is working with members of the President’s Council and impacted managers to assess exempt positions that will fall short of the new July 1 and/or January 1 salary thresholds.
Drake HR is also working to create a webpage that will provide more information about the new Final Rule and how FLSA exemptions work. It will also address some of the ways Drake will assess impacted staff.
We do expect legal challenges to the Final Rule. For those of you who recall the 2016 Final Rule, it was subject to a court injunction right before it went into effect. We’ll be keeping a close eye on any legal developments and will share those, should they occur.
Please watch for more OnCampus updates and the roll-out of a FLSA webpage (hopefully by the end of this month).
— Maureen De Armond & Debra Wiley, Human Resources
All Staff Council is bringing back the highly anticipated staff and faculty kickball tournament on Tuesday, May 21, to celebrate the start of summer. Register your team or as a free agent today. Registration has been extended and must be submitted by Thursday, May 16.
Important Details
Spectators welcome and encouraged. Yard games and refreshments will be provided—we look forward to seeing you there.
All Staff Council will also draw a winner for the parking pass at this event, names collected for events throughout the semester.
— Courtney Conrad, On behalf of All Staff Council
Brad Toussaint, who started working at Drake University in 1984, will be celebrating his retirement on Friday May 3. After 40+ years with the University, Brad’s last day is Friday.
Please stop by the Dial Center from 2–4 p.m. on Friday to congratulate Brad on his retirement and celebrate his many contributions.
— Jerome Hilscher, ITS
All Staff Council is bringing back the highly anticipated staff and faculty kickball tournament on Tuesday, May 21, to celebrate the start of summer. Register your team or as a free agent today. Registration must be submitted by Monday, May 13.
Important Details
Spectators welcome and encouraged. Yard games and refreshments will be provided – we look forward to seeing you there.
— Courtney Conrad, On behalf of All Staff Council
You are invited to join us at the next Provost’s Drake Social on Monday, May 13, in the Schickler Courtside Club, adjacent to the Knapp Center, beginning at 4 p.m.
During this event, faculty and staff who celebrated (or will be celebrating) a milestone service anniversary or retirement between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, will be recognized on a rolling display at the event. There will be cupcakes, soft drinks, wine, beer, and light snacks.
Please take a moment to stop by, enjoy some treats, and congratulate your colleagues.
— Linda Feiden, Human Resources
Don’t forget to vote: All Staff Council elections close Friday, May 3, at midnight. Use the All Staff Council ballot to vote for your new committee members.
— All Staff Council Governance Committee
Colleagues: On April 15, you received an email from the Provost’s office with a link to a survey on internationalization at Drake. If you have not already completed it, we ask for your consideration in doing so.
The deadline for submission is May 1.
— Mary McCarthy, Professor of Political Science