Category Archives: Archive

HR Information Archive

Read the latest shout-outs!

As part of Employee Appreciation Month, Human Resources has been sharing shout-outs submitted by faculty and staff.  Thanks to everyone who participated this month.  Even though Employee Appreciation Month is ending, we hope you continue to find ways to show your appreciation to staff, faculty, and student employees across campus.  Sharing positive energy is contagious.  When you look for the good in people, you strengthen relationships, improving both their lives and your own.

Read the final shout-outs submitted this week!

“A shout-out to Renee Sedlacek Lee for putting on an inspiring Pecha Kucha event with faculty during the Global Citizen Forum, and for her leadership in rolling out DUgood on Drake’s campus!” – Amanda Martin

“A shout-out to the Professional and Career Development Services team for putting on a wonderful career conference for the entire student body.” – Amanda Martin

“A shout-out to Laney Guintard:  Laney is a welcoming presence to all who enter Carnegie Hall to visit Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Cashier, or Registrar.  She happily greets all who come through the doors and makes them feel at ease while quickly determining which office is best suited to help the student or family.  In addition, she manages the Financial Aid Office student workers while also fulfilling other critical tasks in Financial Aid to ensure students receive their award packages.  We appreciate Laney and the work she puts in every day to help Carnegie Hall visitors feel welcome and valued!” – Kristi Fuller

“A shout-out to Drake Public Safety: On March 20 I locked my car keys in my trunk.  They were in my coat with my phone.  I removed my coat to enjoy the nice weather and put it in my trunk with my messenger bag and lunch bag and then closed my trunk.  Immediately realizing I locked my car keys in my trunk, I stopped by Harmon Fine Arts Center and asked Natalie Bayer for help calling Drake Public Safety (Thanks Natalie!).  The response from Drake Public Safety was prompt and courteous.  The public safety officer (sorry, I didn’t get your name) was able to unlock my car, then Google a YouTube video to help me break into my trunk (the built-in anti-theft system in my car disabled my trunk release).  FPM also assisted by bringing over a long screwdriver so I could pop the trunk latch from inside my car.  Thanks again to everyone who helped me out of my embarrassing predicament!” – James Wu

“A shout-out to the PCDS team:  I could not be more proud to be a part of this strong, dedicated, collaborative, and fun-loving team!  Because of their hard work and collaboration across campus, Drake has Accomplishment Rates that are consistently among the highest in the country and response rates that tower 35% higher than the national average.  Well done everyone!” – Chrystal Stanley

“A shout-out to Dan Chibnall and Erica McGowan:  Thanks for all your help in organizing the University Book Club!  Your enthusiasm makes it a pleasure to plan and attend.” – Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Gail Witte:  Gail is always willing to fill in to sub for GroupX classes, and does an amazing job in all formats!  I can’t wait to see what she does with the Group Exercise program at Drake.  She’s only been here a short time but is already rocking it.” – Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Linda Feiden:  I really appreciate all the activities you organize!  From BUILD classes to Wellness Challenges, you work hard to promote them, and make them fun and engaging.  They are always a welcome addition to our normal day to day, and I appreciate all the time and enthusiasm you put into them.  Thanks!” – Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Donald Severs:  Don always goes above and beyond when card access tickets come in.  He usually responds to requests before I even have time to look at them and is dedicated to making sure he understands and delivers what our ticket requesters need.  You have been a great help to me these past few years, and I appreciate you!” – Sara Heijerman

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Thank you for going All In; winners of the faculty/staff challenges announced

The tenth All In Giving Challenge on March 2–3 was an amazing 24 hours! 

Nearly all of the matches and challenges were completed, donations from more than 40 states and 1,396 gifts made. All of this helped unlock $110,000 for Drake! 

More than 200 faculty and staff and more than 170 students went ALL IN this year! Thank you to everyone who went All In by sharing, supporting, and celebrating this incredible University! Your support made this All In the best and biggest ever. 

Mark your calendars for the next All In on March 7–8, 2024! 

All faculty and staff who made a gift during All In were entered into a drawing for a parking pass and JONI KINNAN, administrative support specialist for the College of Arts & Sciences is the lucky winner! 

The winning department of the Griff II headshots or treats delivered by Griff is the Drake Law School! 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you do every day to make Drake the exceptional educational institution that it is!

— Laura Roling, University Advancement

Strategic Updates Archive

Annual Great Colleges to Work For survey: Your participation is needed 

The Great Colleges to Work For (GCTWF) survey is back! Today (March 21), all full-time faculty and staff should have received an email invitation to participate from Great Colleges with the subject line “2023 Drake University Great Colleges to Work For Survey.”

What is the Great Colleges to Work For survey? 

The Great Colleges to Work For survey is the primary employee survey used by the University to gather feedback on our workplace culture. The survey is administered by ModernThink, a management-consulting firm focusing on workplace quality in higher education.  More information about the Great Colleges to Work For survey is available at greatcollegesprogram.com. 

Why should I participate? 

Your voice matters and your responses help the University identify opportunities to improve workplace satisfaction and engagement. Your responses provide valuable insight into employee opinions and needs. Overall responses are reviewed to identify actionable areas for improvement over the next year. Last year, 65% percent of all full-time faculty and staff responded to the survey. This year, we are aiming for a 67% response rate. The higher the response rate, the more accurate and complete the results.  

Is participation mandatory? 

Participation is voluntary, although we do hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to share your feedback and make sure your voice is heard. A high response rate will help ensure an accurate representation of employee perspectives. 

Are my responses confidential? 

By having a third-party provider facilitate the survey process, your participation and the feedback you provide will be completely anonymous. No one at Drake will be able to trace results back to individuals. Drake will receive reports summarizing the results, but will not have access to any individual response data. Furthermore, ModernThink does not report back results for areas that have less than five respondents. Learn more by reading the  Statement of Confidentiality. 

When and how do I participate? 

The 2023 survey period begins Tuesday, March 21, and ends Tuesday, April 4. The survey is administered online by ModernThink. Full-time faculty and staff will receive an email invitation to participate in the survey from ModernThink on March 21. 

How long will it take to complete the survey? 

It typically takes about 10-15 minutes to complete the survey depending on the amount of feedback you provide. 

How is the data used and will the results be shared? 

Consistent with past practice, a summary of the university survey results will be shared with employees and will be used to identify our strengths and opportunities for improvement. All of our units on campus, with greater than five employees, will also have results shared with that unit-leader. Several key measures and targets in the University’s continuous improvement plan (CIP), and in many unit-level CIP’s, are tied directly to feedback from the survey. ModernThink also provides valuable benchmark data that we can use to compare our results against other similar institutions. This information helps senior leaders and individual units can make informed, strategic decisions about improving our culture. 

Can I complete the survey during work hours? 

Yes. Faculty and staff are encouraged to complete the survey during working hours. Completing the survey is an important contribution that you can make to strengthen our campus community. 

For further questions, contact Nate Reagen or Maureen De Armond.   

Thanks for your support in advance! 

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President; Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Answer this trivia question for a chance to win $10 in Bulldog Bucks

As part of Employee Appreciation Month, Human Resources is adding one Drake trivia question in each issue of OnCampus in March.  The first person who correctly answers the question, once the issue of OnCampus is distributed via email, will receive $10 in Bulldog Bucks.  Answers should be submitted to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Last week’s winner was Elicia Ropte.  Congratulations!

Question of the week: What former Drake Relays competitor went from tossing javelins in the early 1980’s to topping the music charts?

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Music and media arts expert to speak at Drake

Internationally recognized audio arts expert and Drake alumnus Peter Otto will explore the roots of human creativity in the age of artificial intelligence in a multimedia presentation at Drake.

“The Nature of Creativity: An Evening With Sonic Arts Master Peter Otto” will be held on Wednesday, March 22, at 7 p.m. in the Sussman Theater of the Olmsted Center. The event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Slay Fund for Social Justice.

Otto’s talk will cover the many aspects of cross-disciplinary creativity, from creating your own specialty and writing your own job description, to the difference between artistic creativity and scientific discovery, and innovation in private and public sector contexts. He will also touch on artificial intelligence: what it can and can’t do, and how it can be creatively leveraged.

Otto’s wide-ranging career has blended art with science and technology. He is an expert in the language and aesthetics of audio design and engineering, and has consulted worldwide with audio and digital media companies. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Drake and a master’s degree in composition from the California Institute of Arts, where he subsequently served on the faculty. He served as director of music technology at the University of California San Diego, where he founded the university’s Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts major and Qualcomm Institute of Sonic Arts Laboratory. He was chief science officer for audio technology at Comhear, leading research and development of audio for virtual reality platforms. He was vice president for innovation at the 3D audio technology startup Dysonics, which was later acquired by Google, where Otto currently works in the DeciBel Audio Group.

Otto’s appearance is part of a series of events at Drake this spring that will explore human inspiration and innovation across disciplines. The final campus visitors will be New Age musician and Zen master Teja Bell at 7 p.m., April 12, in the Cowles Library Reading Room.

For more information or to arrange a class visit by either of these visiting professionals, contact: Kathleen Richardson, dean emerita, Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication, kathleen.richardson@drake.edu.

Kathleen Richardson, Dean Emerita, SJMC

News & Achievements Archive

Faculty and staff awards announced at Health Professions Day

During the annual Health Professions Day (formerly Pharmacy and Health Sciences Day), held on February 23, 2023, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS) presented several awards to faculty members who demonstrated outstanding teaching, mentorship, scholarship, and professional involvement over the past year within their fields. Nominations for the awards are sought from students and colleagues alike from within the college.

Maggie Fiala, director of external experiential external affairs, received the inaugural CPHS Staff Member of the Year award. This award was created to recognize the work of one individual who has gone above and beyond in their work to help the College fulfill its goals and mission.

Cheryl Clarke, assistant dean of clinical affairs, director of experiential education, and professor of pharmacy practice, was named the Hartig Distinguished Professor. This award recognizes a pharmacy faculty member who has distinguished him or herself in teaching, scholarship, service, or practice.

Rachel Allen-McHugh, assistant professor of occupational therapy, was honored with the C. Boyd Granberg Professional Leadership Award. This award is given to a faculty member who is committed to professional organizational leadership – both for themselves and among students.

John Rovers, Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Health Sciences, and John R. Ellis Distinguished Chair of Pharmacy Practice, was honored with the Richard Morrow Transformational Leadership Award. This award recognizes a faculty member whose transformational work has gone above and beyond. Transformational leaders focus on team building, motivation and collaboration with colleagues to accomplish change for the better. They identify a needed change, create a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and execute the change through collaboration.

The College’s Student Governance Association announced the following teaching and mentoring awards:

Yolanda Griffiths, professor of occupational therapy, was named the CPHS Teacher of the Year.

Mark Vitha, Windsor Professor in Science and Professor of Chemistry, was named the non-CPHS Teacher of the Year.

Nate Newman, associate professor of athletic training and MAT program director, was named the CPHS Mentor of the Year.

Sally Haack, professor of pharmacy practice and pharmacist at Primary HealthCare Pharmacy, was named the CPHS Preceptor of the Year.

Kaylyn Maher, CPHS

Campus Announcements Archive

How to create IT tickets

If you would like to report an issue or request a service, create a ticket using the ITS Service Portal, select the category of ticket you would like to create, and submit the details of your request.

ITS does not accept any tickets via email. All tickets must be submitted through service.drake.edu/its. This process helps ensure we gather as much relevant information as early as possible to facilitate resolving your situation.

When a ticket is created, updates about the ticket are sent through an automated email: tdxnotifications@drake.edu. This email is not monitored and cannot be used to create a new ticket, discuss an open ticket, or otherwise contact ITS.

For additional questions or support, please visit the ITS website, call 515-271-3001, or visit us in the lower level of Carnegie Hall.

Gillian Mohn, ITS

News & Achievements Archive

The Ray Center hosts Civic Leadership Academy for high school students

The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University will host the Civic Leadership Academy as an exclusive opportunity for high school juniors to learn from scholars, policymakers, and thought leaders from across the nation as part of the Drake University Center for Public Democracy. The Civic Leadership Academy will be held from July 10-12, 2023, concurrent with the Drake University Center for Public Democracy Summer Institute. The Civic Leadership Academy will immerse 25 high school students in an intensive and rewarding leadership development program that gives students the skills to stand out as leaders.

— Megan Wesselink, The Ray Center

Campus Announcements Archive

Friendly ITS tech tip

If you bought a personal Windows computer in the last year, your hard disk most likely has been encrypted by Microsoft’s Bit-Locker.

If your hard drive icon has a padlock on it, your information is encrypted and safe from people who want to steal your data.

If you don’t have the code to unlock your hard drive, refer to the following steps to locate it:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/finding-your-bitlocker-recovery-key-in-windows-6b71ad27-0b89-ea08-f143-056f5ab347d6

Keep this code safe and secure, either stored in cloud storage or a notebook in a secure area. Do not keep it on the drive as you could need that code to unlock it if Windows throws an error on boot up.

If you have questions or need assistance with this process, contact ITS support via service.drake.edu/its.

Gillian Mohn, ITS

Campus Announcements Archive

Summer and Fall 2023 registration, schedule of classes

The Summer and Fall 2023 schedules of classes and related registration information is available online. Registration begins Monday, April 10.

View registration information, including the registration time table that shows when you become eligible to register. View the schedule of classes.

Some courses will be temporarily reserved for students who have declared a certain field-of-study (major, minor, concentration, or endorsement). On Monday, April 24, those reservations will be removed. Note that some courses have restrictions that are permanent.

If you are an undergraduate or pharmacy student intending to make any changes to your field-of-study and have those changes take effect before registration begins, file your changes via the change of record request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 3. Requests submitted after this date may be delayed.

J-Term schedules will be published in October and registration will take place in November.

For J-Term travel courses, students first apply through Terra Dotta.  You will find travel course information by searching for programs in Terra Dotta. Students can apply starting March 8th, 2023.  The priority deadline for travel courses is April 7th.  More information is available on the J-Term webpage.

— Ryan Trump, Office of the Registrar