Professor Faber McAlister (Speaking Center) and Professor Megan Brown (Writing Center) invite faculty to refer students to these—hours and details for each, below:

The Speaking Center is open for Spring 2023.

Social Distancing and remote learning have reduced or altered opportunities to practice oral communication techniques that we all need in a variety of situations. Drake University’s  Speaking Center is here to support students, faculty, and staff in our shared efforts to develop and advance these crucial skills. 

Students can book appointments to meet with a tutor or the Director for help in preparing, composing, and delivering speeches and presentations—or even to get advice for initiating difficult conversations and participating in interactive discussions.

Location and Hours: The Speaking Center will be holding appointments in our new tutoring space downstairs in Cowles Library, room 039. Please follow the signs through the tutoring areas back to the SW corner to find our new location. Tutoring appointments are currently available Monday-Thursday afternoon.

To make  an appointment: Visit http://library.drake.edu/speaking to schedule a personal meeting with a tutor. Please enter a note if you need virtual appointment. Virtual Tutoring Sessions are held on Blackboard Collaborate Ultra at the following link:

https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/7989fbe8f9314fa98d680dca692582e9

Appointments are scheduled for 30 minutes each, and students are encouraged to schedule multiple times while preparing for a single event if they wish. Any questions or concerns should be directed to speaking-help@drake.edu.

Speaking Center Services: Speaking Center tutors have experience and training in speech pedagogy and are prepared to assist students when selecting and narrowing topics, organizing ideas, drafting and revising an outline, preparing visual aids, and practicing delivery. The Speaking Center’s staff also facilitates access to research and resources that can help speakers and presenters, and can address a variety of oral communication issues.

THE WRITING CENTER OPENED MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6

WHAT WE DO: The Writing Center’s trained peer tutors advise and assist students at any stage of the writing process:

• Understanding instructions/prompts
• Generating ideas and ways to develop ideas
• Outlining and organizing
• Writing, expanding, revising, and/or copyediting a draft

We are a free service for all Drake students, including graduate students and those in professional programs.

HOW TO SIGN UP TO VISIT: Please go to https://library.drake.edu/writing-center/ to book an appointment with a tutor—instructions for booking and visiting are available on the site as well. Appointments are approximately 30 minutes, and students can sign up for more than one session if they wish. They may also request that a tutor keep a regular time slot available for them if they would like to come in each week.

WHERE WE ARE: Reminder: the Writing Center has moved! We are still on the lower level of Cowles Library—please follow signs to find our new, larger, more comfortable space. We offer hours daily, from mornings to late afternoon/evening (including weekends). Students with health concerns can request an appointment on Zoom.

FOR FACULTY AND STAFF: If you refer a student to the workshop or require all students to visit, please let us know via email (megan.brown@drake.edu). Ask students to bring their assignment prompt/instructions to the Writing Center, as well as any writing they have done so far. When students are referred, or required, to visit, the tutor will email you to let you know that your student has attended and briefly describe what work was done. When students attend on their own, we do not inform professors unless they specifically ask us to do so.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS please contact Prof. Megan Brown, Director of Writing (megan.brown@drake.edu).

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

Deputy Provost 2:10 (two articles with a read time of 10 minutes) is a communication series by Deputy Provost Renée Cramer sharing important scholarship, teaching, and development opportunities.

I am so excited to highlight the work of some of our Fall 2022 FYS instructors, who created amazing experiences for our entering first year students. Janalyn Phillips (CPHS) taught The History of Hip Hop; not only did her students listen to great old school hip hop, they spent a class session making graffiti to commemorate the ethos of the era. See the group art photo below.

And, almost any time I walked campus last fall, I ran into Chuck Sengstock’s (SOE) FYS Photography: Capturing Moments out an about … capturing what it felt like to be newly on campus and enrolled in college.  I love the flickr accounts from students Blythe Kelly, Chase Stephens, and Kate Hagemeier that Chuck shared with me; the students featured here gave permission for you to look, too.

What excites me most about the courses Janalyn and Chuck taught last fall is that they are courses that follow their passions, not their professions.  Like so many of our FYS offerings, these faculty help meet our mission by providing an opportunity for our students to develop their whole selves, to participate in a liberal arts curriculum, and to meet other entering first years who share a common interest in something as meaningful as the music they love, or how they see the world.

If you’re teaching an FYS next fall, I hope you take inspiration from these two courses.  And if you want to talk about teaching an FYS later on down the road, please reach out!  But also: when you see your colleagues doing cool things with students in their classes, please let me know – I’d love to feature them in a coming installation of Look What Your Colleagues Have Done!

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

Deputy Provost 2:10 (two articles with a read time of 10 minutes) is a communication series by Deputy Provost Renée Cramer sharing important scholarship, teaching, and development opportunities.

The new partnership between Drake and Uwill will significantly improve the well-being of our students as they will have increased access to mental health services. However, helping our students access this service will require all of our support. Please see the recommendations below to help ensure that students have access to this platform:

1. Remind students about the service. Each student has enough credits through the application for two individual telehealth therapy sessions. They may also utilize the credits provided for a scheduled chat or message with a clinically licensed therapist.
   
   
2. Include information about Uwill in your email signature:
   
   We care about your mental health and wellness. Students have free, immediate access to teletherapy through our partnership with Uwill. Get started. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call 833–646–1526 for help 24/7/365. For medical emergencies, call 911. 
   
   
3. Encourage your students to contact the 24/7 Uwill Crisis Hotline at 833–646–152 when they are experiencing an emergency or need immediate support. You may also utilize this number when you are talking with a student that needs to speak with a counselor immediately. It will be important to continue to utilize Starfish and your department’s protocol for student mental health concerns.
   
   
4. Encourage students to utilize the Urise educational features included through the application.
   
   
5. Remind students about the various Drake Student Counseling Center resources when they need additional support.
   
   
6. Visit our new internal website to learn more.
   

For questions, contact Kayla Bell-Consolver, director, Drake Student Counseling Center

— Kayla Bell-Consolver, Drake Student Counseling Center

Nominations are being accepted for the Principal Global Citizenship Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to global engagement and internationalization efforts on the part of faculty or staff. The selected awardee will receive a plaque, up to $3,000, and will be announced at the 2023 Global Citizen Forum in March. A screening committee will review all nominations and make recommendations to the Provost.  Nominations should be submitted to Bonnie Ehler at bonnie.ehler@drake.edu by Tuesday, Feb.14, 2023. 

A letter of nomination should be submitted recommending an individual for the award and explaining the context and manner in which the nominator has come to know the faculty or staff member. This letter should speak to the following qualifications:

Pursuant to the University’s mission to develop “responsible global citizens,” explain how the nominee has made outstanding contributions at Drake toward realizing the following:

1. Support Drake University as a global institution by creating linkages to global partners in local, national, and international settings;
2. Develop and/or actively support global and intercultural learning opportunities for Drake students;
3. Develop infrastructure, resources, and partnerships to support internationalization and global engagement.

The nominee must be a faculty or staff member with at least four years of service at the University. The nominee cannot have won this award within the past five years. Faculty and staff members who report directly to Global Engagement are ineligible.

Nominees who indicate a willingness to be considered will be invited to submit a resume or C.V. and a statement discussing their contributions to the above goals. Up to three letters of support from unit or institutional leadership, faculty, staff, or students will be accepted (this is optional).

Any individual who was nominated for the award in 2022 may be re-nominated if the nominator resubmits a letter offering the individual for consideration this year. Files of previous nominees are maintained for one year. If a faculty/staff member is re-nominated, the nominator will be invited to review the file from the previous year to ensure that the nomination is as current as possible.

Past recipients include:

2022 – Debra Bishop, Professor of Practice in Management & International Business

2021 – Sally Haack, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Clinical Sciences
2020 – Jody Swilky, Ellis and Nelle Levitt Professor of English/Writing Workshop
2019 – Pramod Mahajan, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
2018 – Tim Knepper, Professor of Philosophy/Comparison Project Director
2017 – John Rovers, Professor of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
2016 – Ellen Yee, Professor of Law/Director of International Programs

Nomination letters are due by Feb. 14, 2023, and should be sent as an attachment to bonnie.ehler@drake.edu. Questions may be directed to Annique Kiel, executive director of Global Engagement and International Programs, at annique.kiel@drake.edu.

— Bonnie Ehler, Global Engagement

Please consider nominating your colleagues, or yourself, for our distinguished university-wide research, teaching, and mentoring awards: the Madelyn M. Levitt Teacher of the Year Award and the Madelyn M. Levitt Mentor of the Year Award.  And, please apply for the Troyer Research Fellowship. 

The deadline for nominations for the Teacher and Mentor Award, as well as for applications for the Troyer Award is Feb. 17.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

Deputy Provost 2:10 (two articles with a read time of 10 minutes) is a communication series by Deputy Provost Renée Cramer sharing important scholarship, teaching, and development opportunities.

My office is hosting a two-session workshop on writing and shopping a book proposal.  The sessions will be Thursday, Feb. 9, and Thursday, March 9, from 12:45–1:45 p.m.  If you are interested in attending, and haven’t told me yet, please email renee.cramer@drake.edu and let me know you intend to join. I’ll send details—room info and a request for information from you.

If you’re working on finishing a writing project this semester—an article, a chapter, a grant, or book proposal—please consider joining a group of us for dedicated writing time. We have meetings this semester on select Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8:30–10 a.m. and select Friday afternoons (12:30–2 p.m.). If you’ve not already signed up, email me (renee.cramer@drake.edu) and I’ll send you our schedule.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

2:10 (two articles with a read time of 10 minutes) is a communication series by Deputy Provost Renée Cramer sharing important scholarship, teaching, and development opportunities.

Drake faculty and staff who exemplify the Core Value of Generosity of Spirit will be recognized at the next Provost’s Drake Social, Thursday, Jan. 26, in Cline Hall Atrium beginning at 4 p.m.

To nominate a colleague, please use the Qualtrics form. Feel free to fill out multiple forms. All those nominated will be recognized on a rolling display at the event.

How do we define Generosity of Spirit at Drake? We look for colleagues who trust, empower, and presume the best of each other; who practice civility, caring, and respect; and who commit to equity and inclusion.

When you nominate colleagues, be prepared to describe how each colleague meets these descriptions. From among those nominated, several will be chosen at random for prizes.

Additionally, this month we welcome Timothy Albers as Interim Dean of Admissions. Please come introduce yourself and enjoy a slice of cake!

Refreshments will include wine, beer, soft drinks, light snacks, and cake. This is a family friendly event. Feel free to bring your children and partner.

— Madison Bemus, Provost’s Office

2:10—two articles with a read time of 10 minutes—is a communication series by Deputy Provost Renée Cramer sharing important scholarship, teaching, and development news and opportunities.

If you’re like me, you’ve watched your Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon and Post accounts explode, in the past few weeks, with concern about how to respond appropriately to the fact that  AI-generated essays can be so convincingly good.*  With faculty partners from our AI major, and our Writing Workshop, I’m hosting an “emergency” faculty development opportunity on Friday, February 3, from 11:30 – 1:00.  We’ll investigate some strategies we might employ as faculty to be sure we’re assessing student (not AI generated) work, and to begin a conversation about how academic integrity policies should look given this new way to generate responses to the questions we ask our students.  Please sign up here, we’ll provide lunch.   I’m collaborating with our writing faculty, our AI faculty, our ITS specialists, and our assessment specialists on this workshop – and I promise this will be a first cut, we’ll be returning to AI over the course of the semester, sharing resources in OnCampus and scheduling more opportunities for conversation.

While I’ve got you here … lured by a sensational headline … I want to alert you to other faculty development opportunities running this spring, and invite your participation.  Books for Breakfast will meet on February 7 and 21, from 8:30 – 9:30, to discuss the classic Courage to Teach, by Parker Palmer.  Sign up here to get a copy of the book, and so we know you’d like breakfast.

And, if you are working on a particular writing project this semester, and would like community, support, and strategies, please consider showing up for the Deputy Provost’s Writing Group – nine of your colleagues who have committed to 90 minutes of writing time at regular times throughout the spring semester. Email me (renee.cramer@drake.edu) and I’ll send you our schedule – I’ll ask that you use the time exclusively for making progress on a particular project, and that you commit to 4 or 5 sessions – but you can drop in on any of the 16 that I’ve got on the books.

*yes, a footnote: if you’re like me, you actually aren’t on Post, Mastadon, Twitter, and Facebook …. but …  you get the idea.  It was for dramatic effect.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost