The Office of New Student Programs is looking for staff and faculty who were the first in their family to earn a four-year degree to help support and engage with first-generation students on campus.

First-generation staff and faculty are encouraged to wear a “First Gen Bulldog” button Oct. 23–27 to show support for current first-generation students and to help them identify with faculty and staff who understand their experiences.

To conclude the week, a lunch will be held Oct. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Cowles Library, Room 201. The lunch will be casual with pizza provided. Feel free to drop in and out as needed. First-generation faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend.

If you are interested in participating by wearing a button and/or attending the lunch, please fill out a survey.

This initiative is part of the Office of New Student Programs’ efforts to grow Drake’s support and resources for first-generation students. Approximately 10–14 percent of first year students at Drake are the first in their family to pursue a four-year degree. Click here for more information and to watch a video of faculty, staff, and students sharing stories and advice on the first-generation experience.

For questions, contact Marina Verlengia at marina.verlengia@drake.edu.

—Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs

Last week, the All Staff Council Recognition Committee awarded two ‘Called to be True Blue’ awards: One to Brenda McNear, facilities support specialist, and the other to the entire Facilities Planning and Management (FPM) team. Brenda and the FPM team were nominated by John Edwards, associate dean for information resources and technology, Drake Law School. Read the good things John had to say:

Brenda McNear

“Brenda McNear is much like a 911 dispatcher. She can quickly assess the magnitude of a problem so that the most serious ones can be addressed quickly. She does a wonderful job in managing the multitude of requests that cross her desk, and ensures that even the most routine matters receive the attention they need. I know there are times when dealing with HVAC that she must wonder if she is dealing with “The Three Bears” since someone is always “too hot” and another is “too cold,” while no one seems “just right.”

Facilities Planning and Management

“The entire FPM team is True Blue. They do phenomenal work to “save” a situation and seldom get the credit they deserve. It seems that every day someone from FPM is filling a critical need. Some illustrations of this include:

• An outlet goes bad so an administrative assistant has no power to his/her computer and Ron gets it fixed the same day.
• The Won fire doors malfunction with continuous beeping and Ron, Scott, and Terry work until the problem is solved.
• Doors fall off the hinges and Eric gets them back on and is proactive in anticipating problems.
• Grounds gets a bird’s nest off a fire alarm by Law Review.
• Mitch and Tammy’s folks quickly respond when spills or other calamities need attention.
• Tom spends hours working on a clogged drain until it is clear.

Again, the items above are illustrations, since if I tried to list all the good work FPM does, it would be too many pages long. In summary, the FPM folks I work with on a regular basis are great. We wouldn’t have been able to complete our summer projects without the help from Jolene and many others. Whether we are working with managers like Manny or Michelle, or anyone up and down the chain, their commitment is clear.”

—Ellen Lowe, Rec Services/All Staff Council

Single-game tickets for men’s and women’s basketball are now on sale, and faculty and staff can take advantage of special discounts. Visit the Drake Athletics Ticket Office during normal business hours (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.), and show your valid Drake Card to take advantage of this special offer.

For questions, call 515-271-3647 or email tickets@drake.edu.

—Tom Florian, Drake Athletics

The first of a new series of EdTech workshops on mastering student communication will take place Thursday, Oct. 19, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Olmsted Center, TMR 132. The workshop series is designed to support faculty in the innovative use of educational technology in teaching and learning.

Taught by Karly Good and Clayton Mitchell, the first session on Oct. 19 will cover Blackboard, Office365, Remind101, and other technology tools to help make communicating with students easy and effective. Attendees will leave the workshop with tips they can implement right away. Visit the EdTech web page to register and to learn about future workshops.

Need help sooner? Visit the IT Service Portal and request a Blackboard consultation or a technology adoption consultation or search for answers in the Teaching and Learning section of the Knowledge Base.

—Karly Good, ITS

It is time to begin planning for the travel seminar proposal process for J-Term 2019. For information on the proposal process, compensation, and timelines, view the Call for Proposals document and Routing form. Additional information can be found on the travel seminars webpage.

For questions, contact Maria Rohach, assistant director of administered programs abroad, at maria.rohach@drake.edu.

—Maria Rohach, Center for International Programs and Services

The next Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) lunch is Friday, Oct. 27, at 12 p.m. in Olmsted Center, TMR 133. The lunch discussion is an opportunity for those engaged in SoTL projects at any level—from just thinking about starting one, to almost complete, or those simply curious about SoTL—to share ideas, seek advice, or ask questions of colleagues engaged in the process.

This year, members of ITS will attend to provide information about SoTL projects that might involve technology usage. To receive a lunch, register by Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 10 a.m.

For more information, contact Art Sanders at arthur.sanders@drake.edu.

—Art Sanders, Associate Provost

Faculty Senate will meet in regular session on Wednesday, Oct. 18, beginning at 3:30 p.m. in Cowles Library, Room 201. The main business item will be a discussion of the forum comments and survey results concerning the current proposed Revised Drake Curriculum.

—Nancy Geiger, Office of the Registrar