Category Archives: Archive

Amazon gift card contest for the most creative photo of Virginia Woof

The results are in. The name of Cowles Library’s bulldog statue is Virginia Woof. Congratulations to Angela Cornett, a first-year student majoring in Environmental Sustainability and Resilience, who submitted the winning name.

Cowles Library is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to the person who takes the most creative photo of Virginia Woof. To be in the running, take a picture that includes Virginia Woof. Post it to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 13. Use #VirginiaWoofBulldog in your post and tag Cowles Library (facebook.com/CowlesLibrary, twitter.com/cowleslib, and instagram.com/cowleslib). Be creative! The winning photo will be posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram on Monday, May 14. By entering the contest, you give Cowles Library permission to share your photo.

Carrie Dunham-LaGree, Cowles Library

Motorcycle awareness month

As spring (finally) arrives, more people are heading outdoors to take advantage of the sunshine and higher temperatures, including motorcyclists. Motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to safety. Despite accounting for only 3 percent of vehicle registrations and 0.7 percent of miles travelled, motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of total traffic fatalities. Over half of those fatal accidents involved another vehicle. Interaction with other vehicles puts motorcyclists at great risk. Unfortunately, accident and fatality rates for motorcycle drivers have continued to increase over the past decade. Here are some tips to keep yourself and motorcyclists safe.

  • Share the road. Make a conscious effort to remember that more motorcycles will be on the road during warmer months.
  • Double check blind spots. Motorcycles are smaller and much harder to see in blind spots.
  • Look carefully in all directions before pulling onto the street. Motorcycles can be difficult to spot and their small size may make them seem like they are further away than they actually are.
  • Look twice before making left turns. Look once for cars and once for motorcycles.
  • Give motorcycles space. Often times motorcyclists will downshift to slow down rather than apply the break, this means they may slow down without activating brake lights.
  • Let them swerve. Hitting potholes or other items in the road can be very dangerous for motorcyclists, so it is important that they have space to maneuver.
  • Make your intentions known. Use turn signals when turning or changing lanes.
  • Watch for turning motorcycles. A number of older motorcycles do not have self-cancelling turn signals that many people are accustomed to, therefore some drivers may forget to turn off their signals.

Tips for motorcyclists:

  • Work on your driving skills. Make sure you are properly licensed and have had plenty of practice operating your motorcycle.
  • Wear protective equipment such as helmets and long sleeve shirts and pants.
  • Wear reflective apparel to be more easily seen.
  • Exercise extreme caution when driving at night. Always use lights when driving at night.
  • Follow the rules of the road. Follow speed limits, stop at stop signs and red lights, etc.
  • Keep your motorcycle in road ready condition. Make sure your vehicle is safe to drive, especially if it has been stored away all winter.

It is important to remember that there are no small accidents or “fender benders” for motorcycle drivers. They are completely exposed on the roadways and keeping them and other drivers safe takes effort from everyone. If all drivers learn to share the road, accidents and fatalities can be reduced significantly, and it all starts with awareness. May is officially recognized as ‘Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month’ with the goal of increasing driver awareness of motorcycles on the road.

In addition to motorcyclists, warm weather draws more runners, bicyclists, and pedestrians outside. It’s important for drivers to take extra caution when driving around these groups as they are extremely vulnerable around traffic.

If you are interested in learning more about motorcycle awareness or are looking for a motorcycle safety course, you can find more information by visiting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation website.

Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety

Attend a demo of myDrake, Drake’s new campus portal

Drake’s new campus portal, myDrake, will launch in June. myDrake will replace the current portal, blueView, and will be a gateway to other campus sites, applications, and tools.

Join us in Cowles Library, Room 201, on the following days for a demonstration of the new site and a chance to ask questions.

Wednesday, May 2, from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, May 3, from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 4, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.

— Carla Herling, ITS

 

 

Title IX resources and reporting options

As Sexual Assault Awareness Month ends, remember that there are a number of resources on campus to assist you or someone you know. Drake’s resources and policies are available on the Title IX webpage and include the Sexual and Interpersonal Misconduct policy, resources for support, and other types of campus assistance with safety, housing, or classes. Both the web page and the policy identify reporting options for individuals who have experienced or witnessed sexual violence or assault, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, dating/domestic violence, or stalking.

If you have questions about sexual and interpersonal misconduct or Drake’s policies and procedures, please contact Title IX Coordinator Katie Overberg at 271-2982 or titleix@drake.edu. If you would like to get involved with other individuals working to prevent sexual violence or to support those who experience violence, please contact Violence Prevention Coordinator Lynne Cornelius at 271-4141 or prevention@drake.edu.

Define the Line. Respect the Line. is a Drake initiative to raise awareness of prevention efforts as well as resources and support the University provides as it pertains to sexual and interpersonal misconduct. Define the Line. Respect the Line. emphasizes that while everybody has the right to determine their own line when it comes to sexual behavior, there is one clear line at Drake: sexual or interpersonal misconduct is not tolerated, accepted, or ignored. Think, talk, learn, listen, and act in a way that respects this line—we are all part of Drake.

Katie Overberg, Title IX coordinator

Fiscal year-end purchasing guidelines

With the University’s fiscal year-end (June 30, 2018) 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 FY18 budget will need to be received before June 30, 2018.  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 7/1/17 through 12/31/18, the expense would be charged to FY18.
  • 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 7/1/17 through 6/30/19, $5,000 would be charged to FY18 and $5,000 charged to FY19.

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 accounting at extension 2125 or accounting@drake.edu with any questions.

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, 2018.

Deadline Action Additional Information
April 30

 

 

June 1

Initiate final FY18 purchase orders and computer order requests Please contact Monita Jackson at x3918 or itspurchasing@drake.edu for computer order requests.

 

Please contact Caron Findlay at x2424 or caron.findlay@drake.edu with any questions you have regarding purchase orders.

June 15 Complete FY18 purchases with vendors All purchases should be completed by this date in order to allow for settlement of the transaction and receipt of the goods or services by June 30.  

 

Clear outstanding FY18 Travel Advances Please contact accounting at x2125 or accounting@drake.edu with any questions you have regarding outstanding travel advances.

 

Review FY18 account activity through May All accounts should be reviewed in Banner on a timely basis throughout the fiscal year. Any corrections for July17 through May18 activity should be submitted to accounting by this date.

 

June 29 Submit all FY18 payment requests All payment requests for FY18 are to be submitted to Accounting.

 

 

July 18 Submit requests for FY18 restricted or endowed spending transfers.

 

All requests for restricted or endowed spending should be submitted to Kathy Veach at kathy.veach@drake.edu by end of the business day.

 

July 20 Final review of FY18 account activity At this point, only June transactions should need to be reviewed. Corrections for June are due to accounting by this date.

 

All prior months’ activity should have been reviewed and corrections submitted as stated above in the timeline.

Pcard statements and required documentation should be submitted electronically by the deadlines established within the new program guidelines.

— Heather Travis, Finance and Administration

Drake pre-medical student organization events

Suture clinic on pigs’ feet with a military professional: The Drake pre-medical student organization is hosting a suture clinic open to all Drake students that is led by a military professional. Join the organization on Tuesday, April 24, at 6:45 p.m. in Olin Hall, Room 206 to learn surgical techniques on pigs’ do not have to be a pre-medical student to attend.

Physicians Panel: Physicians from Des Moines are coming to Drake to share their journeys and words of advice. The panel will take place in the Cowles Library Reading Room at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1. This is the last meeting of the year for the Drake pre-medical student organization.

Simran Aulakh, Junior

Screen printing with The Side Garage

Screen print your own T-shirt with The Side Garage, a local print shop, Thursday, April 26, in the Innovation Studio, 124C Meredith Hall. The first 100 people to show up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. will have a chance to screen print their own Drake Innovation T-shirt with one of the two winning designs. There will be other games and challenges available. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that your shirt size will be available. Join the Facebook group.

Stephanie Cardwell, Entrepreneurship Centers

Relays Tickets automatically added to student Drake ID cards

Drake undergraduate and graduate students, including OTD, P3, and P4 students, are admitted free of charge to the Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee. Tickets are automatically added to students’ Drake ID cards.

Follow these three steps to enjoy the competition at Drake Stadium.

  1. Enter Drake Stadium through the southeast student entrance.
  2. Present your valid Drake ID card. Your one ticket will be printed at the gate.
  3. Find seating in Sections D-I and enjoy the Relays.

Please note: You will receive your tickets automatically directly to your valid Drake ID card via Flash Seats. Your personal information remains confidential as Drake Athletics has partnered with Flash Seats to help give you the most convenient method to attend the Relays. You will receive a confirmation email from Flash Seats that your tickets have arrived. Once you have received the email, all you need to do is head to Drake Stadium with your ID to enjoy the Relays.

If you do not receive an email from Flash Seats, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or tickets@drake.edu.

For more information, please contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or visit www.draketix.com/student.

Ryan Harris, Athletics

Death Cafe: Conversation. Cupcakes. Death.

On May 2, students in Professor Carol Spaulding-Kruse’s Community Writing class, a community-engaged learning course offered by Drake in collaboration with HCI Care Services and Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, will facilitate and host a Death Café.

A Death Cafe is an open, respectful get-together for the purpose of talking about death over food and drink, usually tea and cake. There is no set agenda, objectives, or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session and intended to be a pleasant way to converse with others, often strangers, about a subject we don’t often discuss openly. The goal is to increase awareness of death in order to help people make the most of their (finite) lives.

Thousands of Death Cafes have been held around the world held since their conception in 2011, including previously in Des Moines. The café will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Medbury Honors Lounge.

Carol Spaulding-Kruse, Professor of English