Drake faculty members are invited to participate in a faculty writing group meeting approximately once a month over the fall semester. The first meeting will be on Friday, Sept. 7, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Meredith Hall, Room 229. The group will be co-facilitated by En Li (History) and Nate Holdren (LPS). Our goals will be to help ourselves make progress on our scholarship during the semester, and do so more efficiently and enjoyably. In our meetings, we will discuss our goals, plans, and progress on our writing, share how we organize our writing time, and discuss challenges in our writing. Depending on participant interest we will workshop each other’s work and write on site. We will also read a book on academic writing such as Joli Jensen’s Write No Matter What or Robert Boice’s Professor as Writers and discuss it to the degree that participants find it useful.

There are spots for ten faculty participants. Should more than 10 individuals express interest, priority shall be given to 1) Those who participated in the spring semester or May/August faculty writing groups, 2) Tenure-track faculty who are not yet tenured, and 3) Faculty who are members of under-represented groups.

This writing group is supported by a Faculty Development Grant from the Provost’s Office. Faculty who attend all of the sessions will receive a small stipend of approximately $150. People who can only attend some of the sessions are encouraged to participate if doing so helps their writing.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Kayla Jenkins at kayla.jenkins@drake.edu by Friday, Aug. 31.

If you have questions, please contact En Li at en.li@drake.edu and/or Nate Holdren at nate.holdren@drake.edu.

Nate Holdren, College of Arts & Sciences

Sign up for one of the upcoming Tech Tuesday events. These 50-minute sessions will include time for Q&A and will provide you with resources to use technology more efficiently in your job (and possibly your life). Some Tech Tuesday topics are being offered twice, so please register by session.

Tuesday, Aug. 28: Setting up Your Blackboard Course to Match Your Syllabus
10 a.m. or 1 p.m. in Olmsted, TMR 132

This practical, hands-on session will help you to take what is provided in your completed syllabus and build your Blackboard course to match what you have already developed.

NOTE: Please bring your own laptop or other internet capable device. If you don’t have a laptop or internet capable device, consider borrowing one from the laptop kiosk located in the lobby of Meredith Hall.

Taught by Karly Good, ITS

Tuesday, Sept. 4: Making the IT Service Portal Work for You
10 a.m. in Olmsted, TMR 133

The IT service portal is a place to find answers to frequently asked technology questions and to request help when needed. Find out how easy it is to make and track requests. Whether you’ve used the IT Service Portal or not, we’ll help you understand how to use it more effectively, and how it can make your work life easier. Participants will receive 1 hour of BUILD credit for attending this session.

Taught by Carla Herling & Clayton Mitchell, ITS

Tuesday, September 11: Enhancing Communication through Blackboard
10 a.m. or 1 p.m. in Olmsted, TMR 132

Learn to promote, create and maintain open communication channels through using a variety of tools in Blackboard. We will focus on learning more about automated notifications from the system as well as other means to communicate and collaborate.

NOTE: Please bring your own laptop or other internet capable device. If you don’t have a laptop or internet capable device, consider borrowing one from the laptop kiosk located in the lobby of Meredith Hall.

Taught by Karly Good & Clayton Mitchell, ITS

Tuesday, September 18: Using Office365 for Educational Information & Collaboration
10 a.m. or 1 p.m. in Olmsted, TMR 133

What is Office365? What tools are included in the suite? How can you use them for student access and collaboration? How can you leverage these tools and bring mobile technologies into your classroom?

NOTE: Please bring your own laptop or other internet capable device. If you don’t have a laptop or internet capable device, consider borrowing one from the laptop kiosk located in the lobby of Meredith Hall.

Taught by Clayton Mitchell, ITS

Registration is open for all classes now.
Sign up and learn more today at drake.edu/its/techtuesdays/.

Carla Herling, ITS

As you make final preparations to begin the 2018-2019 academic year, please mark your calendars for the this year’s All Staff Council events. Please view the event flier for program information. Feel free to print a flier to hang in your office or department and/or share with colleagues. Additional event details will be posted on the ASC website and shared via OnCampus.

Jill Batten

Apply now to participate in a new staff mentor program. Staff members can be either a mentor or mentee, and faculty members are welcome to serve as mentors.

The final deadline to sign up is Sept. 7. After that, placements will be made and the program will launch during the fall semester.

To learn more and to apply, visit www.drake.edu/asc/specialinterest/

If you have questions, please reach out to committee chair, Carla Herling at carla.herling@drake.edu or 515-271-2356.

Don Marcoullier, former professor emeritus of wind and brass instruments and director of bands at Drake, passed away on Aug. 5. Don was director of bands from 1956 through 1987, and under his leadership, the band program achieved national prominence. Don always considered the real success of the program to be the achievements of “his kids”—the university students he served and followed throughout their careers. To this day, his former students still refer to him as “Chief.”

Under his direction, the Concert Band performed for national conferences of preeminent music education organizations, and premiered major compositions by six nationally renowned composers. He was a guest conductor, clinician, and lecturer in 38 states, Ireland, Canada, and Mexico. The Drake University Marching Band performed at 18 National Football League games and was named, “One of the nation’s top five marching bands” by CBS.

Don authored the book, “Marching for Marching Bands,” introducing the unit system of marching which was widely adopted by marching bands across the U.S. For 50 years he served on the executive committee of the Drake Relays, and was elected to its Hall of Fame. Don was a Board Member of the American Bandmasters Association, and Past President of College Band Directors National Association, Iowa Bandmasters Association, Iowa Music Educators Association, and Des Moines Civic Music Association.

If you’d like to pay tribute to Don by generously contributing to the Don R. Marcouiller Endowment for Band Excellence, please contact Doug Lampe at doug.lampe@drake.edu or 515-271-3055. Please see his obituary online. Don will be deeply missed by many family, friends, and colleagues.