Every Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.

On Nov. 19 in Howard Hall, Room 210 from 1–3 p.m., the Office of the Deputy Provost is teaming up with the Office of Sponsored Program Administration and Research Compliance for an interactive two-hour session on funding your research. Mary Pat Wohlford and I are looking forward to talking about extramural and intramural funding, with an emphasis on finding grants that connect with our core commitment to helping faculty bring students into research projects. Please register here, so we can think ahead about the kinds of resources we provide, and can start to build opportunities for collaboration into the design of our time together.

Don’t forget, First Year Seminar faculty are invited to our final lunch of the semester—this one with actual food!—on Friday, Nov. 19, from 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. in Howard Hall, Room 210. And, if you’re interested in teaching an FYS, but haven’t had a chance to chat about what it is like, you’re also invited! We’ll connect about how the semester has gone, what you would do differently, and how you’ll continue to build and strengthen classroom community in the final weeks of the semester.  Please email Nicki.Kimm@drake.edu asap to register and to let her know if you have any dietary restrictions or needs.

Finally, I’m beginning to schedule our working group on how pandemic has changed our approach to teaching and learning. We’ll meet first in early December, and I’d love to have a robust representation of folks from each of our colleges and schools! Send an email to renee.cramer@drake.edu to volunteer yourself and nominate your colleagues. On Dec. 3, we’ll extend this conversation with a research conversation, learning about the great work done by our colleagues on understanding how learning unfolded in the past 18 months. Register here for lunch in Howard Hall (11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.).

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

Every Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is going through the process of hiring a new dean (we will miss you in your retirement, Dean Kathleen Richardson!), and members of Provost Council have had the opportunity to meet each of those candidates. As we meet, we all go around the table and explain what our role in the University is, and how we work with faculty to meet our University mission. At one point in our conversations, Dean of Admissions Anne Kremer told a candidate, “At Drake University, we rely really heavily on faculty.”

I am daily reminded that this is true: that faculty are at the absolute center of all we do and at the center of our ability to be the institution we are. I am so proud to remain listed as a faculty member within Law, Politics and Society—to continue to serve as an advisor to students and to direct an independent study. Honestly, in this new role, I notice how much I miss the classroom (nope, not the grading, sorry—but certainly, I miss engaging students’ work).

So, I want to take just a minute here to say thanks—yes, ‘tis the season—to my faculty colleagues who have shown up for programming out of my office, who have supported each other through this transition back to ‘normal,’ who have met with students and prospective students, who have learned BlackBoard Ultra and juggled technologies, who have adjusted assignments and maintained expectations—thank you, sincerely, for this difficult and excellent work. I know that many of us don’t get to hear Anne, or other members of Provost Council say this out loud, but I know just as certainly that we all express that feeling of gratitude daily.

As we head toward the holidays—one week left before November break starts in earnest—please know that your work is appreciated.

Next week, in OnCampus, I’d love to share a recipe or two for some “different” ways you/we celebrate the upcoming holidays. Please email me (renee.cramer@drake.edu) with an idea or two; maybe we can all share a meal, virtually, as we give thanks for what we have.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

The Special Interests Committee of All Staff Council is holding a Bulldogs Connect Networking Lunch on Wednesday, Nov. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come join us for a $5 lunch at Hubbell Dining Hall. We encourage attendees to wear their Drake nametag. We will also have nametags available. Anyone is welcome to come—bring a new Bulldog along with you! Look for the table with the Drake swag and a special Bulldogs Connect table tent in Hubbell.

— Megan Franklin, On behalf of All Staff Council

Drake Women’s Basketball will host Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night at their home opener versus Creighton on Nov. 10. Tip-off at the Knapp Center is at 6 p.m.

Each faculty and staff member can receive up to four complimentary tickets. Redeem your tickets.

For more information on all Faculty and Staff Appreciation days, visit DrakeTix.com/facultyandstaffdays. Please remember that per Drake University policy, masks are required in the Knapp Center.

— Aimee Lane, Athletics

We have invited a team from Blackboard for a Learn Ultra user feedback session. This 45-minute session on Nov. 15 will allow faculty and staff to share how we use our LMS, along with any concerns or favorite features with the Blackboard Learn team.

The Learn Ultra user feedback session will be held on Nov. 15 from 10–10:45 a.m. on Blackboard Collaborate. Join the session.

If you are unfamiliar with Collaborate, you can learn more about being a participant in a Collaborate session and familiarize yourself with Collaborate features prior to joining the session. 

If you are unable to attend, please share your feedback with the Drake team by submitting a Blackboard Learn Ultra Issue or Blackboard Learn Ultra Request as a consultation. ITS staff will collect and share all feedback provided.  

As we have transitioned to Blackboard Learn Ultra, the Drake community has been actively providing feedback which has already been forwarded to Blackboard. Thank you for keeping the communication channels active!

Below are some suggestions/feedback we’ve already shared:

• Ability for gradebook feedback and rubrics in more column types; adding the option for negative scores; more granularity in settings to show/not show question text during testing feedback; adding running points total; choice to exempt grades
• Option to see student members of groups and add instructors to multiple groups
• Access to course properties to change date restrictions
• Ability to subscribe to discussion boards

— Karly Good, ITS