On Friday, Feb. 10, from 12–1:30 p.m. in the Cowles Library Reading Room, the Political Science department will host an informal discussion on current events. President Biden’s State of the Union address and the approaching anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will probably feature among the topics, but many others can be covered. All are welcome to bring their lunch, questions, and civilly-expressed opinions.
— Kieran Williams, Assistant Professor of Politics
Cowles Library, with support from the Office of the Provost, is excited to announce another opportunity for full-time Drake faculty interested in using open educational resources (OER) in their courses. OER can benefit students in many ways, including saving money and expediting access. The Drake Faculty OER 2023 Grant Program is offering stipends between $500 and $1,500 to participants who complete the program, which involves adopting, adapting, or creating an OER to use in one or more of your courses. Learn more.
— Andrew Welch, Cowles Library
If you have a heart for helping others and are looking for a way to give back to campus, VIP might be a good fit for you.
VIP students are trained and certified victim advocates who support individuals who have encountered harmful sexual or dating experiences. VIP students staff a 24-hour hotline to ensure students have somewhere to turn to, be heard, ask questions, and find resources. In addition to the hotline, VIP students engage the campus with sexual and dating violence awareness and prevention events.
We welcome you to explore joining our team by filling out this APPLICATION. Applications are open now until February 25th.
Time commitment and expectations:
If you have questions please email lynne.cornelius@drake.edu.
— Lynne Cornelius, Dean of Students Office
To be considered for need-based grants and scholarships or federal student loans in the Summer 2023, Fall 2023 or Spring 2024 semesters, complete the 2023–2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The form is available at www.studentaid.gov. The FAFSA is available to U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens.
If you need assistance completing the FAFSA, please contact the Office of Student Financial Planning.
— Ryan Zantingh, Financial Aid
Did you know that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides tax benefits for education? The tax benefits can be used to get back some of the money you spend on tuition or loan interest or to maximize your college savings.
Even if you normally wouldn’t file a tax return because of your income level, be sure to do so! If you don’t, you’ll miss out on tax credits that would put money in your pocket.
Learn more here.
— Ryan Zantingh, Financial Aid
Student deadlines for studying abroad are fast approaching.
The deadline to submit a summer study abroad application is Feb. 15.
For students thinking about studying abroad during the fall semester, or next academic year, the study abroad scholarship deadline will be March 1. Fall study abroad applications will continue to be accepted until March 15 for most programs. The exception is the new Drake study abroad semester program at Harlaxton in the UK.
J-Term 2024 study abroad programs will open on March 8 during the J-Term Fair.
Spring 2024 study abroad programs will open in April, and the application deadline for spring study abroad is September 1.
Students can find a full list of approved study abroad programs and apply in our program database. To find more general information about joining an international program, please check out Drake’s study abroad website.
If you have any questions about studying abroad while at Drake, or want meet with a Peer Advisor or Study Abroad Advisor, email: studyabroad@drake.edu to set-up an appointment.
— Karen Williams, Global Engagement
All Staff Council (ASC) nominations are now open. Do you know a staff member who would like to make an impact to strengthen the staff experience on campus? Submit a nomination.
Nominations are due Tuesday, Feb. 14, by midnight.
— Heather Winslow, On behalf of All Staff Council
Drake Human Resources has updated the University Holiday Schedule webpage, adding paid holidays during fiscal year 2024. And we have some exciting news to share: Because July 4 falls on a Tuesday this year, the President’s Council has approved Monday, July 3, to also be a holiday (July 3 and 4 will both be university holidays in 2023)!
But wait, there’s more! Next year, July 4 is on a Thursday. And the President’s Council has already approved Friday, July 5, 2024 as a holiday (July 4 and 5 will both be university holidays in 2024).
Chief Administration Officer, Venessa Macro, shares, “Extending the 4th of July holiday for the next two years was supported fully by the President’s Council. With just a day between the holiday and the weekend, this extension offered an opportunity to say thanks to those who work during the summer to maintain operations and prepare for a new academic year.”
The July 4th holiday will not always land on a Tuesday or a Thursday, but it does for two years in a row. We hope that these additional holidays will empower those working during the summer to appreciate some additional time off, enjoy the company of friends and family, travel, relax, or do absolutely nothing.
The Holiday Schedule has been updated with all observed holidays for the next two fiscal years. As a convenient practice—consider having someone in your department send “Holiday” invites to your entire department. This way everyone has the holidays on their calendars. This is a helpful way to avoid accidentally scheduling meetings on, say, Labor Day. This practice will also aid managers in assessing vacation requests and staffing needs throughout the year.
A big thank you to the President’s Council for making this decision and to those of you who asked that this very decision be considered.
Sharing ideas, suggestions, and recommendations is welcomed. Please feel invited and encouraged to share anything that may be human resources-related with us. You are welcome to contact us at drakehr@drake.edu. We do have an anonymous customer service survey you could access to share ideas as well (just skip to the Comments and Suggestions box).
— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources
Drake faculty and staff who exemplify the Core Value All in This Together will be recognized at the next Provost’s Drake Social on Wednesday, Feb. 22, in the Cline Hall Atrium beginning at 4 p.m.
To nominate a colleague, please use the Qualtrics form. Feel free to fill out multiple forms. All those nominated will be recognized on a rolling display at the event.
What do we mean when we say we’re All in This Together at Drake? We look for colleagues who embrace robust communication, and who value transparency, collaboration, and teamwork.
When you nominate colleagues, be prepared to describe how each colleague meets these descriptions. Several nominees will be chosen at random for prizes.
Refreshments will include wine, beer, soft drinks, and an assortment of light snacks. This is a family friendly event. Please feel free to bring your children and partner!
— Madison Bemus, Provost’s Office
Drake Intercultural Community Exchange (DICE) is excited to launch the Spring 2023 application for hosts and community members.
This volunteer program matches faculty and staff (and their families) with incoming international students for a term (or longer), with the goal of fostering meaningful connections beyond the classroom.
DICE hosts would be expected to reach out to their student two or three times a semester to grab a meal, participate in a shared interest, or meet up at DICE/ISSS-sponsored events. Participating as a DICE volunteer is open to ALL Drake faculty and staff. The only requirement is that you have a strong interest in developing an inclusive community and the desire to make our international students feel welcome.
If you are interested in becoming a DICE host, please complete our online application: http://drake.qualtrics.com/DICE_HostApplication
Applications will be accepted until Thursday, Feb. 16.
If you have any questions about the program, please send inquires to Jorona Johnson, international student advisor, at jorona.johnson@drake.edu.
— Jorona Johnson, Global Engagement
