Financial incentive for the first 10 students to enroll! Apply or attend an upcoming information session to learn more.
Drake University is launching its own study abroad experience with a semester-long program in Alicante, Spain in January 2020. The new format, which allows students to travel in a cohort with a Drake professor and take advantage of the diverse academic offering of an international university, launches a new era of study abroad for Drake. Students have until Oct. 1 to sign up.
Annique Kiel, executive director of global engagement and international programs, says the program in Spain is responsive to student feedback regarding how international education programs are structured and that more Drake sponsored programs are in the works.
Students interested in the program can contact Nathan Jacobson, education abroad advisor, at nathan.jacobson@drake.edu. There is a special financial incentive for the first 10 students who commit to the inaugural program. Apply or learn more at the program landing page or by attending an information session in person:
Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 4:00 PM at Olmsted TMR132
Friday, September 20, 2019, 11:00 AM at Olmsted TMR132
Tuesday, September 24, 2019, 4:00 PM at Olmsted POM-CONF
Thursday, September 26, 2019, 11:00 AM at Olmsted POM-CONF
Thursday, September 26, 2019, 4:00 PM at Olmsted POM-CONF
Last year, Drake University introduced Big Ideas—a campus-wide initiative that called upon faculty, staff, and students to identify transformative ideas that, with support from passionate donors, will help to define the University’s future and positively impact society for generations to come.
Following a successful launch of the initiative, which
generated participation from more than 300 faculty, staff, and students who put
forth or collaborated on 50 Big Ideas submissions, we are ready to enter the
second phase of the project: capturing the imagination of potential donors.
The Big Ideas process As a reminder, in April, Drake’s Board of Trustees narrowed the 50 Big Ideas submissions to 29 following thoughtful discussion and per the recommendation of the Big Ideas Steering Committee. These 29 ideas were organized and classified into six themes:
Changemaker Initiative
Public Democracy
Digital Proficiency Platform
Intergenerational Campus
Sustaining Rural America
Drake University Center
What happened over the summer Champions of the advancing ideas and steering committee members were invited to participate in a weeklong workshop in July with 160over90, the University’s branding and marketing consultant. During the workshops, stakeholders provided important feedback, which is currently being used to develop a case statement summarizing the six themes.
What’s next Later this month, President Martin and University Advancement representatives will use the case statement to seek feedback on the themes from nearly 150 targeted University insiders. The purpose of these conversations is to invite our alumni and friends to offer their advice, counsel, and insight regarding the six themes. Feedback from these discussions will be shared and discussed with the Board of Trustees during their January meeting, during which the Board will ultimately determine which themes will shape the narrative and priorities of our next comprehensive fundraising campaign.
Throughout the academic year, we will share monthly updates with you on the progress of the Big Ideas—including details surrounding each theme and our future fundraising priorities as they are confirmed. Please reach out to me or a member of the Steering Committee with any questions.
I am excited about the possibilities the Big Ideas initiative
creates, and sincerely thank the many members of the campus community who have
shown great enthusiasm for the initiative. I am honored to work among such
talented colleagues who are passionate about advancing the future of Drake.
—John Smith, Vice President, University Advancement
It’s been a beautiful start to the new academic year, and I’m pleased to report that the ITS start has been generally smooth, as well. Our team has certainly seen a number of issues with computers, classrooms, and other technology, but most have been minor and quickly resolved.
Sometimes it’s what we don’t experience that tells us that our technology is working well. On August 23, as the return to campus was well underway, CenturyLink experienced a major regionwide Internet service interruption. Before this summer, any CenturyLink outage would have disrupted campus Internet access as well, but last spring we made changes that resulted in a different outcome. Drake still uses CenturyLink but we also have a redundant connection from a second service provider, UPN. When our team became aware of the CenturyLink outage, they disconnected campus from CenturyLink and our Internet access continued as normal through UPN. I can’t promise we won’t experience another Internet outage, but our connection is now more robust than it was last academic year and we know that because of what you didn’t experience.
As always, information security is at the top of my priorities list. Perhaps you saw a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article about a major security incident at Stevens Institute of Technology or reports about a similar incident at Regis University in Denver.
Neither institution is providing much information about the incidents or what they have learned, but two things are clear – these were sophisticated, targeted attacks designed to severely disrupt the business of these universities (who don’t look too dissimilar from us), and these types of attacks are becoming more frequent.
You will be learning about new security initiatives over the coming months. I ask you to help us protect Drake and you by taking information security seriously and remaining vigilant about your online activity. If you would like more information about how to protect your computer and data, please feel free to contact either Peter Lundstedt (director of information security) or me directly.
Beginning last month, Drake is now part of eduroam, a global federation of educational wireless networks. After you connect to eduroam at Drake, your device will then be able to connect to the wireless networks of over 1000 institutions in over 100 countries. Students and employees at other eduroam member institutions will also be automatically connected to eduroam on Drake’s campus.
I encourage you to move to using eduroam soon to avoid any last-minute issues. ITS will be retiring DUStudent on September 13 and DUFacStaff on December 31. After that, eduroam will be Drake’s single primary wireless network. Learn more about eduroam at https://www.drake.edu/its/eduroam/.
Finally, if you’re not already using our self-service support resources, please take a look at the wealth of tips and tools we make available through the IT service portal at https://service.drake.edu/its. You can either browse or use the search tool in the upper right corner to find something specific more quickly.
I hope you have a productive and engaging semester and please feel free to let us know how we can improve our service in support of Drake’s mission.
As the fall semester starts, we are excited to celebrate the opening of the new Starbucks in Olmsted Center. It has been a busy summer getting all the components of this project completed in a short period of time. We are pleased that contractors and training of staff were able to finish ahead of schedule. We are also hard at work on continuing to improve our campus environment, and setting up some great projects for next summer. A few updates on what to expect around campus:
University Avenue City Sewer Separation Project and Drake Streetscape Project: Construction is progressing on-schedule, including work along University Avenue and several adjoining streets. Lane closures will continue along University Avenue through Spring 2020. Sewer work will be completed first, with MidAmerican following with new streetlight and traffic lights next year. Our streetscape improvements will follow this work for final completion Summer 2020.
During the construction, the contractor has closed several sidewalk connections across University Avenue. Due to the large equipment and limited sight lines, students, faculty, and staff are asked to use the designated crossing at Aliber and Olmsted parking lot which aligns with the pedestrian light on University Avenue for safety.
Art in DART:
We have received grant funding (thanks to our fantastic Advancement Team) for the inclusion of art within the two new DART bus shelters located on the north side of the University Ave. An RFP is currently open for artists to submit their proposal. These will be the first bus shelters in Des Moines to include art. We are proud to be leading this effort with many community and neighborhood partners.
The Harkin Institute:
Construction will begin the end of September for the new Harkin Institute on 28th and University. Ave. Construction anticipated to be complete Fall 2020, and to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the founding of the ADA, a significant legislation legacy of Senator Tom Harkin.
Hubbell Dining Hall:
Design is underway for the remodel of Hubbell Dining hall kitchen and Quad Creek spaces. We anticipate a spring 2020 start of construction with completion wrapping up for start of classes Fall 2020. Work to include a complete remodel and refresh of the kitchen space, serving stations, and dining experience.
Merge Moves:
We are very excited about the Merge Development being planned for the Kinne Block between 24th and 25th and University Ave and Carpenter. In order for this vibrant addition to our Drake neighborhood to happen, we are finding new homes for over 100 Drake and City staff members that have offices on this block, and reorganizing offices of various departments on campus to optimize our existing space.
We are currently assessing our existing facilities to determine the best locations on campus that can accommodate large and small work groups. We have met with each department to understand their needs, and have had great discussions with these groups about what the office of our future looks like. We are working toward an end of September goal to have the department relocations identified.
Alongside the space planning, we are capturing the overall budget needs for building and furniture improvements to successfully relocate everyone. To provide the best improvements and extend our budget dollars, our in-house FPM team (project managers, carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, painters, HVAC) will be involved in completing the improvements. Anticipated Move dates could start as early as December and proceed through summer 2020. Look for more information in future editions of OnCampus.
Parking Garage Feasibility Study:
We are underway in a feasibility study for a new parking garage to be located between 24th and 25th and Carpenter Ave. and Forest Ave. The parking garage would serve the needs of the Merge Development residents and retail customers, Drake faculty and staff, Drake event parking, and campus visitors. Look for more information in future OnCampus.
Drake
University is celebrating one of the University’s best fundraising years on
record. Fiscal year 2019, which ended June 30, generated more than $42.5
million in new gifts, multi-year pledges, and documented qualified deferred
gifts.
Compelling initiatives such as The Harkin Institute building project, The Gregory and Suzie Glazer Burt Boys and Girls Club, the University Streetscape project, and the Lorentzen Sustainability Challenge—which supported several campus initiatives to reduce the University’s carbon footprint—drove many of the generous gifts and commitments. Contributions also included a leadership gift to revitalize one of our academic buildings (more details to follow later this semester), transformational investments in Drake Athletics, and multiple realized estate gifts.
Other highlights from fiscal year 2019:
The Drake Fund
generated $3.84 million. The Drake Fund supports the most immediate needs of
the University, including student scholarships and key priorities among the
colleges and schools.
Cash
contributions totaled $29.25 million, marking the fifth-highest annual amount of
cash gifts received in history. These cash payments represent new cash gifts,
pledge payments, and estate gifts. This metric is captured within the University’s
balanced scorecard under the Volunteer Support of Education (VSE) measure.
All In,
the University’s annual giving challenge, generated a record-setting number of
gifts and donors. In 24 hours, the challenge raised more than half a million
dollars from 1,680 donors—340 of whom were faculty and staff.
The
University Advancement team is deeply grateful to faculty, staff, alumni, volunteers,
and community members for supporting Drake’s mission and vision. It is through
philanthropic giving that we can support student scholarships, academic
resources, faculty research, new technology, community partnerships,
experiential learning opportunities, and state-of-the-art facilities. Put
simply, donor support allows us to transform the lives of our students and
secure the University’s future.
Throughout the semester, I will continue to share updates in OnCampus on future fundraising goals and priorities. Specifically, look for an article next week regarding the Big Ideas initiative.
—John Smith, Vice President, University Advancement
As a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Drake is continuing to advance sustainability as an institution and in the community. Drake is thrilled to announce and share with the community that we have earned a Bronze STARS rating demonstrating Drake’s commitment to sustainability. This is Drake’s first time participating in the STARS reporting process.
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is a program of AASHE, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. STARS is a comprehensive sustainability ratings system for colleges and universities that addresses the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. STARS was developed by the higher education community through a transparent and inclusive process. The score an institution receives is based on the percentage of applicable points earned in credits across four main categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations and Planning, and Administration. More specifically STARS is designed to:
Provide
a framework for understanding sustainability in all sectors of higher
education.
Enable
meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of
measurements.
Create
incentives for continual improvement toward sustainability.
Facilitate
information sharing about higher education sustainability practices and
performance.
Build
a stronger, more diverse campus sustainability community.
Through
this assessment, we have been able to track Drake’s sustainability performance.
This process is helping us better identify areas for improvement and connect us
with resources to perform better in the future. Some highlights include:
Air
& Climate
Diversity
& Affordability
Academic
Curriculum & Research
Immersive
Experiences
Community
Partnerships
We encourage members of the Drake community to explore and utilize the resources provided as a member of AASHE. Visit the AASHE website to take advantage of our membership resources. AASHE enables higher education institutions to meet their sustainability goals by providing specialized resources, professional development, and a network of peer support. Membership covers every individual at an institution, so the entire campus community can take advantage of member benefits, www.aashe.org.
We would like to thank all the faculty, staff, and students who helped complete this process. Creating a more sustainable campus and community requires a willingness to participate from everyone, and we are excited to see positive changes in the coming years.
Have questions or ideas? Want to get more involved with Drake’s Sustainability? Email Drake Facilities Planning & Management’s Sustainability Intern Sophia Siegel at Sophia.Siegel@drake.edu or Director of Facilities Kevin Moran at Kevin.Moran@drake.edu.
—Sophia Siegel, Sustainability Intern, Facilities Planning and Management
Over the summer, Drake entered into a partnership with Broadlawns Medical Center to oversee our services for student health and counseling while utilizing existing funds within the Division of Student Affairs.
We are excited about this new arrangement as it will allow us to build additional capacity to meet students’ needs, especially within the critical area of mental health. These services will remain located on the west side of campus in the American Republic Student Health building adjacent to Ross Hall with day-to-day oversight provided by the Dean of Students Office. There is no office charge for students to be seen by student health and counseling.
In regards to our student health team, we are fortunate to have retained our dynamic colleagues led by nurse practitioner Janet Fink. Sandy Corrigan and Mary Beth Olander will continue their services as our registered nurses. Jackie Robinson will remain office manager for both the Student Health and Counseling Centers. I am very proud that this team will continue to serve our students at Drake!
For our counseling center team, Danielle Green was appointed director of counseling services. Working alongside Danielle will be two additional full-time counselors, Karla Mracek and Amber Wilkins. In addition, Drake has given approval to Broadlawns to hire an additional nine-month, part-time counselor with the hopes of an Oct. 1 start date. We are excited to have Danielle, Karla, and Amber on board all while building capacity to meet the growing needs of our students. Learn more about our new staff!
The Continuous Improvement Plan site now features a listing of University initiatives. These initiatives reflect some of the major work underway to fulfill our objectives. Would you like to learn more about what’s going on around campus? Please take a look!
While you are there, you are encouraged to click on the “+” signs around the site to learn how our plan is translated to action.
On Friday, Aug. 30, the Gregory and Suzie Glazer Burt Boys and Girls Club will hold its inaugural Burt Bash, and the Drake campus is invited to clap, cheer, and celebrate the start of the fall semester.
The Burt Boys and Girls Club opens with the start of Des Moines Public School, and for the first week the Burt Club staff will be welcoming new members. The Burt Bash will be the first Club party, and your presence will help kick-off the festivities. Simply show up on the 25th Street sidewalk adjacent to the Burt Club front doors, join the human tunnel, and warm up your welcoming voice. Kids will arrive by bus from their schools in two waves, roughly at 2:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. You are invited to join one or both waves.
The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University and The Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics announced that the Institute has conveyed to Drake University exclusive global rights and responsibilities to maintain and expand the Institute’s CHARACTER COUNTS! character development and Pursuing Victory With Honor build character through sports programs, both domestically and internationally.
The agreement, effective July 1, 2019, was the next step forward of a 22-year collaboration with Drake University which resulted in the highly successful implementation of the CHARACTER COUNTS! and Pursuing Victory With Honor programs in schools and communities across Iowa.
The CHARACTER COUNTS! initiative focuses on the Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship) and was created by the Josephson Institute founder Michael Josephson in 1992. It is currently the country’s largest character development initiative used in thousands of schools, youth organizations and communities, reaching millions of students and their families in the United States and several other countries. CHARACTER COUNTS! has grown to impact schools, families, and entire communities worldwide.
The program was brought to Iowa by the state’s late former Governor Robert D. Ray in 1997. For more than a decade, U.S. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) has been the lead author of a bi-partisan resolution that has passed every year since 1993 declaring the third week in October as National CHARACTER COUNTS! week. The CHARACTER COUNTS! initiative has also received bi-partisan support from every Iowa governor since 1997.
In executing the agreement, Michael Josephson, 76, founder and president of the Institute (named for his parents) expressed his warmth towards the partnership CHARACTER COUNTS! and Drake University have formed over the years and continues to form for the future.
“As I approach retirement it was vital for the continued growth and viability of CHARACTER COUNTS! and Pursuing Victory With Honor that we identified an organization with the integrity, passion, experience and resources to be steward of our most prominent and impactful programs,” said Josephson. “Our long experience with Drake University and very positive relations with University President Marty Martin, and The Ray Center executive director, Scott Raecker, made Drake the natural choice and I am proud and enthused that our important work will continue through Drake University and our preeminent partner, The Ray Center.”
Martin echoed Mr. Josephson’s enthusiasm: “As a University we are inspired to transform lives and strengthen communities, in part by promising our students that they will leave Drake as responsible global citizens. Bringing the global license for CHARACTER COUNTS! to The Ray Center and Drake will help advance our core commitment to civil discourse and ethical leadership, while modeling these values to the world.”
“Governor Ray’s initial vision for our work was to enhance civility through character development and he saw CHARACTER COUNTS! as a pathway to positively impact the lives of Iowans,” said Scott Raecker, executive director of The Ray Center at Drake. “We are now privileged to have the opportunity to build upon our success in Iowa as we honor the legacy of Michael Josephson and the Josephson Institute with enhanced worldwide impact.”
As the new global headquarters for CHARACTER COUNTS!, The Ray Center will manage all services, training, licensing, merchandising, and communication for both programs.
The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University is dedicated to promoting civility through character development and ethical leadership. Built on the cornerstone of the Six Pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS!, The Ray Center helps create strong, vibrant communities that value positive, healthy relationships and respectful behavior.
