President Martin will meet with facilities and staff this Thursday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the Olmsted Center, Pomerantz Stage, to discuss the University’s draft of core values. This casual gathering will include a chance to provide feedback and ask questions about the core values. The meeting is presented by All Staff Council.
— Nancy Geiger, Office of the Registrar/All Staff Council
All Staff Council elections are now open. Please take a few minutes to vote for your representatives for the 2018-2019 All Staff Council. Voting ends April 14.
—Tony Tyler, Division of Student Affairs/All Staff Council
Faculty, staff, and students are invited to opt in to a new text message service to receive alerts regarding unexpected technology outages. Opt in by texting DrakeITS2018 to phone number 226787. Text messages will only be sent between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. This new notification system is in addition to ITS’ regular communication channels (ITS website, blueView login screen, IT Service Portal, and ITS Twitter account).
If you run into issues signing up for the service, first try responding HELP to any error message you might receive. Sometimes the service isn’t configured correctly for your carrier. If that doesn’t work, contact your cell phone provider to make sure they have enabled short code texting.
If you have any questions regarding this new service, call 271-2356 or email carla.herling@drake.edu.
This is the second text alert system rolled out to campus this year. In January, Facilities Planning and Management introduced a text notification system that provides alerts on snow removal work, water main breaks, custodial projects, and other facility-related incidents. Campus members can participate by texting Facilities Notification 2018 to 67283.
— Carla Herling, ITS
For over eight years, Drake ITS has paid for a campus subscription to Lynda.com to provide campus access to online self-paced training for software programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite.
Our most recent three-year contract with Lynda.com is expiring at the end of this fiscal year on June 30. We began negotiations for a new contract in mid-January and despite our best efforts, we were unable to successfully negotiate a long-term agreement that meets our budgetary needs. Lynda.com continued to quote an annual fee that was substantially more money each year than our current fees, and more than our budget can absorb.
As a result, ITS signed a one-year extension of our current subscription. After June 30, 2019, we will be dropping our campus subscription to Lynda.com.
Over the next year, we will be investigating other options. We hope to have a new online training program in place on July 1, 2019. We will be requesting feedback from faculty, staff and students as we choose a replacement for Lynda.com.
If you have questions regarding this decision or are interested in volunteering to review other options, please email me at carla.herling@drake.edu.
—Carla Herling, ITS
The Drake University Veterans Association is proud to bring together all military-affiliated members of the Drake community. The association’s goal is to provide academic, professional, and personal support through connection and advocacy. If you are interested, connect with the group through its Facebook page or email Kristin Porter at kristin.porter@drake.edu.
—Kristin Porter
The National Weather Service will conduct a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, March 28. A test tornado watch will be issued around 10 a.m. followed by a test tornado warning around 10:15 a.m., in which sirens will sound.
The statewide drill allows us to test our planning and readiness and practice seeking appropriate shelter in case of a real tornado. Faculty, staff, and students should participate in the drill by following campus severe weather plans and going to the lowest level of their building, away from doorways and windows. View a list of designated severe weather shelters.
In the event of actual severe weather in the state during the drill, backup days are scheduled for March 29 and 30.
Tornado facts:
Know the terms:
Tornado watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to the NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Seek shelter immediately.
Learn what actions to take when a tornado hits, whether you are outside, in a manufactured home, or in a building.
Wherever you are, remember that most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so protect your head.
—Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety
Hubbell Dining is hosting a baseball themed lunch on Thursday, March 29, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in which faculty, staff and students can enjoy their favorite stadium food items. Drake faculty and staff can dine for just $5 with their Drake ID.
— Jennifer Bowersox, Hubbell Dining
Peggy Whitson, a NASA astronaut who holds the U.S. record for total days in space, will speak at 1 p.m. Friday, April 13, in Sheslow Auditorium.
This event is open to the public, and a significant number of seats have been reserved for Drake students, faculty, and staff members. Due to venue capacity, seating is limited. Registration is required. Seats will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Whitson recently flew on Expedition 50/51 aboard the International Space Station and participated in four spacewalks (bringing her career total to ten). With a total of 665 days in space, Whitson holds the U.S. record, placing eighth on the all-time space endurance list.
The Iowa native also completed two six-month tours of duty aboard the station for Expedition 5 in 2002, and as the station commander for Expedition 16 in 2008. She accumulated 377 days in space between the two missions, the most for any U.S. woman at the time of her return to Earth.
In the evening following her lecture, Whitson will receive the 2018 Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award from the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University.
— Aaron Jaco, University Communications
Both men’s and women’s basketball have had tremendous success this season and are primed for even more excitement in 2018-19. Fans will notice unique changes inside The Knapp Center prior to next season. New energy-efficient LED lights will be installed in May followed by a new game floor this summer.
All fans who place a deposit by April 2 will receive a piece of The Knapp Center floor in appreciation for their support of Drake Basketball. To secure your season tickets, a deposit of $50 per seat is required and will be applied to your season ticket balance. At the time of seat selection, you will have the option to pay for your tickets in full or enroll in a payment plan. Drake faculty and staff also qualify for discounted season tickets.
Join the ascent of Des Moines’ hometown teams by making your 2018-19 season ticket deposit today. Deposits can be made at The Knapp Center Ticket Office by calling 515-271-3647 or visiting www.draketix.com.
— Ryan Harris, Athletics
Register by March 30 to participate in the Nelson Institute Undergraduate Conference on Global Affairs on April 6 and 7 at Drake. The purpose of the conference is to recognize and share high-quality undergraduate research on global topics. Ambassador John K. Menzies, former chief of mission at the U.S. Office in Kosovo and U.S. ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Xhavit Gashi, consul general for Kosovo in Des Moines, plan to share their expertise and offer a simulation on the Balkans. Students and faculty are encouraged to participate even if not presenting a paper.
— Denise Ganpat, Center for Global Citizenship
