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	<title type="text">The Times-Delphic</title>
	<subtitle type="text">The Student News Site of Drake University</subtitle>

	<updated>2026-05-13T00:37:23Z</updated>

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		<author>
			<name> Sophia Juhler, Staff Writer</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Students explore Seville through DU Spain]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84831/features/students-explore-seville-through-du-spain/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84831</id>
		<updated>2026-05-13T00:37:23Z</updated>
		<published>2026-05-13T00:36:01Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="Features" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Each spring semester, the DU Spain program sends a group of students and a faculty-in-residence to study abroad at the University in Spain. Next year, the faculty-in-residence will be Jennifer...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84831/features/students-explore-seville-through-du-spain/">Students explore Seville through DU Spain</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84831/features/students-explore-seville-through-du-spain/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Each spring semester, the DU Spain program sends a group of students and a faculty-in-residence to study abroad at the University in Spain. Next year, the faculty-in-residence will be Jennifer Wilson, a magazine and brand media professor. She will be teaching a travel journalism class.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ll be using Seville as a classroom and a kitchen and a communal table,” Wilson said. “What I mean by that is we’ll be eating and drinking and learning the origins of culture and tradition and foods in Spain and in Seville in particular.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wilson said Seville has lots to explore. Flamenco dancing and tapas, Spanish appetizers, originated in Seville. It is also home to Europe’s oldest royal palace, the Alázar of Seville, which is still in use.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Travel writing will have its own field trips that include local markets, olive oil production, wine making, behind the scenes of flamenco performances, things like that,” Wilson said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wilson said those field trips aren’t set in stone yet. However, DU Spain includes trips to Morocco and Portugal, as well as to Granada and Córdoba, two other cities in Spain.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even so, Wilson said there will be plenty to learn just within Seville itself.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Seville is a … crossroads for so many cultures. It is a real melting pot of cultural experiences,” Wilson said. “You see it in the architecture, in the food. You see Christianity, Islam, Judaism, all reflected in the city structure itself and how those religions and traditions have found a way to coexist peacefully is a real lesson to live.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Junior Lainey Arrol is currently abroad in Seville as a part of this year’s DU Spain.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She said she has no regrets about joining the program and that she could actually have done a year abroad instead of just one semester. She was sad to think she’d come home on May 8.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m going to miss the nature of [Seville],” Arrol said. “The weather and the architecture and how nice it is too. Small things like that because I feel like those are the things that you don’t [experience] when you’re a tourist.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Arrol said she also really enjoyed the various cultural festivities in Seville.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We just had the biggest festival of April called [Feria de Abril],” Arrol said. “You see all these people wearing flamenco dresses with the shawls and the flowers in their hair, and there’s horse-drawn carriages on every street, and you’re just like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this real?’”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">First-year Eleanor Muiznieks has committed to DU Spain for spring 2027.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I really love learning about new cultures and exploring cultural differences between societies,” Muiznieks said. “While I’m going abroad to study, I’m also really excited to just be in a completely new, unfamiliar environment. It’s a little bit scary, but I think I can really learn from that and mature from that.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Education Abroad Coordinator Emily Erschen said students interested in DU Spain in 2027 should schedule a meeting with study abroad advising through Starfish. Students can also learn more about DU Spain through Drake’s travel abroad portal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Erschen said finances are a concern for most students, but they don’t have to be. Drake offers over $200,000 in global learning scholarships each year.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One general prompted essay is all that’s required to apply for most of the scholarships, aside from the Levin Scholarship. It’s a full-ride scholarship with the goal of promoting understanding between different faiths and requires writing a different prompted essay.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Applications for DU Spain are open until Sept. 15.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84831/features/students-explore-seville-through-du-spain/">Students explore Seville through DU Spain</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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			</entry>
		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Jorge Aguirre II, Distributor</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Painted Street square left unpainted, future unclear]]></title>
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		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84809</id>
		<updated>2026-05-04T20:48:02Z</updated>
		<published>2026-05-04T20:09:07Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="News" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p> One square on Painted Street remains blank two weeks after street painting for Drake Relays concluded. “It was discovered during street painting that there was a miscalculation and that there...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84809/news/painted-street-square-left-unpainted-future-unclear/">Painted Street square left unpainted, future unclear</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84809/news/painted-street-square-left-unpainted-future-unclear/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> One square on Painted Street remains blank two weeks after street painting for Drake Relays concluded.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was discovered during street painting that there was a miscalculation and that there were two additional squares,” Vice President and Dean of Students Jerry Parker said in an email to The Times-Delphic on April 28.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drake Political Review painted one of the empty squares, but the other remains blank. The Student Activities Board has not provided further details on whether the last square will be painted.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the Painted Street Raffle on April 15, where student organizations receive squares on Painted Street, the Student Activities Board raffled off 54 squares instead of 56. There are 58 total squares on the street, and two are reserved for the Relays logo. This miscount resulted in the two blank squares.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fifty-eight student organizations participated in the raffle. The four organizations not selected in the raffle were social fraternity Sigma Chi, Drake Hillel, Drake Political Review and Drake University Dance Marathon. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the raffle, selected organizations had to complete a Google Form to confirm their place on the street. If an organization did not complete the form by April 16 at noon, their square was offered to one of the four organizations not selected at the raffle. Sigma Chi, Hillel, Drake Political Review, and Dance Marathon were all offered squares because other organizations did not complete the form. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Parker said that the Interfraternity Council and UNITY Roundtable did not complete the process to claim and paint a square. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is my understanding that IFC and UNITY Roundtable intentionally did not complete the acceptance process so that their squares would go to Sigma Chi and Hillel,” Parker said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After Drake Political Review was offered a square, Editor-in-Chief Norah Judson said she did not realize she needed to complete a form to confirm their spot on the street. When Judson arrived to paint her organization’s square during street painting, she was told that all of the squares were full. As the form was not completed, the square offered to Drake Political Review was given to UNITY Roundtable.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On Monday, April 20, Judson received multiple messages from DPR staff members saying that there were two empty squares left on Painted Street.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“After a bit of back and forth with Eve Loehrer, DPR&#8217;s assistant art director, we decided to email and inquire as to whether we could claim an empty square,” Judson said. “Shortly thereafter, [Loehrer] received an email back on a different thread. The email explained that if we wrote back accepting, we could head out and start painting ASAP.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This email from Relays co-chair Ava Hulse was also sent to the Intrafraternity Council and social fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“SAB offered the two open squares to the three remaining groups,” Parker said. “As far as I know, Drake Political Review is the only group who claimed an open square.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judson and the DPR staff were given a strict time limit to paint their square due to alumni events happening on campus for Drake Relays. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The timeline we were given stated that we must be done with painting by 6:00 p.m. on the Friday of Relays [April 24]. However, when I was out painting, I was informed by a man shooting video for the University that there would be an alumni event happening on Painted Street that same day, starting at 4:00 p.m., and that realistically, we needed to be done well before preparation started for that,” Judson said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judson and Loehrer received another email from Hulse on April 28 requesting that their square be completed by Sunday, May 3, adding that another organization would be painting the last square. Drake Political Review’s square had been completed on April 24.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judson said she values the opportunity to be in this year&#8217;s Painted Street.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While I wish we could have gotten the full Painted Street experience alongside all the other campus organizations with squares this year, I am very grateful that we get to have a square at all,” Judson said.</span></p>
<hr />
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Student Activities Board and the Relays co-chairs did not respond to requests to schedule an interview in time for publication.</span></i></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eve Loehrer is a Times-Delphic staff member.</span></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84809/news/painted-street-square-left-unpainted-future-unclear/">Painted Street square left unpainted, future unclear</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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			</entry>
		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Nat Thomas, Staff Writer</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[‘The Pitt’ changes medical shows for good]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84807/opinions/the-pitt-changes-medical-shows-for-good/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84807</id>
		<updated>2026-05-04T20:53:36Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-30T16:52:54Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="Opinions" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>For many TV fans, the second season of “The Pitt” was a weekly event where they could watch their favorite group of doctors perform life-changing medical acts. Instead of just...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84807/opinions/the-pitt-changes-medical-shows-for-good/">‘The Pitt’ changes medical shows for good</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84807/opinions/the-pitt-changes-medical-shows-for-good/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For many TV fans, the second season of “The Pitt” was a weekly event where they could watch their favorite group of doctors perform life-changing medical acts. Instead of just being a medical drama, it’s changed the way shows of its kind are formatted, brought a huge community of fans together and provided the casual kind of queer representation that’s desperately needed right now. “The Pitt” is a brilliant and enthralling addition to the drama genre that deserves every piece of praise it receives. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The Pitt” is a genuinely interesting piece of media. Medical shows have always been popular, but never have they dedicated themselves as wholly to medical accuracy and subtle character development as found in this show.  “The Pitt” chooses to spend an entire season on one shift, showing the nitty-gritty details missing from more mainstream TV ventures. To aid in accuracy, the cases in the show are written by Joe Sachs, who worked in an ER before switching career paths. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Noah Wyle, creator of the show and the actor playing Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, previously starred on the popular show “ER.” Wyle has </span><a href="https://people.com/noah-wyle-the-pitt-could-run-forever-11934402"><span style="font-weight: 400;">stated</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that part of the strength of “The Pitt” comes from </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">realizing “that we don’t need a big deus ex machina plot device to keep this engaging, that there is something really fascinating about watching everyday people try to get through the course of their day,”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> which could not be more true. The show has taken a field that’s so overly romanticized and displayed it with every feature in the open — something that has brought fans closer instead of pushing them away. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Medical accuracy is often forgotten in the genre in favor of shock value cases. When a medical show is able to dedicate itself entirely to the practice, it is infinitely more engaging and special. And yet even with this level of accuracy, “The Pitt” works exhaustively to give audiences a cast of unforgettable and fascinating characters. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actors like Katherine LaNasa and Supriya Ganesh, who play characters Dana Evans and Samira Mohan, respectively, along with other cast members, engage with each other in such a colorful and unique way that fans have built entirely new relationships, or “ships” as they’re referred to in fandom culture, from just a few interactions. The show shines when it balances the wants of the fans along with its focus on medicine.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the eagerly anticipated finale came its own set of issues. My previously mentioned favorite, Ganesha, will be making an exit. This decision sparked criticism from fans who believed the show was prioritizing Wyle’s protagonist over the strong women of color characters. This wasn’t helped by the show cutting scenes related to the new attending Baran Al-Hashimi. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite my disliking her initially, I found that Al-Hashimi’s character arc over the course of the season was one of the strongest. By the final episode, she had taken the number one spot of favorites for me. The decision to cut part of her final scene in the car, a scene meant to highlight the emotional strain of her relationship with her ex-husband and child, and to replace it with a scene of her crying that looked more centered around Dr. Robby significantly took away from the finale’s satisfaction and writing quality. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The finale was, despite its shortcomings and controversial decisions, a good wrap-up of the character arcs. Although I’ll miss Mohan intensely, I’m also eager to see Dr. Ellis rise to a main character position and to see Al-Hashimi’s return, since I refuse to acknowledge the idea of her not showing up again. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When awards season came around, it was no surprise that “The Pitt” dominated every segment it was nominated in. There’s no doubt that this will happen again. I hope this is an affirmation that this show is going to change the way genres approach their material. If a show whose content is complicated manages to reach a huge audience while still being understandable and powerful, it deserves the love it gets and more. TV should be complex, dramatic, hilarious and heartbreaking. “The Pitt” doesn’t miss a beat. </span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84807/opinions/the-pitt-changes-medical-shows-for-good/">‘The Pitt’ changes medical shows for good</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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			</entry>
		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Caroline Siebels-Lindquist, Staff Writer</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[You don’t need to wear a white dress]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84805/opinions/you-dont-need-to-wear-a-white-dress/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84805</id>
		<updated>2026-05-04T21:01:35Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-30T16:51:33Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="Opinions" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>My mother wore a red dress to her wedding. She didn’t have a traditional wedding, so she didn’t want a traditional white dress. She didn’t even buy the dress; she...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84805/opinions/you-dont-need-to-wear-a-white-dress/">You don’t need to wear a white dress</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84805/opinions/you-dont-need-to-wear-a-white-dress/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My mother wore a red dress to her wedding. She didn’t have a traditional wedding, so she didn’t want a traditional white dress. She didn’t even buy the dress; she confessed to me only recently that her friend did. She and my father signed a piece of paper at the city hall in Lexington, Kentucky, and had coffee cake and a party at their apartment with friends and family. She likes to joke about how both my father and she forgot the rings in front of the justice of the peace, so they just put them on later that day, May 1, 1995.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I am not planning on getting married anytime soon, but I am graduating from Drake University in a few weeks. And white is deemed the unofficial color of graduation for women, whether high school or college.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are a lot of reasons for this. Others are wearing white. It’s a plain backdrop against colorful cords or other honors. It symbolizes the end of an era and a new beginning.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whatever the reason may be, the color white has a sordid history with tradition and accepting the status quo.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s a uniform, and an eraser of individuality. It’s tradition.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That all being said, not all traditions are bad. On Thanksgiving, my extended family exchanges ornaments for Christmas, and that’s always a fun time. And when I visit my aunt in North Carolina, she always buys me a book. Cute, right?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is joy in traditions, but that doesn’t mean all of them are worth following. “It’s the way it’s always been done” is not a valid excuse anymore, if it ever was. So, I want to renegotiate the terms of traditions and my role in them, because in addition to being a creative, I’m also a politics major who has adopted an institutional way of examining the world.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I have an off-white dress that I (my mom) bought at a Plato’s Closet last summer. It’s knitted with black stripes, and I bought a matching white slip to wear under it from Depop. It extenuates my height and my frame, and I love it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, it’s not totally white. It’s not short, it’s not pure with ruffles. It’s not the dresses I’ve seen graduates wear while posing for graduation photos on campus in years past.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I know, I know, it’s not revolutionary of me to wear a slightly different shade of white to graduation. In fact, it screams, “Who said I can’t wear my Converse,” and “I’m not like other girls.” If you know, you know.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s not my intention to start a revolution, quite the opposite, actually. I want to tweak the unofficial graduation uniform in a way that suits me and what I currently have in my closet. I want to fit within the confines of tradition, honor its purpose, while still allowing myself to push the boundaries, albeit slightly.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My mother didn’t want the traditional wedding ceremony — uniformed bridesmaids, an aisle, a church, a salad course — so she didn’t want to wear the traditional white wedding garb. But she still wanted to feel beautiful. She still wanted to wear something she normally wouldn’t on the day that became her wedding anniversary.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, in comes her red dress with matching lipstick, and (oh look!) my off-white, black striped dress lags behind. </span></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Read more from this author at her Substack, </span></i><a href="https://carolinesielinds.substack.com/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caroline’s Current</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84805/opinions/you-dont-need-to-wear-a-white-dress/">You don’t need to wear a white dress</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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			</entry>
		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Emmett McMenamy, Staff Writer</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Birds take flight, even in a rebuild]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84803/sports/birds-take-flight-even-in-a-rebuild/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84803</id>
		<updated>2026-04-30T16:50:10Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-30T16:50:10Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="Sports" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>The statistics in this story were reported as of Sunday, April 26. Heading into the 2026 season, St. Louis Cardinals fans braced themselves for a rough year. After trading away...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84803/sports/birds-take-flight-even-in-a-rebuild/">Birds take flight, even in a rebuild</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84803/sports/birds-take-flight-even-in-a-rebuild/"><![CDATA[<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The statistics in this story were reported as of Sunday, April 26.</span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Heading into the 2026 season, St. Louis Cardinals fans braced themselves for a rough year. After </span><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84243/sports/breaking-down-the-st-louis-cardinals-offseason/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">trading away</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> four key veterans last offseason — Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan — the team had a lot of question marks penciled in the starting nine. But so far, sitting at a 14-12 record, the birds are getting off the ground. And they’re doing it as a team. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the Cardinals are having some stellar individual performances, no one player is carrying this year — it’s been a group effort, guided by manager Oliver Marmol. Even after trading away veterans, the Cardinals have built a balanced squad. On offense, Jordan Walker leads the way with eight home runs in his breakout season. He joins an elite list of Cardinals who hit seven home runs in the team’s first 15 games: Mark McGwire, Scott Rolen and Albert Pujols. The former MLB Pipeline top-10 prospect is showing signs of the player he was hailed to become before back-to-back atrocious seasons of a .619 on-base plus slugging percentage in 2024 and a .584 OPS in 2025. Ivan Herrera, MLB No. 5 prospect in baseball, JJ Wetherholt, and — perhaps the most surprising contributor on the team — Nathan Church, all have four home runs. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Church started on opening day, Cardinals fans may have said: Who? Then he robbed a home run. On </span><a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/nathan-church-701675"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Baseball Savant</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, he’s in the 88th percentile in MLB in sprint speed (he’s swiped three bags so far) and the 88th percentile in arm strength. Players like Church are the reason that the Cardinals are squeaking out wins despite a lackluster pitching staff and the worst run differential in the National League Central division. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Silver Slugger Alec Burleson and Gold Glover Masyn Winn are also having solid seasons. Burleson has three home runs and a .747 OPS and Winn, after starting the season cold, has a .768 OPS. On defense, he and Wetherholt are tied for No. 6 in MLB, each with four outs above average according to </span><a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?type=1&amp;pos=all&amp;stats=fld&amp;startdate=&amp;enddate=&amp;month=0&amp;qual=y&amp;team=0"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fangraphs</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a team, the Cardinals are No. 5 in outs above average, tied for No. 10 in home runs and No. 14 in OPS. Those numbers are fantastic for a rebuilding team, but holes can be poked all throughout the Cardinals&#8217; pitching staff. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Cardinals own the No. 27 (out of 30 teams) earned run average in MLB and are No. 30 in strikeouts with 170 — the Arizona Diamondbacks are No. 29 with 198. The Cardinals are buried deep in last place in strikeouts. It’s a good thing the defense is top of the league, but the sustainability of run prevention is worrisome. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Opening day starter Matthew Liberatore was off to a good start before some blow-up starts ballooned his ERA to 4.75. Offseason signee Dustin May took the opposite approach: having blow-up starts early on before bouncing back; regardless, his ERA is 5.84. Former first-round pick Michael McGreevy has been the best starter so far with a 3.29 ERA and a phenomenal 4.8% walk rate. And Andre Pallante and Kyle Leahy round out the rotation with 4.26 and 5.63 ERAs, respectively. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The bullpen isn’t much better. According to </span><a href="https://www.covers.com/sport/baseball/mlb/statistics/team-bullpenera/2026"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Covers</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the Cardinals&#8217; bullpen ERA is 5.23. The bright spot has been the new closer, Riley O’Brien, who has a 1.26 ERA, 0.767 walks and hits per innings pitched and seven saves. Even with O’Brien, a lead rarely feels safe this season. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Regardless of the pitching staff, this team is fun to watch, which is a win for Cardinals fans. They slap the ball around the park, play good defense and sneak out come-from-behind wins. The outlook for the future Cardinals isn’t so grim because the offense is exciting, and reinforcements are on the way. The Cardinals have five pitchers in the organization’s top 10 prospects, including No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft, Liam Doyle, and switch pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners as the headliner prospect in the Donovan trade. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Cardinals are building a core. The exterior is shaky and weather-prone, but the foundation is becoming strong, which is all fans can ask for in the midst of a rebuild.  </span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84803/sports/birds-take-flight-even-in-a-rebuild/">Birds take flight, even in a rebuild</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Renee Vig, Student Senate Beat Writer</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Student Senate to launch farmers’ market this fall]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84799/news/student-senate-to-launch-farmers-market-this-fall/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84799</id>
		<updated>2026-04-30T16:46:50Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-30T16:46:50Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="News" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>A new Drake Farmers’ Market is coming to campus next fall for students to enjoy local Des Moines vendors or buy from Drake University students.  Student Body President Ty Walls...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84799/news/student-senate-to-launch-farmers-market-this-fall/">Student Senate to launch farmers’ market this fall</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84799/news/student-senate-to-launch-farmers-market-this-fall/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A new Drake Farmers’ Market is coming to campus next fall for students to enjoy local Des Moines vendors or buy from Drake University students. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Student Body President Ty Walls has been working on planning the project. Walls hopes to bring 25 vendors to campus. This includes having students themselves bring their small businesses to the market, as well as possible alumni vendors. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The market is expected to take place on the second Friday of every month for as long as the weather permits, the first date being on Sept. 11. The Drake Farmers Market is not associated with the Women and Gender Studies farmers market planned for April 30.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Walls hopes for the Drake Farmers Market to take place at least four times a year, with two dates in the fall and two dates in the spring. The plan is to hold the farmers’ market in the Harkins Institute parking lot, making it more accessible for students, staff and community members. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s something for the students to get them excited about living on campus,” said Equity and Inclusion Senator Alyssa Galvez, who has been involved in the project.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For the first few times the market is held, they are looking to have a wide variety of vendors. The businesses have not been picked out yet, but ideas of having dairy products, vegetables and pre-packaged foods as well as art projects or trinkets, have been thrown around. They are looking to see what students gravitate towards.  </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you have a friend that’s going to be there, show up for your friend, but also build those relationships with vendors. You never know where that can lead you,” Walls said. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An idea that Walls is excited to pursue is creating a mutual aid fund through the market. Vendors will have to pay a fee to sell their products, but 100% of the proceeds go back to the community. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We communicate that to the vendors with their application process, that this is what your $25 is going to,” Walls said, “With this [first farmers’ market] being on 9/11, [we’re] probably finding a mutual aid for veterans, firefighters, for that month.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The money from the market will find its way to another community in Iowa. As October is domestic violence awareness month, organizers plan to set up a mutual aid and send the money to different shelters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The importance of the farmers’ market is to connect the community, not only to Drake, but also to greater causes that are happening within the Iowa community,” Walls said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Walls and Galvez hope the farmers’ market will be an easy, accessible way for students to meet their needs or interact with the community. For students who are looking to create their own business, there will be entrepreneurs on campus for them to network with or ask questions. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Supporting students is one of the key parts of the thing, and allowing them to be a part of something where they could connect with another business who might be doing something similar,” Walls said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Galvez and Walls hope to see this project grow more as it continues. That could look like making the market year-round on campus by moving it indoors during winter, or increasing the number of vendors they invite to campus. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m just a sucker for farmers’ markets and I think it would be really cute to have something on campus for students,” Galvez said, “I would like to see it happen every year, and honestly, I want to see it get bigger and bigger.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Walls said they are on track to have the farmers’ market happen on the date that is set. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If I come back as an alumnus, I want to see student vendors, and I just want to see people supporting everybody,” Galvez said.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84799/news/student-senate-to-launch-farmers-market-this-fall/">Student Senate to launch farmers’ market this fall</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Morgan Volk, Business Manager</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Drake University is crazy for student actors!]]></title>
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		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84797</id>
		<updated>2026-04-30T16:45:52Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-30T16:45:52Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="Features" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>While most Drake University students are focused on Drake Relays, wrapping up the spring semester and looking ahead to the summer, two students spend night after night in rehearsals for...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84797/features/drake-university-is-crazy-for-student-actors/">Drake University is crazy for student actors!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84797/features/drake-university-is-crazy-for-student-actors/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While most Drake University students are focused on Drake Relays, wrapping up the spring semester and looking ahead to the summer, two students spend night after night in rehearsals for the Des Moines Community Playhouse&#8217;s spring production of &#8220;Crazy for You.&#8221; </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The production is a musical centered on Bobby Child, a banker who loves to dance, and Poppy, the feisty daughter of the owner of a run-down theater in Nevada. The two meet, and Bobby vows to put on a show to save the theater and win Poppy&#8217;s heart. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Playhouse prides itself on encouraging people of all walks of life to participate in its productions, citing “a strong and well-documented history of reaching out to diverse groups for … programming,” on its </span><a href="https://dmplayhouse.com/explore/about-us/#:~:%20Celebrating%20Volunteers,ON%20EQUITY%2C%20DIVERSITY%2C%20AND%20INCLUSION&amp;text=The%20Playhouse%20has%20a%20strong%20and%20well%2Ddocumented%20history%20of%20reaching%20out%20to%20diverse%20groups%20for%20inclusion%20in%20its%20programming.%C2%A0Our%20goal%20is%20to%20provide%20a%20rewarding%20experience%20for%20all%20volunteers%20and%20participants%2C%20from%20performers%20and%20students%2C%20to%20their%20families%20and%20our%20audience%20members."><span style="font-weight: 400;">website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drake student Danielle Bax, who plays Elaine, one of the eight showgirls, said she has enjoyed working among a diverse ensemble of performers.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you look at the cast bios, you can see we all come from very different backgrounds, and this show is often a second life for most people,” Bax said. “[Performers] have full-time jobs or go to school full-time, but still come to the theater every night to tell the story.”</span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the eight weeks leading up to the opening show on April 17, general rehearsals took place from Monday to Thursday from  6 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. A rigorous rehearsal schedule, Bax said, was intensified by many actors holding multiple roles. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drake student Josie Gillette plays Maggie, one of the other showgirls, and agreed that the rehearsal process was long but rewarding.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;The showgirls were called for basically every rehearsal,&#8221; Gillette said. &#8220;We are in a ton of dance numbers. It was a lot of work, but it is worth it to feel confident and have fun every night.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, “Crazy for You” won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical for songs such as “Embraceable You,” “I Got Rhythm” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My favorite part of the show is probably performing ‘I’ve got Rhythm,’” Gillette said. “This song is iconic, and there are so many fun parts. We get to use taps, tambourines and mining trays, as well as doing lifts with brooms and plungers.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With choreography by Alison Shafer, dancers use a variety of creative techniques to complement the lyrics of the songs. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“‘Slap That Bass’ is a lot of fun as the girls hold up ropes to be a ‘bass’ and the cowboys play the instrument,” Bax said. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scenes are often simple and mainly involve Bobby and Polly developing their love story with dances that complement the upbeat music played by the live orchestra. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I will say how amazing it is to have a full orchestra; it is just so much better than doing a show with tracks,” Bax said. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The technical staff members utilized sound effects, in addition to the orchestra. Elements such as gunshots, glass breaking and loud thuds, accompanied by the actor&#8217;s motions on stage gave the fights realism, leaving many audience members ooh-ing and ahh-ing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I also love watching the fight in Act 2,” Bax said. “Although I am onstage for it, I&#8217;m not a part of the fight, so it&#8217;s really cool to know what&#8217;s going on to make it look real.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The audience consisted of people of all ages, but mainly older viewers; something that reflects the era of this musical. </span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This show is reminiscent of golden age musicals, and is very happy and lovey-dovey,” Gillette said. “Sometimes it feels trite, but sometimes we just need a break from all of the harshness of reality.” </span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The production run time is two hours and 15 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. More information about accessible seating, audio, and content advisory warnings can be found on the </span><a href="https://dmplayhouse.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Des Moines Community Playhouse website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. For audio assistance, the Playhouse asks that attendees call ahead. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The show runs May 3, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets can be purchased online at the </span><a href="https://dmplayhouse.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Des Moines Community Playhouse website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84797/features/drake-university-is-crazy-for-student-actors/">Drake University is crazy for student actors!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Zoey Borkowski, Faculty Senate Beat Writer</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Anisa Hansen appointed associate provost for campus equity and inclusion]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84795/news/anisa-hansen-appointed-associate-provost-for-campus-equity-and-inclusion/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84795</id>
		<updated>2026-04-30T16:44:49Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-30T16:44:49Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="News" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Drake University will see a leadership transition in its Office of Campus Equity and Inclusion this summer, as Terrance Pendleton concludes his three-year term as associate provost and returns to...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84795/news/anisa-hansen-appointed-associate-provost-for-campus-equity-and-inclusion/">Anisa Hansen appointed associate provost for campus equity and inclusion</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84795/news/anisa-hansen-appointed-associate-provost-for-campus-equity-and-inclusion/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drake University will see a leadership transition in its Office of Campus Equity and Inclusion this summer, as Terrance Pendleton concludes his three-year term as associate provost and returns to the faculty. Professor of pharmacy practice Anisa Hansen will assume the role on July 1.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Provost Sue Mattison announced the change in a campus-wide email on April 16. Pendleton, an associate professor of mathematics, will be returning to teaching after three years in an administrative role.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m incredibly excited to return back to the math department,” Pendleton said. “I miss teaching.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pendleton said the role required significant adaptability, particularly as external pressures on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives intensified during his tenure. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We kind of bounced back and forth between improving the culture and environment … and asking, ‘How do we protect and save this work from external influences?’” Pendleton said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During his term, Pendleton worked with student organizations and campus partners on initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue and support. One such program, “Stepping into the Divide,” focuses on civil discourse and coalition building among students with differing perspectives.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pendleton emphasized that student feedback played a key role in shaping the office’s work, particularly in identifying gaps in support and areas for improvement.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There have been times where I thought my week was going to go one way… and something came out of left field,” Pendleton said. “Part of my role was kind of being a firefighter.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite challenges, Pendleton said the University maintained its commitment to equity and inclusion efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There’s a reason why we’re one of the few [DEI offices] left standing [in Iowa],” Pendleton said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hansen, who currently serves as director of diversity, equity and inclusion in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, brings more than 20 years of experience in equity and inclusion work. She has also been involved in programs such as Crew Scholars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an email to The Times-Delphic, Hansen said she was asked to step into the role following multiple conversations and accepted the position after careful consideration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As I begin this role, my first priority is to listen and learn,” Hansen wrote. “I want to connect with students, faculty and staff to better understand their experiences and identify where we can continue to grow.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hansen said her goals include strengthening collaboration across campus and continuing to build a sense of belonging within the Drake community.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She also acknowledged broader challenges facing institutions engaged in equity and inclusion work.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One of the biggest challenges… is navigating a shifting legislative and social landscape while staying grounded in our Drake values,” Hansen wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mattison has expressed appreciation for Pendleton’s leadership, citing his efforts to support students, faculty and staff and maintain campus stability during a period of heightened national attention on DEI initiatives.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pendleton will continue to be involved in campus equity and inclusion initiatives in a faculty capacity while resuming his role in the mathematics department.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84795/news/anisa-hansen-appointed-associate-provost-for-campus-equity-and-inclusion/">Anisa Hansen appointed associate provost for campus equity and inclusion</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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		<entry>
		<author>
			<name> Olivia Grace, Staff Writer</name>
					</author>

		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Lock in Bulldogs, power through these last few weeks]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84784/opinions/lock-in-bulldogs-power-through-these-last-few-weeks/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84784</id>
		<updated>2026-04-30T16:43:33Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-30T16:43:33Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="Opinions" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>With Drake Relays week slowly fading in our rearview mirrors, finals are quickly approaching. If you, like me, have been procrastinating on your essays, projects and studying, then this list...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84784/opinions/lock-in-bulldogs-power-through-these-last-few-weeks/">Lock in Bulldogs, power through these last few weeks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84784/opinions/lock-in-bulldogs-power-through-these-last-few-weeks/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Drake Relays week slowly fading in our rearview mirrors, finals are quickly approaching. If you, like me, have been procrastinating on your essays, projects and studying, then this list of insane but thoroughly novel study hacks is going to help you power through these last few weeks of school.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those who think they can study with friends, I seriously doubt it. My attempts to study with friends tend to end in long yap sessions with little productive work done. But if you’re going to make an effort, don’t half-commit. Swap phones with your friends and make sure you’re both in a quiet place (I recommend the library) so that you’re not tempted to talk. Share goals with your friends. For example, hand over your phone and tell your friend to keep it from you until you can demonstrate that you’ve written five pages of your essay or have finished the math problem set.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those struggling with presentations or papers, outline everything first. This is the single biggest tip I have that has resulted in my (relative) academic success. Outlining provides a structure that still allows you to fill in key details on your own. Outlines make it infinitely easier to write the actual paper because you’ve already compiled all of the information that you need, and all that’s left is to turn it into cohesive sentences. Bonus points if your outline is on physical paper; then you can memorize while you walk to class or review while you’re in line for Starbucks.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those who thrive on competition, head to Starbucks, the library or a study lounge and look for another person who looks reasonably focused on studying. That person is now your competition. You and your target are in a battle to be the most locked in. Don’t let that person out-study you. </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those who thrive on aversive motivation, employ positive punishment. Give yourself a specific time frame and set a goal to complete within that timeframe. Then, brainstorm a list of possible punishments for failing to complete the task. I like to use pushups. As I’m writing this, I have three minutes until I have to do 15 pushups for failing to write this article on time. Obviously, choose your “punishments” using common sense and care. This tip is not advising you to do anything damaging or dangerous. </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those who are serious, fully charge your laptop. Then pack your schoolbag and find a room with no distractions. I recommend somewhere in the main library or Midnight Hall. Then turn off your phone and open that laptop —– you’re working until that laptop is dead, or at least until the battery saver kicks in. Personally, I also recommend blocking out all distractions —– no non-academic websites, no music, and no breaks except for the bathroom and water. Remember, this is a serious, desperate act best used for those days when everything is due at the same time. This is not how you should routinely approach your homework.</span></li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Come on, Bulldogs. With only a few weeks left to prove ourselves to be academic weapons, it’s time to lock in.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84784/opinions/lock-in-bulldogs-power-through-these-last-few-weeks/">Lock in Bulldogs, power through these last few weeks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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			<name> Veronica Meiss, Multimedia Manager</name>
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		<title type="html"><![CDATA[Faculty remain concerned about budget, salaries and program cuts]]></title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://timesdelphic.com/84762/2026-relays-edition/faculty-remain-concerned-about-budget-salaries-and-program-cuts/" />

		<id>https://timesdelphic.com/?p=84762</id>
		<updated>2026-04-28T01:48:37Z</updated>
		<published>2026-04-28T01:48:37Z</published>
		<category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="2026 Relays Edition" /><category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="Faculty Senate" /><category scheme="https://timesdelphic.com/" term="News" />
		<summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>The Times-Delphic conducted its annual anonymous survey for all Drake University faculty members to answer from March 30 to April 10.  This survey, sent out through email, asked questions related...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84762/2026-relays-edition/faculty-remain-concerned-about-budget-salaries-and-program-cuts/">Faculty remain concerned about budget, salaries and program cuts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
]]></summary>

					<content type="html" xml:base="https://timesdelphic.com/84762/2026-relays-edition/faculty-remain-concerned-about-budget-salaries-and-program-cuts/"><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Times-Delphic conducted its annual anonymous survey for all Drake University faculty members to answer from March 30 to April 10. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This survey, sent out through email, asked questions related to the budget, salary, safety, burnout, morale, benefits provided by the University, artificial intelligence, communication and enrollment. No respondents were required to answer any questions, nor give their name or disclose their position. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This year’s survey had a total of 30 respondents by the time it closed. Not all respondents answered all questions.</span></p>
<h3><b>Program and faculty cuts aren’t helping budget concerns, faculty say</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two years ago, </span><a href="https://drakeedu.sharepoint.com/sites/shaping-our-future/SitePages/Student-%26-Curriculum-Changes.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drake’s Board of Trustees eliminated</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the religion major, the East Asian studies minor and the graduate certificate in evidence-based health care. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The decision was an effort to alleviate the budget deficits caused by low enrollment at the University. In 2024, religious studies professor Brad Crowell’s position was eliminated. He moved his position to law, politics and society. </span><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/78779/news/drake-to-cut-three-academic-programs/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crowell told The Times-Delphic in 2024</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that Drake’s administration is “seeking to eliminate the tenure of professors” who have remained at the University for “decades.”</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_84763" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-84763" style="width: 946px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignleft  wp-image-84763" src="https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.21.26-PM-e1777339373779-600x97.png" alt="" width="946" height="153" srcset="https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.21.26-PM-e1777339373779-600x97.png 600w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.21.26-PM-e1777339373779-768x124.png 768w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.21.26-PM-e1777339373779-300x48.png 300w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.21.26-PM-e1777339373779.png 1097w" sizes="(max-width: 946px) 100vw, 946px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-84763" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/staff_profile/veronica-meiss/">Veronica Meiss</a></figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of 29 respondents, 37.9% said the program cuts were either not effective or not at all effective in alleviating budget concerns. One respondent, who answered not effective, said the cuts have made faculty hesitant to stay at the University.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Some people are stuck here because they can&#8217;t find other jobs or they have spouses who can&#8217;t move because of their jobs, and so they are trying to keep their spirits up and survive until retirement,” the respondent said. “The current budget responses continue this trend. It is unpleasant working at a place where no one is invested in the place or the people they work with, and the way the administration runs the place encourages this.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One survey respondent said the solutions to the budget deficits don’t always have to be cuts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If there is a need to cut staff, don&#8217;t just hire in other areas; it is difficult to weigh where there have been cuts and additions,” the respondent said. “It feels like there is not a plan. [Administration needs to] consider budget challenges over five-year periods, rather than an immediate need to cut.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of 29 respondents, 34.5% said the cuts moderately alleviated budget concerns. One respondent said cuts can be beneficial at the administrative level, but they don’t account for faculty morale. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you cut at everything, including positions, and don&#8217;t pay people more, eventually you will alleviate some of those budget concerns,” the respondent said. “Does a sparse university with grumpy employees and less diversity in course offerings make Drake a place students will want to attend?”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84632/news/back-on-the-chopping-block/">As both program and faculty cuts continue</a>, one respondent believes the University is losing its variety of programs, students and faculty.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A university can’t cut its way to wellness: growth and diversity of programs and offerings are the best signs of strength and health at a university,” the respondent said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of 29 respondents, 24.1% said the cuts were somewhat effective in alleviating budget concerns, and one respondent said the cuts were very effective. One respondent said cuts are often necessary in situations where budget deficits need to be fixed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think faculty need to understand the reality around the competition for resources,” the respondent said. “If your program can&#8217;t sustain enrollment or find new revenue, then you need to be actively finding ways to make changes and not placing the burden on administrators to ‘fix it.’”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Future budget cuts are a concern within smaller schools in the University that have already faced issues, according to respondents. This uncertainty left some respondents wondering what is next for them and their schools amid these changes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have seen two additional programs discontinued in my college that were not discontinued in the first round of reviews in Faculty Senate,” a professor of pharmacy practice said. “Now there is just pressure to remove these programs voluntarily.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enrollment and admissions are the biggest considerations in these cuts, according to several respondents. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If admissions data continue to be below expectations, then I imagine we will eventually need to cut more programs,” one respondent said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of 30 respondents, 40% said the administration has handled the budget issues either poorly or very poorly. A respondent who answered very poorly believes a lack of accurate budget planning is a large factor in the issue.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Every single year, the administration over-estimates the number of first-year students and under-estimates the discount rate, [which] reduces the amount of tuition per student. So, we end up in a budget crisis,” the respondent said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">43.3% of respondents answered moderate, with one also noting a lack of planning.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don&#8217;t feel like there is an overall strategic plan and prioritization system,” one respondent, who answered “moderate,” said. “It seems to me that those with status preserve duplicative resources, attractive and functional classrooms and offices, while those without status function in an environment of austerity.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only one respondent believes the administration has handled budget issues very well.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think we&#8217;ve faced a lot of challenges and admin has been creative and transparent,” the respondent said. “I think budget concerns can happen anywhere, and people need to remember that when economic factors impact a place like Drake, we aren&#8217;t always left with great choices.”</span></p>
<h3><b>Reduced contributions to retirement have forced personal budget alterations, survey says</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In</span><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/82958/news/drake-seeks-continuous-budget-improvements/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> spring 2025, Drake’s Faculty Senate cut contributions</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to faculty retirement benefits from 8% to 7%. Jerrid Kruse, the president of Faculty Senate, told the TD last year that “there’s only so much money available and decisions have to be made” regarding decreasing employee benefits.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Respondents of </span><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/82964/news/faculty-morale-is-low-survey-reveals/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">last year’s faculty survey reported </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">having to closely examine personal and retirement budgets out of fear of further program cuts. With the reduced retirement contributions, respondents of this year’s survey expressed similar sentiments.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have to constantly rework my personal budget, and I&#8217;ve reduced my retirement contribution minimally,” one respondent said. “It is not sustainable, and the administration will have to address faculty compensation and the cost of the University&#8217;s healthcare, which increases most years.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several respondents said the cuts have forced them to change their retirement age and consider pursuing ot</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">her job opportunities.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I am considering leaving academia when I can still work full time for a decade to try to regain losses,” one respondent said. “I also am looking into a part-time job that I can have as a backup now — but could be my escape plan in a few years. I don&#8217;t think I can retire until age 70.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One respondent said they’ve seen their colleagues face similar issues.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The worry that I will [work] until I am 75 sometimes wakes me up at night,” the respondent said. “I have seen this happen to several senior colleagues who are not here anymore. I feel bad for them and worry that I will have the same thing happen to me because pay is low, retirement contributions are low, and the price of everything keeps rising.”</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_84781" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-84781" style="width: 943px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft  wp-image-84781" src="https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.47.45-PM-588x600.png" alt="" width="943" height="962" srcset="https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.47.45-PM-588x600.png 588w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.47.45-PM-70x70.png 70w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.47.45-PM-768x783.png 768w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.47.45-PM-294x300.png 294w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.47.45-PM.png 804w" sizes="(max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-84781" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/staff_profile/veronica-meiss/">Veronica Meiss</a></figcaption></figure>
<h3><b>Faculty find current salaries not reflective of value to the University</b></h3>
<p><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/68921/news/amid-concerns-over-faculty-pay-drake-continues-work-on-pay-update/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Provost Sue Mattison said in an email to faculty in September 2022</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that the University had moved all faculty salaries to at least 85% of the median salary of peer institutions. </span><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/68921/news/amid-concerns-over-faculty-pay-drake-continues-work-on-pay-update/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In April 2023,</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the TD sent out an anonymous survey to all faculty members about salaries. Among 60 respondents, many faculty members said the last raise was four or five years prior. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those findings are consistent with this survey’s results. Due to budget reductions in the past year, </span><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/82958/news/drake-seeks-continuous-budget-improvements/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the TD reported that faculty salaries would stagnate.</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They cut our summer pay several years ago by thousands of dollars and there haven&#8217;t been any real raises in years. I make less in 12 months now than I did 10 years ago,” one respondent said.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/68921/news/amid-concerns-over-faculty-pay-drake-continues-work-on-pay-update/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mattison explained in March 2023 in a Faculty Senate meeting</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that when faculty members’ salaries reach 85% of the median, it means the salaries are at the minimum of the competitive range. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Most faculty have not received any kind of raises for three years now,” one respondent said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One respondent has hopes for future leadership regarding salary.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hope the new Provost will push back against the president and board of trustees to get a cost-of-living increase passed for faculty and staff,” they said.</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_84767" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-84767" style="width: 938px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft  wp-image-84767" src="https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.25.14-PM-600x96.png" alt="" width="938" height="150" srcset="https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.25.14-PM-600x96.png 600w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.25.14-PM-768x123.png 768w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.25.14-PM-300x48.png 300w, https://timesdelphic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-8.25.14-PM.png 1098w" sizes="(max-width: 938px) 100vw, 938px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-84767" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/staff_profile/veronica-meiss/">Veronica Meiss</a></figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of 30 respondents, 60% said their current salary is either not reflective or not reflective at all of their value to the University. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When I think about the credentials and skill set that I need to do my job effectively, and the experience I bring as someone who has worked here for over a decade, I cannot believe I only make 68,000,” one respondent, who answered not reflective, said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">30% of respondents answered moderately reflective. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I feel undervalued in more ways than salary — that is reflective of challenging times, but there are numerous other ways to feel valued and those intangible aspects are lacking,” one respondent, who answered moderate, said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Three respondents said they believe their salary is reflective. No respondent said their salary is very reflective of their value to the University.</span></p>
<h3><b>Remaining faculty concerns</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other topics covered were artificial intelligence, safety on campus, morale and communication from administration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many survey respondents reported not just a lack of understanding, but a lack of training regarding AI. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of 30 respondents, 56.7% said the administration has prepared faculty to use artificial intelligence within their department either not well or not well at all. 23.3% of respondents answered moderate, 20% answered well and no respondent answered very well.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With the rate of change, direct mentoring is needed to assist faculty in using AI ethically and efficiently to support work and alleviate increased teaching load requirements,” one respondent, who answered not well, said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another topic faculty discussed was morale and burnout. </span><a href="https://timesdelphic.com/82964/news/faculty-morale-is-low-survey-reveals/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year’s faculty survey reported that burnout contributed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to low morale and that they had to take on new responsibilities. Of 28 respondents, 60.7% of respondents reported their burnout had increased or significantly increased since last year. 32.1% of respondents said there has been no change. One faculty member who responded moderate said they’re “equally tired, frustrated and despondent as [they] have been.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked whether they feel as if they can delegate responsibilities in their position, one respondent simply answered, “To whom?”</span></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Serena Thiede contributed to writing and reporting.</span></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://timesdelphic.com/84762/2026-relays-edition/faculty-remain-concerned-about-budget-salaries-and-program-cuts/">Faculty remain concerned about budget, salaries and program cuts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://timesdelphic.com">The Times-Delphic</a>.</p>
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