All posts by Scott Law

Campus Announcements Archive

Active shooter training reminder, policy updates for community comment

I would like to take a moment to remind everyone to make sure they have had an opportunity to review the two active shooter video’s (academic and residence hall) that were sent out Sept. 1.  These videos focus on what to do if there is an active shooter on the Drake campus.  While we hope we will never face an active shooter situation, we must focus on preparedness like we would for any other emergency, such as fire or weather events.

In support of our educational efforts in the area of active shooter response, Drake has revised two important policies that have direct implications. The University has posted for review of the policies on a Violence Free Campus and the Policy on Firearms, Other Lethal Weapons, Fireworks and Dangerous Objects.  Members of the Drake community are encouraged to review and comment on these policy revisions by Oct. 16, 2022.

— Scott Law, Public Safety and University Operations

Campus Announcements Archive

Spanish Conversation Hours

Come practice speaking in Spanish with conversation facilitators from Bolivia and Argentina. Students, faculty, and staff of all levels are welcome to join Kate and Ana at the at Cowles Library during the following days and times:

Monday/Lunes: 4:30–5:30 p.m., Cowles Library, Room 234A

Tuesday/Martes: 4:30–6:30 p.m., Cowles Library, Room 234

Wednesday/Miércoles: 6–7 p.m., Cowles Library, Room 045

Friday/Viernes 4:15–5:15 p.m., Cowles Library, Room 045

There are no Conversation Hours during University holidays and finals week. For accommodations or questions, email inbal.mazar@drake.edu.

— Cati Davis, Office of the Dean of Arts & Sciences

Campus Announcements Archive

Self Service registration launches Sept. 27

Starting today, the Self Service registration-related pages have new features. You will see a new link: Registration & Schedule on the Registration card and on your Student Profile left navigation menu. From this link you will access the new registration landing page where you can register for classes, view the schedule of classes, the course catalog, and your current and past schedules. You can view registration-related Knowledge Base articles to help you navigate the new screens.  If you experience a technical issue with the new registration pages, please submit an ITS ticket here.  As a reminder, you will be able to access the former registration pages by clicking the Registration and Schedules (Legacy) link on the Registration card.  This link will be available through Feb. 17, 2023.

Faculty and staff also use the new registration landing page to access the schedule of classes and course catalog. If you do not currently see the Registration card in your Self Service screen, click the blue Discover More button. To add the card to your homepage, click the bookmark icon in the upper right corner of the card. You will continue to provide registration overrides and viewing your advisees’ schedules and degree audits in the current Self Service pages.  For more instructions on navigating these pages, view the Self Service Knowledge Base articles here.

— Jenny Tran-Johnson, Registrar

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Tuition exchange applications for 2023–2024

Full-time employees in a regular position at Drake University are eligible to participate in two tuition exchange programs, which offer waived or discounted tuition at other participating institutions for employees, their spouse/partner, or eligible dependent(s).

Those wishing to apply for tuition exchange in the 2023–2024 academic year can apply now. Applications should only be completed for students not already approved for tuition exchange—those who have been approved for tuition exchange in prior years will automatically be re-certified for consideration in the 2023–2024 academic year (assuming the employee remains eligible).

There are 3 main steps in the tuition exchange application process:

  1. Employee submits the online tuition exchange application (and the student should also apply for admission at the schools listed on the application).
  2. Drake’s Office of Student Financial Planning will confirm and certify the employee’s eligibility to participate in the tuition exchange program. This is done on a rolling basis as applications are received.
  3. Each school listed on the application will determine whether they can offer the student a tuition exchange award.

Schools have different application deadlines and timelines for announcing award determinations. It is the employee’s responsibility to submit the tuition exchange application early enough to allow time for step #2 to be completed in advance of each school’s deadlines.

Details about each of Drake’s tuition exchange programs are provided below:

Tuition Exchange, Inc. (TE)
TE has over 670 participating schools. Visit tuitionexchange.org to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.

Council of Independent Colleges & Universities Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP)
CIC-TEP has over 440 participating schools. Visit cic.edu/tep to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.

— Ryan Zantingh, Student Financial Planning

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Project update: Applicant tracking system

As we previously shared, Drake’s applicant tracking system (ATS), Hire Touch, is being sunset at the end of this year. We have contracted with PageUp to provide our new ATS.

In our last update, we asked for your help in naming our new job postings site. After considering suggestions from campus, we have decided to call the new application page Jobs@Drake. This will be the place to find and apply for Drake faculty and staff jobs. Handshake will continue to be the place for our students to find and apply for on campus student employment opportunities.

The ITS and HR project team continues to work closely with PageUp representatives to be prepared for the switch later this year. The team is currently working to connect Banner and PageUp and recently began testing to confirm PageUp is setup correctly. At present, the project team is anticipating a late fall launch. You can expect to hear from us next when we have determined the actual launch date and are ready to begin our training and transition work.

Here’s a high-level sneak peak on what’s ahead. We plan to have training and simulation opportunities for those involved in faculty and staff recruitment. Additionally, we plan to create documentation to help guide you through the new system. Finally, we will work with departments that have live postings so they are properly transitioned to PageUp.

For now, please keep following current recruitment practices using HireTouch. If you have any specific questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to share them with us. You can contact the project manager, Kris Brewster, ITS, or send them to Maureen De Armond, Human Resources.

— Kris Brewster, ITS; Maureen De Armond, HR

Campus Announcements Archive

Spring 2023 registration, schedule of classes

The Spring 2023 schedule of classes and related registration information is available online. Registration begins Monday, Oct. 31.

View registration information, including the registration time table that shows when you become eligible to register. View the schedule of classes.

Some courses will be temporarily reserved for students who have declared a certain field-of-study (major, minor, concentration, or endorsement). On Monday, Nov. 14, those reservations will be removed. Note that some courses have restrictions that are permanent.

If you are an undergraduate or pharmacy student intending to make any changes to your field-of-study and have those changes take effect before registration begins, file your changes via the change of record request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24. Requests submitted after this date may be delayed.

— Ryan Trump, Office of the Registrar

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Support and wellbeing for yourself and others

During suicide prevention month (and beyond), it is imperative to validate and appreciate each person working at Drake and the incredible job each person does to make sure that Drake is on mission for our students and our community.

Did you know that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 5 workers will experience a mental health condition in a year? 

What can you do if you are feeling mentally strained?

What can you do if you see that a coworker seems to be struggling with mental health?

  • Talk with them privately and listen without judgment. You are not expected to be a mental health professional, but you can still help them by opening the conversation.  Ask open-ended questions like:
    • How are you feeling today?
    • Why do you think you feel this way?
    • How can I help?
  • If comfortable and appropriate, relate to them on a personal level and share your own experiences.
  • Always respect the employee’s right to privacy if the disclose a mental health condition.
  • If someone is at immediate risk of suicide, stay with them until you can get further help. Contact emergency services or call/text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

All in This Together—Together we can make a difference.

— Teresa Downs, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Online citation payment now available

Starting in October, the Student Services Center will begin using our payment system to allow convenient payment of parking citations via email.  Whenever possible, we will send an email invoice to your Drake email address allowing you to pay citations at your convenience online, rather than needing to visit us in Olmsted.  These invoices will come from “Drake University Student Services Center (via Clover)”, and will allow you to easily pay the citation with a debit or credit card.

If you do not receive an emailed invoice for a new citation, or would like an invoice created for a previously issued citation, feel free to send us a note at studentservices@drake.edu with your license plate number.  We’ll email you an invoice to save you the walk/drive across campus. You are also always welcome to stop by to pay citations at our desk in Olmsted.

As a reminder, you must have a valid Drake permit to park in the Drake parking lots.  You must also park in the correct zone indicated on your permit from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday (you may park in other zones after 4:30 p.m. or on weekends, but do not park overnight in a commuter lot—commuter lots need to be cleared by 2 a.m. daily).  Failure to follow Drake parking regulations can result in parking citations.  Parking citations should be paid within 30 days of receipt—unpaid fines are treated as any other past due obligation to the University, and may result in restrictive holds.  Multiple unpaid citations can prompt use of a boot or your vehicle may be towed (additional owner expense for both options).

If you wish to appeal a citation, you may do so on this online form. If you haven’t purchased a parking pass for this academic year, you may purchase your pass in the myDrake portal.

We hope that this new offering of allowing online citation payment will make this process of paying for parking tickets slightly less painful.  We appreciate your help in making sure campus has adequate and predictable parking available.

If you have any questions/concerns about this process, feel free to contact sara.heijerman@drake.edu.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Panopto retention policy

Starting this month, ITS will perform monthly audits to archive and remove unused content from the University’s Panopto service. Videos with zero views within a 13-month period will be archived and no longer immediately accessible. Videos can be restored through a self-service process, and instructions for restoring archived these videos are available in the ITS Knowledge Base.

Archived videos will remain on the Panopto service for an additional 13-month period, or 26 months from the last view. After that time, if there are no requests to restore the video, it will be permanently removed. Drake University will not archive, backup, or otherwise save any Panopto videos in any alternate manner.

This change is due to a new Panopto license model which bills the University for both hours created and shared as well as stored on the system. If you have any questions, contact the ITS Support Center.

— James McNab, ITS

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Drake Social Oct. 24, submit a colleague’s name for recognition

Mark your calendar for the Provost’s October Drake Social Monday, Oct. 24, at 4 p.m., at Shivers Hospitality Suite.

During the social, faculty and staff who demonstrate the Drake core value Joyful Accountability will be recognized as part of a PowerPoint scroll. From all those recognized, names will be drawn at random for prizes. Honorees must be present to win. 

You can recognize a colleague who demonstrates Joyful Accountability by completing this Qualtrics form by Wednesday, Oct 19. In your recognition, please share how your colleague demonstrates Joyful Accountability: 

  • I am curious and creative, brave and bold. 
  • I strive each day to be my best. 

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost