It may be cold outside, but you can warm up at the Bell Center! View the Rec Center’s J-Term hours below.
If you don’t want to brave the weather, check out our On- Demand GroupX classes on the Drake Rec App. For questions, email wellness@drake.edu.
As ofJan. 1, 2022, the rate per mile is 58.5 cents per mile.
Drake reimburses mileage for use of personal automobiles by employees for actual miles driven during business travel. The reimbursement rate is based on the current standard mileage rate issued by the Internal Revenue Service.
Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the standard mileage rate issued by the IRS for the use of a car is 58.5 cents per business mile driven, up from 56 cents in 2021.
The standard mileage rate is evaluated annually by the IRS and is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile.
If you have any questions regarding the reimbursable mileage rate, please visit the IRS website or contact Accounting at accounting@drake.edu.
—Jenifer Baugher, Accounting
For this message, I asked two of Drake’s Learning Technology experts, Clayton Mitchell and Karly Good, to help me understand—and communicate about—the limits to course storage that many faculty may begin encountering as we build our course sites for Spring 2022.
Here’s what I learned:
In the past year, Blackboard started charging clients for storage. This is a change from the past and was a surprise to all Blackboard clients when it occurred with little notice. Being good stewards of University money, we are being mindful of the amount of storage used for courses, so that we do not increase our financial responsibility for Blackboard.
This is potentially frustrating (ie: if you run out of storage space, and don’t understand why!), but easy to avoid and remediate. Here are important things for instructors to know:
As you begin copying courses for spring, know that there will be variations on that process.
As always, there are great resources published by our learning technologists, on the ITS webpages, to help you with the process of course copying, content. management, and storage maintenance. Here is the link to the Academic Technology Resources library.
— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost
The All Staff Council Recognition Committee recognized Public Safety this month with a Bulldog Applause. Read an interview below to learn more about this great team. A huge thank you to Public Safety for all your hard work and dedication to the University. Read an interview below to learn more about this great team.
How many staff members are in the department? Presently 18
What is the primary mission/vision/motto? The mission of Drake Public Safety is to provide a safe and secure environment for students, faculty, staff and campus visitors. Drake Public Safety strives to achieve this mission through a community friendly approach that enhances safety through the visibility of Public Safety personnel, preventive patrols, 24-hour accessibility, positive conflict resolution, and crime prevention and awareness programs. Drake Public Safety collaborates with local law enforcement and community organizations in fulfilling its mission.
What staff member has been on the team the longest? Mark Risvold, patrol captain, with more than 27 years.
Who is the newest team member? Brice Foutch, dispatcher, who has been on the job for about one week.
What campus building/s do your team members “live” in? Ross Hall
What are some recent accomplishments that others in the University might not know about? Assisting with COVID response and general campus safety
Other noteworthy information about your department: We just moved into our new location at Ross this summer with the help of our colleagues in Facilities. We will be here throughout the winter break securing the campus.
— Teresa Downs, On behalf of the All Staff Council Recognition Committee
Our final printers arrived to our vendor, LRI, and are being installed in the last buildings this week. There may still be some minor adjustments/follow up training post-break, but we are thrilled that the delivery and installation should be complete before spring semester.
Thank you to campus for their patience as we all weathered the supply chain issues that extended this project well beyond its original schedule.
We’ll make updates to Printer Locations (FAQ) as the final campus machines are installed.
Get instructions on how to use the features of the new printers in the Printing category of our IT service portal. If after installation, anyone has issues printing to the new machines, please submit a Printing Issue.
— Kris Brewster, ITS
Starting Jan. 4, when you log into one of the campus systems set up with multi-factor authentication (MFA), you will be prompted to verify your identity by using the Microsoft Authenticator app. We will be rolling out MFA to systems on Jan. 4 and 5. See Multi-factor Authentication Project (FAQ) for a list of what systems will start requiring MFA on each date and how frequently you’ll need to re-authenticate.
We strongly recommend setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app AND a backup MFA method prior to the Jan. 4 deadline as the set up will require additional steps once myDrake requires MFA. NOTE: You’ll need to continue using Duo MFA until the switch is made for all systems you access.
There are still a few $1 Starbucks coupons available to those who submit proof of downloading the Microsoft Authenticator app and connecting it with their Drake account. Visit forms.office.com/r/HGSY0L1JSf to see complete rules and enter.
If you experience any challenges setting up Microsoft Authenticator, please submit a Multi-Factor Authentication Issue.
— Jeff Regan, ITS
The All Staff Council Recognition Committee recognized the Office of Global Engagement with a Bulldog Applause. Read below to learn more about this great team. A huge thank you to the Office of Global Engagement for all your hard work and dedication to the University.
How many staff members are in the department? 10 staff (including the director of the Nelson Institute, which is a faculty appointment). In addition, we have 3 adjunct faculty that teach in the Intensive English Program, and two faculty with appointments in our department (Post-Graduate Global Scholarships Coordinator, and Global Virtual Learning Fellow).
What is the primary function of the team? At the heart of our work is to deliver on Drake’s mission promise of responsible global citizenship, and to support our institutional commitment to infuse global and intercultural learning throughout the Drake experience. Areas within the Office of Global Engagement include: Education Abroad, International Student Recruitment, International Student and Scholar Services, Global Partnerships, The Nelson Institute, and the Principal Center for Global Citizenship. We support international mobility for students (inbound and outbound), cultivating and supporting global partnerships both locally and internationally, ensuring integration of international students into the Drake community, and providing funding and support for global programs and international opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.
What staff member has been on the team the longest? Annique Kiel, Executive Director of Global Engagement and International Programs (11 years)
Who is the newest team member? Jorona Johnson, International Student Advisor (6 months)
What campus building/s do your team members “live” in? Cowles Library
What are some recent accomplishments that others in the University might not know about? Drake was recently ranked #17 in the country for undergraduate participation in study abroad amongst doctoral institutions for 2019-2020.
How does this staff foster a sense of community and belonging through their activities or sharing together here at Drake? Our work is unique in that we work daily with students, faculty, and staff, spanning all areas of campus, on things ranging from advising to risk management to program development. We have a broad reach, working with all colleges and schools and most departments within the institution in one way or another. Drake is truly a global university, and it takes the whole institution to support our international programs and global engagement efforts. We foster inter-connectivity and offer transformational experiences. These transformational experiences often bring people together in ways that are otherwise not possible.
Other noteworthy/interesting/special information about your department/college: Our staff brings a wealth of international knowledge and experience to the institution. Collectively as a staff, we have lived in 18 countries (not counting the U.S.).
— Teresa Downs, On behalf of the All Staff Council Recognition Committee
The next installment of the University Book Club is coming up fast, and we’d love for you to join us. We’ll be discussing “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” by Michael Lewis on Jan. 20 at 2:30 p.m. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and join us for what is sure to be an interesting book.
The University Book Club likes to read at least four books together each year, usually scheduled for a casual discussion around the “breaks.” This year, we are also adding two additional “toolkit for life” books in partnership with Human Resources.
Our upcoming books and meeting times for this year are listed below. Please reach out to sara.heijerman@drake.edu, or dan.chibnall@drake.edu if you would like to participate in any of these discussions, or would like to join our email notification list.
January 20 at 2:30 p.m. (via Zoom) – The Premonition: A Pandemic Story – Michael Lewis
March 3 – Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World – Cal Newport
May 10 – The Rose Code – Kate Quinn
July 20 – Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation – John Lewis
— Sara Heijerman, Student Services CenterThe All Staff Council Recognition Committee recognized Finance and Administration with a Bulldog Applause. Many thanks to the staff of Finance and Administration for all that you do for Drake and your unwavering dedication to the University. See the interview below for more information:
How many staff members are in the department? 10
What is the primary function of the team? The office of Finance and Administration is responsible for a wide range of business functions across the university under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer, Adam Voigts, and Chief Administration Officer, Venessa Macro. Business functions included in this recognition are the Budget Office, Controller’s Office, Treasurer’s Office, Financial Reporting, Insurance and Risk Management, and Administrative Support Specialists.
What staff member has been on the team the longest, their job title and length of employment? Nancy Crittenden, associate treasurer, 22 years
Who is the newest team member and their job title? Heather Winslow, administrative services specialist
What campus building/s do your team members “live” in? Old Main
What are some recent accomplishments that others in the University might not know about? The Office of Risk & Insurance recently completely revamped their web site (found here) to include comprehensive and updated materials for the campus on issues like contracting, driving safety, student trip procedures, and insurance protocols. Over the past year, Donita Greenough and Kelly Foster have developed many new policies and resources for use by the campus community. Not only have they developed these processes “on paper” they have also spent countless hours helping students, faculty and staff navigate the new requirements and ensuring everyone has the resources they need. Both Kelly and Donita have built strong relationships on campus, helping to advance safety and best practice policies across their areas of responsibility.
The Treasurer’s Office staff including Nancy and Kathy have taken on the monumental task of switching the expenditure of restricted and endowed funds from running through the operating budget to spending directly from each restricted or endowed spending fund. This transition will be complete by the end of the fiscal year and will result in far fewer transactions running through our general ledger and will make our operating budget much more clean and easier to compare from year to year.
The administrative office of Finance, including Heather Winslow, wears many hats and supports a variety of functions. Heather Winslow exhibits a true “All In This Together” mentality as she assists with roles from the CFO office, purchasing, and payroll. Most recently, Heather assisted the Cashier’s Office in a time where there was low staffing levels.
The Budget Office including Matt Probasco continues to engage the campus community in meaningful ways to support and manage the University’s budget. Matt recently completed a cost spending analysis with the assistance of an outside consultant. The analysis is just one example of the ongoing efforts from this office to manage University resources.
The Controller’s Office manages several functions on campus including student accounts, accounting, payroll, and financial reporting. To highlight a couple of recent accomplishments, Heather Travis and Brad Steffen have been instrumental in securing and applying funding to support University resources through the pandemic. The University has secured $12.3 million of funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund and approximately $46,000 from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. Efforts to secure over $1 million in funding from FEMA and other available resources are ongoing. Heather Travis and Brad Steffen have also been involved in the administrative efforts surrounding a recent refinancing of our long term debt, which will result in significant savings for the University. The Controller’s Office continues to seek out ways to work more efficiently and effectively with campus. In support of this, this office has been working to implement Self Service Banner 9 Finance (SSB9). SSB9 will allow for the electronic submission and routing of approvals for payment requests, journal entries, and budget changes. It will also provide a mechanism for the campus community to report on budget results in a more efficient manner. Anticipated rollout of SSB9 to campus will be later this spring.
How does this staff foster a sense of community and belonging through their activities or sharing together here at Drake? Maintaining strong relationships across campus, both in person and via virtual means. Remaining available to meet with student groups, as well as departments across campus.
Other noteworthy information: We are always here to help and stand ready to serve the campus community in any way possible.
— Teresa Downs, On behalf of the All Staff Council Recognition Committee
Meredith Hall is the most utilized building on campus, servicing over 5,000 students each semester. With that in mind, the Capital Projects Team is moving forward with renovations to Meredith in order to improve the building for many years to come. The planned renovations include improvements to the HVAC system, lighting, ceilings, exterior painting, technology, and auditorium style seating in the lecture halls.
These renovations have been extended to last the entirety of the 2022–2023 academic year. This is a change from the original plan of just the Fall 2022 semester. Meredith Hall will be closed for the duration of this project. All faculty and staff that currently are in offices in Meredith will be relocated to other locations around campus. More information is to come as the project nears the start date.
Faculty will have until Tuesday, May 31, to move out of their current offices in Meredith. If anyone who currently has an office in Meredith is interested in moving things during winter break, the University has the ability to store furniture or other items. If you are interested in this service, please email rob.ebel@drake.edu with the subject line including Meredith Office Move [FACULTY LAST NAME]. Boxes are also available for those who need to move things from their offices. More information regarding moving will be communicated to those who reside in Meredith in the Spring semester.
— Michelle Huggins, Planning and Design Manager
