At Drake, we are committed to continuously evolving and improving our sustainability initiatives.  To discover opportunities to reduce Drake’s carbon impact, we must understand how we currently operate.

The Office of Sustainability is conducting a transportation survey to gain insight on the transportation behaviors of students, faculty, and staff. Your feedback will provide important information to make sustainable transportation more obtainable and convenient. More importantly, it will provide a baseline for Drake to accurately track scope three greenhouse gas emissions. This will allow Drake to complete an updated carbon footprint report and track the University’s progress toward meeting the carbon reduction targets outlined in the Climate Action Plan.

Please help us by taking five minutes to complete this brief survey.

For more information about alternative transportation and Drake’s sustainability initiatives, visit Drake’s sustainability website.

— Hannah Remke, Sustainability Coordinator, Facilities Planning and Management

Beginning on January 23, 2023, Drake will no longer offer a single sign on (SSO) option for Adobe products. Access to Adobe applications will not be affected; this change will streamline usage and the support ITS provides for these applications.

When this change is implemented, all users of Adobe products will need to create an Adobe login ID. You may create the Adobe ID using your Drake email address. If you already have one, you should continue to use it. Existing personal Adobe ID accounts will not be affected by this change.

The biggest impact of removing the SSO link is that any work (“assets”) saved within Creative Cloud on any SSO account will need to be transferred to another account prior to the end of J-term 2023. Instructions for transferring work from one account to another can be found at this URL: https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/kb/transfer-assets.html.

— Clayton Mitchell, ITS

Global Engagement is pleased to welcome Elizabeth Shackelford and Jane Olson to campus as part of the Principal Center for Global Citizenship fall speaker series.

Nov. 29–30

Elizabeth Shackelford will deliver two public lectures, drawing on her extensive professional experience as a former U.S. diplomat and author of The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age.

Human Rights Advocacy

• Nov. 29, 6 p.m. – Pomerantz Stage, Olmsted Center
• In recognition of Human Rights Day and in partnership with the Iowa United Nations Association
• Register Here

U.S. Foreign Affairs

• Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m. – Reading Room, Cowles Library
• Register Here

Dec. 2

Jane Olson, renowned international humanitarian and author of World Citizen: Journeys of a Humanitarian will share stories from her time in the field at a public lecture on Dec. 2, 7 p.m. — Tom & Ruth Harkin Center. Register Here

All three events are free and open to Drake students, faculty, and staff, as well as the larger Des Moines community.

Learn more about the speakers and the Center’s speaker series at drake.edu/cgc.

In response to a court injunction that has temporarily barred the Biden administration’s student loan debt relief program, the U.S. Department of Education has extended the student loan payment pause, which was schedule to end on Dec. 31, 2022.

“The student loan payment pause is extended until the U.S. Department of Education is permitted to implement the debt relief program or the litigation is resolved. Payments will restart 60 days later. If the debt relief program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023—payments will resume 60 days after that.” (studentaid.gov)

You can subscribe to updates from the U.S. Department of Education by signing up here.

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to a retirement reception for Lisa Grulke. Lisa retired from the biology deparment, where she served as an instructor for the anatomy and physiology labs. The reception will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 2–4 p.m. in the Olin Hall Atrium.

Please come and wish Lisa well on her new life’s journey.

— Debora Ellen Christensen, Associate Professor of Biology

The Bulldog Shop is having a friends and family online sale running Nov. 23–28. Everyone in the campus community will enjoy the following discounts from the campus store website.

• 20% off one item
• 25% off two items
• 30% off three+ times
• free shipping

— Kelly Foster, Business and Insurance Manager

Join The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium or virtually, for our event An Evening with Charlie Cook. Register.

This event is open to Drake University undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff, as well as the larger Des Moines community. This event is free, but registration is required. American sign language (ASL) and real time captioning (CART) will be provided. please contact harkininstitute@drake.edu to request other accommodations.

An Evening with Charlie Cook is an opportunity to hear insight and analysis on the state of American politics by one of the leading authorities on the U.S. political scene. This year Cook will also share important insights about the midterm election. Cook is a political analyst for National Journal magazine, founder of the Cook Political Report, co-author of the 2020 and 2022 editions of the Almanac of American Politics and a National Advisory Council member for The Harkin Institute.

— Lila Johnson, The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement

Numerous injuries result from slips and falls on icy sidewalks, parking lots, roads, and other outdoor locations. Snow removal and frequent salting of these areas can help. Many times, total elimination of the hazard is impossible, and measures must be taken to cope with this problem.

What precautions can we take to reduce both the frequency and severity of injuries which result from this hazard? Being aware of the danger is very important. 

1. Anticipate falls. Often ice will appear in the morning, in shady spots or where the sun shines during the day and melted snow refreezes at night. 
2. Wear the right shoes. The type of footwear you have on is very important during icy conditions. Footwear should have low heels with soles constructed of a slip-resistant material.  We shouldn’t wear footwear that is not able to grip the surface we are walking on.
3. Be careful when you shift your weight. When stepping off a curb or getting into a car, shifting your weight may cause an imbalance and result in a fall.
4. Shorten your stride—take shorter steps. You should adjust your stride so that your center of gravity is maintained directly above your feet at all times. Walk with your feet spread further apart laterally than you would under normal conditions.
5. Plan ahead. While walking on snow or ice on sidewalks or in parking lots, walk consciously. Instead of looking down, look up and see where your feet will move next to anticipate ice or an uneven surface. Occasionally scan from left to right to ensure you are not in the way of vehicles or other hazards. Be careful about what you walk under.  Injuries also can result from falling snow/ice as it blows, melts, or breaks away from awnings, buildings, etc.
6. Use your eyes and ears. While seeing the environment is important, you also want to be sure you can hear approaching traffic and other noises. Avoid listening to music or engaging in conversation that may prevent you from hearing oncoming traffic or snow removal equipment.
7. Walk slowly on steps. When walking down steps, be sure to grip handrails firmly and plant your feet securely on each step.
8. Avoid taking shortcuts. Shortcuts are a good idea if you are in a hurry, but may be a bad idea if there is snow and ice on the ground. A shortcut path may be treacherous because it is likely to be located where snow and ice removal is not possible.
9. Try not to track snow into buildings. When you get to your destination, be sure to look at the floor as you enter the building. The floor may be wet with melted snow and ice. Wipe your feet off at the entrance so others won’t slip and fall on melted snow.  

— Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety

Walter H. Warrick, former CBPA professor of 22 years, passed away peacefully at his home in Annapolis, Md., on Tuesday, Nov. 1, after 96 wonderful years filled with boundless curiosity. He was not only a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, but also a professional educator, talented craftsman, historian, and petroleum engineer. He enjoyed many valued friendships along the way.

Born in 1926, he was raised during the Great Depression in South Bend, Indiana. After more than two years at Purdue University, he was drafted into the Army in the midst of WW II. He rose to the rank of sergeant within a year, and was recommended for the Soldier’s Medal for rescuing one of his men from drowning.

After WW II, he completed his Bachelor’s at Purdue, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, and was hired into Venezuela to embark on a career in the “oil patch.”

During that time, he met his beloved wife. As his family grew, he returned to the U.S. to earn his Master’s and Ph.D. at his alma mater. He moved into academia, receiving recognition for excellence in teaching on the faculty of major universities. He ultimately held an endowed chair in the College of Business & Public Administration at Drake University.

Warrick relished the opportunity to teach undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world at Drake for 22 years. He took great pleasure engaging and enlightening students through his active, Socratic style in the classroom. He was similarly honored and inspired by the interactions he enjoyed with his professional colleagues. He won the University’s 1976–1977 and the College of Business & Public Administration’s 1991–1992 Outstanding Teaching Awards, and he was integrally involved in the original design of the teaching spaces at Aliber Hall.

Retirement and relocation to Annapolis gave him the opportunity to become a skilled Model Shipwright at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum’s Ship Model Shop and excelled in carving figures of sailors during the age of sail. He particularly appreciated the camaraderie of working with fellow craftsmen.

He is survived by his loving wife, Kathryn, of nearly 68 years, children Philip (wife Susan), Jane, and Peter, and grandchildren Thomas (wife Alexis), Robert, William, and Josephine. He was proud that they include six Drake graduates over three generations.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, any donations be made to the Dr. Walter H. & Mrs. Kathryn A. Warrick Scholarship Fund at Drake University. Checks should be sent to Drake University, 2507 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311.

Friends are invited to celebrate his life with a visitation on Wednesday, November 16 from 3 to 5 pm at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD. Also, a Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, November 17 at 10 am at Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis, MD. The interment will be private.

Smishing attacks use short message service (SMS), more commonly known as text messages, to manipulate people into turning over sensitive data. Like phishing emails, smishing texts are social-engineering scams pretending to come from a trusted source and urging action to secure a benefit, resolve a problem, or avert a threat.

This form of attack has become increasingly popular because people are more likely to trust a text message on their phone than from a message delivered via email. According to RoboKiller, a company that provides call-blocking and other phone security services, bad actors sent over 87.8 billion fraudulent texts in 2021 – up 58% from the previous year. The company estimates those phishy messages cost consumers nearly $10.1 billion.

Variations of smishing abound. A scam text might say you’ve won a gift card or promise a break on a student loan. Other texts may appear to be alerts from a government agency such as the IRS or link to a phony invoice or cancellation notice for a product or service you supposedly bought. Many smishing messages warn of package delivery issues from Amazon, FedEx, UPS or the United States Postal Service.

In more targeted attacks, a text message may appear to come from your boss, or a top-level executive within your organization. The text will report some type of action that needs to be taken immediately as a favor to them or to avoid some type of crisis at the company.

Warning Signs

• A text message requests personal information, such as your Social Security number or an online account password.
• The message asks you to click a link to resolve a problem, win a prize or access a service.
• The message claims to be from a government agency. Government bodies almost never initiate contact with someone by phone or text, according to the FCC.
• The text requires immediate action from someone in your company that has been sent from an unknown phone number.

How to protect yourself

• Contact the person, company, or organization that supposedly sent the text using a phone number or website you know to be legitimate
• Forward spam and scam texts to 7726 (SPAM), the spam reporting service run by the mobile industry. This sends the text to your carrier so it can investigate. Here is a guide to the process.
• Don’t provide personal or financial data in response to an unsolicited text or at a website the message links to.
• Don’t click on links in suspicious texts. They could install malware on your device or take you to a site that does the same.
• Don’t reply, even if the message says “text STOP” to avoid more messages. That simply confirms your number is active so it can be sold to other bad actors.
• Don’t assume a text is legitimate because it comes from a familiar phone number or area code. Spammers use caller ID spoofing to make it appear the text is from a trusted or local source.

Please be wary of any attempts to obtain sensitive data via text, email, messaging apps, or unsolicited phone calls. ITS will continue to simulate phishing and assign training to those most susceptible. If you believe you’ve been targeted by phishing, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to).

— Chris Mielke, ITS