Category Archives: For Faculty Archive

Restrictions on Apple macOS Ventura

Today, Apple released the newest version of macOS, Ventura. ITS generally allows users to update their Drake owned computer after the first or second point release (e.g. 13.1) of the operating system. By that point all of the bugs and security issues in the operating system should be fixed, and ITS will have had the opportunity to thoroughly test the OS against Drake ITS systems. Since there’s no way to rollback an OS, we must be careful when allowing upgrades. If you’d like to upgrade your Mac to Ventura, we can make exceptions as long as it is understood that ITS support is best effort.

— Becky Klein, ITS

Mission In Action J-Term experience: Please nominate a student

We’re excited to be offering five retreat experiences for first-year students during J-Term in 2023. The experiences are all centered around Drake’s mission and will engage students virtually during the first two weeks of J-Term before students return to campus on Thursday, Jan. 19, for a retreat. Applications are open until Nov. 11 at 5 p.m.

Students who complete a Mission in Action J-Term experience will become Mission Ambassadors for Drake University, which will be reflected on their official Drake University transcript. As Mission Ambassadors, students have proven that they are actively living out Drake’s mission.

Please use the nomination form to help us identify students who might benefit from participating in this experience. Think about students who may value a deeper campus connection. We welcome students who haven’t yet stepped into leadership roles

For more information, please visit https://www.drake.edu/dc/j-termexperience/2023missioninactionfirst-yearexperience/.

— Melissa Sturm-Smith, Academic Excellence and Student Success

Bulldog Connect networking lunch

All Staff Council is hosting a Bulldog Connect networking lunch on Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come join us for a $5 lunch at Hubbell Dining Hall. We encourage attendees to wear their Drake name tag. Anyone is welcome to come—bring a fellow Bulldog along with you. Look for the table with the Drake swag and a special Bulldogs Connect table tent in Hubbell.

Also a reminder that All Staff Council invites you to share any suggestions, concerns, or other feedback you’d like us to look into using this form. (If you’d like us to respond to your feedback directly, please include your name and contact information, otherwise let us know your thoughts anonymously.)

— Megan Franklin, On behalf of All Staff Council

Regalia rep offering 10% discount at Bulldog Shop

Faculty interested in ordering regalia are invited to the Bulldog Shop (previously University Bookstore) on Wednesday, Oct. 26, and Thursday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to meet with Jostens representative Andy Ewert. Jostens is a product partner specializing in regalia. Andy can help with measurements and orders, and he will be offering a 10% discount during the event.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Opportunity for your students: Nelson Student Research Symposium accepting proposals for spring conference

The Nelson Institute will once again host a student research symposium as part of the spring Global Citizen Forum to be held March 1–3, 2023. The theme for the 2023 Global Citizen Forum is Social impact and responsibility.

The Nelson Student Research Symposium promotes a university-wide discourse on global intercultural topics. It is recommended that presentation topics for the 2023 symposium align with one (or more!) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs provide a framework for tackling complex global pressing issues such as poverty, sustainable communities, climate action, and justice.

While research presentations that support the theme are encouraged, all global topics from any academic discipline are welcome. We anticipate that the presentations will be about 15 minutes each. Undergraduate and graduate students may present at the symposium.

Below are a few reasons why you should encourage your students to consider submitting papers for the symposium:

  • It is a great opportunity for students to practice presentation skills, and obtain useful feedback.
  • It is a platform for students to share the outcomes of their research on a global topic of interest.
  • It is a great addition to students’ resumes especially if they are considering going to graduate school.

Proposal submission

Papers (or concepts) should be submitted via Qualtrics formDeadline: Friday, Feb. 10, 2023

Questions?

Learn more by visiting the Nelson Institute website or by contacting Professor Jimmy Senteza.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Bulldog Applause goes to Continuing Education and Professional Development

The All Staff Council Recognition Committee recognized Continuing Education & Professional Development with a Bulldog Applause for all they do at Drake. This department is greatly appreciated and we wanted to share with the campus a little more about this group and the importance of their work.

How many staff members are in the department? 
CEPD is comprised of five individuals: Chuck Sengstock, Kelly Marckres, Kendra Colbert, Jean Hansen, and Tracy Davies

What is the primary function of the team?                               
We provide professional learning opportunities to PreK-12 teachers, counselors, administrators, and athletic coaches. We also specialize in implicit bias training

Our mission is to provide relevant, high-quality face-to-face, online, and blended learning opportunities to PreK-12 teachers, athletic coaches, and administrators as well as provide professional learning opportunities to law enforcement agencies across Iowa.

What staff member has been on the team the longest?
It is a tie or close to it, related to who has been here the longest:
Jean Hansen—16 years, Senior Online Instructional Designer
Kendra Colbert—16 years, Budget manager and Assistant to the Director

Who is the newest team member and their job title?
Kelly Marckres- Director of Curriculum and Agency Accounts

Where are your team members located on campus?
All of CEPD works remotely but Chuck. Kelly comes in one day a week. We meet in person once a month on Wednesdays. Collier-Scripps Hall is our homebase.

What are some recent accomplishments that others in the University might not know about?
We recently produced a training video for Fareway Stores covering what to do in case of an active shooter. All 12,000 plus Fareway employees across seven states have watched this video.

How does this staff foster a sense of community and belonging through their activities or sharing together here at Drake?
Our bond as a team is we genuinely feel the courses and services we provide are making a difference in the lives of teachers, their students, and our communities.

Other noteworthy information:
We have won multiple international awards for course and program excellence from the United States Distance Learning Association.

We are recognized as a leader in online course and program design and were one of the first organizations in the country (2006) to design and adopt a consistent user interface across all of our online offerings.

—  Teresa Downs, On Behalf of All Staff Council

Celebrating True Blue staff

Please join us in congratulating the September recipients of the True Blue Award. Here is a little information about our honorees with excerpts from their nominations.

Helen Frizel and Charnelle Harris, Catering, Sodexo

“Char and Helen along with Sky, the student worker, went above and beyond to make sure we had what we needed. They were kind and patient. They clearly communicated changes and asked many questions to make sure they got it just right. The whole team was outstanding all week.”

Alice Fynaardt, Administrative Assistant, Biology

“She has created a feeling of community within the College’s admin assistants. She always gets right back to me with correct information and good feedback and is cheerful about doing so, even when she herself is busy. She is an information sharer, and she wants all of us to succeed in our jobs.”

Mary Beth Holtey, Assistant Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

“During Welcome Weekend, we had a last-minute cancellation, leaving one of our departments without staff to speak with students. Without hesitation, Mary Beth ran the departmental overview, which lasts over an hour, with less than a 30-minute warning. She is truly a wonderful part of the Drake community, who is here to help at the drop of a hat and wants what is best for our students.”

Korrine Jackson & Heather Winslow, Payroll Coordinator & Admin. Services Specialist, Payroll & Finance

“Heather and Korrine are a delight to work with for payroll. They offer great communication and are team players for the betterment of Drake. Since payroll is a deadline-driven process, they offer quick updates and responses to ensure that everyone at Drake is paid correctly and in a timely fashion – something we don’t consider in our daily work at Drake because it is handled so seamlessly behind the scenes.”

Brandi Miller, Assistant Director, New Student Programs, Student Financial Planning

“More specifically, Brandi is a leader in serving Black staff and faculty on campus, to build a sense of belonging and voice. She organizes the Black affinity group and has been a strong voice in bringing forward issues and concerns. Brandi’s steadfast leadership demonstrates integrity and purpose. We are lucky to have her at Drake.”

Kara Vaughn, Associate Director of Annual Giving, University Advancement

“Kara epitomizes Drake’s core values every day. She is one of the first to raise a hand or jump in to help when needed. She is a cheerleader for her teammates – she celebrates successes and offers empathy during difficult times. She is a friend to all on our team and makes every effort to make others feel welcome and included.”

Do you know of a staff member or department that has gone above and beyond to exemplify True Blue spirit? Nominate them today!

— Betsy Wilson, On behalf of All Staff Council

Last day to complete Annual Survey of Administrative Services

Every fall, we ask for your input on how we fulfill our commitment to elevate service excellence. It’s that time of year again and thank you for your input in advance! Your voice helps shapes continuous improvement in these areas across campus: Facilities Planning and Management, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, Public Safety, and University Communications & Marketing.

Thus, you are strongly encouraged to complete this year’s survey. It is completely anonymous and often takes less than five minutes to complete. You will only be asked to provide feedback on the areas you work with regularly.

The survey was developed by the Office of Institutional Research & Assessment in collaboration with each area on the survey. Continuous improvement efforts such as this drive intentional and strategic action within each area on the survey. Your collective input is reviewed and acted upon.

Thank you in advance for your participation by close of business Tuesday, Oct. 18.

— Nate Reagen, Chief of Staff, Office of the President