Category Archives: Archive

For Faculty Archive

J-Term 2023 travel seminar proposals due Dec. 2

Interested in leading a J-Term 2023 travel seminar? Submit your travel seminar proposal by Thursday, Dec. 2, through Qualtrics. If you are new to leading travel seminars, please reach out to Global Engagement to set up a meeting to discuss your ideas and learn more about the process.

A travel seminar is a short-term, faculty-led study abroad (or domestic) program. This is an opportunity to teach a course that integrates an academic experience with intercultural and experiential learning while traveling.  To learn more about the travel seminar process, please contact Nathan Jacobson, education abroad coordinator, at nathan.jacobson@drake.edu.

— Maria Rohach, Director of Education Abroad

For Staff Archive

All Staff Council, Human Resources to host virtual town hall for staff Oct. 22

All Staff Council and Human Resources are excited to co-host a town hall for Drake staff on Friday, Oct. 22, at 1:30 p.m. The town hall may go as late as 3 p.m. depending on the number of attendees and questions. Staff are invited to join via Teams.

On Oct. 5, we invited staff to submit questions to All Staff Council to help us build an agenda that speaks to your interests. If you have a burning question, there is still time to submit questions to ASC. Please know we will reserve time during the town hall for attendees to ask questions and share ideas, suggestions, and recommendations.

To date, we have received dozens of great questions—many inquiring about staff compensation and the future of remote work. Questions touching upon these topics will prompt larger discussion suitable for the virtual town hall. In next week’s OnCampus, we will share a draft agenda for the town hall and we will address a few of the simpler questions for which there are reasonably straight forward answers.

We look forward to receiving more questions from staff to help us plan the virtual town hall. We hope to see you there.

— All Staff Council/Human Resources

For Students Archive

Register for the Sussman Leadership Conference

Each year, the Adams Leadership Institute hosts the annual Sussman Leadership Conference; bringing together undergraduate student leaders from across campus to share their experiences, exchange ideas, and gain skills that can be applied to their personal lives, student leadership roles, academic projects, and professional goals.

This year’s Sussman Conference, “Leading Back in Action,” will take place on Sunday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Olmsted Center, Parents Hall, featuring keynote speaker Sara Lowery. Conference registration and buffet brunch are provided at no cost to students thanks to alumni giving.

Space is limited. Please visit bit.ly/drakesussman to learn more and reserve your seat by Oct. 31.

— Kristin Economos, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership

For Students Archive

Application deadline extended for J-term 2022 abroad experience in Belize, scholarships available

First-year students: If you’re interested in traveling this upcoming January, apply for the J-Term first-year abroad experience in Belize. This co-curricular experience abroad will immerse first-year students in a global, reflective, experiential learning program focused on one of the pillars of Drake’s mission statement—responsible global citizenship. The application deadline has been extended to Nov. 1.

Belize experience: Ethical Chocolate: How does that cacao actually get into my chocolate bar?
The Toledo district of Belize produces some of the finest chocolates in the world. In our trip to Belize, we will look at all stages of the production of chocolate. We will go to the forest to see the tree that produces the cacao bean, see (and most importantly, taste) the finished chocolate, and look at all the stages in between. We will talk to people who are involved in the production of chocolate and learn how one organization ethically and sustainably treats both the ecosystem and the workers that produce chocolate. To provide context and contrast, we will visit other food production facilities in Belize including a large-scale banana plantation, an agro-forest, and small-scale farms. We will meet with farmers and managers to learn the benefits and challenges of the different systems. To complement the program focus, we will travel by boat to Payne’s Creek National Park as well as have fun exploring diverse ecosystems and participating in an array of adventure and cultural experiences in Belize.

Apply for the Belize program through Drake’s online application portal for travel experiences, Terra Dotta. Use your Drake ID and password to login.

$1,000 Scholarships are available! To apply for a scholarship, you complete a scholarship form in Terra Dotta as a part of your program application. Scholarship deadline Oct. 22.

For quesitons, contact Nathan Jacobson, education abroad coordinator, at nathan.jacobson@drake.edu.

— Maria Rohach, Director of Education Abroad

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Tuition exchange eligibility, tuition rebate waiver policies updated

Financial Aid and Human Resources have teamed up to enhance and clarify Drake’s policies and resources relating to Tuition Exchange Eligibility and Drake’s Tuition Waiver. The updated policies are posted now.  If you have any questions to pose or comments to share, you can click here to provide such feedback on either or both policies.

Tuition exchange eligibility
The big change is a great one: Drake has removed the one-year of service requirement to make it easier for new employees to access this benefit. This change results in tuition exchange eligibility more closely mirroring the Tuition Rebate Waiver policy. We hope this new standard will mean more Drake employees, and their dependents, will be able to take advantage of this great benefit without delay.

Additional edits to the Tuition exchange eligibility policy update language to reflect the application processes currently used by our two exchange partners: Tuition Exchange, Inc. (TE) and Council of Independent Colleges and Universities Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP). Of particular note is the elimination of the “points system” that was used to determine which employees are approved by Drake for “export” through tuition exchange. Because Tuition Exchange, Inc. eliminated its Balance Sheet requirement (which required approximately equal imports/exports), schools are no longer limited in the quantity of students they can approve for export. Accordingly, Drake will approve for export all applications from eligible employees.

Tuition waiver
This policy has been renamed and will be referred to as the Tuition Waiver Policy, as the word rebate created confusion. Name change aside, most of the edits are minor, but the policy does now place greater emphasis on the need to submit applications for the Tuition Rebate prior to class registration. Although late applications have historically been approved, delayed submissions create administrative hardships and can impact employees’ payroll deductions. These problems can easily be avoided if applications are submitted in a timely manner.

One important change to note: the limitation on the number of dependents that can use the Tuition Waiver at one time (two dependents) no longer includes dependents who are utilizing tuition exchange. We hope that this change will also allow more Drake employees and their families to take advantage of this wonderful benefit.

A new resource page has been developed for Drake Tuition Benefits. Questions related to tuition waiver policy can be directed to maureen.dearmond@drake.edu. Questions related to the application process for Drake’s tuition benefits can be directed to ryan.zantingh@drake.edu.

— Ryan Zantingh, Student Financial Planning/Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Deputy Provost 2:10: Funding for faculty development in pedagogy, research, and creative activities

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

Using generous support from donors who have created restricted and endowed accounts, Academic Affairs is able to offer financial support for faculty development in pedagogy, research, and creative activities.  This year we are focusing on supporting projects that facilitate direct student engagement with scholarly and creative endeavors; enable our faculty to reimagine pedagogy as we enter a post-pandemic teaching environment; and permit faculty to remain connected to their disciplines and fields of study through conferences and workshops.

Find more details at: drake.edu/fsdo/grants/ and reach out to renee.cramer@drake.edu with questions.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Deputy Provost 2:10: Funding for community building, FYS, and J-Term

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

Are your first year students a bit stressed at mid-term? Could they use structured downtime and time to connect with each other, and you? Do you have some creative ideas for culture building and community strengthening?

Don’t forget: we provide funding for FYS community building activities. This can be something as simple as as a pizza party, though faculty are already using this funding in even more creative ways. They’re purchasing popcorn and boardgames, art supplies and lemonade, coffee and muffins for breakfast gatherings, ingredients for a shared cooked meal. Faculty teaching FYS this fall should contact Nicki Kimm (nicki.kimm@drake.edu) to learn how to access funding and reimbursement.

And, are you teaching a J-Term with material costs (book binding? Blacksmithing?) that our office has helped out with in the past? Please contact Renee Cramer (renee.cramer@drake.edu) to discuss how the Office of the Deputy Provost might help meet those needs.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs

Strategic Updates Archive

Renovations approved for Meredith Hall

Did you know Meredith Hall was designed by Mies van der Rohe, Chicago-based, world renowned German-American architect? Many visitors come to Drake University each year to see the excellent example of mid-century modern architecture designed by the famous architect.

Our Capital Projects team is eager to announce the renovation of Meredith Hall approved by the Drake University Board of Trustees last week. In coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office, the renovations include improvements to the HVAC system, lighting, ceilings, exterior painting, technology, and auditorium seating. As the highest utilized classroom building on campus, the renovation of Meredith Hall will benefit students, faculty, and staff for years to come.

These renovations will begin after the spring semester in May 2022, and will be completed in January 2023 in time for the Spring 2023 semester. Meredith Hall will be closed for the duration of this project. More information is to come about the timeline and relocation of classes and office spaces.

We are working to develop a web page that will house all information regarding this project, including a timeline, key information about the impact of the renovations for members of the Drake community, and a commonly asked questions section. Stay tuned for updates regarding both the website and the project renovations.

For any specific or urgent questions regarding this project, please contact meredith.renovation@drake.edu.

— Michelle Huggins, Planning and Design Manager

Campus Announcements Archive

Des Moines Marathon to affect parking Oct. 17

The IMT Des Moines Marathon is Sunday, Oct. 17. Drake University is proud to be part of this great Des Moines tradition. The marathon will impact roads and travel throughout Des Moines and specifically at the University at miles 11 and 12. Travel on and around campus will be impacted during the race.

Mile 11 travels down 25th Street and Forest Avenue to Drake Stadium as participants take a lap around the iconic Blue oval. Mile 12 leaves the stadium and enters the campus proper on the sidewalks at the Ray Plaza and continues to Carpenter Avenue and back out to 25th Street.  

There is no parking on Sunday, Oct. 17, along the race route, including but not limited to, 25th Street from University Avenue to Forest Avenue, along Forest Avenue from 25th Street to 27th Street, and on Carpenter Avenue from 25th Street to Painted Street (in front of Carnegie, Old Main, the Law School and FAC) on campus. Vehicles parked in these areas or anywhere along the course route will be towed at the owners expense.

Please expect increased activity and noise during the race. Race marshals will be stationed along the path along with Des Moines Police and Drake Public Safety officers on the campus to keep the course safe for participants and spectators. We ask that you follow the direction of course marshals for everyone’s safety.  

For more information about the IMT Des Moines Marathon and potential road closures or disruptions throughout the city, please see the race map.

— Scott Law, Executive Director, Public Safety & Operational Services

For Students Archive

Participate in the Stock Trading Challenge

Are you new to stock trading? Or, do you want to show how good you are at picking stocks? Or, do you want to simply learn more about the stock market in general? Then, Finance Program at Drake invites you to participate in the Stock Trading Challenge for a chance to earn a cash prize.

The event is open to students and runs from Oct. 4–29. Students can sign up at anytime during the contest.

How to participate:

  1. Create a (free) login at www.marketwatch.com:
  2. Join the Stock Trading Challenge at: https://www.marketwatch.com/game/drake-stock-trading-challenge or https://tinyurl.com/drakestockchallenge
    Password to join: GoBulldogs
  3. You are required to make a minimum of 30 trades during the contest period to be eligible for prizes. Hence, if you fail to make at least 30 trades prior to the end date, you will be disqualified.

Prizes:
1st Place Winner – $300
2nd Place Winner – $200
3rd Place Winner – $100
4th Place Winner – $100
5th Place Winner – $100

Best Trader – $200 (This award is for the person who trades the most number of times and beats the S&P 500 index return during the same period.)

Note: These awards are mutually exclusive, and the winners will be announced during Finance Night, which is scheduled on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, 6–8 p.m. You must be present during the award ceremony to claim your prize. If you do not show up for the event, your award will be forfeited and be given to the next best performer.

For questions, contact Professor Inchul Suh, chair, Department of Economics and Finance, CBPA, at isuh@drake.edu.

— Inchul Suh, Finance (CBPA)