Through a collaboration between the Public Safety, Title IX and Violence Prevention, and Equity and Inclusion departments, Human Resources is excited to offer a new series of programming focused on safety and inclusion called Bulldog Bites. The program will make our own campus experts accessible to faculty and staff to talk about how we can all make our community feel safe and inclusive. The next session is Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Mark your calendar for the brown-bag lunch series, which will include five sessions throughout the year:

Oct. 10: Equity and Inclusion part 1
Nov. 14: Title IX/Prevention part 1
Feb. 13: Equity and Inclusion part 2
March 13: Title IX/Prevention part 2

All programs will take place in Turner Jazz Center starting at noon. Those who attend will enter a drawing for Hubbell Dining Hall and annual parking passes.

Mary Alice Hill, Human Resources

As a special feature at the Drake Socials this year, we will honor faculty and staff who exemplify the Drake Values. Those who are demonstrating Joyful Accountability will be honored on Friday, Oct. 19.

Here is how the Drake Values will be featured: Prior to the Drake Social, faculty and staff may nominate colleagues who exemplify the Drake Value for the month. To nominate someone, send the colleague’s name and a sentence describing how this Drake employee exemplifies the featured value to the Provost’s Office. Names of those nominated will be on display at the social.

From among those nominated, three winners will be drawn to select from a menu of prizes that include such things as casual-work-week privileges, gift cards, a premier parking space for a month, office breakfast, or homemade baked goods, to name a few.

For October, please nominate a colleague who exemplifies Joyful Accountability: someone who strives each day to be their best, who is curious, creative, bold, and brave. To nominate someone, email drinda.williams@drake.edu with the name of the colleague and a sentence that captures their Joyful Accountability. Nominations for Joyful Accountability much be received by Wednesday, Oct. 17.

The October Drake Social will be held on the FAC Arcade, Friday, Oct. 19, with a Popcorn Bar, cider and soft drinks. (This is one of two alcohol-free socials this year.)

Other values will be featured Dec. 13, Generosity of Spirit; Feb. 13, All in This Together; and March 6, Commitment to Mission.

Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

The third session in our series on Grant Writing and Research, is Monday, Oct. 8, in the Drake Room in Olmsted from 3:30 to 5 p.m.  The topic is Institutional Assurances: What Every Researcher Needs to Know.  Each session is designed as a separate stand alone session so that those who have not attended previous sessions are welcome. There is no need to register.

Art Sanders, Office of the Provost

Please note a correction in the date of this session since last week’s OnCampus.

The second session in our series on online learning is Thursday, Oct. 4, in the Drake Room in Olmsted from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The topic is Building Online Learning Communities. These sessions are not meant to be “nuts and bolts” how-to sessions, but rather discussions of the issues related to the topic. You do not need to have experience teaching online to attend. There is no need to register.

—Art Sanders, Associate Provost

The second Friday FYS lunch/discussion is on Oct. 5 at noon in TMR 133.  While these meetings are designed for those currently teaching FYS, we welcome those with an interest in possibly teaching FYS in the future as well. While it is too late to order a lunch, you are still are welcome to attend.

—Art Sanders, Associate Provost

Please note a correction in the date of this event since last week’s OnCampus.

The first of two “Meet the New Faculty” social gatherings is Wednesday, Oct. 3, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Levitt Hall. The session will open with four of our new faculty speaking briefly about their professional and personal development, answering questions in dialogue with the audience. We will then move into an informal social gathering where attendees will have the opportunity to meet and get to know the new faculty. All attendees will receive a drink ticket (beer or wine) and there will be non-alcoholic drinks and snacks served.

—Art Sanders, Associate Provost

As many of you know, Susan Ladd, director of student financial planning, retired this summer. Susan had a long and distinguished career at Drake. She has helped so many students gain access to educational opportunities and reach their goals. We celebrated her accomplishments and accolades at a gathering this summer. Susan has made a lasting impression on Drake University and we sincerely thank her and wish her joy in her retirement.

After conducting a nation-wide search, which involved representatives from financial aid and all of the colleges and schools, Ryan Zantingh has been hired as Drake’s new director of financial aid. He has more than 11 years of financial aid experience in private, higher education. For the last six years he has been the director of financial aid at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL. He has also served on the Financial Aid Commission of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, most recently as chair. In this role, he contributed to advocacy and professional development opportunities on behalf of financial aid colleagues at more than 180 member institutions. Ryan has a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity Christian College and an Master of Business Administration from Governors State University. Ryan and his wife are from Pella and they are excited to move back to Iowa.  He will start in his new role on Oct. 15. Please join me in welcoming Ryan Zantingh to Drake.

Teresa Krejci, Finance and Administration 

This year, attackers will target Drake, and you, in an attempt to steal information. The actions that each of us take on a daily basis make the difference in stopping these attacks from succeeding.

Each of us have the ability—and the responsibility—to protect information at work, on campus, and at home. Beginning this October during National Cyber Security Awareness Month and continuing through the coming year, ITS will be emphasizing how to protect confidential information through OnCampus, Twitter, new campus initiatives, and the ITS website.

Here are a few of the upcoming cyber security educational opportunities:

• Attend a Tech Tuesday Session. Learn about how and why attackers are targeting you, and what you can to do to keep your information protected. Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. in Olmsted TMR132. Sign up at drake.edu/its/techtuesdays.

• Follow @DrakeITServices on Twitter. You’ll get tips on keeping yourself safe online and learn about our upcoming events and other ITS news.

• Participate in phishing education. ITS sends out simulated phishing emails to faculty and staff members each month as a risk-free way to learn about the dangers of phishing. Watch OnCampus for additional information.

ITS is working on several extensive information security initiatives, with the broad goals of reducing account compromises and preventing data theft. One of the smaller changes within these initiatives is moving individual online contact information into myDrake. On Oct. 22, the directory at drake.edu/directory will only contain main departmental contact information. The new directory will be accessible from the Campus Directory link under the Commonly Used Apps section in myDrake.

I look forward to working with many of you on the upcoming initiatives and changes. Please reach out with any questions or inquiries related to the protection of information.

ITS typically allows campus users to update their Drake-owned computer after the first or second point release of a new operating system (OS). This allows the company, in this case, Apple, to fix the bugs and security issues in the operating system. It also allows ITS to thoroughly test the new OS to ensure compatibility with Drake systems. Since there is no way to rollback an operating system, we must be careful when authorizing system updates. If you would like to upgrade to OS Mojave we can make exceptions, but it should be understood that IT support is best effort only. To request an exception, please submit a request for an Operating System Upgrade.

Jerome Hilscher, ITS