Join us Sept. 2 from 2:30–4:30 p.m. as we prepare for the Sprout Harvest Party by weeding, mulching, and cleaning up the garden.
We will have a variety of tasks available. Come for as much time as you are able. Registration is encouraged but not required. Snacks and water will be provided!
— Sydney Dvorak, Sustainability Coordinator
This past spring, the Faculty Senate created an ad hoc committee focused on a review of Drake’s ability to be a student-ready institution and ways the campus community can play a role in achieving this goal. If you are not familiar with the term, a student-ready institution provides holistic support to its students and restructures systems to support student needs.
Also, this past spring, the ad hoc committee met with campus stakeholders and assessed university systems and faculty and staff practices related to this area to understand where we are. While this helped us develop a picture of Drake’s current practices, WE NEED YOUR HELP. As staff play a key role in helping students succeed at Drake, we need to better understand what you are doing and what improvements you feel can be made to achieve the goal of being a student-ready institution.
This sessions will gather your insight into how we currently are and, in the future, can do better to support our students and effectively prepare them for both academic success and future careers.
Please note that for efficiency, artificial intelligence will be used during the meetings to record and transcribe the discussions. The findings from staff focus groups will be combined with data from corresponding student and faculty focus groups to generate a comprehensive report outlining ways actionable changes and best practices for faculty and suggestions for institutional system modifications to make Drake a more student-ready institution.
Meetings will be held on the following dates/times and you can sign up for these meetings via the links provided:
Tuesday, September 22nd, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Johansen Room 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-staff1
Monday, September 28th, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Library Room 201: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-staff2
— Maria Valdovinos, Professor of Psychology
The Drake community has spent some time during the past few years trying to better understand how we can support students at Drake to better achieve their goals while at Drake and after graduation. One key area being explored is how we can make Drake a “student-ready” institution. A student-ready institution provides holistic support to its students and restructures systems to support student needs.
Currently, there is a faculty committee focused on reviewing Drake’s ability to be a student-ready institution and ways the campus community can play a role in achieving this goal. This past spring, the faculty committee met with campus stakeholders and assessed faculty practices and university systems related to this area to understand where we are. While this helped us develop a picture of Drake’s current practices, WE NEED YOUR HELP to better understand the undergraduate student viewpoint on what is being done and what improvements can be made to achieve the goal of being a student-ready institution.
We invite you to participate in one of several undergraduate student focus groups dedicated to assessing our university’s preparedness to be a truly student-ready institution. These sessions will gather your insight into how Drake currently is and, in the future, can do better to support you and effectively prepare you for both academic success and future careers. The first 50 students who participate in a focus group will receive $10 in Bulldog Bucks. Sign up for a session below.
Please note that for efficiency, artificial intelligence will be used during the meetings to record and transcribe the discussions. The findings from student focus groups will be combined with data from corresponding faculty and staff focus groups to generate a comprehensive report outlining ways actionable changes and best practices for faculty and suggestions for institutional system modifications to make Drake a more student-ready institution.
Tuesday, September 15th, 3:00p to 5:00p, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student-1
Friday, September 25th, 9:00a to 11:00a, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student2
Tuesday, September 29th, 8:00a to 10:00a, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student3
Friday, October 2nd, 1:00p to 3:00p, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student4
Friday, October 9th, 9:00a to 11:00a, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student5
Friday, October 16th, 1:00p to 3:00p, Library 201: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student-6
Friday, October 23rd, 1:00p to 3:00p, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student7
Friday, October 30th, 1:00p to 3:00p, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-student8
— Maria Valdovinos, Professor of Psychology
This past spring, the Faculty Senate created an ad hoc committee focused on a review of Drake’s ability to be a student-ready institution and ways the campus community, and in particular faculty, can play a role in achieving this goal. If you are not familiar with the term, a student-ready institution provides holistic support to its students and restructures systems to support student needs.
Also, this past spring, the ad hoc committee met with campus stakeholders and assessed faculty practices and university systems related to this area to understand where we are. While this helped us develop a picture of Drake’s current practices, WE NEED YOUR HELP to better understand what faculty are already doing in this area, how faculty are using current related university systems, and what improvements can be made to achieve the goal of being a student-ready institution.
We invite you to participate in one of several faculty focus groups dedicated to assessing our university’s preparedness to be a truly student-ready institution. These sessions will gather your insight into how we currently are and, in the future, can do better to support our students and effectively prepare them for both academic success and future careers.
Please note that for efficiency, artificial intelligence will be used during the meetings to record and transcribe the discussions. The findings from faculty focus groups will be combined with data from corresponding student and staff focus groups to generate a comprehensive report outlining actionable changes and best practices for faculty and suggestions for institutional system modifications to make Drake a more student-ready institution.
Friday, September 18th, 9:00a to 11:00a, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-faculty1
Friday, September 25th, 1:00p to 3:00p, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-faculty2
Friday, October 2nd, 9:00a to 11:00a, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-faculty3
Friday, October 9th, 1:00p to 3:00p, Johansen 301: https://calendly.com/maria-valdovinos-drake/ad-hoc-student-ready-institution-focus-group-faculty4
— Maria Valdovinos, Professor of Psychology
Drake’s accreditation process with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is underway, and we invite all faculty and staff to share their perspectives.
As part of our preparation for our December 2027 accreditation submission and February 2028 site visit, we are gathering feedback on the four HLC Criteria for Accreditation: Mission; Integrity; Teaching and Learning for Student Success; and Sustainability.
Your input will help inform the work of the accreditation criterion committees and ensure the final assurance argument reflects the experiences and strengths of our campus community.
Please take a few minutes to submit your feedback using this form.
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone on our HLC accreditation leadership team: Jenny Tran-Johnson, John Edwards, Nate Reagen, and Anne Marie Greenwood. Thank you for supporting this important institutional process.
— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost
Take a break, get creative, and learn about studying abroad in Spain at our Cowles 2026 Crafternoon Kickoff! Join Cowles Library and Global Affairs on Friday, Sept. 11, from 3–5 p.m. to create your own Spanish-inspired mosaic tile coaster using colorful mosaic pieces.
While you create, learn about opportunities to experience Spain for yourself, including Drake’s Spring 2027 Semester in Seville and Travel Journalism in Spain program.
This event is free, and all supplies and instructions will be provided. Come get crafty!
— Joanna Stankiewicz, Cowles Library
Take a break and get creative at our Cowles 2026 Crafternoon Kickoff! Join Cowles Library and Global Affairs on Friday, Sept. 11, from 3–5 p.m. to create your own Spanish-inspired mosaic tile coaster using colorful mosaic pieces. This event is free, and all supplies and instructions will be provided. Come get crafty!
— Joanna Stankiewicz, Cowles Library
The Drake Constitutional Law Center kicks off its 2026–2027 lecture series on Constitution Day, Sept. 17, at 3 p.m. with Aziz Z. Huq, Frank and Bernice J. Professor at the University of Chicago Law School and associate professor of sociology. His presentation, “Legality—and what comes after it,” is part of Drake University Law School’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, recognizing the enduring importance of the Constitution and the principles on which the nation was founded.
The free lecture is open to the public and will be hosted in the James Albert Classroom (number 213) in Cartwright Hall on the Drake campus. Registration is required for both in-person and livestream attendance. Register here: https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/registration-form/?formId=6a3b6afd-aa6a-403b-b58d-42eaa0bbe14a&envId=p-5q02DJVwcU2zacASsSW7Ig&zone=usa
“Drake Law School is fortunate on this major occasion to host one of the nation’s most accomplished and prolific legal scholars,” said Professor Mark Kende, director of the Drake University Constitutional Law Center and James Madison Chair in Constitutional Law.
Huq is a scholar of U.S. and comparative constitutional law. His recent work concerns democratic backsliding and the regulation of artificial intelligence. Huq’s award-winning scholarship is published in several books and in leading law, social science, and political science journals. He also writes for Politico, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and many other non-specialist publications.
Each year, the Constitutional Law Center hosts multiple lectures on campus with the nation’s leading constitutional scholars, including the Constitutional Law Symposium, Distinguished Lecture Series, and Judge James Grant Iowa Constitution Lecture Series.
Constitutional Law Center 2026-27 Dates:
Sept. 17, 3 p.m., Constitution Day Lecture, Aziz Z. Huq
Jan. 28, 3 p.m., Judge James Grant Lecture, John Dinan
Feb. 11, 3 p.m., Distinguished Lecture Series, Jonathan Gienapp
April 17, 8:30 a.m., Constitution Law Symposium, Suzie Pritchett, Kevin Johnson, Rose Cuisson- Villazor, Rogers Smith
The Constitutional Law Center is one of only four such centers established by Congress and funded by the federal government. It promotes the study of the U.S. Constitution and related topics. The Law School’s annual Constitution Day lecture brings distinguished constitutional law scholars to campus to explore timely issues related to the Constitution and its role in American society.
— Taylor Johnson, Law School
Intramural deadlines are approaching fast; sign up before it is too late! Here is the schedule of upcoming sports and their registration deadlines. Sign up for all intramurals using the DrakeRec app or by visiting the registration portal online.
Registration deadline: Sept. 2 at 4 p.m.
Season start: Sept. 8
Registration deadline: Sept. 3 at 4 p.m.
Season start: Sept. 9
Registration deadline: Sept. 9
Season start: Sept. 9
— RJ Hurd, School of Education
Are you interested in sustainability on campus? You can join the Sustainability Committee (a group of staff, faculty, and students) working to make change on our campus!
The committee meets the 3rd Friday of each month at 2 p.m. in SCB 201.
Sign up for the committee or email sydney.dvorak@drake.edu to learn more.
— Sydney Dvorak, Sustainability Coordinator
