In light of restricted international mobility due to COVID-19, this new grant program has been 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 expert panel to present virtually on a specific global topic
• Incorporating a virtual tour of a site or location abroad to complement coursework
• Developing a module or project that includes virtual connectivity with students in another part of the world

Assistance is available through the Office of Global Engagement to connect Drake faculty and staff with provider organizations and global partner institutions that can serve as resources for potential projects. Contact Annique Kiel at annique.kiel@drake.edu for more information on resources.

Eligibility and criteria
Full-time faculty and staff members are eligible to apply for Global Enhancement Grants for activities beginning in January 2021. Preference will be given to proposals that:

• Identify a specific set of activities with intended outcomes
• Demonstrate global learning impact on Drake curriculum and students
• Support involvement by individuals who have not previously incorporated a global component into their courses/programs
• Align with existing course or program objectives and learning outcomes
• Build new partnerships or programs

Application process

1. Submit the online application via Qualtrix, which includes a description and budget for the proposed activity. (Note: Grant funds will not be awarded for stipends for Drake faculty.)
2. There is a rolling application deadline and submissions will be reviewed following the last day of the month by a committee. Funding decisions will be announced by the 15th of the month.  Applications must to be submitted prior to the proposed activities.  Grants will be awarded on an ongoing basis until funds are expended.

— Annique Kiel, Global Engagement

The Office of Global Engagement invites nominations for the Principal Global Scholar/Practitioner-in-Residence Program for 2021–2022, seeking to attract talented individuals from academia or the professions who have outstanding international expertise to teach a course, mentor students, give public lectures, work on joint research with faculty, and aid the global capacity-building of the institution as a whole through fruitful external collaborations. Nominations will be considered for fall, spring, or the full academic year.

Nomination Instructions:
Candidates should be nominated by faculty or administrators within the academic unit to which they will be attached. (Candidates must be non-Drake faculty or employees). Please submit the following supporting materials:

• A nomination letter discussing the qualifications of the candidate and expected contributions to the department and Drake University as a whole
• Candidate’s biographical information
• A letter of interest from the candidate
• A letter of support from the department chair and college/school dean

Nominations should be directed to Annique Kiel, executive director of Global Engagement and International Programs, by Feb. 12, 2021. Units considering a nomination are encouraged to consult with Annique prior to submission.

Among the criteria to be considered for the nominee:
1. A record of recognized international leadership and distinguished professional accomplishment in their field
2. A documented commitment to international understanding and global citizenship
3. An ability to bring unique perspectives and experiences to the Drake community
4. A willingness and ability to offer courses that complement the existing curriculum and meet rigorous academic standards.

In recognition of their contributions, Global Scholars/Practitioners receive a stipend, a travel allowance, an appropriate workspace in the host college/school, and access to university facilities. Global Scholars/Practitioners will be affiliated with an appropriate academic unit for at least one semester and offer at least one course per term.

This program is proudly sponsored by the Principal Center for Global Citizenship, housed within the Office of Global Engagement.

— Annique Kiel, Global Engagement

As we’ve previously communicated in OnCampus, ITS is upgrading the campus phone system and moving faculty and staff to using Microsoft Teams for calling. This change only affects extensions assigned to employees. We are not taking away physical phones in conference rooms, classrooms, or public areas. 

On Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, the Microsoft Teams client will replace traditional handsets and allow faculty and staff to make and receive telephone calls using their office extension from anywhere they are connected to the Internet. 

To prepare for this change, we distributed headsets to all full-time employees before Thanksgiving. If you are encountering any issues with the headset you received, please review the user guides linked from ITS Recommended Phone Headsets (FAQ). If that doesn’t resolve your issues, or if you did not receive a headset in campus mail, please submit a Telephone Issue request.  

On the day of the change, we’ll send everyone an email outlining how to get started and the first steps you need to take to set up your voicemail and begin using Teams for all your calling. 

If you’d like to learn more ahead of this change, please review the resources we’ve curated at Using Microsoft Teams for Phone Calls and Voicemail (How-to). These include links on specific elements of calling and voicemail usage and a video overview.

You’ll be able to make calls from either the Teams desktop or mobile app and email notification of voicemail messages is automatically set up with Microsoft Teams calling. 

We’ve also created a FAQ page that we’ll keep up into the beginning of the spring semester at drake.edu/its/teamscalling/. If you don’t see your question there, please share it with us at drake.edu/its/giveitsfeedback/ and we will contact you with a response and add it to the FAQ when appropriate.   

— Chris Mielke, ITS