Only one week left to turn in nominations for the Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence and Distinguished Community Service Awards. All nominations are due to Human Resources by Tuesday, March 31.

Madelyn M. Levitt established the Distinguished Community Service Award to recognize the outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. Recipients are chosen on the following criteria:

• A demonstrated personal commitment to volunteerism and community service.
• An outstanding record of leadership or substantial involvement in community projects, services and activities contributing to the quality of life in our region, state and/or the nation.
• Professional and personal values and behavior that typify the ideals of “giving back to others” and “making a difference in the lives of others.”
• The nominee must be a current faculty or staff member with at least five years of service at Drake.

The Employee Excellence Award is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. Criteria for the award include:

• Exceptional performance as an employee of Drake University
• Outstanding dedication to providing courteous, prompt and quality service.
• Demonstrated commitment to University programs, initiatives and services.
• Professional values and behavior that demonstrate exceptional service to others and a commitment to Drake University
• The nominee must be a current staff member with at least one year of service at Drake.

To nominate a colleague, submit a letter of nomination to the Levitt Award Committee, care of (c/o) Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent through campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu. The letter should detail specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria. Additional letters of support are not necessary.

The screening committee will review all nominations and make appropriate recommendations to the President’s Council.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Three winners received prizes at the Provost’s Drake Social on Tuesday, March 10. Their names were drawn at random from among those who were recognized by colleagues for their Commitment to Mission. Winners are:

• Shannon Hilscher – Premier parking for one month
• Cole Neary – $30 gift card to St. Kilda
• Aimee Lane – Snack break for the office

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Drake’s All Staff Council Recognition Committee recognized staff at the Harkin Institute with a Bulldog Applause. Read the Q&A below to learn more about the Harkin Institute.

How many staff members are in the department?   
Seven full-time staff, 15 student employees, plus our honorary Harkinistas, political papers archivist Hope Bibens and senior advancement officer Stephanie Sinovic. 

What is the primary function of the team? Do you have a mission/vision/motto?  
At The Harkin Institute, our mission is to inform citizens, inspire creative cooperation, and catalyze change on issues of social justice, fairness, and opportunity. We conduct research and analysis in four policy areas that Senator Harkin (retired) focused on during his 40 years in Congress: labor and employment, people with disabilities, retirement security, and wellness and nutrition. We also host events to engage the Drake community, Iowans, Americans and individuals around the world with important policy issues and timely topics. 

Who has been with the team the longest, and what is their job title and length of employment?  
The Harkin Institute is young—we were established at Drake in 2013. Executive Director Joseph Jones has been with the Institute since August 2016.  

Who is the newest team member, and what is their job title and month/year of start?  
Our newest team member is Meg Johnson, our administrative assistant. She joined us in April 2019. 

What campus buildings do your team members “live” in?   
We currently live in the strip mall along University Avenue, next to Great Clips and across the street from Jimmy Johns, but we have a new home under construction at the corner of University Avenue and 28th Street. It will be a state-of-the-art accessible space that we can’t wait to share with the Drake community. 

What are some recent challenges and accomplishments of note that others in the University might not know about?  
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, monumental civil rights legislation. Senator Harkin was the principal author of the ADA and we have a whole host of events and activities planned to celebrate this important anniversary – on campus, online, and across the U.S. 

Anything else noteworthy/interesting/special about your department that bears mentioning?  
The Harkin Institute works closely with the Drake Archives and Special Collections, which is home to the papers of Senator Harkin and Ruth Harkin. Senator Harkin’s papers arrived at Drake in 2015 and include more than 800 boxes and 2.5 terabytes of legislative and campaign materials, photos, and memorabilia. 

— Amelia Klatt, On behalf of All Staff Council

Emergencies happen, and it’s best to plan ahead in case you might need to teach remotely, whether due to severe weather, an outbreak, or a personal situation.

When teaching at a distance, you will have the best experience if you use technology and processes that are Drake-licensed and ITS-supported. ITS provides resources to help faculty provide synchronous and/or asynchronous distance learning activities, and offers assistance in using them.

We have created an introductory video covering best practices for distance learning to walk you through some of the available tools.

Additionally, self-paced resources can be found in our ITS knowledge base at Preparing Your Class for the Unexpected and/or Emergencies (Best Practices).

We will be scheduling additional virtual sessions in the coming weeks. Information will be posted on the Drake calendar and in the Blackboard Tips and Tricks section on the Blackboard homepage.

— Karly Good, ITS

Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the increase in electronic payments. According to the 2020 Cybersecurity Report from Check Point Research, mobile banking malware attacks increased 50 percent from 2018 to 2019.

Below are some tips to help you safely use electronic payment sites.

Verify websites before entering important information. Clicking on a link may not take you where you expect. When shopping, banking, or making online payments, manually type in the website name (e.g., chase.com) instead of clicking links in an email, social network post, or text message.

Ignore phone calls from unknown and unfamiliar numbers. If you receive a phone call from someone who is urgently asking for money, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. Most of these calls can be safely ignored, but you can always search for the organization’s website and find out for yourself. Don’t be rattled by threats over the phone.

Public computers aren’t for private information. The computers in a hotel lobby or a public library may contain malware that records your activity, including any passwords you enter. Shop and make electronic payments only on a device that you control.

Don’t use free Wi-Fi when making an electronic payment. The open nature of free Wi-Fi at cafes, airports, and other public venues makes it possible for others who are on the same Wi-Fi network to spy on your activities. If you cannot wait for another time to do your banking, use a VPN when using free Wi-Fi or use data on your mobile device.

Consider getting a credit card just for electronic payments. If you decide to get a credit card or online account just for electronic payments, make sure the credit limit or available balance is low. This will protect you from a large loss if you become a victim of online fraud.

Review your transactions regularly. Online banking allows you to check your account quickly and easily. Take time each day or each week to review your electronic payments. If you see charges you don’t recognize, notify your bank or payment application vendor (e.g., Venmo, PayPal, or Apple Pay) right away.

Check your credit reports to help spot fraud. Credit reporting services Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are required to provide you with a free credit report once per year, and there are other third-party options.

ITS will continue to simulate email-based attacks and will assign training to individuals who are routinely susceptible. If you’re concerned that you’ve been the target of phishing, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to) at https://drake.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=27919.

—Peter Lundstedt, ITS

Don’t wait.  Nominations for the Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence and Distinguished Community Service Awards are due to Human Resources by Tuesday, March 31. Late nominations will not be accepted. 

Madelyn M. Levitt established the Distinguished Community Service Award to recognize the outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. Recipients are chosen on the following criteria:

• A demonstrated personal commitment to volunteerism and community service.
• An outstanding record of leadership or substantial involvement in community projects, services and activities contributing to the quality of life in our region, state and/or the nation.
• Professional and personal values and behavior that typify the ideals of “giving back to others” and “making a difference in the lives of others.”
• The nominee must be a current faculty or staff member with at least five years of service at Drake.

The Employee Excellence Award is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. Criteria for the award include:

• Exceptional performance as an employee of Drake University
• Outstanding dedication to providing courteous, prompt and quality service.
• Demonstrated commitment to University programs, initiatives and services.
• Professional values and behavior that demonstrate exceptional service to others and a commitment to Drake University
• The nominee must be a current staff member with at least one year of service at Drake.

To nominate a colleague, submit a letter of nomination to the Levitt Award Committee, care of (c/o) Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent through campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu.  The letter should detail specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria. Additional letters of support are not necessary.

The screening committee will review all nominations and make appropriate recommendations to the President’s Council.

The 2020 recipient of the Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Award and Distinguished Community Service Award will be announced during the Sapphire Awards on May 7 at 1 p.m. in Levitt Hall or during the Faculty Honors Luncheon.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources