ITS will be changing the login screen for all Microsoft 365 applications on the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 30.

After this change, all logins to Microsoft 365 applications will require you to use your Drake email address as your username instead of your 9-digit Drake ID.

This change will only effect Microsoft-connected applications like myDrake, Teams, Outlook, and Office. Non-Microsoft 365 applications will continue to accept either your Drake email address or 9-digit Drake ID as a username. After the change, you may also be prompted to re-log in to any open sessions on your computer and other devices.

This is being done as part of a larger project to better manage Drake-owned computers remotely.

More information and screenshots of the new login screen can be found at Signing in to Microsoft-connected systems (How-To)

— Christopher Mielke, ITS

A certain number of face shields have been made available to each college, and subsequently, everyone who may need one. If you are still in need of a face shield, let Nate Reagen know. Thank you and we’re all in this together.

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

The Office of Alumni Relations is looking for faculty and staff to be speakers in a new virtual ‘Back to Class’ series. This is an opportunity for alumni to connect with campus and a chance for you to share your knowledge. The topic and time can be decided based on your schedule. After the session is completed, the video will be accessible on the alumni website.

To sign up or learn more, take this survey. For questions, reach out to alumni@drake.edu.

— Amelia Klatt, Alumni Relations

As we return to campus, please be aware of these important requirements:

Self Monitoring and Reporting:
All Drake University employees (including faculty, staff, and sub-contracted employees) are required to measure and record their own body temperature from home or at one of several self-serve stations on the Drake campus for indications of COVID-19 like illness prior to working on campus. Some departments, such as Facilities and Public Safety, may develop their own temperature monitoring process requirements consistent with this policy.

Employees must notify the Director of Environmental Health and Safety using this form and notify their manager of any of the following: 

1. Any symptoms currently considered to be associated with COVID-19 as indicated by the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html, including a temperature of 100.4 or higher,
2. A personal diagnosis of COVID-19, or
3. Close personal contact (defined as being within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Employees reporting any of the above will not be allowed to report to work until personally notified that it is safe to do so by the University’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety. 

Out of State Travel Reporting:
Faculty and staff are to report out of state travel to the Director of Environmental Health and Safety by submitting this form.

Thank you for your help in keeping our campus safe and healthy for everyone in our community.

— Mary Alice Hill, Human Resources

The following is a list of upcoming workshops from The Ray Center offered through the Drake Office of Online and Continuing Education. For dates, times, and prices, or to register, visit drake.edu/doce/programs/.

Civility in the Work Place
Recent studies show that Americans believe our culture is uncivil. Civility will only improve when individuals commit to bettering their own actions. The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University is committed to helping individuals, organizations, and communities learn skills and strategies to help maintain civility, even during the most difficult conversations. In this session, participants will learn the importance of establishing connection, how to rephrase attack statements, and how to seek understanding and common ground.

Managing Stress at Work
Stress is a constant in our lives. No matter the steps taken to reduce stress, it will always show up again. As leaders, it is important to manage our stress so that we can overcome challenges and obstacles and keep pursuing our goal, and help our team members manage their stress as well. In this session, participants will learn about the difference between good stress and distress, and develop a stress management plan that helps them recognize their stress, choose the right mindset, take the right actions, and evaluate the outcome of their stress management.

— Amy Smit, Robert D. & Billie Ray Center

Over the past few months, ITS has been developing a framework to better support Drake-owned computers remotely. These solutions will help ensure campus-owned computers are kept up to date, remain secure, and streamline tasks such as changing passwords from off campus.

The first step toward remotely managing Drake-owned computers is to change the way everyone signs into Microsoft 365 applications including myDrake, Teams, Outlook, and Office. This requires moving from our current login process to using Microsoft’s authentication solution.

On Monday, Aug. 31, ITS will begin using Microsoft’s authentication workflow. After this change, all logins to Microsoft 365 applications will require you to use your Drake email address as your username instead of your  9-digit Drake ID. This change will only affect Microsoft-connected applications like myDrake. Non-Microsoft 365 applications will continue to accept either your Drake email address or 9-digit Drake ID as a username.

We are working on creating documentation and will provide more information as we get closer to this change.

— Christopher Mielke, ITS

In last week’s employee update, President Martin asked each of us to do our part to protect the health and safety of the Drake community by completing a 15-minute training course on COVID-19. In keeping with our #DrakeTogether Commitments, please complete the COVID-19 training course, presented by Chris Nickell, director of Environmental Health & Safety, by no later than Monday, Aug. 31. The course is available to all employees through Blackboard and can be accessed via my.drake.edu. Upon selecting the Blackboard link under “Commonly Used Apps,” employees can access the course via the left hand menu under the “Courses” tab by clicking on the course entitled “Drake University Awareness Training for Returning to Campus During COVID-19” and following the instructions within the course. 

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer 

As some faculty and staff return to campus, here’s a reminder about how best to get assistance with your campus tech needs.

In order to comply with campus social distancing requirements, the support center in lower level Carnegie Hall is closed for walk-in assistance and is open by appointment only.

Please either visit our IT service portal at service.drake.edu/its or call 515-271-3001 to learn more about the tech resources available or to receive assistance with any issues. Please note that the tech support phone line is currently unavailable due to storm damage.

We continue to update our online resources including our knowledge base filled with guides to help you answer your most pressing tech questions, our service catalog where you can report issues or request assistance, and remote support capabilities so our techs can provide support from a distance. Due to our most recent update, you will be asked additional questions about any issue to ensure we are triaging requests appropriately.

— Carla Herling, ITS

On Aug. 15, 16, 17, and 18 we will welcome students back to campus. This year’s move-in process will be unique, and Residence Life needs faculty and staff assistance to make it as welcoming of an experience as possible. You may sign up for 2- and 4-hour shifts here.

Volunteers will report to the Carpenter front desk on Aug. 15 and 16 and Morehouse front desk on Aug 17 and 18 to receive instructions and the necessary information to properly direct the students arriving for move-in. Your role is to stand outside the student’s car, check the student’s dash sign to confirm they have completed preliminary information and their COVID-19 test (if they have not, re-direct them to the Olmsted lot). Step-two is to check the student’s government ID to verify who they are, and if they’ve completed their COVID-19 test, hand the student a check-in packet to fill out while in their vehicle. Once the student has completed the check-in packet, they will remove their student ID and room key, place signed cards back in the envelope, and return the envelope to you for filing. Lastly, volunteers will inform the student that once the vehicle is unloaded, they need to move the vehicle to a residential parking lot so others may pull up, complete check-in, and unload. At this point the student will begin moving in. Students may have three additional symptom-free individuals to assist—face masks are required.

Volunteers are encouraged to wear Drake apparel and their professional name badge. This helps students and families recognize your welcoming presence and to see the full breadth of support we provide our students.

Volunteers must be symptom-free, and face masks are required.

— Ryan Arnold, director of community engagement (pitching-in, because we’re all in this together)