All posts by Renee Cramer

Campus Announcements Archive

Call for nominations: Levitt Mentor Award

All Drake faculty, staff, and students are invited and encouraged to nominate a faculty or staff member for the Madelyn Levitt Mentor Award, created in 1994 in honor of Madelyn Levitt’s commitment to Drake, and her ongoing interest in faculty and staff achievement and academic excellence.

Each year this award recognizes commitment to student success on the Drake campus by honoring a member of the Drake University faculty or staff for excellence in advising and mentoring of students.   In order to make a nomination, please submit a letter that speaks to the following qualifications:

  • an outstanding commitment to student success in and out of the classroom in support of the Drake mission.
  • integrity in personal relationships.
  • typifying the ideal student mentor by providing for students the support they need to graduate and move forward to live productive, fulfilling lives.

The nominee must be a faculty or staff member in at least her/his fourth year of service at the University.  The nominee cannot have won this award within the past five years.

The letter is due to Deputy Provost Renée Cramer no later than February 18, 2022  The letter should be sent as an attachment to renee.cramer@drake.edu and nicki.kimm@drake.edu

The nominated individual will be notified by the Provost’s Office of her/his nomination and asked if they are willing to be considered.

At the nominee’s acceptance, the nominator is asked to collect the following supporting material and submit it to Nicki Kimm by March 18, 2022: a curriculum vitae or resume, a minimum of one other letter supporting the nomination, and a description by the nominee of activities which illustrate her/his mentoring/advising involvement. At least one of the letters must be from a current student and there may be no more than five letter supporting the nomination. Electronic submission of materials is required. Send all documents to nicki.kimm@drake.edu

The Provost will appoint a screening committee to review the nominations and materials, and recommend an awardee to the Provost.

Any individual who was initially nominated for the award in 2020 or 2021 may be re-nominated if the nominator resubmits a letter offering the individual for consideration this year. Files of previous nominees are maintained for two years.  In the case of re-nomination, the nominator will be invited to review the file to ensure that the nomination is as current as possible. The limit of five letters of support, including one from a current student, also applies to re-nominations.

The 2022 recipient of the Madelyn Levitt Mentor Award will be announced at one of the spring 2022 commencements.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

For Faculty Archive

Applications invited for Troyer Research Fellowship

In 2009, the Board of Trustees of Drake University voted to create the Ronald Troyer Research Fellowship Endowment for full-time faculty members in recognition of Dr. Troyer’s many contributions to Drake University during his tenure as Provost, 2000–2009.  In creating this fellowship, the Trustees particularly wanted to recognize Provost Troyer’s unwavering commitment to the support of faculty research and development at the highest level.

The Troyer Research Fellow receives a stipend of $5,000 in support of his/her scholarly work.  The funds may be used for a variety of research-related purposes, including support of research assistants, equipment, travel and materials, but may not be used to provide a stipend for the recipient.  The funds must be expended by the end of the fiscal year for which they are awarded.

The Troyer Fellowship is awarded annually on the basis of a competitive application process conducted by the Office of the Provost.  Selection of the Troyer Research Fellow from among the applicants is based on the applicant’s record of scholarly accomplishment and future promise as a scholar. Applicants must be full-time faculty who hold the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor and are in at least their fourth year of teaching at Drake University; faculty who have had a Troyer Research Fellowship in the past 10 years are ineligible to apply.

Applicants should submit a current curriculum vitae, a letter of application of no more than three pages, a preliminary budget suggesting how the fellowship dollars might be spent, and a one-paragraph abstract written for a non-specialist audience that summarizes the proposed research. The application letter should address the applicant’s record of scholarly accomplishment, future promise, how they will benefit and how the university will benefit if selected as the Troyer Research Fellow.

Please email applications to the Office of the Deputy Provost, via emails to both renee.cramer@drake.edu and  nicki.kimm@drake.edu on or before March 18, 2022. A committee comprised of faculty holding University professorships will review the applications, making a recommendation for the award to the Provost.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

For Students Archive

Back to campus ITS update

Welcome Back! Here’s what’s new over winter break from ITS as well as a reminder of what ITS offers and how to get assistance if needed.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) now required: ITS rolled out multi-factor authentication across campus. This means you’ll need an additional method of proving your identity every time you log into key campus systems including myDrake, Blackboard, Self Service (formerly MyDUSIS), and Touchnet. This will help keep your information, and campus information more secure. Learn more at Using Multi-factor Authentication (FAQ).

MyDUSIS is now Self Service: The MyDUSIS link in the Commonly Used Apps section of myDrake was changed to Self Service and takes you to a new landing page–see Navigating Self Service (How-to). Additionally, other former MyDUSIS-related links have been renamed or removed as Self Service has prominent links to access key functions. You’ll see new screens for your student profile and will now need to use MFA to access Self Service screens. Learn more about the changes in these Self Service Guides for Students.

Proxy Access: A new method, Proxy Access, is now available for students to allow parent/guardian(s) access to their information (see Authorizing Proxy Access (How-to) for instructions). If you had previously authorized your parent or guardian, you’ll need to re-enroll them in the new system before February 1.

IT Service Portal: You can visit the IT Service Portal at service.drake.edu/its 24/7 to browse for tech guides, see what Drake ITS offers, or request assistance with a tech issue.

Support Center: The ITS support center is located in the lower level of Carnegie Hall. Walk-in support is available Monday–Thursday from 8–6:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8–4:30 p.m. Phone support is available 24/7 by calling 515-271-3001 or you can report an issue using the IT service portal.

ITS News & Announcements: Information on outages, new initiatives, and other news can be found at drake.edu/its, on service.drake.edu/its, or by following @DrakeITServices on Twitter. Want outage notifications texted to you? Opt in by texting DrakeITS2021 to phone number 226787. We also include regular announcements in OnCampus.

Live in the residence hall and want to connect a new game console or streaming device? Follow the instructions at Connecting a Game Console, Smart TV, or Streaming Device to the Drake Network (How-to) to connect wirelessly. Want a wired connection? Submit a Wired Network Issue to request one.

Looking for an on-campus job? ITS is hiring student techs. As a student tech, you support students, faculty, and staff with day-to-day troubleshooting of campus-wide technical resources. No prior IT support experience is needed-all majors encouraged to apply. Training will be provided. Apply to be a student tech from the Handshake link in myDrake today.

Need online training resources? Check out our curated list at Technology Training Resources for Students.

New and not sure where to get started? Visit service.drake.edu/its/newstudents.

—Carla Herling, ITS

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Back to campus ITS update

Welcome Back! Here’s what’s new over winter break from ITS as well as a reminder of what ITS offers and how to get assistance if needed.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) now required: ITS rolled out a new method of multi-factor authentication earlier this month. This means you’ll need to use Microsoft Authenticator to prove your identity every time you log into key campus systems including myDrake, Blackboard, Self Service (formerly MyDUSIS), and Touchnet. This will help keep your information, and campus information more secure. Learn more about setting up using the Microsoft Authenticator app or text messages or calls at Using Multi-factor Authentication (FAQ).

MyDUSIS is now Self Service: The MyDUSIS link in the Commonly Used Apps section of myDrake was changed to Self Service and takes you to a new landing page–see Navigating Self Service (How-to). Additionally, other former MyDUSIS-related links have been renamed or removed as Self Service has prominent links to access key functions. You’ll see new screens for faculty and advising functions and will need to use MFA to access all Self Service screens. Learn more about the changes in these Self Service Guides for Faculty & Staff.

ITS News & Announcements: Information on outages, new initiatives, and other news can be found at drake.edu/its, on service.drake.edu/its, or by following @DrakeITServices on Twitter. Want outage notifications texted to you? Opt in by texting DrakeITS2021 to phone number 226787. We also include regular announcements in OnCampus.

IT Service Portal: You can visit the IT Service Portal at service.drake.edu/its 24/7 to browse for tech guides, see what Drake ITS offers, or request assistance with a tech issue.

Support Center: The ITS support center is located in the lower level of Carnegie Hall but is not currently available for faculty and staff walk ins. Phone support is available 24/7 by calling 515-271-3001 or you can report an issue using the IT service portal.

Have a classroom emergency? Call 515-271-3002. There’s also an on-campus support technician Saturdays from 8–12 p.m.

Need online training resources? Check out our curated list at Technology Training Resources for Faculty & Staff.

New and not sure where to get started? Visit service.drake.edu/its/newfacstaff.

—Carla Herling, ITS

Campus Announcements Archive

Call for nominations: Levitt Teacher Award

All Drake faculty, staff, and students are invited and encouraged to nominate a Drake faculty member for the Madelyn Levitt Teacher Award, created in 1994 in honor of Madelyn Levitt’s commitment to Drake, and her ongoing interest in faculty and staff achievement and academic excellence. 

Each year this award recognizes commitment to student success on the Drake campus by honoring a member of the Drake University faculty for excellence in teaching.   In order to make a nomination, please submit a letter that speaks to the following qualifications:  

  •   an informed mind in inspirational dialogue with students 
  •   integrity in personal relationships
  •   rigor in intellectual endeavors
  •   contagious enthusiasm for her/his subject matter.

A nominee must be a faculty member holding the rank of instructor, or above, and in at least her/his fourth academic year of service.  A nominee cannot have won this award within the past five years. The letter of nomination is due to Deputy Provost Renée Cramer no later than February 18, 2022.  The letter should be sent as an attachment to renee.cramer@drake.edu and nicki.kimm@drake.edu.

The nominated individual will be notified by the Provost’s Office of her/his nomination and asked if they are willing to be considered. 

At the nominee’s acceptance, the nominator will be asked to collect the following supporting material and submit it to Nicki Kimm by March 18, 2022:  

  • a curriculum vitae;
  • a short statement, by the nominee, of educational philosophy or about methods of teaching;
  • teaching evaluations for the nominee for the previous two semesters.
  • A minimum of one additional letter supporting the nomination must be submitted. At least one letter of support must be from a current student and at least one letter of support must come from a faculty member, and there may be no more than five letters including the nomination letter and letters supporting the nomination.

Electronic submission of materials is required. Send all documents to nicki.kimm@drake.edu.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

From the Deputy Provost: Student mental health (and ours)

Kayla Bell-Consolver, the director of Drake’s Student Counseling Center, shared this helpful document with me.  It was created by Amber Willis, a counselor with the center, primarily to help students as they study abroad this spring—but: I think it is very useful for faculty who may encounter student mental health concerns with from-abroad returning students, advisees who are abroad, and … well …. just about anyone on campus dealing with continual disruptions and stress (ourselves included). I hope you find these tips useful to share with students and colleagues alike.

Taking care of your mental health while studying abroad
Although studying abroad is an exciting time, it is a time of many changes and adjustments. The following is a list of warning signs that indicate that your mental health may need some additional attention. It is normal to not feel this way immediately. Many students experience these feelings after a few weeks/months of being in a new country. Following the warning signs are suggestions that will help you become aware of how you are feeling and ways to combat distressing mental health changes.

Warning signs

  • Sadness
  • Severe and persistent homesickness
  • Frequent crying
  • Nervousness
  • Changes in appetite
  • Changes in sleep
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability/Anger
  • Physical symptoms (headache, belly ache, etc.)

Ways to maintain/improve mental health

  • Check in with yourself every day! Rate your mood, ask how yourself how you are feeling.
  • Spend time with yourself journaling. Find time to not only reflect on your experiences, but how you feel and how those experiences impact you.
  • Maintain a routine as much as possible. Have the same morning routine, exercise every day, take time each night for self-care.
  • Maintain contact with friends and family on a regular basis. If you feel like this is difficult for you to do, communicate with them and encourage them to reach out to you regularly.
  • Eat healthy food/eat 3 meals a day. This is your fuel – treat this with a high priority!
  • Get no less than 8 hours of sleep each night. It is normal for your sleep habits/patterns to be different for the first week.  Do your best to have a nighttime routine to encourage healthy sleep habits.
  • Take care of basic hygiene – showering, brushing teeth, getting dressed. These are all things that can improve your mood.
  • Be physically active as much as possible – try to take a walk with a peer every day.
  • Download mental health app (Headspace, Snapshot, etc) to hold yourself accountable for personal check-ins.
  • Talk to a peer in your program about how you are doing. They likely are having similar experiences and can help normalize your thoughts/feelings.
  • Do things that have always made you feel better: warm bath, reading, calling a friend.
  • Take time to immerse yourself in new traditions (try new food, participate in native activities, etc)
  • Bring enough refills for medications.
  • Reduce drug and alcohol use.
  • Make a list of your own personal warning signs. What do bad days look like for you?  Compare this list to how you are feeling today.
  • If you are feeling suicidal, reach out to a peer or a suicide hotline.

It is important to remember that struggling with your mental health while studying abroad is normal. Being out of your regular routine and without your typical support system can cause feelings of distress, loneliness and feeling out of control. It is critical to employ these strategies to help you manage and make the most out of your study abroad experience.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

In Memoriam: Harold Dueker Swanson

It is with great sadness we share the passing of Harold Dueker Swanson, 91, of La Crosse, WI, who was a biology professor at Drake University for 35 years.

Harold was born in 1930 on a farm near Wichita, Kansas, to Simon and Ottilia (Dueker) Swanson, and grew up there. He died Jan. 1, 2022, and is survived by his wife, Wanda; children Kristin (Alan Hecht), Mark (Nancy Schoenberg) and Celia Swanson; grandchildren Nathan, David (Abby Sterling) and Karin Hecht, and Rachel (Emerson Hardebeck) and Benjamin Swanson.

Harold received his bachelor’s degree from Friends University, Wichita, his master’s degree from the University of Kansas, and his doctorate from the University of Tennessee. He also spent a year in Norway studying on a Fulbright scholarship, where he and Wanda spent the first year of their marriage.

One of his defining characteristics was his insatiable curiosity about the world, as well as the desire to share his fascinations with students, friends and family. Once retired, he and Wanda traveled the world, visiting all 50 states and all the continents except Antarctica.

Due to COVID restrictions, a memorial service will be postponed until a later date. The Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse are in charge of arrangements. Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.

Find Harold’s complete obituary here: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/obituaries/dmr119380.

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Reminder: MyDUSIS has been replaced by Self Service

As part of the project to update the former MyDUSIS system that began this past May (new My Information and Employee Dashboard screens), these changes were implemented last week:

On myDrake:

  • The MyDUSIS link in the Commonly Used Apps section of myDrake was changed to Self Service and takes you to a new landing page (see navigation guide linked below)
  • The My Information link was removed from the Commonly Used Apps section (it is still in the HR section for faculty/staff and the My Drake Profile section for students)
  • Other former MyDUSIS-related links have been renamed or removed as Self Service has prominent links to access key functions

In Self Service (formerly MyDUSIS):

Please remember multi-factor authentication (MFA) is now required for accessing Self Service. Learn more about MFA and see links to guides on how to use it at Multi-factor Authentication Project (FAQ).

— Kris Brewster, ITS

HR Information Archive

Important changes to BUILD schedule

Increased cases of COVID-19, along with classes moving to a remote format for the first two weeks of the semester, and more staff working remotely during this time, has prompted the decision to adjust some of the upcoming in-person BUILD sessions.

Please note the following changes:

  • Leading Hybrid Teams will be presented remotely Jan. 19 from 10–11 a.m.
  • S.T.A.R.T. Standing Against Racism Together two-part workshop will be moved to April 7 and April 14 from 1–3 p.m. in the Olmsted Center, 310/311 conference rooms.
  • Meet the STEM Hub at Drake will be presented remotely Feb. 2 from 12–1 p.m.
  • Slowing the Avalanche: A Values Based Approach to Managing Email Before It Buries You will be presented remotely Feb. 17 from 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

To register for any class, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Supreme Court weighs in on OSHA testing requirement

Last Thursday (Jan. 13), the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the vaccine/testing requirement aimed at large employers, such as Drake, that had been published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). At the same time, the Court upheld the vaccine mandate for certain health care workers to go into effect nationwide, which had been adopted by the Department of Health and Human Services.

While OSHA could go back to the drawing board to re-envision a new Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), that will take time. For now, this means the OSHA weekly testing requirement for unvaccinated employees is not taking effect. As has been the case throughout the entire pandemic, Drake will closely monitor infection rates, public health guidance, and best practices to protect our students, employees, and visitors.

For now, there is an important part for you to play in all of this:

  • If you are not vaccinated, get vaccinated.
  • If you have not received your booster shot, get it as soon as possible.
  • Continue to self-monitor your health.
  • Do not come to campus with cold and flu symptoms.
  • Continue to appropriately mask on campus (and, please, when in public)
  • If you have not shared your vaccination status (including your booster) with the University, please do so through Drake’s secure online form.

Thank you for doing your part to keep not only yourself healthy, but also those around you!

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety