Category Archives: Campus Announcements Archive

Campus Announcements Archive

Phishing education

phish·ing
noun
The activity of defrauding an online account holder of confidential information by posing as a legitimate company.

We’ve all been the target of a phishing attack. Whether it’s a warning of an expiring email account or an “urgent message” from a financial institution, these attacks put the confidential information of our students and employees at serious risk, and require significant personnel and technology resources to resolve.

Faculty, staff, and students of Drake are no exception, and the attackers have been making their email attacks even more difficult to spot. Several of the attacks recently spotted have used a forged copy of our webmail login page to convince people to give up their username and password.

The login page below is from an email phish that we received, but there’s nothing on the page giving it away. The page gives the appearance of legitimacy but is designed to steal passwords and information.

phishing

However, the URL at the top gives it away. As you can see, pilatesg.com isn’t affiliated with Drake or with Microsoft, our email provider. If you are ever asked by email to take an urgent action regarding your account, go to the page you know and trust rather than following a link.

Drake webmail is located at: outlook.com/drake.edu

Links to safe login pages for Blackboard, blueView, EMS, and more are also located at the following pages:

www.drake.edu/facstaff/

www.drake.edu/students/

If you think you’ve received a legitimate email but aren’t sure, don’t take chances! Call Client Services at 515-271-3001 or email informationsecurity@drake.edu. If you think you may have already opened a malicious link, call or email right away to get your password changed.

Drake utilizes a service called PhishMe to provide education on these types of attacks—what attackers are after, how they get through our spam filter, how to spot them, and, most importantly, what to do if you’ve been targeted. For more information on phishing and how to avoid becoming a victim, please visit the DTS Information Security website.

—Submitted by Jeffrey Sabin, Information Security Officer

Campus Announcements Archive, HR Information Archive

Complete your online wellness assessment this week

Don’t forget to complete your online assessment via Wellmark by Dec. 4. You must complete the online assessment in addition to the biometrics screening to receive the wellness incentive (approximately $300 off your Drake health insurance in 2016). Find instructions on completing the assessment here.

Visit the Wellness Incentive Program site to learn more about the wellness incentive and for a FAQ. Questions may be directed to Diana Lei-Butters and diana.lei-butters@drake.edu or 271-1871.

—Submitted by Cindy Adams, Associate Director, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive, News & Achievements Archive

Drake welcomes Tracy Bainter

Tracy Bainter, our newly hired senior grants specialist, is returning to Drake. She has two degrees from Drake, a B.A. in English and Magazines with University Honors in 2001, and a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis on Executive Development in 2008. She also received a Certificate for Grant Writing and Management from Drake’s Center for Professional Studies.

Tracy worked as the coordinator of marketing and special events in the School of Education from 2005 until 2010. After leaving Drake, she founded and ran her own business, TAB Media and Marketing, which provided support for nonprofit agencies including writing, submitting, and managing grant proposals. Since 2013, she has been the communications director for the Iowa Association of School Boards. She started on Nov. 23, so please welcome her.

This fills one of two openings in the Sponsored Programs Office. We are initiating the search for the director of sponsored programs and hope to hire someone by the start of spring semester.

—Submitted by Provost Joe Lenz

Campus Announcements Archive, For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

From the Associate Provost

J-Term 2017 on-campus schedule
It will soon be time to construct the J-Term 2017 on-campus schedule. Each school/college assembles the schedule of their classes, and they will have deadlines sometime very early in the spring semester. If you have questions about J-Term classes (such as how to develop an intensive three-week learning experience, which faculty or staff have successfully organized on-campus J-Term classes and are willing to discuss with others, or what compensation rules are), feel free to contact Associate Provost Art Sanders (arthur.sanders@drake.edu).

Interested in teaching an FYS next fall?
It is time to start considering teaching a First Year Seminar in Fall 2016. If you are interested, visit the FYS Resource page, where you will find sample syllabi and other information about the program. And at the bottom of the page you will find the FYS Course Proposal form. (Please note: If you are a full-time faculty member and you are planning on building FYS into your schedule, you still need to fill out this form.) If you have questions, or want additional information about the FYS program, contact arthur.sanders@drake.edu.

Final FYS discussion
This coming Friday, Dec. 4, will be our final lunch/discussion for FYS instructors and those who are considering teaching an FYS in the future. For information about the event and to RSVP, go to http://tinyurl.com/fyslunch-dec

—Submitted by Art Sanders

Campus Announcements Archive, For Staff Archive

All Staff Council Holiday Food Drive

As part of the Drake community, we hope you’ll join us in coming together to collect much needed food and personal items for families in need. Our donations will stay in the Drake neighborhood and be delivered to CROSS Ministries on 24th Street.

When: Monday, Nov. 23–Thursday, Dec. 3
Where: Drop boxes are located at the Bell Center, Cartwright Hall, Olmsted Center, and School of Education. You may also bring your donation to the Holiday Pancake Breakfast on Thursday, Dec. 3

How can you help: A list of highly needed items are listed below—we hope you’ll select a few from the list and drop off at one of the designated locations.

Food

  • Proteins (peanut butter and canned meat/fish)
  • Canned vegetables
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned soup
  • Dried pasta
  • Breakfast items (including cereal)
  • 100% fruit juice

Personal/Hygiene Products

  • Laundry soap (greatest need)
  • Toilet tissue (greatest need)
  • Disposable diapers
  • Baby wipes
  • Toothbrush/toothpaste
  • Dish soap
  • Shampoo
  • Deodorant
  • Kleenex
  • Paper towels
  • Sanitary napkins and/or tampons

CROSS Ministries is a nonprofit homelessness prevention agency with the Presbytery of Des Moines. They provide direct financial emergency assistance, food, and personal hygiene products to low- and no-income households. www.crossministriesdm.org

Campus Announcements Archive

United Way/Iowa Shares campaign results

Thank you to everyone who pledged:

  • 208 total donors
  • 53 new participants to the campaign
  • 15 leadership gifts of $1,000+ (an increase of six leadership gifts from 2014)
  • $50,126 total raised: $44,967 for United Way; $5,159 for Iowa Shares

Together, we are affecting the lives of central Iowans and providing learning opportunities for our students who serve at more than 35 agencies supported by the campaign.

Click here to see if your received an incentive.

—Submitted by Renee Sedlacek, Interim Director, Community Engagement and Service Learning

Campus Announcements Archive, Uncategorized

Safety on campus during winter

When ice and snow blanket campus, it’s important that individuals recognize the hazards of slippery surfaces. Here are helpful hints to help reduce the risk of falling when slippery conditions exist:

  • Wear boots or overshoes with slip-resistant soles. Avoid walking in shoes that have smooth surfaces, which increases the risk of slipping.
  • Be aware. Be alert to the possibility that you could quickly slip on an unseen patch of ice.
  • Walk cautiously. Your arms help keep you balanced, so keep hands out of pockets and avoid carrying heavy loads that may cause you to become off balance.
  • Walk “small.” Avoid an erect, marching posture. Look to see ahead of where you step. When you step on icy areas, take short, shuffling steps. You should also avoid walking on your toes or heels. On an icy or slippery surface, you want as much of the sole of your boot or shoe to connect with the surface as possible.
  • Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles; use the vehicle for support.

Falls on ice can occur very quickly and usually there is very little opportunity to plan your landing. Regardless, there are a few precautions that can be taken to help reduce the severity of injury.
When a fall occurs:

  • Attempt to relax your muscles. It is very natural to tighten them in anticipation of landing on the ground. Injuries can be lessened when the muscles are relaxed.
  • Try to avoid landing on your knees, wrists, tailbone, or spine. When possible, you should attempt to fall on a fleshy part of your body, such as your side.
  • It’s important to attempt to adjust your body to avoid striking your head. If you begin to fall backwards, you should attempt to lift your head to prevent it from hitting the ground first.

Walking on icy and slippery surfaces can be hazardous. The best way to prevent a fall is to avoid the situation. But when avoidance is not possible, you should apply these tips. They can help to make the difference between a minor and a serious injury or, better yet, no injury at all.

—Submitted by Chris Nickell, Director, Environmental Health & Safety

Campus Announcements Archive

Check processing during the holidays

Please note the following schedule for processing check requests to accommodate the upcoming holiday breaks.

Thanksgiving Week:

  • Check requests larger than $25,000 were due to Accounts Payable by noon on Wednesday, Nov. 18, for processing on the Friday check run.
  • All other check requests were due to Accounts Payable by noon on Friday, Nov. 20.
  • Checks will be processed and available on Tuesday, Nov. 24.
  • Normal check processing will resume on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Winter Break:

  • Check requests are due to Accounts Payable by noon on Friday, Dec. 18.
  • Checks will be processed and available as normal with the final check batch to be processed on Tuesday, Dec. 22.
  • Normal check processing will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Thank you for your help in coordinating to ensure we meet all needs during the holidays.

Contact Jana Brem at x3168 or jana.brem@drake.edu if you have any questions.

—Submitted by Jana Brem, Accounting Manager

Campus Announcements Archive

Important campus operations update

Thanksgiving break door access

Due to the University closing at noon on Nov. 25, we will be locking doors to most campus buildings at 1 p.m. Card access will still allow you to access your authorized buildings, they will just be locked to the general public. Regular door schedule will resume on Sunday, Nov. 29.

Please contact Public Safety (515-271-2222) if you have a door access emergency during this time, or email studentservices@drake.edu if you have a general (non-emergent) card access question or concern.

Happy Thanksgiving!

—Submitted by Sara Heijerman, Manager, Campus Card Office

 

Building heating for 2015–2016

Campus is now set for the heating season with all systems up and running and cooling generally shut down and being winterized. Because the bulk of campus is cooled with water based cooling systems, they must be drained and in many cases winterized to prevent freezing. Once this is done they cannot be turned back on until warm temperatures in the spring. Facility Services begins this process prior to temperatures dropping below 32 degrees.

The University has adopted uniform temperature settings for heating and cooling: heating temperature is 68 degrees and cooling temperature is 77 degrees. In 2003 the University Sustainability Committee recommended energy efficient temperature set points for University buildings to the President’s Cabinet, which ratified the recommendation at that time. The set points were guided by the federal recommended set points, those used in federal buildings, and those recommended by MidAmerican energy for maximum efficiency and energy sustainability. These set points are intended for common spaces, classrooms and labs, offices and administrative spaces, athletic facilities, and auditoriums. Residence hall rooms are still on their own control and can be regulated to suit the resident’s liking.

—Submitted by Mark Chambers, Director Facility Services


Scheduled electrical shutdowns

On Nov. 25, a scheduled electrical shutdown will occur from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., affecting the following buildings: The Knapp Center, Fieldhouse, Bell Center, and Shivers Basketball Practice Facility. This scheduled shutdown is part of the electrical project that needs to be completed prior to the construction of the new School of Education/Computer Science and Mathematics Building and the new Science Connector Building.

Another scheduled electrical shutdown will occur on Nov. 27, from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., affecting the Fine Arts Center and Olin Hall. This scheduled shutdown is a routine shutdown that occurs ever year the day after Thanksgiving. This allows Facilities Services to clean the electrical transformer on campus.

—Submitted by Jolene Schmidt, Director, Operations & Support Servi