Category Archives: Archive

Campus Announcements Archive

Join us for an out of this world conversation with Astronaut Raja Chari LIVE from the International Space Station

The Law School is hosting a Q&A with Astronaut Raja Chari live from the International Space Station this Thursday, March 3, at 2 p.m. The event will be held in Cartwright Hall, Room 213.

Doors will open at 2 p.m. The link to the ISS will go live promptly at 2:10 p.m. After a brief introduction, the line will be open for questions from the audience. Questions must be submitted and approved by Law School staff in advance. Individuals whose questions are selected will be notified on March 2.

Raja Chari, husband of Drake Law alumna Holly Schaffter Chari, LW’02, is the commander of the NASA SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew has been on the ISS since early November. Commander Chari is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He earned a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

Space is limited. Please register in advance. The registration form includes a place for you to submit a question for consideration. Register here.

— Terri Howard, Law School

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Employee Appreciation Month is here

Friday, March 4, is Employee Appreciation Day. Believe it or not, this unofficial holiday has been around for 27 years—though it has only recently grown in popularity. In 1995, Bob Nelson, a founding board member of Recognition Professionals International, called for a holiday acknowledging all employees, not just administrative professionals. And, thus, Employee Appreciation Day was born.

The primary purpose of this day is to recognize employees for their hard work, dedication, and effort throughout the year. Hopefully, we can all agree that employers ought to regularly take time to show appreciation for their teams (i.e., certainly more than once a year!). However, it is meaningful to have dedicated time for deeper reflection and gestures of gratitude.

Drake will be celebrating Employee Appreciation the entire month of March, not just on March 4. We encourage you to read tomorrow’s HR Monthly email, which will provide a list of events and activities happening throughout the month of March. Please monitor your email for special messages from leaders. We also are excited to feature articles about employee appreciation in OnCampus every week during March.

It has been another year of challenge and tenacity, uncertainty and growth. Drake faculty, staff, and student workers have done amazing work, despite the roller-coaster ride COVID-19 forced upon us. Take time to feel pride in your ability to persevere. It is easy to forget that we are slogging our way through a historic event and—at least for some of us—it’s been exhausting and scary. Some of us have suffered sickness, loss, isolation, and many different forms of hardship. Yet, this community has sustained a focus on our students and kept its forward momentum going.

Although I am still new to Drake, I have picked up on a theme when speaking with managers and academic leaders—they are so terribly proud of their teams and departments. If you look back at all you’ve accomplished in the last year (or two), you should also be proud.

Thank you for caring about our students. Thank you for wanting this community to grow, improve, and evolve. Thank you for your agility, resilience, and dedication. Thank you staying on this roller coaster ride—even when the path forward has been murky. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Nate Reagen, President’s Office

Campus Announcements Archive

Summer 2022, Fall 2022, J-Term 2023 registration, schedule of classes

The Summer 2022, Fall 2022, J-Term 2023 schedule of classes and related registration information is available online. Registration begins Monday, April 11.

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 25, 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, you must file your changes via the change of record request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 4. Requests submitted after this date may not be accommodated until Wednesday, April 27.

— Ryan Trump, Office of the Registrar

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Provost’s Drake Socials resume this month

The Provost’s Drake Socials will resume in March. Dates and locations for the remainder of the semester are:

  • Wednesday, March 23, Cowles Reading Room
  • Monday, April 11, Shivers Hospitality Suite
  • Tuesday, May 3, with the annual Human Resources retirement and years of service recognition, Shivers Hospitality Suite

The Socials will begin at 4 p.m. and are family friendly. There will be snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, and water.

We will have Drake Core Value recognitions in March and April. If you would like to recognize a colleague for demonstrating our Core Values, please go to this Qualtrics page to provide information. Everyone entered will be recognized via a scrolling PowerPoint and several will have their names drawn for prizes.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

For Staff Archive

High-five from Griff II now circulating

Drake staff have been receiving some special Griff II magnets this month as part of Staff Appreciation Month. One hundred magnets are being distributed through All Staff Council to circulate among staff throughout the month of March.

Here’s how it works:

  • The magnets will be given out as a high-five for a job well done—a way to say, “I see you, and I appreciate you.”
  • Once received, individuals are encouraged to keep the magnets for just a few days, but be watching for a colleague who also deserves a high-five.
  • The magnets can be handed off again and again, reaching as many of Drake’s amazing staff members as possible.

Feel free to add a note of appreciation, a treat, or a simple  smile—just keep those magnets circulating.

This is a joint project through the All Staff Council Recognition Committee and Human Resources.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Strategic Updates Archive

The Ones campaign hits $125 million milestone, now more than halfway to goal

Projects made possible by gifts to The Ones are already making a difference at Drake. Nearly four months after launching, the University’s comprehensive campaign is now more than halfway to its $225 million goal.

Donors have gifted $125 million to The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave and the Bold. The gifts will fund new scholarships that create opportunities, institutes that strengthen communities, and facilities that expand possibilities.

Some major gift highlights from the initial round of contributions:

  • Campaign co-chair and Drake Trustee Suzie Glazer Burt has donated more than $8 million to the campaign. Her generosity will help the Drake women’s basketball program reach new heights. She also changed the Drake campus, and the lives of thousands of local children forever, by funding the creation of the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club at Drake University.
  • Campaign co-chair and Drake Trustee Mark Ernst, BN’80, and his wife, LeighAnn Davis, believe so strongly in the mission of Drake University they have pledged $3 million for the University to use with no restrictions.
  • Peggy Fisher, FA’70, the chair of the Drake University Board of Trustees, and her husband Larry Stelter, are giving $3.325 million to the campaign. Their gift will be felt throughout the university including the Burt Club, the men’s basketball program, and the University’s annual fund and endowment. They will also help create the University Center, the future focal point of the Drake Campus.
  • Drake Trustee Paul Schickler, BN’74, GR’83, and his wife Claudia will make a difference in the health and viability of rural communities with a $6 million gift that will be used in part to create the Jay N. Darling Institute. The Schicklers’ gift will also help fund the men’s basketball program and Knapp Center renovation.
  • The Drake University Law School Refugee Clinic will be able to provide free legal services to individuals applying for asylum in the United States thanks to a $1 million gift from Karen Shaff, LW’79, and her husband Steven Jayne, LW’78.
  • Every year, one student with exceptional potential and a financial need will be able to attend Drake University Law School due to a $1 million gift from Sheldon Fleck, LW’75, and his wife Terry Fleck, PH’74. The chosen scholar will receive full tuition and additional financial support.
  • Honorary Campaign Chairs, Bill, BN’57, and Jean Buchanan, are inspiring entrepreneurs through the Buchanan Center. The Buchanans are gifting an additional $2 million to the Center to enhance its programming.
  • The University Center is coming closer to fruition with a $2 million gift from Gary Porter, BN’72, and his wife Melissa. In addition, the Porters have contributed a $100,000 endowed gift to the Changemaker Scholars program, which will help students use their talents to create positive change in the world.
  • Generations of Drake students will benefit from a $3 million collective gift from Meredith Corporation (now Dotdash Meredith) and the Edwin T. Meredith Foundation to renovate and enhance Meredith Hall, the home of Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Renovation work begins this summer.
  • Students who are the first in their families to attend a four-year university will benefit from a $1 million gift from the David J. Noble Foundation to the Noble Center in Drake’s College of Business and Public Administration. The gift will be used to create scholarships and fund the programming of the Center. In 2014, the late David Noble and American Equity committed $1.5 million for the CBPA to create the Noble Center.

Read the full press release, or for more information on the campaign, visit: theones.drake.edu.

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Bulldog Applause goes to Institutional Research and Academic Assessment

The Bulldog Applause program was created by the All Staff Council to let staff know how much they are appreciated, and to inform campus about the different departments at Drake.

Congratulations to the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment department for being recognized with the most recent Bulldog Applause. We appreciate all the work you do at Drake! Since Griff II was unavailable for the meeting, Christine shared her dog, Lucy, for the photo. Read a Q&A to learn more about the department:

The All Staff Council Recognition Committee honored the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment team with a Bulldog Applause. Since Griff II was unavailable to attend the meeting, Christine’s dog, Lucy, joined. 

How many staff members are in the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment department? 
We are a small but mighty team of three staff members.

What is the primary function of the team? 
The Office of Institutional Research and Academic Assessment serves as a source of information about Drake University. Our mission is to provide data, reports, and research that support institutional planning, strengthen teaching and learning, and promote understanding of the nature and quality of education at Drake University.

What staff member has been on the team the longest? 
Christine Marchand, institutional research coordinator, has been on the team for 13 years.

Who is the newest team member? 
Jessica Armstrong, data analyst

What campus building does your team “live” in?  
Howard Hall

What are some recent accomplishments that others in the University might not know? 
The team is going to roll out a suite of new reports using PowerBI as a reporting tool, which will add visualization and filtering tools to make information more accessible.

How does this staff foster a sense of community and belonging through their activities or sharing together here at Drake? 
The OIRA team enjoys engaging with others across the campus community in an effort to put information to good use. We may be data and assessment geeks, but the interactions with others is great fun. We frequently engage in projects that gather information about ways to improve our community (e.g., Climate Survey).

— Teresa Downs, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Give a shout-out to a deserving colleague

Giving a shout-out is a great way to recognize your colleagues for their hard work, talent, support, and creativity, and it can simply brighten their day. 

As part of Employee Appreciation Month in March, Human Resources is encouraging every employee—faculty, staff, and student workers—to submit “shout-outs” for deserving colleagues.

Giving a shout-out is quick and easy—simply write a sentence or two thanking a colleague or team for a job well-done, going the extra mile, or showing support during another challenging year. Submit your shout-outs to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu. Shout outs will be compiled and posted in OnCampus.

To help you get started, here is a shout-out I would like to give:

“A shout-out to the All Staff Council: Thank-you for your ongoing efforts in finding ways to support staff both on campus and remotely. You truly live Drake’s core values of Joyful Accountability, Generosity of Spirit, All in This Together, and Commitment to Mission. I appreciate everything you do!” — Linda Feiden

Please take a few minutes to submit a shout-out and show your gratitude for our amazing colleagues!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Deputy Provost 2:10 – Faculty mentoring program launch Summer 2022

Every Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.

Good faculty mentoring increases our ability to retain high quality faculty; it also helps create and sustain job satisfaction across the lifespan of a faculty career.  There are several models for creating a good mentoring program—one that supports faculty from the moment they are hired until the moment they retire.

Are you interested in being part of a faculty mentoring program—either as someone who receives mentoring, or as someone who provides it? I’d like to have a conversation about what your needs, expectations, experiences, and capacities might be as I look forward to launching a comprehensive faculty mentoring program as part of the Center for Teaching Excellence over the summer.

Please plan ahead to participate in a conversation after spring break, Friday, March 25, from 1:30–3 p.m. in Howard Hall, Room 210.  Register here, so we can provide hospitality. If you cannot attend but would like to be a mentor—or be assigned a mentor—please email renee.cramer@.drake.edu to inform me.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Deputy Provost 2:10 – Upcoming Books for Breakfast read ‘The Agile College’

Every Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.

Our March read for Books for Breakfast is Nathan Grawe’s Agile College: How Institutions Successfully Navigate Demographic Change.  You will remember Professor Grawe from the 2019 Learning Symposium, and before that through faculty senate’s engagement with his work during the 2018–2019 school year. This book is his newest, and it constitutes a follow-up to the one about the dreaded demographic cliff.

Even better, we have guest facilitators for this book: Sean Severe (CBPA) and Natalie Bayer (A&S). Please join Sean, Natalie, and me on March 8 and March 22, from 8:30–9:30 a.m. in Howard Hall, Room 210. Register here by Feb. 25.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost