With the overwhelming popularity of always-listening devices including Amazon Echo, Google Home, and smartphones, you’ve probably heard stories of these devices joining in on conversations without being prompted. It might have even happened to you!

These devices are also not designed or built with security in mind, which often leaves them vulnerable if your home network is not securely configured.  

Here are some tips to protect your private information, and conversations, from these always-listening devices: 

• Review and delete voice recordings. Your device stores your search and activity history to create a customized experience. To protect your privacy you can review and delete these recordings from the device. 

• Mute the microphone. You can mute the microphone to ensure that your device is not listening and recording when you are not using it. It won’t record until you turn the microphone back on.
  
• Don’t link accounts with sensitive information to your device. If you have any accounts containing personal or university information, don’t link those accounts to your device. This will prevent that information from being impacted by any potential breach.
  
• Change the settings to manually manage data stored by the device. Managing what data is connected with your account will give you more control over the information that is being stored and will make it easier for you to delete your history.
  
• Turn off your device when you’re away. If your device doesn’t have a power button, simply unplug it.

By creating habits to better control these always-listening devices, you can protect your personal information and prevent this modern twist on phishing.

ITS will continue to simulate phishing attacks and assign training to those most susceptible. If you believe you’ve been targeted, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to). 

— Peter Lundstedt, ITS 

 

 

 

Over the past several months, ITS has been working on a project requested by the Board of Trustees to improve the overall security of the Drake campus network.

We are implementing a system called network access control (NAC), which will allow us to manage access to Drake services based on a person’s campus role and/or the type of device they are using to connect to the network. This change has already been implemented for students since migrating to the eduroam wireless network this past fall.

Additional roles and access levels for faculty and staff and specific types of devices will be introduced in late July. Watch for more information about these changes in the coming weeks.

— Carla Herling, ITS

The Nelson Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs invites proposals for a two-year grant that will fund interdisciplinary faculty-student research projects that address a global issue of broad public importance. This is a unique experience for faculty and staff to work collaboratively on a global initiative, and support’s the University’s objective of infusing global and intercultural learning throughout the Drake experience.

Over the past five years, the Nelson Institute has funded the following Pressing Global Issues grant projects:

• Exploring complementary approaches to combat global non-communicable diseases in India
• Comparative religion project in partnership with Minzu University in Beijing, China, culminating in a photo narrative-style book
• Assessing, Collaborating, and Empowering to Improve Water Quality in Rural Uganda
• Transnational Des Moines: Reframing Des Moines Immigrant and Refugee Narratives through Collaborative Research with Youth
• Drake University’s Presence in the Toledo District of Southern Belize: Maximizing Our Impact While Minimizing Our Footprint

One project will be funded for the period from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022*. Depending upon resource availability, the Nelson Institute may award similar grants in future years according to a similar two-year cycle. The Nelson Institute will provide $20,000 to $30,000 in support of selected projects, depending upon demonstrated need. Project leaders are encouraged, if necessary, to seek additional funding from on- and off-campus sources.

Send your proposals to the Director of the Nelson Institute for Diplomacy & International Affairs Dr. Jimmy Senteza at Jimmy.Senteza@drake.edu. The deadline for proposals is June 26, 2020. The proposals will be reviewed by a committee comprised of faculty and staff. Award notification will occur by July 6, 2020.

*Funds may not be expended during the period that University travel restrictions and correlating budget restrictions are in place.

Successful proposals will feature the following elements/criteria:

1. Explication of Research Topic

• A clear identification of the pressing global issue to be addressed and an explanation of its public significance.
• An exposition of the research objectives and methods related to the project.
• An explanation of how the project takes advantage of particular strengths Drake and the community bring to addressing the issue.

2. Identification of Interdisciplinary Research Team

• Commitments from an interdisciplinary faculty research team consisting of three or more faculty members (at least two of whom must be Drake affiliated). One or more Principal Investigators must be identified.
• Evidence that the team members possess the requisite qualifications to successfully carry out the project (please attach CVs).
• The project must involve two or more paid student research assistants with appropriate qualifications.
• The research may be joint or parallel (i.e., a single joint project or several individual projects that each address related aspects of a common theme).

3. Activities and Outcomes

• The project timeline will allow for completion of the primary research products within a two-year period.
• The project participants will engage in at least two team activities (e.g., summer campus workshop, international travel as a team, cooperative field work, etc.) during the grant period.
• Team members will collaborate with other campus entities (e.g., Principal Center for Global Citizenship, Humanities Center, DUSCI, the Harkin Institute, Engaged Citizen, etc.) to schedule co-curricular events (e.g., speakers, films, panel discussions, etc.) related to the theme during the two-year grant period.
• The project will plausibly lead to externalization in the form of publication, presentation(s) at a professional conference, submission as a report to relevant public or non-governmental bodies involved with policy-making, or other outputs of similar import.
• The student members of the grant team are expected to participate in the annual Global Citizen Forum held on campus each Spring.

4. Preferences

• Preference will be given to projects that draw upon connections with partners at the local, national or international level (e.g., overseas university partner).
• Preference will be given to new projects that have not been funded in prior years by the Nelson Institute.

Teams are encouraged to consult with the director as they prepare their proposals. The successful grant team will be expected to submit a formal progress report by June 30, 2021, and a final grant report by June 30, 2022.

— Annique Kiel, Drake International

If you’ve participated in activities with Drake’s global partner institutions within the past year, please complete a brief survey by Monday, June 8.

The survey is designed to paint a more robust picture of faculty and staff activities with global partners. Some examples of activities include guest teaching, leading a travel seminar, participating in joint research, or hosting an international delegation.

Complete the Global Partnerships Activity survey.

The survey should take no more than 5–10 minutes to complete. You may submit multiple separate activities in the same survey, and there is an optional testimonial section at the end.

For questions, contact Hannah Sappenfield, global partnerships coordinator, at hannah.sappenfield@drake.edu.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Drake International

Faculty Senate 2020–2021 has been chosen and the executive committee elected. Shelley Fairbairn is the Faculty Senate president, while Carrie Dunham-LaGree moves into the role of past president. Matt Zwier serves as president-elect. Joining these officers on the Faculty Senate Executive Committee are Natalie Banta, Michelle Botttenberg, Dan Chibnall, Debra DeLaet, Matthew Hayden, Chip Miller, and Jill VanWyke.

At-Large Senators are Debra DeLaet (AS), Catherine Gillespie (SOE), Erik Maki (CPHS), and Jimmy Senteza (CBPA).

The College of Arts & Sciences is represented by Klaus Bartschat, Megan Brown, Matthew Canfield, Peter Levi, Yasmina Madden, Ashely Sidon, Neil Ward, and Matt Zwier.

The College of Business and Public Administration is represented by Paul Judd, Lynn McCool, and Chip Miller.

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is represented by Michelle Bottenberg, Anisa Hansen, and Ron Torry.

Cowles Library is represented by Dan Chibnall and Priya Shenoy.

Law School is represented by Natalie Banta and Matt Dore.

The School of Education is represented by Matthew Hayden and Kevin Lam.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is represented by Sandy Henry and Jill VanWyke.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

It is with a great sense of pride that we announce the following promotions and tenure among our faculty colleagues.

College of Arts and Sciences

• Athan Petridis, Physics and Astronomy, Full Professor
• Benjamin Gardner, Art and Design, Full Professor
• Lisa West, English, Full Professor
• Olga Lazareva, Psychology, Full Professor
• Sandra Patton-Imani, American Studies, Full Professor with Tenure
• Neil Ward, Graphic Design, Associate Professor and Tenure

College of Business and Public Administration

• Andrew Bryant, Marketing, Associate Professor with Tenure
• Royce Fichtner, Business Law, Full Professor
• Ina Purvanova, Marketing and International Business, Full Professor

College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

• Michelle Bottenberg, Pharmacy Practice, Full Professor, Clinical
• Sally Haack, Pharmacy Practice, Full Professor with Tenure
• Shankar Munusamy, Pharmacology, Tenure
• Cassity Gutierrez, Health Sciences, Tenure
• Nathan Newman, Athletic Training, Tenure

Cowles Library

• Hope Bibens, Librarianship, Political Papers Archivist, Tenure

Law School

• Natalie Banta, Law, Professor of Law with Tenure
• Erin Lain, Law, Professor of Law with Tenure
• Suzan Pritchett, Law, Professor of Law with Tenure

School of Education

• Bengu Erguner-Tekinalp, Education Counseling, Full Professor with Tenure
• Robyn Cooper, Leadership & Counseling, Full Professor with Tenure

School of Journalism and Mass Communication

• Kelly Bruhn, Journalism & Mass Communication, Full Professor

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Faculty, final grades are due by 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20. Exception: Law School grades are due Tuesday, May 26.

You may enter your final grades directly in MyDUSIS or  send them from Blackboard to MyDUSIS (with proper configuration).

The Final Grade Submittal page in MyDUSIS now displays each student’s grade mode, and the drop-down menus display only the grade options applicable to each student’s grade mode.  For example, only “credit” or “no credit” will display for students who have opted for the credit/no credit option.

You may send your grades from Blackboard to MyDUSIS for only the students earning standard letter grades or only for students earning CR/NC grades, using MyDUSIS to directly enter grades for the opposite set of students.  Or, you may send grades for both sets of students by repeating certain steps in Blackboard.  The Blackboard instructions page has been updated with step-by-step instructions.  After sending your grades to MyDUSIS, it is wise to double-check the Final Grade Submittal page in MyDUSIS to do ensure MyDUSIS received all of them.

For questions about final grades, please email registrar@drake.edu.

Thank you for all of the adaptations you have made this semester and your efforts to submit your final grades on time.

— Kevin Moenkhaus, Office of the Registrar

Faculty, final grades are due by 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20. Exception: Law School grades are due Tuesday, May 26.

You may enter your final grades directly in MyDUSIS or automatically send them from Blackboard to MyDUSIS (with proper configuration).

Due to the large number of students who have converted their grade mode from standard letter grades to credit/no credit, we are enhancing the Blackboard Grades Journey instructions, which will be available here.

The “Download Class Roster” link on the Faculty & Advisors tab in MyDUSIS will allow you to generate your class roster in an Excel document, which lists, among other things, the grade mode assigned to each of your students.

More details about final grade entry will be available soon.  Thank you for your patience.

— Kevin Moenkhaus, Office of the Registrar