All posts by Aaron Jaco

News & Achievements Archive

Annual report of community engagement and service-learning

The Office of Community Engaged Learning (formerly Community Engagement & Service-Learning) is proud to present the 2015–2016 Impact Report. The document provides a record of outstanding community engagement efforts and accomplishments across the University.

Given this was compiled as a project from the lens of our office we recognize that it is limited in scope and is not comprehensive of ALL Drake is doing around community engagement. If you have a project or initiative that should be included, please reach out to renee.sedlacek@drake.edu. We hope this can be a benchmark project that continues to grow and helps Drake tell our story of partnership and reciprocity with the community.

—Renee Sedlacek, Community Engaged Learning

HR Information Archive

Retirement workshop: Tomorrow in Focus

Get a clearer picture of retirement by focusing on tomorrow’s needs, today. Paige Cook, Drake’s TIAA field consultant, will help you understand the benefit of time in regards to saving—the essential features of retirement investments. Registration is not required.

Date: April 5
Time: 10–11 a.m.
Location: Olmsted Center, Room 310

—Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Weight Watchers at Work special offer

Weight Watchers’ unique mix of face-to-face interaction with a trained leader, group support, accountability, digital tools, and the convenience of meetings in the workplace has been a winning combination for many of your co-workers at Drake.
Weekly Monday meetings include a confidential weigh-in from 12:15 to 12:30 p.m., followed by a 30-minute class. Classes are held in Opperman Hall, Conference Room 262.

The cost is normally $156 for the 12-week renewable series but Weight Watchers is holding a special limited time offer. Everyone who joins during the week of March 27 (or renews) will receive a 12-week renewable series for $132.60. That is a 15 percent discount off the regular price. A minimum of 15 participants must join or renew this week to receive the reduced rate.

If you are interested in attending our Weight Watchers at Work series, please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

What is your type 2 diabetes risk?

Tuesday, March 28, is American Diabetes Association Alert Day®. One in three American adults is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Closer to home, 23 percent of our faculty and staff who completed a wellness screening last year had a blood glucose level greater than 100 mg/dl which means they are either pre-diabetic (blood glucose 100–125 mg/dl) or diabetic (blood glucose 126 mg/dl or higher).

The only way to know for certain whether you are diabetic or pre-diabetic is through a blood test. But anyone can take a quick survey to find out if they are at risk. On March 28 the American Diabetes Association invites you to take a quick (and anonymous) one-minute survey/test to find out if you’re at risk. By understanding your risk, you can take the necessary steps to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

So make sure to mark your calendar for American Diabetes Association Alert Day on March 28 and click HERE to take your type 2 diabetes risk test. Then learn more about this disease, how to prevent it, and how to fight back to help transform your life.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Summer book club book available

The book club selection is available for checkout at Cowles. Our next book will be Lab Girl by Hope Jahren; this book just won a National Book Critics Circle Award, so it should be a great summer read. Cowles Library has books available for checkout on a weekly basis (hint: ask for the book on reserve at the circulation desk).

Contact Sara at ascspecialevents@drake.edu if you have any questions, would like to receive future book club info directly to your email, or would like to RSVP for the discussion. We are planning to meet Thursday, July 20, at 4:45 at Eatery A—hopefully on the patio—we’ve had a lot of fun at these, please feel free to join us.

If you can’t make the discussion, we hope you’ll enjoy the book recommendation—we’ll also be looking for book selection ideas for the next fiscal year, so feel free to send any book suggestions our way.

Drake Book Club—previous selections:

The Kind Worth Killing – Peter Swanson

Thirteen Ways of Looking – Colum McCann

The Boys in the Boat – Daniel James Brown

The Nest – Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Hidden Figures – Margo Lee Shetterly

Bottomland – Michelle Hoover

Lab Girl – Hope Jahren (current selection)

—ASC Special Events Committee and Cowles Library
Sara Heijerman and Dan Chibnall
(Current Book Club Contacts)

For Staff Archive

Don’t forget: Cast your votes for All Staff Council

This is the final week to cast your vote in the All Staff Council (ASC) election. Voting closes on Friday, March 31. There is a large candidate pool this year, so every vote is important!

If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to choose your representatives for ASC. Check your Drake email account for your personal voting link. (Each link is unique as employees may only vote once.) Paper ballots are also available in the Facilities office; please submit completed ballots to Brenda McNear.

Good luck to all the candidates. Watch OnCampus in April for election results!

—Cheryle Anania, Office of the President

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Community service and employee excellence nominations now being accepted

Nominations are now being accepted for the Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service Award and the Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Awards. These awards will be presented at the All Staff Council Sapphire Awards Event. Nominations are due Friday, April 14, at 4:30 p.m.  No late nominations will be accepted.

Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service Award
Madelyn M. Levitt established the Distinguished Community Service Award to recognize outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. Criteria for the award include:

  • A demonstrated personal commitment to volunteerism and community service
  • An outstanding record of leadership or substantial involvement in community projects, services and activities contributing to the quality of life in our region, state, and/or the nation
  • Professional and personal values and behavior that typify the ideals of giving back to others and making a difference in the lives of others.

The nominee must be a current faculty or staff member with at least five years of service at Drake.

Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Awards
The Employee Excellence Award is presented to up to two staff employees who demonstrate exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. Criteria for the award include:

  • Exceptional performance as an employee of Drake
  • Outstanding dedication to providing courteous, prompt, and quality service
  • Demonstrated commitment to University programs, initiatives, and services
  • Professional values and behavior that demonstrate exceptional service to others and a commitment to Drake

Nominees must be a current staff member with at least one year of service at Drake.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Submit a letter of nomination to the Levitt Award Committee c/o Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent via campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu.

A nomination letter detailing specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria is desirable. Additional letters of support are not necessary. A review committee will make award recommendations to the President’s Council. Nominations must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 14.

—Laura Schwarz, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Submit course material requests for fall

It’s time to submit your course material requests for Fall. The deadline for submitting your materials is April 15, 2017. Receiving your list of materials as soon as possible allows us to source the most affordable books for your students and provide top dollar for students selling books back at the end of this term. With our Online Adoption Tool, selecting your course materials is fast and easy.

Access the Online Adoption Tool:

  • Visit www.drake.bkstr.com
  • Go to Books in the top navigation and under the Information heading, click Online Adoptions.
  • If you need additional training to use the Online Adoption Tool, please contact me.

Are You a New User?

  1. Follow the steps listed above.
  2. Click on New? Register Here and complete the required fields.
  3. Enter 1623 in the Bookstore Supplied Password field.

Download 6 Ways to Help Students Save on Textbooks to learn about Follett’s different types of course material purchasing options. If you have any questions about the Online Adoption Tool or how to save students money, please contact me anytime.

—Donna Hallstrom, Drake Bookstore