Category Archives: Archive

HR Information Archive

Polk County vaccine lottery

Polk County is offering a vaccine lottery to help boost COVID-19 vaccination rates.  From June 15 through Aug. 22 individuals who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson) can register at ImmunizePolk.org for a chance to win prizes.

If an individual’s name is drawn, they will receive a cash prize once they are fully vaccinated (2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna or 1 dose of Johnson & Johnson).  Participants must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Polk County.

Cash prize drawings will be held weekly starting June 25. Every Friday 10 $1,000 prizes will be drawn, and every other Friday one $50,000 prize and one $5,000 scholarship in addition to the 10 $1,000 prizes will be drawn.

For more details, go to ImmunizePolk.org.

As a reminder, all Iowans 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The University strongly encourages any member of the Drake community who qualifies for immunization to receive it as soon as possible.

Faculty and staff should submit documentation showing completion of their vaccination series to contacttracing@drake.edu. The University is monitoring vaccination rates on campus and in the surrounding community as it makes decisions related to COVID-19 policies for the summer and fall.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

News & Achievements Archive

SJMC places in top 10 in national writing contest

The Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication placed seventh in the national Hearst Intercollegiate Writing Competition for 2020-2021.

The competition, often called “the Pulitzers of college journalism,” is a yearlong series of monthly contests in writing, photojournalism, audio, television and multimedia. Student winners earn points for their institutions. Three Drake students won writing awards this year in the categories of explanatory journalism and personality profile.

The competition is held in collaboration with the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, and currently 104 programs are eligible to participate. Drake was one of the few private institutions to place in the contest and by far the smallest university. Other institutions that placed in the top 10 in the writing competition were Syracuse University, Indiana University, Arizona State University, University of Florida, University of Oklahoma, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Brigham Young University and Pennsylvania State University.

— Kathleen Richardson, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

News & Achievements Archive

2021 alumni award winners announced

The most visible sign of the vitality of a University can be seen by examining the success and achievements of its alumni. Drake University and the National Alumni Association Board of Directors are proud to honor exceptional graduates with the Drake University Alumni Awards. These awards recognize the significant contributions of our alumni to their alma mater, their profession, and their communities.

The 2021 winners are:

Distinguished Alumni Award: Holly Morrison Dierks, LA’76
Alumni Achievement Award: Timothy E. Orr, ED’83
Young Alumni Achievement Award: Ajenai Clemmons, AS’02
Community Service Award: Pam Schoffner, JO’72
Alumni Loyalt Award: Sharon Wilkinson, ED’68, GR’75
Young Alumni Loyalty Award: Philip J. De Koster, LW’10

The Drake community is invited to meet the winners and hear their stories in the Alumni Awards video series.

— Alumni Relations

Campus Announcements Archive

‘My Information’ app added to MyDrake

A new application, My Information, was added to the student, employee, and parent home pages of myDrake. The link goes to an updated screen with your personal information (see below). While on the page, you can add, update, or delete email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, and emergency contact information.  

In addition to its temporary spot in the Commonly Used apps section, My Information is also located in the My Drake Profile section for students, the Human Resources section for employees, and the Parent Resources section for parents. For students, the My Information link replaces the My Contact Info, My Directory Profile, and My Addresses links. The MyDUSIS link and name will be phased out as the project progresses.  

As the project continues and new features are launched, ITS will keep you informed by updating the project FAQ page and through future issues of OnCampus.  

— Kris Brewster, ITS   

Campus Announcements Archive

Fall parking permit sales begin July 6

Fall parking permit sales for the upcoming academic year will begin July 6. Permit prices have not changed from last year and are listed below.

Permits will be available on a first come, first serve basis, and all permit sales will be completed online through the myDrake portal. Full-time faculty and staff have the option to utilize payroll deduct to purchase their passes online. Credit/debit card is also accepted for any pass purchase. Visit drake.edu/map to view a map of all the campus lots.

Resident passes: $375
Premium passes: $250
Perimeter passes: $125
Evening/weekend passes: $100

Passes are valid from August to August, and will be available to pick up in the Student Services Center (Olmsted) in August. For questions about passes, contact studentservices@drake.edu.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

HR Information Archive

Wellness premium incentive reminder

As a reminder, employees on Drake’s health plan who complete an annual physical with a Primary Care Provider (PCP) will receive a reduction in their health insurance premiums.

To receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2022, employees on Drake’s health plan need to complete a physical with a Primary Care Provider (PCP) between Dec. 1, 2020, and Nov. 30, 2021, and submit a Physician Exam Completion Form by Dec. 2, 2021.  This is the only option to receive the discount in 2022.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is a great way to receive important health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

If you have not scheduled your annual physical yet with your primary care provider, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

Please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

First-aid kit fundraiser to benefit students

HOSA: Future Health Professionals is a student organization for pre-health students pursuing careers in all areas of health care including medicine, dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, administration, management, public health, and more. HOSA at Drake is an affiliate of HOSA International, a student organization across high schools, colleges, and universities around the world working to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

At Drake, HOSA supports pre-health students through academic programming, social events, and professional development experiences such as leadership development, job shadowing, and graduate/professional school preparation.

HOSA has partnered with RightResponse to host a first-aid kit sale for students. This is a great idea especially for new students moving into the residence halls; commuting students driving to and from campus; and students active in athletics, intramurals, and other outdoor activities. HOSA makes 50% of all first-aid kit sales. All proceeds will go toward HOSA programming and events for students. Learn more and order and kit.

Sales end on Friday, July 2, at 11:30 p.m. All first-aid kits purchased must be picked up on campus during Welcome Week in August. HOSA will not be able to mail first-aid kits to off-campus locations. Students will be contacted via Drake email when first-aid kits are available for pick up on campus. For questions, contact fiona.kearns@drake.edu.

— Fiona Kearns, PH’21

News & Achievements Archive

Master of Athletic Training program gains accreditation

Drake University is pleased to announce that its Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program has earned accreditation from the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).

The council accredited the program for five years, the maximum amount allowed for initial accreditation. The program demonstrated compliance with all accreditation standards and was recognized in the areas of experiential learning, faculty, medical directors, unique interprofessional learning opportunities, and support from being a part of a health professions college.

Drake University’s athletic training program, offered through the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, is the only accredited program in Iowa that has met the new CAATE 2020 Standards, exists within a health professions college, and has three tenure-track faculty members.

Learn more about the program and its accreditation.

— Kaylyn Maher, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Fiscal year-end guidelines

With the University’s fiscal year-end (June 30, 2021) approaching, below are recommended guidelines for efficient and effective year-end processing of purchases.

Accounting for departmental expenses:
In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, Drake is required to report transactions in the proper fiscal period. For that reason, expenses are recorded in the period when goods are received and/or services are rendered. In short, items expensed to a FY21 budget will need to be received before ‘end of day’ on June 30, 2021. Factors such as budget allocation, invoice receipt, or payment issuance would not have an impact on the application of expenses within a fiscal period.

Exceptions to this general rule apply when a benefit of service or receipt of item extends into multiple fiscal years. In such cases, the following guidelines will be applied.

  • Expenses less than $5,000: will be charged against the fiscal year in which the majority of the expense will be incurred. (For example, if a subscription is purchased for $3,000 and covers the period of 7/1/20 through 12/31/21, the expense would be charged to FY21)
  • Expenses greater than or equal to $5,000: will be split into the fiscal years according to the percentage of benefit received during each fiscal period. (For example, if a subscription is purchased for $10,000 that covers a period of 7/1/20 through 6/30/22, $5,000 would be charged to FY21 and $5,000 charged to FY22)

The University’s guidelines for year-end purchases are subject to external audit. As you make purchases during this period leading up to and overlapping our fiscal year end, it is important to note when the goods or services were received so they are expensed according to reporting requirements. If the timing of receipt is not clearly noted on the invoice, it would be beneficial to help call the receipt date to accounting’s attention by clearly marking the appropriate fiscal year for the expense, based on the above guidelines, on the pay request.

Please contact Jeni Baugher at x4509 or Jenifer.Baugher@drake.edu with any questions you might have.

Year-end timeline:
In order to facilitate efficient and effective year-end processing, the following timeline is recommended for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021.

— Jenifer Baugher, Accounting

Strategic Updates Archive

Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham to deliver the Fall 2021 Bucksbaum Lecture

The Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series is returning to Drake University in-person this fall with presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham. The lecture will take place Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Knapp Center, 2525 Forest Ave. The event is free and open to the public. Details regarding health and safety protocols for the event will be released at a later date.

“We are thrilled for the return of Drake University’s most celebrated lecture series,” said Neil Hamilton, former director of the Drake University Agricultural Law Center and chair of the Bucksbaum Lecture selection committee. “The Bucksbaum Lecture series is known for bringing renowned and influential scholars to Des Moines. Jon Meacham is one of the country’s most respected voices on presidential history and politics, and we are honored to welcome him to Drake.”

Meacham is one of America’s most prominent public intellectuals. A contributor to TIME and The New York Times Book Review, Meacham is a highly sought-after commentator, regularly appearing on CNN and MSNBC.

His latest #1 New York Times Best Seller, The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, examines the present moment in American politics and life by looking back at critical times in U.S. history when hope overcame division and fear. Meacham is a co-author of the recently released book, Impeachment: An American History, which reveals the complicated motives behind the first three impeachments in U.S. history.

Meacham’s presidential biography, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list. The Times said, “Destiny and Power reflects the qualities of both subject and biographer: judicious, balanced, deliberative, with a deep appreciation of history and the personalities who shape it.” Meacham delivered eulogies for both President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush.

Meacham’s #1 New York Times Best Seller, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, was hailed as “masterful and intimate” by Fortune magazine. His other national bestsellers include Franklin and Winston, American Gospel, and American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2009.

“Jon Meacham is a valued voice with a deep knowledge of politics, religion, and current affairs,” said Drake Professor of Politics Rachel Paine Caufield. “His work is particularly relevant today, as we seek to contextualize and bring perspective to our contemporary political environment, using historical knowledge to understand the present. His Pulitzer Prize-winning work explores multiple facets of our collective shared history, and I look forward to a vibrant conversation and insightful commentary.”

Named a “Global Leader for Tomorrow” by the World Economic Forum, Meacham is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a fellow of the Society of American Historians, and chairs the National Advisory Board of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. Meacham is a distinguished visiting professor of history at The University of the South and a visiting distinguished professor at Vanderbilt. He is currently at work on a biography of James and Dolley Madison. 

About the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series
The Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series is made possible by a gift from the late Melva and Martin Bucksbaum. The Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship Committee includes: Neil Hamilton (chair), Julian Archer, James Autry, Pamela Bass-Bookey, Michael Gartner, Janis Ruan, Mary Bucksbaum Scanlon, Marcia Wanamaker, and Eleanor Zeff.