Category Archives: For Faculty Archive

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Internal department sites coming to myDrake Sept. 23

In an effort to better target communications to both internal and external audiences, ITS and University Communications and Marketing are collaborating to expand myDrake. This team has been developing an internal website (intranet) to house campus-facing information securely, and provide an easier path to navigate to forms, instructions, department news, and other key information for the Drake community. This internal website (intranet) is built on the same platform as the myDrake campus portal and the new navigation page will become available from myDrake on the evening of Sept. 23.

A new link called Department Sites will be added to the Campus Resources section of myDrake and will initially take you to existing departmental sub-sites on www.drake.edu. ITS will be working with departments to move selected content into the new internal website and out of www.drake.edu.

If your department would like to volunteer to be an early adopter, please reach out to Jeff Regan at jeffrey.regan@drake.edu.

— Carla Herling, ITS

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Direct Travel: Drake’s new non-athletic travel partner

Drake University made a change to its travel program earlier this spring switching to Direct Travel as its new travel management partner for all non-athletic departments.  Drake Universityand Direct Travel have been working closely over the past few months to ensure a seamless transition with minimal impact to our travelers and overall travel program.    

As the University begins to allow some travel again, we wanted to take this opportunity to outline how to get set up with Direct Travel.

 A few items to note:

  • Existing travel profiles including preferences, loyalty numbers, unused tickets, etc were transferred to Direct Travel
  • The phone number is still 877-263-2550
  • New agent support email address: corporatealo@dt.com  
  • New Direct Travel Itineraries (Direct2U)

Online Booking Tool
Drake University is using Etta powered by Deem as its online booking tool.  Etta provides business travelers an effortless and modern booking experience including enhancements like Deem’s innovative Travel SafetyCheck which presents hotel neighborhood safety scores as well as current and historical COVID related information in the selected area.  Setting up your Direct Travel profile is easy!  Just follow these simple steps.  Watch the training video for step-by-step instructions on how to book your first trip!

In the coming weeks, we will continue to share information about our travel program, so stay tuned.  In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email procurement@drake.edu.  

— Heather Winslow, Administrative Services Specialist

For Faculty Archive

Community Engaged Learning faculty conversations

This fall the Office of Community Engaged Learning is facilitating a Community of Practice focused on Changemaking.

Changemaking has become the umbrella term we are using to inspire a culture of students with a bias toward action—whether as an entrepreneur or engaged citizen—to challenge prevailing social issues. It is also the theme of our spring Global Citizen Forum and one of the priority themes of our next comprehensive campaign.

If you missed our first Changemaking 101 session, a recording of the session is available on the CEL website. (Select the Community of Practice drop down).

 Our second session, “Moving from Direct Service to Social Innovation: The Drake Way,” is scheduled for Oct. 5 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Building upon our Changemaking 101 session (slides attached, review the recording by clicking the Community of Practice drop down) we will dig into what Changemaking can look like in practice at Drake and continue to explore the Grinnell Service and Social Innovation model in context to Drake’s culture and campus. We will also introduce the Pathways of Civic Action and Social Change, explore Drake examples in action, and provide room for you to share current social change projects you and your students are working on.

Please contact Renee Sedlacek Lee, director of Community Engaged Learning, at renee.sedlacek@drake.edu to register.

— Renee Cramer, Provost’s Office

For Faculty Archive

Curriculum, croissants, and conversation

The Deputy Provost’s Office will be hosting a series of open meetings for interdisciplinary conversations about how to make sure our curriculum delivers on its promises. We’ll announce a full schedule soon; some of these meetings will be focused on particular areas of the curriculum, some will be meant to help departments and units collaborate across institutional boundaries. All of them will be open-ended and meant to help faculty ask good questions, know where to find good answers, and think across disciplines.

This first conversation is wide open, and especially welcoming of department chairs and associate deans who want to talk about leading curricular change. We will meet in person in Howard Hall in the Academic Affairs conference room (2nd floor) on Thursday, Sept. 23, from 3:30–5 p.m. There will be croissants from La Mie. No need to sign up—just show up—but feel free to email renee.cramer@drake.edu with questions or thoughts prior to the gathering.

— Renee Cramer, Provost’s Office

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Faculty and staff affinity groups begin

The Office of Campus Equity and Inclusion is glad to support faculty and staff affinity groups. Please see the following descriptions, schedules, and contact information for existing and emerging groups. If you are interested in starting an affinity group that aligns to further Drake’s stated institutional mission for diversity, equity and inclusion, please reach out directly to Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion Jennifer Harvey.

The AAPI Faculty and Staff Affinity group welcomes all AAPI faculty and staff to join. You will be able to connect and network with other AAPI faculty and staff on campus. Please come to our visioning meeting on Monday, Sept. 27, at 3:30 p.m. We will meet outside at the covered space just east of Colliers-Scripps to determine how we can support the AAPI campus population. We will plan meetings and events based on what serves AAPI faculty and staff best. Please contact Maureen Yuen (maureen.yuen@drake.edu) with any questions and also  if you are unable to attend the meeting but wish to be included in AAPI Affinity communications and future events.

The Black Faculty and Staff Affinity group welcomes all Black faculty and staff to join us for our virtual Brown Bag Lunch Fellowship on Microsoft Teams. You will be able to connect and network with other Black faculty and staff on campus. We will meet on the first Friday of each month starting Oct. 1. We will hold space between 12 and 1:30 pm. You may join us from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 pm or anytime in between. To receive a Teams invite, email brandi.l.miller@drake.edu.

The Jewish Affinity group: Shalom and welcome to a new school year at Drake! Jewish faculty staff are welcome and encouraged to join Drake’s Faculty and Staff Jewish Affinity Group. The group supports each other—and Jewish students on campus—at many times of the year. In the past, Jewish faculty and staff have noshed together on bagels, enjoyed Shabbat dinner and Passover Seders with Drake Hillel, and more. Affinity group members will also be on our email list for future communications. Please email Lilianna.bernstein@drake.edu to join our group.

The Latinx Affinity group is a space for LatinX faculty and staff to get to know one another socially and provide support for each other. We will be planning an outdoor gathering later this fall. Please email marina.verlengia@drake.edu to be included on our distribution list and to get information about our fall gathering. We also have a Facebook group, please click here to join.

The Office of Campus Equity and Inclusion is particularly interested in exploring whether faculty and staff with disabilities and/or who identify as lgbtq+ would like to form an affinity group to provide mutual support and connection. Please reach out directly to Jennifer Harvey if you would be interested in facilitating such a group.

— Jennifer Harvey, Campus Equity and Inclusion

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Learn about Drake’s Sprout Garden

All Staff Council invites you to the Sprout Garden to learn about composting initiatives on campus with Sophia Siegel, sustainability coordinator. Bring your lunch Friday, Sept. 24, at 12 p.m. The Student Alumni Association (SAA) will provide lemonade and cookies. The Sprout Garden is located on 30th Street across from GK residence hall.

You will learn about Sprout Garden and are encouraged to collect food scraps during the week leading up to the event. The food scraps can be brought and placed in the compost bins at the Sprout Garden during the event. Food scraps to compost include produce waste (banana peels, apple cores, vegetable scraps, etc.), coffee grounds or loose tea, rinsed eggshells, and bread/tortillas. Please see the flyer outlining items not to be composted at the Sprout Garden. Contact Sophia Siegal if you need a container for your compost.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Help Drake win this year’s Walktober Step Challenge

Drake University has again challenged Des Moines University and Wesley Life to a step challenge in October.  We are the reigning champions but need your help to keep the title!

As a member of the Drake team, you will receive a journal and instructions to track your daily steps both on and off campus during the month of October.  Any movement that records steps will count toward the total.  Along the way you will receive fun facts and have a chance at individual prizes.  If you are looking for a reason to get moving, this may be the answer.

This event is open to all faculty, staff, and students.  To register, send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.  Registration deadline is Thursday, Sept. 30.

For Faculty Archive

University Curriculum Committee: AOI application deadline for first meeting

The University Curriculum Committee meets for the first time this year on Thursday, Sept. 30. Faculty who want to apply for a course to meet an AOI or propose a new INTD (interdisciplinary) course should submit applications by Wednesday, Sept. 22, to be considered this month. AOI applications are accepted on a rolling basis and considered at UCC’s monthly meetings.

— Carrie Dunham-LaGree, Cowles Library

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Policy for requesting changes to University spaces

Last year, a new policy was developed to help ensure appropriate resources and planning are in place for any changes to University buildings or grounds. Even small changes may impact other systems or conditions, such as electrical load, air quality, or technology infrastructure. In addition, Facilities Planning and Management staff need to be aware of any safety, cleaning, or HVAC requirements created by the project.

The Capital Project Approval Process requires that all projects involving space on campus begin with Facilities Planning and Management construction management team, regardless of funding source. If the project is $5,000 or less, it may be submitted using the work order system and for projects greater than $5,000 the policy provides a process for prioritization, scheduling, and oversight.

Questions may be directed to Michelle Huggins (Michelle.Huggins@drake.edu) or Kevin Moran (Kevin.Moran@drake.edu).

The full policy can be found in the University Policy Library.

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer