Category Archives: For Faculty Archive

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

Deputy Provost 2:10: Time for conversation

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!

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 9–10 a.m., Cowles Reading Room

Thursday, Oct. 13, 2–3 p.m., Collier Scripps, 1st floor

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.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

Deputy Provost 2:10: Speaking Center open, resources for students

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:

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.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost