All posts by Marlene Heuertz and Maureen De Armond

HR Information Archive

Introducing optional vision hardware insurance with Avēsis

Several employees have expressed concerns about the vision hardware benefit  offered by Drake’s Health Plan. The paper reimbursement process has proven to be slow and frustrating at best. In fact, one participant reported they stopped seeking reimbursement due to the inefficiencies of the claims process. We heard you!

Together with the University Benefits Committee and our benefit consultants, we explored other hardware benefit options. We are happy to announce a new vision hardware benefit with Avēsis effective January 1, 2023. Although we are discontinuing the hardware benefit through Wellmark, annual preventive vision exams will remain covered under Drake’s Health Plan.

The Avēsis hardware plan will include provider discounts and value-added features and allow for an enhanced participant experience. While the plan includes a vast network, participants will be able to purchase hardware from out-of-network providers.

Avēsis In-network Hardware Benefit At-A-Glance
  •  This is a voluntary/optional benefit. You may choose to purchase this coverage for yourself or your covered dependents (spouse/partner and dependent children).
  •  Frame allowance = $150
  • Contact Lens Allowance = $150
  •  Materials Co-pay = $15
  •  Single Monthly Rate = $1.37/month
  •  Family Monthly Rate = $4.37/month

To learn more about the new Avēsis vision hardware benefit, click here. To search for Avēsis network providers, click here.

Questions about the new vision hardware benefit offered by Avēsis?

Avēsis representatives will be present at Drake’s Benefits & Wellness Fair on Nov. 4 (9–11:30 a.m.) in Levitt Hall. If you have questions related to this new vision hardware benefit, please stop by the fair and speak directly with our Avēsis partners. If you are unable to attend the fair, please reach out to drakehr@drake.edu with any benefits questions.

— Marlene Heuertz and Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Payroll deadlines moved up for holiday breaks

Due to the holidays, several payroll deadlines will be moved up.

Instructions to set up a proxy to approve time sheets in your absence are at drake.edu/hr-internal/managerstoolkit/ under Online Time reporting.

The deadline for monthly direct pays for payroll will be changed to:

Dec. 12, 2022, for payroll direct pays for the December monthly payroll

The deadlines for the biweekly time sheets and direct pays will be:

12/5–12/18/22 hours paid 12/22, 9:00 AM Friday, 12/16, for employees and 10:00 AM that day for approvers. Employees will need to estimate hours for 12/16-12/18.

12/19-1/1/23 hours paid 1/6/23, 9:00 AM Tuesday, 1/3/23, for employees and 10:00 AM that day for approvers.

The deadline for student time sheets and direct pays will be unchanged:

12/1-12/31/22 hours paid 1/12/23, noon on Sunday, 1/01, for students and 11:59 PM 01/04 for approvers.

— Korrine Jackson, Payroll Coordinator

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Survey of Administrative Services achieves record response rate

The Survey of Administrative Services had a record number of responses this year—a robust 616 responses compared to 217 in 2021 and 414 in the survey’s inaugural year, 2017. A huge thank you to the campus community for taking the time to provide this important feedback. Individual units will now delve into the results—celebrating accomplishments and addressing areas for growth and improvement. This annual process is a critical part of our planning cycle. Examples of steps taken in response to survey results by administrative units in the past includes new customer service standards, improved monitoring of open ticket items, customer service training, and the use of technology to address inefficient or error-prone processes. The bottom line: the time our campus community takes to complete the survey is valuable and important—thank you! Watch for future OnCampus communications from individual units addressing this year’s results and priorities for improvement in the year ahead.

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Campus Announcements Archive

International Education Week is Nov. 14–18

Join Global Engagement in celebrating International Education Week, November 14–18.

There will be events hosted throughout the week for students, faculty, and staff. Join in to discover all the ways Drake is global. Check out the full calendar of events at calendar.drake.edu/ieweek.

Featured events:

Global Scholar-in-Residence, Inés Rojas
Presentation and reception for faculty and staff
Monday, Nov. 14, at 2:30–4 p.m.
Reading Room, Cowles Library
Learn More >>

Fulbright U.S. Student Program Information Session
Presentation by Professor Karen Leroux and Karen Williams, Education Abroad Advisor
Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Medbury Honors Lounge
Learn More >>

The European Union in 2022: Key Challenges of Our Time
Visiting scholar lecture by Dr. Robert Pichler (Austria). Part of the Principal Center for Global Citizenship fall speaker series.
Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 2-3:15 p.m.
Sussman Theater
Learn More >>

U.S.-China Symposium
Hosted by Ambassador-in-Residence Terry Branstad, featuring sessions on relevant topics including education, politics and foreign affairs
Thursday, Nov. 17 – Sessions all day
Olmsted Center
Learn More >>

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

For Students Archive

Voting in the Midterm Elections

The 2022 Midterm Elections are just one week away. The polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check your Iowa voter registration status here.

Iowa offers same-day voter registration, so all Drake students that are U.S. citizens and over the age of 18 may register to vote on Nov. 8 (even if you did not pre-register). Drake students may vote at their nearest polling location, which can be accessed on the Iowa Secretary of State website. Eligible voters must bring a photo ID (with an expiration date) and proof of address.

For on-campus students, you can access your residence hall address for proof of residency by signing into myDrake. Under the ‘My Drake Profile’ category, select ‘My Information’ and print out the page. According to the Secretary of State’s office, you may use this printout as your proof of residency when you go to the polls.

To learn more about voting as a college student, visit https://www.drake.edu/community/learningservice/studentopportunities/votingcivicengagement/

Questions? Reach out to Stephanie Kiel, Community Engagement Peer for Voter and Civic Engagement, at stephanie.kiel@drake.edu.

— Stephanie Kiel, AS’23

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Winter break payment processing deadlines

Please note the following schedule for payment processing, through the Finance Self-Service portal, to accommodate winter break:

  • Friday, Dec. 16, 2022 – All payment requests (including wires) are due, with proper approvals, and received by AP by the end of the business day.  Requests received by this deadline will be processed for payment before Winter Break.
  • Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 – Normal payment processing will resume this week.

The accounts payable office will be closed during winter break.

Thank you for your help in coordinating to ensure we meet all needs during the upcoming season.

For questions, contact Jeni at ext. 4509 or jenifer.baugher@drake.edu.

— Jeni Baugher, Accounting Supervisor

For Staff Archive

All Staff Council chili lunch social and bake off

As a reminder, All Staff Council is hosting a chili lunch and dessert bake off Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Pomerantz Stage, Olmsted Center. Sodexo will provide chili and cornbread for staff for $5.

We encourage staff members to sign up for the dessert bake off. Any and all desserts are welcome. You must provide at least 24 servings per entry. You will deliver your baked items to Lynne Cornelius in the student inclusion suite, Olmsted Center, before 11 a.m. Entries will be judged by a three-person panel and there will be prizes for the top three entries. Sign up here.

— Courtney Conrad, On behalf of All Staff Council

For Students Archive

Spring 2023 and J-Term billing update

Spring 2023 and J-Term 2023 bills will be emailed to students and authorized users around Dec. 15 and will be due the first day of the term. Please remember, in order to register for the upcoming terms your Fall 2022 balance must be paid in full or you must be current on your established monthly payment plan. To view your current balance and make a payment please login to your student account via MyDrake>Student Accounts and Financial Aid> Make a Payment.

A J-Term FAQ is available for questions related to J-Term billing. The FAQ has been updated to include information regarding the new J-Term administrative fee that will begin for J-Term 2023.

If you have any questions about your current balance or a future J-Term and spring balance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at stuacct@drake.edu.

— Julia Gwebu, Director of Student Accounts