All posts by Elissa Johnson - on behalf of ASC Events & Community Service Committee

For Staff Archive

Community service leave benefit

Have you used your Community Service Leave benefit for this fiscal year? 

On average, eligible Drake employees used less than one hour of community service leave per person during the last fiscal year. Let’s make the most of this benefit, which strengthens ourselves and our communities! 

What is Community Service Leave? 

Drake University recognizes the importance of community involvement and encourages employees to participate in volunteer and service activities. Community Service Leave (policy) allows staff the opportunity to participate in community service activities that occur during regularly scheduled work hours, without using vacation or personal time. Full-time, regular employees can request paid leave for up to 8 hours per fiscal year to spend time supporting your favorite not-for-profit. 

Community service leave is a paid time off benefit and can be used for: 

  • Volunteer or service work for non-profit community service organizations 
  • Volunteer work at a school, including the school your children or grandchildren attend (including field trips, events and school-related projects) 
  • Participation in a Drake-sponsored community service activity 
  • Blood, bone marrow, and organ donation 
  • Disaster relief and emergency volunteer activities 

Why volunteer? 

Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for the volunteer.  The right match can help you find friends, connect with the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. You do not need to make a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day to reap the benefits of volunteering. Giving in even simple ways can: 

  • Improve physical and mental health – research shows that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression and anxiety, reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. 
  • Connect you to others – volunteering allows you to connect with your community and make it a better place. 
  • Teach valuable skills – the training and hands-on experience you gain while volunteering can help you learn new skills, as well as build upon ones you already have. 
  • Boost your resume – potential employers are often impressed by applicants who have taken the time to volunteer as it shows that you’re dedicated and have a strong work ethic. 
  • Expands your perspective – whether local or abroad, when you volunteer, you work with different age groups, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Where can I find volunteer opportunities? 

Drake’s online community engagement platform, DUgood, connects students, faculty, and staff across campus with partners in Des Moines and beyond. Use the DUgood platform to find opportunities to get involved in our community, track your impact, and explore what your fellow Bulldogs are doing to make a difference. 

— Elissa Johnson, On behalf of ASC Events & Community Service Committee

Campus Announcements Archive

New payroll deadlines

Deadlines for payroll around the holidays:

Due to the extended winter break communicated by President Martin last week (the University will now be closed Thursday, Dec. 21, through Tuesday, Jan. 2), payroll deadlines have changed and will be condensed.

Please follow this schedules to ensure all employees are paid timely and accurately.

Deadlines for monthly direct pays and ESFs are:
  • 12/13/23 for payroll direct pays and ESFs for the December monthly payroll
Deadlines for biweekly direct pays and ESFs are:
  • Pay period 11/20/2023-12/3/2023 direct pays and ESFs are due Monday 12/4/2023 at 10:00 AM
  • Pay period 12/4/2023-12/17/2023 direct pays and ESFs are due Thursday 12/14/2023 at 10:00 AM
  • Pay period 12/18/2023-12/31/2023 direct pays and ESFs are due Tuesday 12/19/2023 at 10:00 AM
Deadlines for student direct pays are:
  • Pay period 11/1/2023-11/30/2023 direct pays are due Friday 12/01/2023 at noon
  • Pay period 12/1/2023-12/31/2023 direct pays are due Wednesday, 01/03/24 at noon
Deadlines for the biweekly time sheets are:
  • Pay period 11/20/23-12/8/23 timesheets must be submitted by Monday 12/4/2023 at 10:00 am and approved by Monday 12/4/2023 at noon. Payment date is 12/8/2023
  • Pay period 12/4/23-12/17/23 timesheets must be submitted by Thursday 12/14 at 10:00 AM and approved by Thursday 12/14/23 at noon. Payment date is 12/21/2023
  • Pay period 12/18/23-12/31/2023 timesheets must be submitted by Tuesday 12/19/2023 at 10 AM and approved by Tuesday 12/19 at noon. Payment date is 1/5/2024.
Deadlines for student time sheets are:
  • Pay period 11/1/2023-11/30/2023 timesheets must be submitted by Friday 12/1/2023 at NOON and approved by Monday 12/04/2023 by NOON
  • Pay period 12/1/2023-12/31/2023 timesheets must be submitted by Wednesday 1/3/24 at NOON and approved by Thursday, 1/4/24 at NOON

If you will be out of the office, plan ahead to ensure these tasks are completed by the stated deadlines. Instructions to set up a proxy to approve time sheets in your absence are at https://www.drake.edu/hr-internal/managerstoolkit/ under Online Time reporting.

— Emily Burk, Finance and Administration

Campus Announcements Archive

Take a study break with Drake Rec

Interested in teaching a group fitness class? Join us in the Bell Center Studio on Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m. for information about becoming an instructor.

Need to wind down before finals week or take a break from studying? We’ve got you covered.

  • Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. – Soothe your mind and calm your body with Yoga Nidra, a cozy meditation focused class.
  • Dec. 8 at 12:15 p.m. – Attend Yoga Flow– a seamless blend of poses and breathing techniques for a dynamic and energizing experience.
  • Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. – Need to rally before finals? Light up the night at our Holiday Glow Light Dance workshop.

Sign up for these events and more on the Drake Rec app.

— Gail Witte, Rec Services

For Staff Archive

Capital Project Policy update

The Capital Project Policy has undergone another round of edits in response to campus input. Key changes include  simplifying the review/approval process, recognizing the role of unit Budget Managers or other project leaders, and ensuring clear delineation of funding sources before work begins. In addition, Facilities, Planning & Management, with key input from Finance, is proposing the addition of a construction management fee for qualifying projects. This helps support budgets for our internal construction management services. The proposed revisions are now posted for comment.

— Venessa Macro, Finance and Administration

HR Information Archive

Enroll in benefits before Thanksgiving Break

Open Enrollment ends at 11:59 PM on Nov. 30—no exceptions (plan rules, sorry). If you participate in any of Drake’s benefits, please take a few minutes to walk through the open enrollment process in the Benefits Portal. Just the other day, I did this myself and it took me two minutes. It is easy, self-explanatory, and darn near fool-proof. Added bonus, it serves as a nice reminder of all the benefits Drake employees enjoy.

We encourage (no urge) you to take a few minutes to do this before you turn your attention to Thanksgiving Break. Then it is done, and you don’t have to remember to circle back to the topic after the break. Every year, we have people who miss the month-long window or wait until the absolute last minute and find they have questions and no time to have them answered. Don’t let this be you!

The window to submit your premium discount form is the same as open enrollment (Nov. 30). If you have not yet had your physical or submitted your form to Linda Feiden, that clock is ticking down as well.

If you have not checked it out yet, we have a temporary Open Enrollment webpage with additional information. You can also reach out to us at drakehr@drake.edu if you have specific questions.

— Marlene Heuertz and Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Last chance to receive your wellness premium incentive

Time is running out. Employees on Drake’s health plan, who want to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2024—a savings of $34 per month—need to complete a physical with their primary care physician (PCP) and submit a Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form by Nov. 30, 2023.

If you had a physical since Dec. 1, 2022, but haven’t turned in your completed form, please do so now. If you haven’t scheduled your annual physical yet with your PCP, you are running out of time. Please email linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

After hours tech support and ITS support center hours

The ITS Support Center will expand our open hours beginning Jan. 29 with the start of the spring semester. Under this new model, the Support Center will be staffed by Student Techs for extended weekday evening hours as well as limited weekend hours. Operational hours will vary when classes are not in session. The new hours will be: 

  • Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.– 9 p.m. 
  • Friday: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 
  • Sunday: 3–8 p.m. 

The schedule change is due to ITS ending our contract with Blackbelt Help for after-hours support, effective Dec. 15, 2023. This service was discontinued due to declining call volume and increasing costs. Calls to the Support Center will be answered as usual during operating hours. When the Support Center is closed, calls will be directed to voicemail, and ITS staff will respond to these calls in the order received on the following business day. 

The classroom emergency line will be answered beginning at 7:45 a.m. on weekdays. We encourage the campus community to continue submitting support tickets via our 24/7 support portal at service.drake.edu/its.

In addition to the new Support Center hours, ITS will be updating our Service Portal. The Service Portal includes access to the Service Catalog to submit issues or make requests, the Knowledge Base to find how-to guides and information, and additional technology resources. This update will provide a clean, simplified layout with easy-to-access buttons and helpful tips for navigating the Service Portal. More information will become available as we approach the launch date. 

If you have questions, contact us by submitting a ticket though the Service Portal (service.drake.edu/its) or by calling the Support Center at 515-271-3001. 

— Becky Klein, ITS

Campus Announcements Archive

Calling for submissions to the 2024 Nelson Student Research Symposium

The Drake Principal Center for Global Citizenship and the Nelson Institute are looking for submissions to the 2024 Nelson Student Research Symposium, which will be held March 8. This annual event promotes a university-wide discourse on global and intercultural topics. At the symposium, selected students are given a platform to share outcomes of their research on a global topic of interest, practicing presentation skills and obtaining useful feedback from Drake faculty.

We recommend that presentation topics be thematically framed by one of the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework for tackling complex, pressing global issues.

How to submit a proposal

While research presentations that support the theme are encouraged, all global topics from any academic discipline are welcome. Presentations will be about 15 minutes each. Papers (or concepts) should be submitted using this online form by Friday, Feb. 16, for consideration. Additional information about the Symposium and the submission process can be found at the Drake Nelson Institute website. For questions, please reach out to global@drake.edu.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement