Tag Archives: staff

Strategic Updates Archive

From the Provost

Drake Social, Morning Edition
To begin her transition to Drake, Sue Mattison, our provost-elect, will visit campus in February, as well as on other occasions during the spring semester. These visits are intended to extend her familiarity with Drake (and ours with her); to hold conversations with those with whom she will be working closely; and to provide opportunities for her to meet more Drake faculty, staff, and students. To assist her transition, Drake faculty and staff are invited to spend some informal time with Sue at our next Drake social, a morning edition on Thursday, Feb. 11, 8–9 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main. Coffee and pastries will be available, and I hope all of you will be as well. Please join me to welcome our provost-elect back to campus!

David E. Maxwell Distinguished Professor of International Affairs
I am delighted to announce that at its January meeting the Drake University Board of Trustees awarded the David E. Maxwell Professorship in International Affairs to Debra DeLaet, professor of political science. Established through the generosity of Patricia and L. Daniel Jorndt and designed to honor President Maxwell’s years of service to Drake and his devotion to international study, the David E. Maxwell Professorship in International Affairs recognizes a Drake faculty member at the full professor rank in a discipline directly linked to international affairs, including (but not limited to) international business, international relations, politics, sociology, and global public health.

Nominated by her dean, recommended by a selection committee of other distinguished professors, and supported by the provost and president, it is a recognition that Professor DeLaet richly deserves. In her 20 years at Drake she has achieved a record of effective teaching, rigorous scholarship, and engaged service animated by her interest and expertise in international relations, human rights, and global public health. She has previously been selected as the College of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Teacher of the Year, invited to present the Stalnaker Lecture, elected to serve as Faculty Senate president, and awarded the Herb & Karen Baum Chair of Ethics and the Professions, a title she will cede to her successor at the end of this year. Please join me in congratulating our newest distinguished professor.

Herb & Karen Baum Chair of Ethics and the Professions
In 2010, a generous gift by Herb & Karen Baum established the Herb & Karen Baum Chair of Ethics and the Professions. The appointment to this chair is for a three-year period for full professors at the University whose teaching and/or research examines issues of ethics and the world of practice, and who are nominated for the chair by their dean. I am proud to announce that after being nominated by her dean, recommended by a committee of distinguished professors, and approved by President Martin, Professor Jennifer Harvey will succeed Professor DeLaet as the next Herb & Karen Baum Chair of Ethics and the Professions. Jennifer is a professor of religion and currently also serves as director of the Humanities Center and faculty director of the Crew Scholars Program. Her focus in teaching and research is liberation ethics, and she has authored three books on race and social justice, published a wide range of essays, and has been invited to give many talks to community groups and professional organizations. She has been recognized as the Honors Teacher of the Year and as the Madelyn M. Levitt Mentor of the Year.

Provost Mobile Office Hour
With the start of the new semester I am resuming my roaming, open office hours. You can find me this week on Friday, Feb. 5, 1–2:30 p.m., in the Olmsted coffee shop. No appointments needed.

—Provost Joe Lenz

Featured Events Archive

Students to host caucus simulation

Drake University Student Senate, Drake College Republicans, Drake University Democrats, and the Drake Political Review will host a practice caucus at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, in the Shivers Basketball Practice Facility’s hospitality suite in the Knapp Center on Drake’s campus. The event will include a simulation of both the Republican and Democratic caucuses, and is designed for students, staff and faculty to learn how the Iowa Caucuses work. Read more in the Drake Newsroom.

News & Achievements Archive

Bulldogs of DU: Carla Herling

Carla Herling, Drake Technology Services

What do you do?
“I am the web communications and training specialist, so I do training for faculty and staff in the web CMS—that is the Drake website— and help with communications for DTS.”

What do you like about your job?
“One of the nice things at a university is that they value people with a variety of backgrounds and skills. I’m doing back-end coding, working on content, and helping people understand design elements. I like helping people and seeing that light bulb moment when they say ‘This looks better’ or ‘I get it now.'”

You have your master’s in art history and love museums—do you have a favorite?
“It’s too hard to pick one! I went to the Getty in Los Angeles, but that‘s more for the building and space. I love the Des Moines Art Center and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, where I grew up going. I’ve been to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem a number of times [she lived in Israel for a year] and it’s one of my absolute favorites. Their collection spans all of civilization.”

Let’s talk about all the different jobs you’ve had.
“I’ve been an academic adviser, I’ve worked at museums and in the graphic design department of an insurance company, I was an assistant registrar, I’ve done temp jobs. Probably one of my favorites was tour and volunteer coordinator at Terrace Hill during the Vilsack administration and part of the Culver administration. I just like to try new things on a regular basis and have never been a person with a set plan. I’m good at adapting.”

Featured Events Archive

Drake to host Tracy Martin, father of Trayvon Martin, for lecture

On Saturday, Feb. 13, Tracy Martin, father of Trayvon Martin, will visit Drake as part of Black History Month programming. Mr. Martin will speak in Sheslow Auditorium from 5 to 7 pm. The event, which is free and open to the public and sponsored by the Coalition of Black Students (CBS), will include a brief lecture, a moderated conversation, and a Q&A session with the audience. CBS is designing the programming in a manner that respects and honors Mr. Martin’s grief while joining him in discussing the difficult questions that follow in the wake of his son’s death.

Attendees may submit questions online that they would like the moderator to ask Mr. Martin.

Following the lecture, CBS will host the Black on Black Banquet in Levitt Hall. The dress code for the banquet is black tie and will be ticketed. Mr. Martin will be the guest of honor. Click here to get your free ticket.

Mr. Martin’s visit is taking place due to generous co-sponsorship from the Slay Fund, the Office of the Provost, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Medbury Fund, the Women and Gender Studies program, and the Center for the Humanities.

—Submitted by Melisa Klimaszewski, Associate Professor of English, Faculty Adviser, Coalition of Black Students; and Jacques Goavec, President, Coalition of Black Students

Campus Announcements Archive

Levitt Mentor of the Year Award

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

To Drake faculty, staff, and students:

In 1994, the Madelyn Levitt Mentor Award was created in honor of Madelyn Levitt’s commitment to Drake and her ongoing interest in faculty and staff achievement and academic excellence. Each year this award recognizes commitment to student success on the Drake campus by honoring a member of the Drake University faculty or staff for excellence in advising and mentoring of students.

You are invited this year to nominate a faculty or staff member for this prestigious award.

Process:

  1. A letter of nomination should be submitted recommending an individual for the award and explaining the context and manner in which the nominator has come to know the faculty or staff member. This letter should speak to the following qualifications:
    • An outstanding commitment to student success in and out of the classroom in support of the Drake mission
    • Integrity in personal relationships
    • Typifying the ideal student mentor by providing for students the support they need to graduate and move forward to live productive, fulfilling lives.

    The nominee must be a faculty or staff member in at least her/his fourth year of service at the University. The nominee cannot have won this award within the past five years.

    The letter is due to Associate Provost Art Sanders, no later than Feb. 15. The letter should be sent as an attachment to arthur.sanders@drake.edu.

  2. The nominated individual is notified by the Provost’s Office of her/his nomination and asked of her/his willingness to be considered.
  3.  At the nominee’s acceptance, the nominator is asked to collect the following supporting material and submit it to the Provost’s Office by March 11: a curriculum vitae or resume, a minimum of one other letter supporting the nomination, and a description by the nominee of activities which illustrate her/his mentoring/advising involvement. At least one of the letters must be from a current student and there may be no more than five letters supporting the nomination. Electronic submission of materials is required. Send all documents to cherie.moen@drake.edu.
  4. A screening committee, appointed by the provost, will review all nominations and make appropriate recommendations to the provost.

Any individual who was initially nominated for the award in 2014 or 2015 may be re-nominated if the nominator resubmits a letter offering the individual for consideration this year. Files of previous nominees are maintained for two years. In the case of re-nomination, the nominator will be invited to review the file to ensure that the nomination is as current as possible. The limit of five letters of support, including one from a current student, also applies to re-nominations.

The 2016 recipient of the Madelyn Levitt Mentor Award will be announced at one of the spring 2016 commencements.

Additional information is available here.

—Art Sanders, Associate Provost

Strategic Updates Archive

Coffee and construction

Plan to attend the second STEM@DRAKE Construction Open House on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 8:15 a.m., in Olmsted Center, Pomerantz Stage area. Come learn more about plans for construction of the School of Education and Math and Computer Science facility and the new Science Connector building. Site plans, what to expect during the construction process, tree removal, fencing, and plans for 27th Street will all be discussed. Construction team members as well as members of the University Steering Team will be on hand to answer questions. A brief project overview will be presented at 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. Light refreshments will be served.

—Submitted by Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Campus Announcements Archive

Temporary campus ban on hoverboards

As we have all been made aware in recent weeks there are numerous reports of hoverboards overheating and catching fire. Many U.S. airlines have now prohibited the transport of hoverboards, and Amazon has decided to stop shipping many models. Until a time that the safety standards of these devices are improved, Drake has decided to institute a temporary ban on the use, possession, and storage of hoverboards. The ban applies to campus as well as Drake-owned real estate properties.

Thank you for your understanding as we work to keep our campus safe. If you would like additional product safety information on hove boards, view this statement from the Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

—Submitted by Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

News & Achievements Archive

Drake Faculty/Staff Days

All Drake faculty and staff  are eligible to receive up to four complimentary tickets to the events listed below. Tickets may be picked up at the Drake Athletics Ticket Office Monday–Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or at the ticket window on game day. Must show a Drake Card (ID) at time of pick up.

Men’s Basketball
Drake vs. Bradley
Jan. 30 at 2 p.m.
Knapp Center

Women’s Basketball
Drake vs. Wichita State
Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.
Knapp Center

More information is available at www.DrakeTix.com/promotions

Questions? Call 515-271-3647 or email tickets@drake.edu.