Reminder: J-Term and Spring semester textbook adoptions are due Nov. 1.

January and Spring terms are hovering around 15% complete, while the Law School is at 40% compared to last year.

Savings for students: Timely book adoptions means we can source used book from our distribution centers and leverage our network of 1,200 campus across the U.S. and Canada. Used books save students up to 80% compared to brand new books.

Student Success: Studies have shown that students who have all required material on the first day of class have better academic outcomes than those who do not. Timely book adoptions give us time to order material and have it on the shelf before the first day of class.

Production and Shipping Delays: Our business like many others are still facing struggles as a result of the pandemic. Our vendors are still facing staff shortages, production delays, and shipping backlogs. With our early request date, we are purchasing books earlier to allow more time for our partners to get us these vital supplies for students.

You can submit adoptions by using the Follett Discover tool in myDrake or send me a message directly by email or phone. Even if you are not using University Bookstore supplied materials, please let us know. We need to notate that information to be transparent to the students when they are registering for classes and shopping our store.

— Kyle McVay, University Bookstore

All faculty and staff are highly encouraged to attend a budget town hall presentation with President Martin and myself for an update on FY21, FY22, and beyond. The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, Oct. 26, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

You must be logged into the Drake network (either remotely or on campus) to attend. Due to the large group size, Q&A will be handled via the Q&A feature in Teams.

Thank you for your participation in advance.

— Adam Voigts, Chief Financial Officer

Faculty, the textbook adoption deadline is fast approaching and we need your orders. Our collection campaign ends Nov. 1 as we are moving up our ordering dates to allow more time for fulfillment and shipping.
Please utilize the Follett Discover link within myDrake or reach out to us directly at the bookstore.

— Kyle McVay, University Bookstore

Old Main will be open for Trick or Treat fun on Monday, Nov. 1, from 3–4:30 p.m. Faculty and staff are invited to bring their children or grandchildren to visit office to office, and get one-more use out of that Halloween costume.

In accordance with Drake’s COVID-19 policy, please make sure the children are wearing masks over their mouths and noses.

— Drinda Williams, Provost’s Office

ITS has been working to streamline and consolidate our service options in the IT Service Portal over the last year to make it easier for faculty, staff and students to know which service to use. The most recent changes have taken place in the Blackboard Learn Ultra category.

Where there were previously a number of services available to choose from, there are now only two options: Blackboard Learn Ultra Issue and Blackboard Learn Ultra Request.

The Blackboard Learn Ultra Issue will continue to be used in the same way as in the past. If you have an issue, are seeing errors, or need assistance with troubleshooting a problem, submit a Blackboard Learn Ultra Issue.

The new Blackboard Learn Ultra Request option combines multiple previous ticket types into one. Use the Blackboard Learn Ultra request for any of the actions below:

• Add/change/remove user access
• Consultation on how to best use Learn Ultra features
• Training
• Create custom course/site
• Merge courses
• Restore archived course
• Share/copy course content

When you submit your request, the form will guide you through a series of questions to determine the nature of your request and ensure you provide the necessary information for ITS staff to assist you.

The IT Service Portal is the preferred method of requesting assistance from ITS staff and allows for the best experience.

— Karly Good, ITS

First-generation college students are an important part of the Drake community—about 14% of our campus community are first-gen students. Drake defines this as a college student whose parents/legal guardians have not received a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university. The office of New Student Programs offers resources and programs to support first-generation students at Drake. We will be celebrating National First Generation Student day on Nov. 8. We would like to include first-generation faculty and staff in this celebration. First-generation faculty and staff can play a huge role in supporting and mentoring first-gen students.

If you are a faculty or staff member that identifies as first-generation and would like to participate in first-generation student programs and connect with these students, please email Marina Verlengia at marina.verlengia@drake.edu.

— Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs

Grab your walking shoes and join the All Staff Council in walking the Bulldog Mile every Friday at noon through Nov. 19.

It’s simple: show up at the start of the Bulldog Mile (sidewalk southeast of the Olmsted Center) and follow the signage and large blue paw prints while enjoying the fresh air and a conversation with a colleague. An ASC committee member will greet you (weather permitting), and walk the Bulldog Mile with you. We look forward to seeing you there!

— Sydni Jennings, On behalf of All Staff Council

Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day at Men’s Soccer will take place Saturday, Oct. 23, when the Bulldogs host Loyola at 7 p.m. at the Cownie Soccer Complex. Admission is free so come out to Cownie to cheer on your Bulldogs!

— Aimee Lane, Athletics

Drake Latinx faculty and staff are invited to get together for lunch on Wednesday, Oct. 27, in Hubbell Dining Hall. We will have meal tickets available for pick up at the Student Life Center in Olmsted starting Tuesday, Oct. 19. We will also have someone to welcome and hand out tickets at Hubbell on Oct. 27 from 11 to 11:30 a.m.

We look forward to this time together to get to know other Latinx faculty and staff on campus. We hope you will join us!

— Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs

Every Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two informative articles with a read time of 10 minutes.

On Friday, Oct. 22, my office is sponsoring two events.

First, we’ve invited Craig Owens, dean of John Dee Bright College, to be (virtually) present to talk about the semester-long John Dee Bright College Faculty Fellowship. Bright College, Drake’s newest academic division, is currently recruiting faculty who might wish to take part in co-teaching an interdisciplinary seminar or leading a practicum for a semester in the next two years. Compensation includes a combination of course release, stipend, and faculty development funding. Faculty at any rank from any college, school, or division are welcome to join Craig for a virtual lunch-adjacent conversation about these opportunities on Friday, Oct. 22, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Email nicki.kimm@drake.edu to register/get the Zoom link. More information about Bright College is available at www.drake.edu/bright.

Second, we’ll be hanging out in Mars Cafe from 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22, having a MID-TERM GRADING PARTY. Stop by, drink some coffee, do some grading or other mid-term work, see colleagues you’ve not seen in a while, or meet those you’ve never met, talk pedagogy and assessment and mid-term evaluation practices.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost