All posts by Katie Wilz

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

New Shop by Author program at University Bookstore

The University Bookstore has made an important change to its text department. As part of the Bookstore’s new Shop by Author program, course materials are now arranged on shelves alphabetically by author instead of by course.

Whether it is a student shopping or a team member picking online orders, a person now starts at “A” and walks through the department one time, collecting course materials based on authors’ last names.

Before Shop by Author, students may have had to jump around to different areas of the text department to find their books, especially when a title was used in multiple courses. This new alphabetical arrangement will save students time and ultimately deliver a better shopping experience.

In future semesters, the Bookstore will introduce students to technology that will allow them to scan a QR code as they enter the text department to see a shopping list by author, specific to their class schedule.

However, this fall, in light of COVID-19, the Bookstore will be promoting its website as the best way for students to shop for their textbooks. This change to its layout will allow the store team to be more efficient fulfilling these online orders and give the Bookstore more space to store the packages that student’s have selected to pick-up in-store. In addition to the website, the University Bookstore will have clerk service to assist the student’s who come to the store to shop, rather than using the website.

As your classes get underway, ensure students are prepared by letting them know they can find their materials at the University Bookstore.  Don’t forget to share that the Bookstore price matches against eligible competitors, so students can shop with confidence knowing they’re getting their materials at the lowest cost possible.

If you have any questions about the Bookstore’s new Shop by Author program, or any of its course materials affordability programs, please feel free to email Katie Wilz at kwilz@follett.com or call 515-274-3401.

— Katie Wilz, University Bookstore

HR Information Archive

New flexible spending account plan change

Due to COVID-19, the IRS has permitted employers to provide employees an opportunity to change flexible spending account (FSA) elections made for the current plan year.

Drake University has chosen to amend its FSA plans to allow full-time employees to make prospective mid-year Health Care and/or Dependent Care election changes, effective immediately.  All election changes must be made during the 2020 calendar year.

Adoption of the Temporary FSA Plan Amendment permits you to:

  • Elect to participate in Drake’s Health Care and/or Dependent Care FSA plans—even if you have previously waived the benefit.
  • Terminate your current participation in Drake’s Health Care and/or Dependent Care FSA plans.
  • Increase or decrease your current Health Care and/or Dependent Care elections.

It is important to note elections can only be changed going forward.  Election changes cannot be made retroactively.  In other words, you cannot get a refund for benefits you have already received or amounts you have already contributed.

To make changes to your current FSA participation, please complete and return the Mid-year FSA Change Form to drakehr@drake.edu

The Temporary FSA Plan Amendment and  Mid-year FSA Change Form are posted in the Human Resources app on myDrake.  Should you have questions regarding your benefits, please contact Marlene Heuertz at 515-271-1901 or marlene.heuertz@drake.edu.

— Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Blackboard Learn changes coming this August

Over the coming year, Drake will be transitioning from the current LMS, Blackboard Learn, to Blackboard Learn Ultra, a more advanced and user-friendly version.

The August changes will have minimal effect on the functionality of courses or the availability of features within courses. Instead, they will focus primarily on the look and feel of the LMS landing page and its navigation.

Starting Aug. 9, when you log into Blackboard, your landing page will look different. Learn more about the updated navigation at Getting Started with Ultra Base Navigation in Learn Ultra (How-to). The basic background and colors will all be a standard Drake color scheme.

Faculty can, however, customize a course by uploading a banner image. Learn more about customizing course images including guidance around image quality, size, and fair use at Creating Course Card Images/Course Banners in Learn Ultra (Best Practices). 

Learn more about the project, who to contact, and the proposed timeline at our FAQ page at drake.edu/its/learnultra/ and we will be adding additional help documentation to the Learn Ultra category in the Knowledge Base of our IT service portal.

— Karly Good, ITS

For Faculty Archive

Fall textbook adoptions needed

As your bookstore, we understand a lot more is going into your decision-making process for fall adoptions in this COVID-19 world. We know you are facing new challenges as more courses adjust to online formats. We have reached the end of June and students are less two months away from arriving on campus.

As always, we ask for your adoptions as early as possible so we can better source used materials that may be available. In addition, timely textbook adoptions keep campus in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). To this end, we want to work with you to assist in any way that will allow you to make your textbook adoption decisions and allow us to get the postings completed. While we recognize that some of you may still be trying to make decisions, this is only a friendly reminder that Fall textbook adoptions were due on April 15.

Reach out if you need any assistance maneuvering Follett Discover or feel free to email or call with your adoptions or concerns. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you again soon!

Three easy steps to access Follett Discover through Blackboard

  1. Log into myDrake.
  2. Click on the Bb icon on the main ‘mydrake’ screen.
  3. Find the Tools channel, scroll down and click the Follett Discover link OR find the Follett Discover channel and click the Launch Discover link.

— Donna Hallstrom & Katie Wilz, University Bookstore

Campus Announcements Archive

University Bookstore order pick up and rental returns

Remember you can shop at the University Bookstore online, 24/7 at drake.bkstr.com. For added convenience, you can choose to have your online orders shipped directly to the Bookstore for easy pick up at the front door. If you choose this option, please park in the Olmsted lot and call 515–274–3401 to get instructions on how to pick up your order. 

Don’t forget Bulldog Bucks work for online shopping as well. You can shop for all your summer course materials as well as great Drake merchandise. 

As summer classes end, you can return your rental books to the Bookstore and follow the procedures for pick up. Rental books can also be mailed in.

Pick up and rental return hours are Monday–Friday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Bookstore is closed July 3.

— Katie Wilz, University Bookstore

Campus Announcements Archive

Multi-system planned outage beginning June 30 at 5 p.m.

Due to work required to wrap up the 2020 fiscal year, access to MyDrake, MyDUSIS, Banner, Touchnet, eTranscripts, and other Banner-connected systems will be unavailable from Tuesday, June 30, at 5 p.m. through Wednesday, July 1, at 12:01 a.m.

We appreciate your patience while this necessary work is performed. If you continue to have any issues accessing these systems after the planned maintenance window, please contact the support center at 515-271-3001 or visit service.drake.edu/its to report your issue.

— Carla Herling, ITS

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Drake’s Speaking Center

Drake’s Speaking Center, which was on hiatus in the 2020–2021 academic year, will be reopening in Fall 2020. More details will be forthcoming as the semester approaches, but if you have used the Speaking Center in your classes in the past, you can include it in your planning for the fall.

— Arthur Sanders, Associate Provost

HR Information Archive

Wellness Premium Incentive: Physician exam requirement waived

Last year, Drake University took a closer look at the faculty and staff wellness program, including biometric screenings, to determine best practices as it relates to the well-being of our employees. In January of this year, a decision was made to offer a physician only option in 2020.  Employees on Drake’s health plan who wished to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount during the 2021 calendar year would need to complete a physical with a primary care physician (PCP) between December 1, 2019, and November 30, 2020.

At that time, no one could have imagined that we would be facing a global pandemic. COVID-19 has made it difficult for employees to make appointments to receive their annual physicals, and has created a sense of anxiety for some about going to their doctor’s office for a well check.

Due to these extraordinary conditions, Drake University has made the decision to waive the physician exam requirement to qualify for the wellness premium discount in 2021.  All participants enrolled in Drake’s medical plan will receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2021.

We will return to the physician only option in 2021 to receive the health insurance premium discount in 2022. Employees on Drake’s health plan will need to complete a physical with a PCP between December 1, 2020 ,and November 30, 2021, and submit a Physician Exam Completion Form to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2022.

Until then, we encourage all employees to participate in the wellness programs offered at Drake University and to utilize the resources available to enhance your health and wellbeing.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Peerceive discontinued; ways to recognize colleagues

The Peerceive Employee Recognition Portal has been in place since April 2017.  Over that time, many of you have taken time to recognize colleagues with a kudos or ecard.

Unfortunately, budgetary adjustments related to COVID-19 have made it necessary to discontinue Peerceive for FY21.

Although faculty and staff will not have access to the portal, there are other ways to recognize employees. It could be as simple as sending an email, or better yet, a handwritten note. Give a “shout out” during a virtual staff meeting or Teams chat. For a more formal recognition, nominate a staff member for a Called to be True Blue Award or faculty and staff for one of the Madelyn M. Levitt awards.

Find a creative way to stay connected and recognize others this academic year.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

News & Achievements Archive

Kenne honored through Iowa Women’s Foundation

Danette Kenne, assistant dean for graduate and professional programs within the College of Business & Public Administration, was honored through the Iowa Women’s Foundation annual publication Ovation: A Tribute to Iowa Women and Girls.

A leader in higher education for over twenty years, Danette Kenne brings a vast amount of knowledge and wisdom to her role at Drake University. Having completed the Drake Executive Leadership Program this spring, Danette advocates for continuous personal and professional development for her staff and peers. She is a wonderful mentor and role model to all women.

In addition to her role at Drake, Danette has served as a board member for the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and the Iowa Women’s Foundation.

— Madeline Mongar-Brodie, CBPA