My first Drake Relays is almost here! While I was on campus briefly during this time last year, I’m excited for my first Relays experience as a full-fledged Drake Bulldog. This is a week that I hope all on campus can enjoy, whether it’s student street painting tomorrow, the Beautiful Bulldog Contest on Sunday, or enjoying the competition next week. It’s a time to reunite with old classmates and students, welcome visitors to campus, and enjoy the company of colleagues and friends. I encourage you to get out and enjoy the festivities on campus and in the community—you can find a list here.

This year, we are also celebrating my inauguration, and I want to thank all those involved in planning for the event. Individuals from across campus have been instrumental in putting together what I’m sure will be an extraordinary ceremony, and I couldn’t be more appreciative. I would especially like to thank Professor Joseph Schneider and Trustee Cathy Lacy for co-chairing the planning committee. I’d also like to extend my gratitude to the entire Drake community for your enthusiastic participation in this event; I am immensely proud to be formally installed as the leader of this great institution in front of my family, friends, colleagues from other institutions, and all of you.

Enjoy Relays!

Marty

Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to review the proposed statement on diversity and inclusion and share their thoughts online. The survey will remain open until April 20. All comments will be taken into consideration as the statement is revised, with a goal of adopting the statement in May. Questions may be directed to wemakedrake@drake.edu. A big thank you goes out to those who participated in our campus discussion on April 13.

Drake plans to adopt a statement of diversity and inclusion in May 2016, and the Strategic Diversity Action Team wants the help of the campus community in crafting it. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to a campus discussion regarding the proposed statement on April 13, 3–4:30 p.m. in Parents Hall. You can also provide your feedback online starting after the meeting on April 13 through April 20.

Thank you to everyone who has already completed their Great Colleges To Work For survey. The survey will close after the end of the business day on Friday, April 15, so you still have time to participate. Please take this opportunity to provide your feedback and comments.

The survey was distributed by email invitation to all full-time faculty, currently active adjuncts, and full-time staff. The email includes a unique username and password for each participant. Despite efforts by Information Technology Services, some faculty and staff have reported that their survey invitation ended up in their Clutter folder. If you have not received your survey invitation in your email inbox, please check your clutter and junk mail folders.

If you have not received your survey invitation or have other questions about the Great Colleges To Work For survey, contact Gary Johnson, director, human resources, at gary.johnson@drake.edu or 515-271-4804.

—Gary Johnson

Faculty, staff, and students are invited and encouraged to attend the Inauguration of Earl F. Martin, 13th President of Drake University. The ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 28, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive by no later than 1:20 p.m. as the ceremony begins promptly at 1:30. For those faculty and staff who will be participating in the procession in academic regalia, watch your inbox for more details on robing and the ceremony coming soon.

Congratulations to the following four Bulldogs who were elected to serve as the leaders of the 30th Session of the Student Senate (2016–2017):

Thalia Anguiano: Student Body President
Kevin Kane: Vice President of Student Life
Nicholas Jenderko: Vice President of Student Activities
John (JD) Stehwien: Student Body Treasurer

I am confident in the ability of these four outstanding individuals to better the student experience and look forward to the impact they will have at Drake!

—Kevin Maisto, Student Body President

As you know, I will be stepping away from the Office of Admission and Student Financial Planning at Drake effective May 3. In addition, Laura Linn, director, admission, will move on to her new position on May 7. To ensure operational continuity between the timing of those departures and the time when Keith Summerville will assume the role of deputy provost (July 18), we have decided to name an interim dean to handle day-to-day operations in the office.

We are pleased to announce that Carrie Lewis will assume this role effective May 3. Carrie earned her bachelor’s degree from Drake in 1997. She assumed the role of international admission counselor in the fall of the same year. She was promoted to the role of assistant director of international admission in 1999, a role she has excelled in since. As part of her commitment to international admissions, she has traveled to more than 60 countries, territories, and foreign states. Carrie is a member of the International Association for College Admission Counseling and was invited to join the CIS Regional Service Committee for Latin America in 2015.

Her 17 years as a leader in the Office of Admission has her well poised to facilitate the transition between the current organizational structure of the Office of Admission and Student Financial Planning and the new structure that will have the Office of Admission reporting up through the deputy provost. Carrie will remain in the role of interim dean until the search for the dean of admission is complete.

Please join us in welcoming Carrie Lewis to her new role as Interim Dean of Admission.

—Tom Delahunt, Vice President for Admission and Student Financial Planning, and Keith Summerville, Interim Dean, College of Arts & Sciences