All Staff Council is holding a Bulldog Connect Networking Lunch on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 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

 I want to share with you the most recent results from the ITS section of this year’s Survey of Administrative Services. First, thank you to all who participated in the survey. The number of responses was significantly higher than the past few years and provides valuable feedback to help ITS assess and provide services that meet the needs of our students, faculty, and staff. This year’s results show that overall satisfaction with ITS increased from 3.76 in 2021 to 4.02 in 2022 (Figure 1).  

Satisfaction with ITS staff was positive overall (Figure 2). However, there are some areas that clearly need improvement. Satisfaction with communication about the status of tickets decreased to 3.5 and will be an area of focus in the upcoming year. 

A. ITS staff are courteous
B. ITS staff are professional
C. ITS staff are knowledgeable
D. ITS staff resolve my requests in a timely manner
E. ITS staff resolve my requests without errors
F. ITS staff provide regular communication about the status of my requests
G. When I contact ITS, I have confidence my requests will be resolved to my satisfaction

Satisfaction with IT services also improved overall (Figure 3). However, satisfaction with how we keep campus aware of changes to technology has decreased and will also be an area we will strive to improve in the upcoming year. 

A. I have the right technology tools I need to do my job effectively
I know how to use the technology I need to do my job effectively
C. I have the right level of support to use technology effectively
D. I know how to get training when I need to learn new technology
E. ITS keeps me aware of changes to technology that will impact my work 

The past couple of years have been a time of significant technological disruption. From the rapid adoption of online communication and instructional tools to unstable supply chains and staffing limitations, 2020 and 2021 presented many challenges. Our supportive campus partnerships allowed us to weather this storm and we are grateful for those strong relationships. 

ITS leadership will continue to assess your feedback and develop initiatives to help improve services based on the survey results. In the upcoming year, we will renew our focus on fundamentals and leverage the tools and procedures we have in place to better meet our communication and service commitments to campus. 

— Keren Fiorenza, ITS

All Staff Council and Human Resources invite faculty and staff to attend this year’s Holiday Cheer gathering on Thursday, Dec. 15, near the Pomerantz stage in the Olmsted Center. Faculty and staff are welcome to come and go as they please from 9 to 11 a.m.

Guests can enjoy a hot chocolate bar and cookie decorating station. Griff II will also be in attendance and ready for photos.

If you bring at least one non-perishable food or other goods for Drake’s Free Little Food Pantries, you will be entered into a drawing for prizes.

This event is a chance to give back to others in the Drake community, while mingling with coworkers.  Please take a moment to stop by, grab some cheer, and drop off a donation.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The Drake Principal Center for Global Center for Global Engagement is pleased to announce a new round of grants are available for fiscal year 2024. Each year, Drake financially supports faculty and staff projects in all corners of the world, including collaborative research projects, the creation of new student travel seminars, joint curriculum development, and more.

Current funding opportunities include:

Global Engagement Grants: Partnering with students, faculty, and staff to advance global and cross-cultural initiatives that connect Drake University with the world, the Global Engagement Grants Review Committee invites applications for funding. Grants are available to assist academic programs, faculty, and staff members in efforts to enhance the global engagement of Drake faculty, staff, and students. Applications may be considered for awards from multiple sources and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until funds are expended.

Global Partnership Grants: Drake University has established formal partnerships with multiple institutions abroad. Joint faculty and staff projects with one of our global partner institutions may be eligible for financial support through the Global Partnership Grants.

Global Enhancement Grants: This NEW grant program has been developed to support Drake faculty and staff in bringing virtual global enhancement to their existing courses and programs. Examples include (but are not limited to: inviting a guest speaker or panel to present virtually on a specific topic; facilitating a virtual tour to complement coursework; or developing a module or project to connect virtually with students in another part of the world! Assistance is available through the Office of Global Engagement to connect Drake faculty and staff with provider organizations and global partner institutions that can serve as resources for potential projects.

Nelson Institute Pressing Issues Grant: This resource is for students and faculty to conduct research on topics of broad international importance, such as hunger, humanitarian crises, global warming, and forced migrations.

Global Scholar/Practitioner and Residence: This program brings recognized and experienced scholars and professionals in various international fields to campus to teach part-time and serve as mentors to students. Global Scholars/Practitioners also engage with campus and community through research, public lectures, and help with furthering Drake’s institutional partnerships!

In addition to these official programs, the Drake Principal Center for Global Citizenship has also developed a list of faculty resources, including external grants and other support for faculty interested in global activities.

For more information about these opportunities, eligibility information, and links to the grant applications, please visit the official grant webpage. For questions or further support with logistics, don’t hesitate to contact grant program overseer Hannah Sappenfield.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

An objective of Drake’s Continuous Improvement Plan is to “Elevate Service Excellence”. The Survey of Administrative Services directly supports our continuous improvement in this area.  The feedback from 220 respondents this year helps Facilities Planning and Management understand where service gaps may exist and how to improve our services to the University.  Survey respondents provided largely positive feedback about FPM services. Responses were provided on a five-point scale, with five being the highest.

Satisfaction with FPM staff

Respondents assessed their satisfaction with FPM staff including their courtesy, professionalism, knowledge, timeliness, resolution of issues and communication regarding work orders and projects.

FPM Staff are courteous — 4.73

FPM Staff are professional— 4.69

FPM Staff are knowledgeable — 4.59

FPM Staff respond to may request in a timely manner — 4.15

FPM keeps me aware of projects or construction that will impact my work — 3.99

FPM staff provide regular communication about the status of my request — 3.95

Satisfaction with services provided by FPM

Respondents assessed their satisfaction with the services FPM staff provide for campus buildings and grounds.

Grounds – Winner of FPM Annual Golden Bulldog Award— 4.54

Moving – Last year’s winner — 4.51

Custodial — 4.46

Painting — 4.37

Electrical — 4.36

Plumbing — 4.36

Snow Removal — 4.35

Trash/Recycling — 4.33

Capital Projects — 4.13

Carpentry — 4.07

Cooling and Heating — 3.97

Overall satisfaction with FPM —Total Average 4.22 (4.13 last year)

Overall satisfaction is above average, slightly up from the previous year.  FPM has opportunities for improvement and we are actively developing strategies to improve our services and overall quality. The preservation of historic buildings can be demanding when maintaining and operating mechanical systems.  It is our goal to heat and cool to establish a comfortable environment, while understanding the capacity of the system along with individual preferences.

In reviewing the data and reflecting on the comments provided by the respondents, we make the following commitments.

FPM will:

1. Strive to provide status reports on work orders.
2. Communicate any impacts to campus through Building Contacts Monthly Meetings, OnCampus, or directly to impacted buildings contacts. Monthly meetings are held via TEAMS and open to everyone, if you wish to attend, please let us know.

3. Continue to develop the Facilities Condition Assessment annual report and provide the findings and recommendations to the campus. https://www.drake.edu/media/departmentsoffices/facilityservices/documents/FCA%20FY23%20Report.pdf

4. Ensure FPM staff demonstrate the Core Values as we perform our day-to-day operations.

— Kevin Moran, Executive Director Facilities Planning and Management

Mark your calendars for a retirement reception to honor Drinda Williams, academic support specialist, Office of the Provost, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 1–2:30 p.m. in Old Main, Levitt Hall.

— Ann Guddall, Provost’s Office

Join us on Dec. 7 for Roadmaps to Retirement: Taking Stock and Looking Forward.

A shocking number of Americans have done little to prepare for post-employment life. This free event will feature two panels of experts: Social Security and Disability at 11 a.m., moderated by Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Agency, and Employer Retirement Savings Programs at 1 p.m., led by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend of the U.S. Department of Labor. More details are available on The Harkin Institute website.  

Registration is required, sign up here on eventbrite. This event will have American Sign Language (ASL) and Real-time captioning (CART). Contact harkininstitute@drake.edu with questions or to request other accommodations. 

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

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

Rob Ebel, FPM Construction Manager, Facilities Planning and Management

“Managing construction projects also means that you manage change. It is with a servant’s heart that he strives to help our clients (faculty, staff, students) through the changes that construction progress brings.”

Sara Heijerman & Erica McGowan, University Book Club Leaders

“Although the book club is not part of their regular responsibilities at Drake, they show their generosity of spirit by joyfully taking on this project, and carefully planning it out to make sure the book selections are diverse, all participants have a say in the selections, and that the social gatherings are varied to accommodate both on campus and remote employees.”

Terry Janssen, Mechanic, Facilities Planning and Management

“To Terry these Core Values are more than words on paper they are the foundation of which we stand. Terry is a dedicated and valued employee whose abilities are truly a blessing to the Drake community.”

Kevin Moran, Executive Director, Facilities Planning and Management

“Instead of asking me to find another location or make do with what was available, he sought out the information and approvals he needed to meet the needs I had expressed for myself and my students. This was not just Kevin doing his job, but going above and beyond with a spirit of generosity, all in this together, with a commitment to mission at the core.”

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