Christopher Karch (P2) received the “Most Outstanding Oral Presentation” award at the Des Moines University Research Symposium on Dec. 5 for his work ‘renoprotective effects of metformin in a mouse model of accelerated diabetic nephropathy.’
Chris was mentored in the work by Dr. Shankar Munusamy, CPHS professor of pharmacology, and Kevin Carnevale, MD, from Des Moines University.
— Kaylyn Maher, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Dean Renae Chesnut was voted Chair-elect of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Council of Deans for 2020–2021. Dean Chesnut has been involved with AACP since 1993.
— Kaylyn Maher, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
CPHS has a small number of flu shots remaining. Please sign up to make an appointment before the holiday break at https://tinyurl.com/CPHSflu.
— Nora Stelter, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Please plan to attend the Budget Town Hall tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 18) at 3:30 p.m. in Shivers Hospitality Suite. President Martin will review the budget and answer questions.
The Provost’s Drake Social will begin immediately following the town hall. There will be light snacks, wine, beer, and soft drinks. The social is a family-friendly event. If you have child-care responsibilities after the work day, you are welcome to bring the young-ones along. Partners are also welcome.
— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost
The University Bookstore will operate on a modified schedule over the holiday break.
Dec. 16–20: 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Dec. 21: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Dec. 23: 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Dec. 24–26: Closed
Dec. 27–28: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Dec. 30: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Dec. 31–Jan. 1: Closed
Jan. 2–4: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Please note: If the building is closed, please enter the bookstore through the outside southwest doors.
The eduroam network is replacing the DUFacStaff wireless network on Dec. 31. Please switch to using eduroam today. You must log into eduroam using your Drake email address, rather than your Drake ID number. This ensures that your credentials are passed securely.
The eduroam network is available in over 1,000 locations in 100 countries, so if you lead a J-Term course, or attend a conference, you may be able to take your wireless network with you.
Learn more about eduroam on our FAQ page and make the switch before winter break.
— Carla Herling, ITS
Faculty, final grades are due by 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18. Exception: Final grades for the Law School are due on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Your ability to submit final grades will be disabled at that point.
View instructions on how to send your final grades from Blackboard to MyDUSIS.
Those of you who want to submit grades directly into MyDUSIS should begin by clicking the Grading button in the “Faculty & Advising” menu in MyDrake and then finding the “Final Grades – Submittal Link.”
The final evaluation schedule includes a listing of when and where courses are scheduled to meet for their final evaluations.
— Kevin Moenkhaus, Office of the Registrar
Students, final grades for non-Law School courses are due Wednesday, Dec. 18. Final grades for the Law School are due Tuesday, Jan. 14.
Generally, final grades are available to view by the first calendar day following the day the grade was entered. You may view your final grades by clicking the “My Grades” link under the Student Records area in MyDrake.
— Kevin Moenkhaus, Office of the Registrar
All Staff Council and Human Resources invite faculty and staff to attend this year’s Holiday Cheer gathering on Wednesday, Dec. 11, near the Pomerantz stage in the Olmsted Center. Faculty and staff are welcome to come and go as they please from 9–11 a.m.
Guests can enjoy a hot chocolate bar and cookie decorating station. Griff will also be in attendance and ready for holiday photos.
If you bring at least one non-perishable food or other goods for Drake’s Free Little Food Pantries you will be entered into a drawing for prizes, including a Drake Parking Pass. Drawing for the parking pass takes place at the end of the school year but the drawing for other prizes will take place immediately following Holiday Cheer.
This event is a chance to give back to others in the Drake community, while mingling with coworkers. Please take a moment to stop by, grab some cheer, and drop off a donation.
— Linda Feiden, Human Resources
Nearly half of us will be hitting the road or taking the skies for the upcoming holidays, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Here are some tips to help avoid a few common, and potentially devastating events that could derail your holiday cheer.
Public Wi-Fi: Whether at the airport, hotel, or just a quick stop on the way, free Wi-Fi is everywhere. Unfortunately, there’s no simple way to ensure that hotspot is secure and not a scheme to steal your information. Avoid connecting if you can and confirm connection information with the property owner if you must connect.
Social media oversharing: We love to post photos of friends and family as soon as they are taken but consider holding off until you return home. Those photos can share a lot of information, such as the fact that you’re not home, or even in the state. Alternatively, confirm your social media privacy settings are locked down to only share posts with the people that you know and trust.
Tech gifts: Giving and receiving gadgets is fun, but make sure you also know the proper safety measures to set them up – if there are any! Smart devices like watches, speakers, doorbells, thermostats, locks, etc. are among the top gifts this year, but take some time to research those that offer the best privacy and safety features-especially if it’s going in your home!
Tech & travel: It’s never in our travel plans to have a device lost or stolen, but just in case it happens, be sure any confidential information is kept safe. Always use a PIN, pattern lock, or preferably, a password to secure your device. Never bring a laptop with you that you aren’t willing to lose or have damaged or confiscated.
While the items above present problems off campus, email-based threats are still the greatest threat on campus. ITS continues to simulate phishing attacks will assign training to individuals who are routinely susceptible. For more information on how to report phishing emails, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to).
— Peter Lundstedt, ITS
