Two current policies entitled, Contract and Legal Service Authority and Executive Purchasing are under review to be revised and combined. A new draft policy, Approval Authority Policy, is posted on the University Policy Library website for review and comment. The revised policy includes both contracts and transactions. Budget managers are now included and will be able to sign contracts and transactions under a certain threshold. Many of the other revisions expound on current practices. This policy is subject to approval by the Drake University Board of Trustees and will be presented at their April meeting.

In compliance with Drake’s Policy Development, Approval and Communication policy, the two-week review period will be through April 17. Please take a moment to review the revised Approval Authority policy. Any comments or concerns regarding the policy may be forwarded to dupolicies@drake.edu for consideration.

— Teresa Krejci, Finance and Administration

The 109th Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee is right around the corner and we need you to help make it a success. Register to volunteer and invite your friends and family to join. Volunteers receive a free T-shirt, a free meal (if working over lunch), and free entry to the action. Volunteer opportunities begin Saturday, April 21, and run all week long. We hope to see you on the Blue Oval!

— Shannon Saunders, Athletics

As part of Drake’s Commitment to the Campus Compact Civic Action Plan, the University created a centralized website for Drake’s Community Engagement efforts. The site, drake.edu/community, will serve as a landing page for the Office of Community Engaged Learning and Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations. The campus community can find volunteer opportunities on the website.

— Renee Sedlacek, Community Engaged Learning & Service

Let’s celebrate our local businesses and “eat local” during the month of April. Just show your Drake ID at the following eateries to receive a promotion.

Our Continuous Improvement Plan calls for us to “strengthen our engagement with community partners.”  This is a great way to show your support.

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to opt in to a new text message service to receive alerts regarding unexpected technology outages. Opt in by texting DrakeITS2018 to phone number 226787. Text messages will only be sent between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. This new notification system is in addition to ITS’ regular communication channels (ITS website, blueView login screen, IT Service Portal, and ITS Twitter account).

If you run into issues signing up for the service, first try responding HELP to any error message you might receive. Sometimes the service isn’t configured correctly for your carrier. If that doesn’t work, contact your cell phone provider to make sure they have enabled short code texting.

If you have any questions regarding this new service, call 271-2356 or email carla.herling@drake.edu.

This is the second text alert system rolled out to campus this year. In January, Facilities Planning and Management introduced a text notification system that provides alerts on snow removal work, water main breaks, custodial projects, and other facility-related incidents. Campus members can participate by texting Facilities Notification 2018 to 67283.

— Carla Herling, ITS

For over eight years, Drake ITS has paid for a campus subscription to Lynda.com to provide campus access to online self-paced training for software programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite.

Our most recent three-year contract with Lynda.com is expiring at the end of this fiscal year on June 30. We began negotiations for a new contract in mid-January and despite our best efforts, we were unable to successfully negotiate a long-term agreement that meets our budgetary needs. Lynda.com continued to quote an annual fee that was substantially more money each year than our current fees, and more than our budget can absorb.

As a result, ITS signed a one-year extension of our current subscription. After June 30, 2019, we will be dropping our campus subscription to Lynda.com.

Over the next year, we will be investigating other options. We hope to have a new online training program in place on July 1, 2019. We will be requesting feedback from faculty, staff and students as we choose a replacement for Lynda.com.

If you have questions regarding this decision or are interested in volunteering to review other options, please email me at carla.herling@drake.edu.

—Carla Herling, ITS 

The Drake University Veterans Association is proud to bring together all military-affiliated members of the Drake community. The association’s goal is to provide academic, professional, and personal support through connection and advocacy. If you are interested, connect with the group through its Facebook page or email Kristin Porter at kristin.porter@drake.edu.

—Kristin Porter

The National Weather Service will conduct a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, March 28. A test tornado watch will be issued around 10 a.m. followed by a test tornado warning around 10:15 a.m., in which sirens will sound.

The statewide drill allows us to test our planning and readiness and practice seeking appropriate shelter in case of a real tornado. Faculty, staff, and students should participate in the drill by following campus severe weather plans and going to the lowest level of their building, away from doorways and windows. View a list of designated severe weather shelters.

In the event of actual severe weather in the state during the drill, backup days are scheduled for March 29 and 30.

Tornado facts:

• Tornados may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
• Funnel clouds usually last less than 10 minutes before dissipating, and many only last several seconds. On rare occasion, cyclones can last for over an hour.
• Tornados may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
• The average tornado moves southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph.
• Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time.

Know the terms:

Tornado watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to the NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Seek shelter immediately.

Learn what actions to take when a tornado hits, whether you are outside, in a manufactured home, or in a building.

Wherever you are, remember that most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so protect your head.

—Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety

Hubbell Dining is hosting a baseball themed lunch on Thursday, March 29, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in which faculty, staff and students can enjoy their favorite stadium food items. Drake faculty and staff can dine for just $5 with their Drake ID.

— Jennifer Bowersox, Hubbell Dining