Beginning this month, Drake Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will begin organizing a one-time pick-up of unwanted materials which may be regulated when disposed of by the EPA across campus. During this event, the University will be taking advantage of an exemption from the EPA that will allow us to exceed our normal monthly waste totals without being subjected to increased regulations. This event has a strict timeline so it is important that departments that wish to take advantage of this opportunity begin to identify and segregate potential waste as soon as possible. All waste will need to be collected, prepared for off-site shipment, and shipped no later than Dec. 22. A collection with a hazardous waste vendor has already been scheduled but there is still a lot of work to be done. It is important to note that normal waste collections will continue during this period so those departments that generate regulated (hazardous) waste can continue to collect that waste and request pick-ups as normal. Other waste, such as e-waste, batteries, broken glass, sharps, etc., will also continue to be picked-up as normal. The following guidelines should be followed for those wishing to take part in this event:

Begin identifying and segregating unwanted items as soon as possible. Unwanted items which may be regulated when disposed of may include, but is not limited to:

• Unused chemicals
• Unused solvents
• Cleaning products
• Paints (including spray paint)

If you have any questions about what materials would apply contact Drake EHS. Please refrain from bringing items from home as this is for University materials only. If you have questions about how to dispose of household waste Drake EHS can provide resources and information on how to do so.

Items may be set to the side and labeled as “potentially unwanted materials”, do not label as waste. Those departments that utilize Satellite Accumulation Areas for waste should keep potentially unwanted materials separated from their normal waste, as it will be counted separately. These departments should avoid using the same labels as they use for normal waste.

If possible, create an inventory of the items you wish to dispose of as this will make collection easier and quicker. You may send inventories to EHS at any time.

When all potentially unwanted materials have been identified, request a pick-up from EHS. Pick-ups can be requested by visiting the EHS website: drake.edu/ehs and filling out a “Request a Pick-up Form” or by emailing josh.haines@drake.edu.

Collection of unwanted materials will not begin until Nov. 22. EPA regulations prohibit collection prior to this date. We realize that this coincides with the start of Thanksgiving break and that this is a busy time for many members of the Drake community, which is why it is important to begin the process of identifying potentially unwanted materials as soon as possible. Again, normal waste collection will continue during this period. Once collection begins, the University will have 30 days to collect materials, prepare them for shipment, and have the waste shipped off site. This can be a time consuming process, and we are anticipating a large amount of materials.

Drake EHS contact information:

• Chris Nickell, director: 515-271-3804, chris.nickell@drake.edu
• Josh Haines, environmental specialist: 515-271-3159, josh.haines@drake.edu

—Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety

Extension education recently moved in to their new home in Howard Hall, Suite 203 and 211. The department is one of nine departments on campus to relocate as a result of the opening of Collier-Scripps Hall and the Science Connector Building.

New department locations:

—Kelly Foster, Finance and Administration

Between Oct. 30 and Nov. 17, ITS will be holding its annual Phishing Quiz, a contest where Drake students, faculty, and staff can learn how to identify phishing emails and fraudulent websites. The first 300 people to take the quiz will win a certificate for a free taco courtesy of Taco Johns. Everyone who completes the quiz will be entered to win one of six additional prize packages. Visit drake.edu/its/phish to take the quiz starting Oct. 30.

Additionally, ITS will have a table in the Olmsted Breezeway on Oct. 30, Nov. 1, Nov. 7, and Nov. 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Spin the prize wheel and answer a phishing question for a chance to win an additional prize.

The goal of this campaign is to empower the campus community to be able to keep both their personal data and Drake’s institutional data secure. It takes a campus working together to keep everyone safe. Thank you for doing your part.

—Peter Lundstedt, ITS

University Communications is no longer able to staff a student-run photo bureau. Because of this, we need to restructure the photography and video services we offer our campus partners. We have updated the Photography/Videography section of the UC toolkit to include information regarding:

• Accessing General Drake Photography & Headshots
• Headshot Sessions
• Event Photography
• Independently Contracted Photography (Professional and Student Photographers)
• Project-Based Photography & Videography

If you have any questions regarding these changes, contact Jeremy Sievers at 271-2795 or jeremy.sievers@drake.edu.

—Jeremy Sievers, University Communications

An important aspect of our Continuous Improvement Plan is annually assessing our performance in delivering services to campus. To that end, I encourage you to complete the fall 2017 Survey of Administrative Services. It should take approximately ten minutes to fill out.

The survey focuses on six areas: Human Resources, Facilities Planning and Management, Information Technology Services, Finance, Public Safety, and University Communications. The survey was developed by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment in collaboration with several other of our colleagues. Continuous improvement efforts are meant to drive intentional and strategic action. Your feedback will help these departments understand where service gaps may exist and how they can better meet the needs of our University.

Thank you in advance for your participation. I look forward to sharing the results with the campus community.

—Marty Martin, President

Eight departments relocated following the opening of Collier-Scripps Hall and the Science Connector Building. We’re happy to announce that the moves are now complete. See the chart below for the new location of Human Resources, Head Start, The Ray Society, I Have a Dream, Drake International, Community Engagement, Adult Literacy, and Drake Online. Thank you to all of these departments for their patience and positive attitudes during this transition.

Also, a special thank you to the painters, electricians, skilled trades, and custodians in Facilities Planning and Management; John Stacy, Michelle Huggins, Jolene Schmidt, Sara Heijerman, Steve Blaylock,  Jerome Hilscher, Clayton Mitchell, Bill Jenson, Joey Bedwell, Laura Schwarz, Gary Johnson, Scott Law, and Tim Reger for their work to ensure seamless and successful moves for our teams.

—Kelly Foster, Finance and Administration

Drake will hold fire drills on Oct. 18, 19, 23, and 24 in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act and in conjunction with National Fire Prevention month. All drills will be conducted at 10 a.m. with the exception of the residence halls, which will be conducted from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 23.

The dates and times of the drills were planned to minimize classroom disruptions; the majority of academic buildings will be completed during Fall Break. The timing also allows for a more efficient utilization of staff during the drills. For resident halls, drills will be administered during the evening hours to increase participation.

Fire alarms will be activated in all campus buildings to signal the start of the drill. When the alarm sounds:

• Evacuate the building.
• Buildings will be locked down and cannot be re-entered until the drill ends.
• Remember to dress accordingly.

The fire drills will be coordinated through the Office of Public Safety (271-2222) working with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (271-3804) and Facilities Services (271-3955). Please report any fire alarm malfunctions or evacuation problems to Facilities or Public Safety. Your cooperation in this very important campus safety exercise regarding the Drake Emergency Response Plan is appreciated. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Fire drill schedule:

Oct. 18
Olin
Science Connector Building
Harvey-Ingham
Cline
Fitch
STAH
Occupational Therapy
Collier-Scripps
3206 University Ave.

Oct. 19
Meredith
Aliber
Cowles Library
Opperman
Cartwright
Harmon Fine Arts Center
Howard
Carnegie
Medbury

Oct. 23
Olmsted Center
Hubbell
Student Health
Alumni House
ROTC
Bell Center
The Knapp Center
Fieldhouse
Tennis Center
All residence halls (6–9 p.m.)

Oct. 24
Cole
Old Main
Public Safety
University Communications
Kinne Center
Multi-use resource (old Ray Center)
Vote Smart
Legal Clinic
Dial Center

—Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety

Since July 1, over 18 million malicious emails have been sent to Drake.edu email addresses. Fortunately, most of these have been blocked by IT security tools, but even the best tools cannot catch everything. This is why ITS is working to teach the campus community how to detect and avoid being caught by malicious emails that “phish” for personal and campus data.

With October being National Cyber Security Awareness Month, ITS is sharing tips and tools for keeping yourself safe online and not becoming a cyber-victim. Between Oct. 30 and Nov. 17, ITS is holding its second annual Phishing Quiz, a contest where faculty, staff, and students can take a quiz to learn more about how to identify phishing emails and fraudulent websites. The first 300 people to take the quiz will win a free taco courtesy of Taco Johns. Everyone who completes the quiz will be entered to win one of six additional prize packages. Visit the ITS website to take the quiz starting Oct. 30.

With over 200,000 malicious emails sent to Drake email addresses every day, the goal of the contest is to empower faculty, staff, and students to be able to keep both their personal data and institutional data secure. Learn more about IT security by following Drake ITS on Twitter at @DrakeITServices or by reading the regular IT security posts on the ITS website.

It takes all of us working together to keep our information safe. Thank you for doing your part!

—Peter Lundstedt, ITS

The University Book Store will be closed Oct. 14­–15. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 16–17.

—Kelly Foster, Finance & Administration

The Writing Workshop will be closed for Fall Break starting Saturday, Oct. 14. It will reopen on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Visit the Writing Workshop website to sign up for tutoring appointments.

—Megan Brown, Department of English