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.
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
Don’t be fooled by the name, the ‘corporate games’ are a great way to have fun with co-workers, celebrate your health, skills, and knowledge, and represent Drake while doing so! Here are the events we need broad participation in:
You don’t need to be an elite athlete to participate in any of the above.
For those of you looking for athletic competition in a team setting, we still need people for:
Sign-ups are easy – just email Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu if you are interested in signing up for any (or many!) of the events above.
We’ll see you out there!
— Nate Reagen, Office of the President
The All Staff Council Governance Committee congratulates each of the newly elected members of the Drake University All Staff Council!
Governance/Policy Committee
Recognition Committee
Special Events/Community Service Committee
Special Interests Committee
Chair Elect
— Sara Schilling, On behalf of All Staff Council
Facilities Planning and Management has scheduled several summer projects which will impact various high-traffic areas of campus. Please take note of the following projects as well as the areas that will be affected by construction in the coming weeks and months. The attached image showcases other projects not mentioned here.
Parking Lot 1 – Upcoming Closure for Resurfacing, Landscaping
Lot 1 (across 25th Street from Fine Arts) will be closed for the duration of the summer (June 1–July 20) for resurfacing and new landscaping. With the forthcoming Mediacom Stadium opening this fall, this upgraded lot will serve as a key welcoming point for campus visitors.
Herriott Hall Masonry and Painting – Herriott Circle Closure
The circle drive at Herriott will be closed for the duration of the summer to allow contractor access for an extensive masonry and painting project. This work will include masonry and tuckpointing repairs, interior and exterior painting, and repainting of the fire escapes and balconies to the north and south of Herriott.
Quads Bridge Closures – to Carpenter and Crawford
The pedestrian bridges at the south ends of Crawford and Carpenter Halls will be closed to foot traffic at various points this summer. The concrete pad and ramp at Carpenter followed by concrete step replacement and repairs to a retaining wall near Crawford will take place June 19-23. In July, both bridges will be cleaned and repainted in preparation for the new academic year. Specific closures will be announced once the contractor completes interior work in other buildings.
Performing Arts Hall Roof Replacement – Carpenter Avenue Closure
The upper and lower roofs of Performing Arts Hall as well as the vestibule roof over the east entrance to the Anderson Gallery will be replaced in August. This will result in the closure of Carpenter Avenue at 24th Street from August 1-18 to allow for crane placement to unload and load material onto the roofs. If you park in a reserved space on Carpenter Avenue, please seek alternate parking between August 1–18.
— Colin Atkinson, Facilities Planning and Management
Drake Professor of Sociology Nancy Berns, author of Closure: The Rush to End Grief and What It Costs Us, shared her expertise around grief and the pressure to “move on” and find “closure” in a recent Yahoo Life article.
In the article, titled, “How those who grieve feel pressured to ‘move on’ — and why that makes the loss hurt even more,” Professor Berns said,
“Closure grew in popularity particularly in the ’90s, but has roots in the ’60s and ’70s, with the rise of pop psychology and victim survivor movements.” The “made-up concept” has been exploited by groups including politicians pushing the death penalty and those in the funeral industry, she said.
“It carries a lot of baggage and can create more harm than help for those who are grieving. We grieve because we love. Even as it changes over time and people learn how to carry it, it’s still going to be part of our lives in many ways.”
But when people receive messages about closure, she adds, “What it sounds like is, ‘You don’t want to listen to my pain,’ and it shuts them down and isolates them further.”
At its April meeting, the Drake Board of Trustees voted to approve the newest cohort of tenured and promoted faculty, the Sammons Endowed Professorship of Actuarial Science, the inaugural Flapan Professorship of Biology, and Troyer fellow. Our colleagues’ hard work and passion as educators are truly extraordinary.
College of Arts & Sciences:
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
School of Education
Zimpleman College of Business
— Sue Mattison, Provost
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:
New leaders in current roles:
Continuing roles:
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:
Check out the schedule for this year’s state track meet, and more.
— Scott Law, Public Safety & Operational Services
All are welcome to join for an open house to celebrate the contributions of Renee Sedlacek Lee, director of Community Engaged Learning, and wish her well in her new role at Workiva, where she will start at the end of May. The Open House will be Wednesday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the lower level lobby of Cowles Library and people are welcome to come and go as they are able. Food and beverages will be available.
Renee said, “It has been an absolute pleasure serving as the Director of Community Engaged Learning since 2017 and working to build the capacity and infrastructure of CEL at Drake since 2013.”
— Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning
