All posts by Jennifer Harvey

For Faculty Archive

Faculty of color affinity group

Once again this year, the Provost’s Office will be providing hospitality support for pre-tenure and non-tenure-track faculty of color to gather in order to build community, share resources, and create networks of support and collegiality. Assistant Professor of Math Enes Akbuga will be convening all interested faculty for an initial meeting over coffee sometime during the week of Sept. 13. If you are interested in joining us, please send Enes an email (enes.akbuga@drake.edu). Both new and existing pre-tenured faculty are encouraged to join.

— Jennifer Harvey, Campus Equity and Inclusion

For Faculty Archive

Deputy Provost Office: Faculty development and community building opportunities

Here is a brief listing of what faculty can anticipate:

First Year Seminar faculty are invited to join each other for lunch and conversation on Sept. 17, Oct. 15, and Nov. 19 from 11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (Zoom for September; register here).

On Friday, Sept. 24, from 1–3 p.m. there will be an all-faculty-are-welcome Zoom conversation asking “How is Pandemic Changing our Pedagogy?” (venue TBD, register here) . In late November, we will have a session on Decolonizing Your Syllabus.

In October and November, Deputy Provost Renee Cramer and Associate Provost of Campus Equity and Inclusion Jen Harvey will co-sponsor a series of development opportunities meant to help instructors incorporate justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into their AOI courses.

On Oct. 1, Nov. 5, and Dec. 3, we’ll have brown bag lunches devoted to faculty research across the disciplines. Please reach out to renee.cramer@drake.edu if you have research-in-progress that you’d like to share.

Around mid-term, and finals, we’ll host “grading parties”—time set aside to drink hot cider or cocoa, and grade in solidarity with your faculty peers—with occasional breaks to talk assessment and student learning outcomes.

Don’t forget “Books for Breakfast!” We’re reading Burn-Out and The Slow Professor.

Finally, Drake welcomed 30+ at New Faculty Orientation (check out our group photo with Griff). They’ll meet two Fridays a month; established faculty who want to join and informally mentor are more than welcome to contact renee.cramer@drake.edu to volunteer!

—Renee Cramer, Provost’s Office

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Support for global virtual learning at Drake

Global virtual learning can be generally defined as technology-supported, people-to-people dialogues and collaboration sustained over a period of time. If you’re interested in adding global virtual learning to your course or program, Global Engagement has support and resources available for faculty and staff.

Global Virtual Learning Faculty Fellow
Dr. Alanah Mitchell, associate professor and chair of information management and business analytics in the College of Business and Public Administration, is serving as Drake’s inaugural Global Virtual Learning Faculty Fellow. This new fellowship program is sponsored by the Principal Center for Global Citizenship. It is designed to facilitate and support the development of global virtual learning experiences within the Drake community.

If you are considering or already planning to offer a global virtual collaboration project in your course or program, or looking to brainstorm or ask questions about virtual learning activities (including partner identification, assignment design, technology choice, reflection activities, or assessment), contact alanah.mitchell@drake.edu.

Global Enhancement Grant
This grant program was developed to support Drake faculty and staff in bringing virtual global enhancement to their existing courses and programs. Examples may include (but are not limited to):

  • Inviting a guest speaker or panel to present virtually on a specific topic
  • Facilitating a virtual tour to complement coursework
  • Developing a module or project to connect virtually with students in another part of the world

Assistance is available through Global Engagement to connect Drake faculty and staff with provider organizations and global partner institutions that can serve as resources for potential projects. Learn more on our website or contact Annique Kiel for more information: annique.kiel@drake.edu.

Current Opportunities in Mexico and Malaysia
There are currently open opportunities for Drake faculty to to engage virtually with partner institutions in Mexico (Tecnológico de Monterrey) and Malaysia (Taylor’s University). This may include one-off virtual guest lectures (fall or spring), sustained course-to-course engagement (Spring only), or a combination of the two. Fill out this Qualtrics form to notify us of your interest.

—Hannah Sappenfield, Global Partnerships Coordinator

For Staff Archive

Update: Task force on flexible work arrangements for staff

The task force is actively working on its set of recommendations and is still on track to complete them in October. These recommendations will heavily influence how Drake considers the future of flexible work arrangements.

“The task force continues to benefit from the feedback provided from the campus community,” said Megan Franklin, task force member and senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator in the Athletics Department.” Task Force members have been considering how to take the special qualities of Drake employment and translate that into a range of flexible work options—including remote work. Our goal is that the resulting policy provides managers and employees the flexibility to consider a menu of options that best fit the position and the employee.”

Another task force member, Keren Fiorenza, chief information technology officer, said, “As we dig deeper into the examples, brainstorming, and discussion, it’s easy to see that this will be a significant shift for Drake. We are identifying so many details that need to be considered—including use of space, equipment needs, and technology support. Enabling this change in how we work will require careful thought and planning in addition to policy development.”

Part of the due diligence being exercised by the task force includes reading current literature on flexible work arrangements and reviewing sample policies and forms from other institutions.

Franklin explained, “The task force members have had the opportunity to learn about emerging best practices for remote work and flexible work arrangements from across a variety of industries and institutions. As expected, the more we learn about the opportunities we also have more questions to research and discuss. When we get to the end of this exercise, we really want to deliver meaningful recommendations that will work for Drake and the wonderful staff who work here.”

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Sending and receiving departmental mail

Faculty and staff, please review these helpful tips for sending and receiving departmental mail.

Please use the exact physical address where your office or department is located for all package and most paper mail deliveries—not Drake University’s main street address. This allows delivery services to take packages directly to your building.

View building addresses: drake.edu/directory/shippingaddresses/

Please let us know if your physical address has changed recently and does not match this website. We are happy to make updates, so your correct address is reflected.

Also, for future deliveries, update your personal and/or business information with all commercial mail carriers (USPS, FEDEX, UPS, AMAZON, DHL, etc.) and any local businesses using their independent courier services for deliveries.

These important steps with our combined efforts will effectively help to prevent misguided and misplaced packages and will ensure you get your packages as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Mail Operation Center at: campusmailoperations@drake.edu or 515-271-3162.

— Natalie Russell, Campus Mail Operations

For Students Archive

Receiving mail at your new campus address

For those wanting to receive mail at your new address on campus, please use the exact physical address where your residence is located—not Drake University’s main street address.

Please make sure your name and hall are listed in the address as well. Campus residence hall addresses are listed below:

Carpenter Hall – 2900 Forest Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311

Crawford Hall – 1333 30th Street, Des Moines, IA 50311

Herriot Hall – 2842 Forest Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311

Stalnaker Hall – 1319 30th Street, Des Moines, IA 50311

Jewett Hall – 2700 Forest Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311

Morehouse Hall – 2803 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311

 Goodwin Kirk Hall – 1215 30th Street, Des Moines, IA 50311

Also, for future deliveries, please update your personal information with all commercial mail carriers (USPS, FEDEX, UPS, AMAZON, DHL, etc.) and any local businesses using their independent courier services for deliveries.

These important steps with our combined efforts will effectively help to prevent misguided and misplaced packages and will ensure you get your packages as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Mail Operation Center at: campusmailoperations@drake.edu or 515-271-3162.

— Natalie Russell, Drake Postal Operations

For Students Archive

Meal plans still available

It’s not too late to get a meal plan and/or Flex Dollars if you haven’t already. Find out more about your meal plan options: drake.sodexomyway.com/my-meal-plan/index

Students who wish to have a Commuter Meal Plan should log into my.drake.edu, click on the fork and knife icon (Housing & Meal Plans), and click “Apply Here.” Finally, click on “Commuter Fall 2021” application to begin the process of getting a commuter meal plan.

Once submitted to the Housing & Meal Plans portal for approval, students will receive an email to their drake.edu email account that will tell the next steps in completion of choosing a meal plan and final confirmation of this request.

If there are any questions, please contact housing@drake.edu.

— Casey Morgan, Dining Services

For Students Archive

Drake track and field tryouts

The Drake University track and field program will hold tryouts Sept. 29  from 3:30–4:45 p.m. for both men’s and women’s track and field. To participate:

  • Email Asha Gibson at asha.gibson@drake.edu with intent to tryout.
  • Attend an interest meeting Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. Location details will only be provided to individuals who submit email of intent to tryout.

— Asha Gibson-Smith, Athletics

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

BUILD Fall 2021 learning and development schedule

Bulldogs United In Learning Drake (BUILD) is a learning and development series available to faculty and staff who wish to enhance their professional skills, improve their wellbeing, and expand their boundaries.

We encourage all employees to check out the BUILD Fall 2021 schedule that is now available on myDrake. To register for any class, send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

September offerings:

Microsoft Teams Calling Level 100
Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

Take a Mindfulness Break: Breathing, Dynamic Breathing, & Body Scan
Sept. 15 from 12–12:30 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

Take a Mindfulness Break: Gatha (Meditation Poems)
Sept. 30 from 12–12:30 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

Active Shooter Training
Sept. 21 from 12–1 p.m.
Olmsted Center, Conference Rooms 310–311

Overcoming Anxiety as We Return to Work
Sept. 23 from 2–3 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

It’s Not You, It’s the Situation! Tools for Identifying and Combating Pandemic Fatigue
Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources