Category Archives: Strategic Updates Archive

Strategic Updates Archive

Drake launches revamped M.B.A.

The CBPA is launching a significantly enhanced Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program designed to better meet the needs of today’s working students.

Beginning this fall, classes within the M.B.A. program will be offered in a hybrid model—the only one of its kind in central Iowa—that blends the convenience of online coursework with the benefits of intensive classroom experience. About half of course time will be completed online, with the other half completed on Drake’s campus.
Students in Drake’s hybrid M.B.A. program have the opportunity to:

  • Apply business analytics to become a strategic leader
  • Acquire and hone sought-after project management skills
  • Connect with Des Moines business leaders as a core part of the learning experience
  • Customize their M.B.A. with a specialization that fits their career interests
  • Develop leadership skills in courses focused on expanding business acumen

Learn more in the Drake Newsroom.

Strategic Updates Archive

Inauguration of President Martin

Inauguration of Earl F. Martin, 13th President of Drake University
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. As a reminder, classes are cancelled from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Faculty and staff, look in the For Faculty and For Staff sections for more information.

Strategic Updates Archive

Drake’s statement on diversity and inclusion

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.

Strategic Updates Archive

Campus discussion this week

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.

Strategic Updates Archive

Great Colleges to Work For Survey: Last call

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

Strategic Updates Archive

Inauguration ceremony April 28

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.

Strategic Updates Archive

New student senate officers

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

Strategic Updates Archive

Interim dean of admission named

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

Strategic Updates Archive

From the President

Once again I am writing to you to share re-organization news, this time in my own office. In May, Linda Ryan, executive assistant to the president and secretary of the University, will retire after 24 years of service. During her time with Drake, Linda has served four presidents and worked tirelessly as the liaison to the Board of Trustees. She has been instrumental in preserving the history of this University and planned countless high-profile events for our campus community. In addition, she served in many leadership roles outside of Drake, including as executive director of the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education and as a board member of the Executive Women’s International, Des Moines Chapter. Linda’s insights have been invaluable to me as I’ve transitioned into this role, and her deep well of knowledge about the institution will be hard to replace. I hope you will join me on May 4 for a reception to honor Linda—an invitation will go out to campus in the coming weeks.

 Linda’s departure presented the opportunity to rethink how the Office of the President is organized, and we are moving forward with restructuring. I’m pleased to announce that, effective today, Shannon Cofield will become chief of staff. In this role, Shannon will be responsible for direction and oversight for all activities and services provided by the Office of the President, and will serve as a primary point of engagement with many constituencies, including our Board of Trustees. She will also manage execution of Drake’s continuous improvement plan and oversee community engagement. Shannon’s relationships in Greater Des Moines, and strategic leadership and vision will be vital to the continued success of this office. We will hire an executive assistant to the chief of staff (using Linda’s vacated line) who will support Shannon in managing the implementation of the continuous improvement plan.

 Renee Sedlacek, currently interim director of community engagement and service-learning, will move under the Provost’s Office as director of community-engaged learning. This move aligns with our goal of integrating service-learning across the curriculum. Community engagement will remain under the Office of the President, and a search is underway to fill the vacant neighborhood and community relations manager position. It should be noted that all of the moves detailed herein will not result in any new costs.

 I am confident this reorganization will streamline operations and improve our ability to serve the campus and our many other constituencies. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

 Best regards,

 Marty

Strategic Updates Archive

From the President

Welcome back from spring break! I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on a few initiatives on campus.

As you are aware, the University has undergone a comprehensive Campus Climate Assessment, including a survey and forums, during the past year. Before break, Provost Lenz sent an email to campus with an update on next steps. In it, he shared the Strategic Diversity Action Team’s recommendations on how to make Drake a more inclusive and welcoming campus. I am eager to see us turn these recommendations into initiatives that will have a positive impact on our community. Your first opportunity to get involved in these efforts will be a meeting on April 13, 3–4:30 p.m., in Parents Hall, where faculty, staff, and students will discuss a statement of diversity and inclusion to be adopted by the University in May. Your participation and feedback will be invaluable in the development of this statement.

On another note, I’m excited to announce an organizational change that will streamline and enhance the student experience and strategically integrate two important units on campus. With the impending departure in May of Tom Delahunt, vice president for admission and student financial planning, we have taken the opportunity to step back and analyze the enrollment management process at Drake. To that end, effective in the middle of July, the Office of Admission will move under the Provost’s Office. This move allows our admission efforts to more closely align with our academic programs and will create better integration of the prospective student experience with our enrollment management activities for matriculated students.

Along with this move, Keith Summerville, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has agreed to serve as deputy provost (a position that is funded, but unfilled) and take on the responsibility of providing strategic leadership and oversight for all of our enrollment management activities, including the Office of Admission and our goals of improving retention, persistence, and graduation performance. Keith’s deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the University and his leadership and passionate dedication to creating the best possible student experience will be crucial in guiding this transition and in helping the institution achieve continuous improvement in enrollment management.

As part of this reorganization we are converting our current director of admission position into a new dean of admission. This position will provide day-to-day oversight to the Office of Admission and will report to Keith. Additionally, the Office of Student Financial Planning will move under the supervision of our CFO, Teresa Krejci. One side-benefit of the reorganization is that the University will realize a net savings in compensation expense.

I hope you will join me in congratulating and thanking Keith, and also in supporting this transition. I am confident that this change will benefit our students by enabling us to improve on our already stellar enrollment management services and outcomes.

Best,

Marty