Each Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.
During the past two years, I’ve frequently felt disconnected—the move to remote instruction in the first semesters of the pandemic made it impossible to have the kinds of impromptu conversations that feel so nourishing. With our return to more face-to-face interactions, I’m noticing that I still schedule my meetings as though they were on Team—ie: back-to-back-to-back, which also leaves little time for impromptu chats!
I’m working on finding ways to build time into my schedule for conversations, rather than meetings. Here are some upcoming times and places to find me—no agenda!
I’ll be hosting light breakfasts (pastries from La Mie, hot tea/instant coffee) in Howard Hall’s Academic Affairs suite, for FYS instructors in particular Oct. 14, and all faculty Oct. 20, both at 8:30–9:30 a.m.
New Faculty—and anyone who wants to meet them—are invited for a low-key meet-up in Howard Hall on the 20th, from 3:30—4:30 p.m.
Each Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.
The Speaking Center is open for both online and campus appointments for Fall 2022.
Drake University’s Speaking Center is here to support students, faculty, and staff in our shared efforts to develop and advance crucial skills in oral communication.
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.
Please let your students know:
The Speaking Center will be holding appointments online through Blackboard and also 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 specifying whether you prefer a virtual or campus appointment.
Virtual Tutoring Sessions are held on Blackboard Collaborate Ultra at the following link:
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.
Full-time employees in a regular position at Drake University are eligible to participate in two tuition exchange programs, which offer waived or discounted tuition at other participating institutions for employees, their spouse/partner, or eligible dependent(s).
Those wishing to apply for tuition exchange in the 2023–2024 academic year can apply now. Applications should only be completed for students not already approved for tuition exchange—those who have been approved for tuition exchange in prior years will automatically be re-certified for consideration in the 2023–2024 academic year (assuming the employee remains eligible).
There are 3 main steps in the tuition exchange application process:
Employee submits the online tuition exchange application (and the student should also apply for admission at the schools listed on the application).
Drake’s Office of Student Financial Planning will confirm and certify the employee’s eligibility to participate in the tuition exchange program. This is done on a rolling basis as applications are received.
Each school listed on the application will determine whether they can offer the student a tuition exchange award.
Schools have different application deadlines and timelines for announcing award determinations. It is the employee’s responsibility to submit the tuition exchange application early enough to allow time for step #2 to be completed in advance of each school’s deadlines.
Details about each of Drake’s tuition exchange programs are provided below:
Tuition Exchange, Inc.(TE) TE has over 670 participating schools. Visit tuitionexchange.org to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.
Councilof Independent Colleges & Universities Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP) CIC-TEP has over 440 participating schools. Visit cic.edu/tep to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.
As we previously shared, Drake’s applicant tracking system (ATS), Hire Touch, is being sunset at the end of this year. We have contracted with PageUp to provide our new ATS.
In our last update, we asked for your help in naming our new job postings site. After considering suggestions from campus, we have decided to call the new application page Jobs@Drake. This will be the place to find and apply for Drake faculty and staff jobs. Handshake will continue to be the place for our students to find and apply for on campus student employment opportunities.
The ITS and HR project team continues to work closely with PageUp representatives to be prepared for the switch later this year. The team is currently working to connect Banner and PageUp and recently began testing to confirm PageUp is setup correctly. At present, the project team is anticipating a late fall launch. You can expect to hear from us next when we have determined the actual launch date and are ready to begin our training and transition work.
Here’s a high-level sneak peak on what’s ahead. We plan to have training and simulation opportunities for those involved in faculty and staff recruitment. Additionally, we plan to create documentation to help guide you through the new system. Finally, we will work with departments that have live postings so they are properly transitioned to PageUp.
For now, please keep following current recruitment practices using HireTouch. If you have any specific questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to share them with us. You can contact the project manager, Kris Brewster, ITS, or send them to Maureen De Armond, Human Resources.
During suicide prevention month (and beyond), it is imperative to validate and appreciate each person working at Drake and the incredible job each person does to make sure that Drake is on mission for our students and our community.
Did you know that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 5 workers will experience a mental health condition in a year?
What can you do if you are feeling mentally strained?
Talk to your supervisor or a trusted person about your feelings.
Visit with Marlene Heuertz in Human Resources (heuertz@drake.edu) for additional resources.
Call 988 or chat online at: org/chat if you are in a mental health crisis and need to speak with someone immediately.
What can you do if you see that a coworker seems to be struggling with mental health?
Talk with them privately and listen without judgment. You are not expected to be a mental health professional, but you can still help them by opening the conversation. Ask open-ended questions like:
How are you feeling today?
Why do you think you feel this way?
How can I help?
If comfortable and appropriate, relate to them on a personal level and share your own experiences.
Always respect the employee’s right to privacy if the disclose a mental health condition.
If someone is at immediate risk of suicide, stay with them until you can get further help. Contact emergency services or call/text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
All in This Together—Together we can make a difference.
Starting this month, ITS will perform monthly audits to archive and remove unused content from the University’s Panopto service. Videos with zero views within a 13-month period will be archived and no longer immediately accessible. Videos can be restored through a self-service process, and instructions for restoring archived these videos are available in the ITS Knowledge Base.
Archived videos will remain on the Panopto service for an additional 13-month period, or 26 months from the last view. After that time, if there are no requests to restore the video, it will be permanently removed. Drake University will not archive, backup, or otherwise save any Panopto videos in any alternate manner.
This change is due to a new Panopto license model which bills the University for both hours created and shared as well as stored on the system. If you have any questions, contact the ITS Support Center.
Mark your calendar for the Provost’s October Drake Social Monday, Oct. 24, at 4 p.m., at Shivers Hospitality Suite.
During the social, faculty and staff who demonstrate the Drake core value Joyful Accountability will be recognized as part of a PowerPoint scroll. From all those recognized, names will be drawn at random for prizes. Honorees must be present to win.
You can recognize a colleague who demonstrates Joyful Accountability by completing this Qualtrics form by Wednesday, Oct 19.In your recognition, please share how your colleague demonstrates Joyful Accountability:
The John Dee Bright Collegeat Drake University seeks two current Drake faculty members to serve as joint associate deans during the 2022–2023 academic year (renewable pending budgetary approval).
Working closely with the dean and faculty of Bright College, the associate deans will provide leadership support, including…
Coordinating ongoing faculty governance and college policy development efforts.
Leading the development of internal and external bachelor’s-degree completion pathways for Bright College graduates.
Collaborating with the College’s Student Professional and Academic Support specialist to forge partnerships with area businesses, enterprises, and non-profit organizations in support of student professionalization experiences such as internships and immersive professional learning.
Supporting student recruitment efforts and internal and external faculty recruitment efforts.
Occasionally serving in the dean’s absence, including representing Bright College at events and meetings.
Responsibilities will be shared and/or divided between the associate deans according to the strengths and primary interests of each.
Prior affiliation with Bright College is not required.
Qualifications:
Tenure or otherwise permanent (non-probationary, non-visiting) faculty appointment at Drake University. Tenure-track faculty who have completed their probationary period as of September 1, 2022, are also eligible.
Genuine enthusiasm for supporting colleagues and the ability to create and sustain collegial, collaborative campus and external partnerships.
Commitment to innovative, interdisciplinary curricula and best practices in teaching and learning.
Familiarity with Drake’s learning management systems and IT environment.
Ability to work productively across disciplinary and institutional boundaries.
Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
Demonstrated commitment to working effectively and supportively with people from diverse backgrounds.
High-level ability to act decisively in response to changing situations.
Compensation:
$5,000 annually for each associate dean.
Average weekly hourly responsibilities: 4 hours, including a weekly JDBC staff meeting.
Weekly range of hours will vary from 2-8, depending on the areas of responsibility each individual covers.
Additional summer responsibilities (with additional compensation) are possible.
Timeline
September 24: Review of materials begins.
Target start date: 7 October 2022
To Apply
Please attach a cover letter, CV, and the names and email contacts of two colleagues who will serve as references—all as a single document—to Sofia Turnbull (bright.college@drake.edu), Administrative Support Specialist to Bright College, with the words “Associate Dean” in the subject line.
Joint applications are welcome: Two colleagues may submit a joint application by attaching all materials to a single email and, in the email, explaining the reasons for a joint submittal. Joint applicants should indicate whether they would be willing to be considered individually for the positions, as well, or if they would consider appointment only as a team. Applicants considering a joint application are strongly encouraged to partner with a colleague from another division, college or school.
About Bright College
Bright College offers affordable access to high-quality higher education to students who seek an alternative to traditional post-secondary schooling. Through high-impact, inquiry- and problem-based learning in interdisciplinary seminars, our learners develop higher-order, transferrable habits of mind as they earn an associate’s degree in Business, Organization, and Professional Studies or in the Interdisciplinary Arts, Sciences, and Humanities. Students will be prepared to enter the professional workforce in business, enterprise, non-profit, arts, and civic organizations or complete a bachelor’s degree at Drake or elsewhere—or both.
Students progress through the year-round sequence of coursework as members of a cohort—a team of students who take seminars and short courses together, form lasting relationships, and practice collaborative learning and problem-solving together.
Black-identifying faculty and staff are invited to monthly conversations with Provost Sue Mattison. These will generally be at 11 a.m., the third Thursday of each month, with two exceptions: September and March will be the fourth Thursday. See the list of dates and locations on the Campus Calendar.
Last spring there were a number of administration listening sessions with faculty, staff, and students following a racist incident on campus. One request from Black faculty and staff was for regular and ongoing communication with campus leadership, not just emails or meetings in response to a crisis situation. The Office of the Provost has worked with the Black Affinity group on campus, organized by Brandi Miller, to schedule these monthly meetings.
It’s been an unpredictable couple of years in the recruitment space. Please join me, Anne Kremer, for an opportunity to come together and participate in a recruitment refresh.
When: Sept. 19 from 3–4 p.m. Where: Sussman Theatre
Data insights on the effectiveness of faculty as a part of the recruitment and visit experience, along with best practices and approaches for these students in both the in person and virtual spaces will be covered. We will also provide some insights on the Gen Z student and what they are seeking as a part of their college search and college experience.
