Throughout the year, faculty and staff may nominate staff members or teams for excellence in learning, integrity, leadership, teamwork, and commitment to the Drake community and mission. The Called to Be True Blue award is a great way to express that commitment to one another. Selected individuals and teams receive a framed certificate and are placed in the running for the coveted Sapphire Award in the Spring.

A staff member (or group) who is Called to be True Blue is someone who exemplifies Drake University’s Core Values:

1. Joyful Accountability: I am curious and creative, bold and brave. I strive each day to be my best.
2. Generosity of Spirit: We trust, empower, and presume the best of each other. We practice civility, caring, and respect. We commit to equity and inclusion.
3. All In This Together: We embrace robust communication and transparency. We thrive through collaboration and teamwork.
4. Commitment to Mission: We are united in service to students and our communities. We act with integrity and purpose. We are optimistic about our future.

If this sounds like someone you know, submit your nomination today: Called to be True Blue Award Nomination Please forward this link to your teams and spread the word!

— Betsy White, Events Management

The 2025 Great Colleges to Work For results are available here. Thank you to the 455 people who participated in the survey.

Our overall results were 66% positive; which is exactly the same score as our benchmark, peer institutions. Within the summary presentation, you’ll see areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

All unit leaders received results for their respective areas this summer and are working with their teams on prioritizing areas for improvement.

As a reminder, and it cannot be said enough, we are all a part of creating great workplace culture. Please find ways to connect with your fellow co-workers (especially across departments) through the many opportunities offered.  Whether it’s through Faculty Fridays, the Provost Socials, our book club, Wednesdays at Hubbell, or the many other opportunities to connect – please make some time to do so.

For any questions on the Great Colleges results, do not hesitate to reach out to Nate Reagen.

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

The Center for Teaching and Learning is launching a new series of events to encourage community on campus this year. On the third Friday of each month, join faculty and staff at events throughout the day in the Howard Hall Faculty Lounge, Room 212. Events will include a book club, research and teaching talks, and facilitated conversations, culminating with a Faculty Social happy hour.

This month, the third Friday is Sept. 19. View the full schedule on the CTL News & Events page. Drop in whenever you are available!

— Bret Sikkink, Faculty Development Specialist

Join colleagues in the Howard Hall Faculty Lounge on the third Friday of each month this semester to discuss James Lang’s 2021 book “Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning“. Email bret.sikkink@drake.edu for a hardcover copy, or you can access the eBook through Cowles Library.

The first meeting will be on Friday, Sept. 19, starting at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the introduction and first chapter.

— Bret Sikkink, Faculty Development Specialist

Tuition Exchange applications for the 2026–2027 year are available now (complete online via the links provided below). Students receiving Tuition Exchange for 2025-2026 should not complete another application. (Tuition exchange renews automatically, as long as the employee and student remain eligible.)

Full-time Drake employees are eligible to participate in tuition exchange programs, which offer waived or discounted tuition at other participating institutions for employees, their spouse/partner, or eligible dependent(s). More information about tuition exchange at Drake can be found here.

Details about each of Drake’s tuition exchange programs are provided below:

Tuition Exchange, Inc. (TE)
TE has over 700 participating schools. Visit tuitionexchange.org to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.

Council of Independent Colleges & Universities Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP)
CIC-TEP has over 430 participating schools. Visit cic.edu/tep to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.

— Ryan Zantingh, Financial Aid Office

Drake faculty and staff who exemplify the Core Value of Commitment to Mission will be recognized at the next Provost’s Social on Thursday, Sept. 25, in the Cowles Reading Room beginning at 4 p.m.

How do we define Commitment to Mission at Drake? We look for colleagues who are united in service to students and community, act with integrity and purpose, and are optimistic about our future.

To nominate a colleague, please use the Qualtrics form. All those nominated will be recognized on a rolling display during the event.  When you nominate colleagues, be prepared to describe how each colleague meets these descriptions. From among those nominated, several will be chosen at random for prizes.

Refreshments will include an assortment of beverages and light snacks. This is a family friendly event. Feel free to bring your children or partner.

— Ann Guddall, Office of the Provost

 

ITS is committed to keeping our campus computers safe and running smoothly. As part of this ongoing effort, we’ll be rolling out important security updates to Drake-owned Windows computers over the coming weeks.

Most faculty and staff won’t notice anything different, since these updates will install automatically through the normal Windows Update process, usually in the background. Occasionally, your computer may restart and display a white screen with a message asking you not to turn it off. Don’t worry—this is perfectly normal and means the update is working as intended.

If you do happen to encounter this screen, simply let your computer finish the update. No action is required beyond waiting for the process to finish. This helps ensure your device stays secure and reliable.

ITS aims to be proactive and transparent so that, if you experience something unexpected, you know what’s happening and can rest assured your computer is being kept safe. Thank you for helping us keep our campus technology secure.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the Support Center by submitting a ticket online through our service portal, visiting Carnegie with your device, or calling 515-271-3001.

— Becky Klein, ITS

As we kick off the new academic year, we want to share a few ITS updates, reminders, and helpful resources to support teaching, learning, and day-to-day work.

Microsoft Learning Pathways Now Available

Faculty and staff now have access to a customized collection of Microsoft Learning Pathways, designed to strengthen skills with essential tools like Teams, Excel, and OneDrive. These guided modules offer a flexible way to explore new features or refresh existing knowledge.

Microsoft regularly updates the content to reflect the latest features and best practices, ensuring users stay current. ITS will continue to add resources for additional software and tools to better support the evolving needs of the campus community. You can access the Learning Pathways Internal Site through the Learning Resources section of myDrake. We encourage departments to explore these helpful tools—and let us know if there are additional topics you’d like to see included.

Classroom Wireless Display Connections

Over the summer, ITS introduced Sharelink Pro Miracast for Windows devices, offering a simpler and reliable way to connect to classroom wireless displays. Classrooms in Meredith and most of Aliber have been upgraded, with more locations scheduled throughout the year. For more information and troubleshooting support, refer to the Using WirelessDisplay knowledge base article or contact the Support Center.

Network Upgrade Begins This Fall

This fall, ITS begins a multi-year upgrade to modernize the campus network, starting with new wireless access points. This work is essential to support growing connectivity needs and maintain a secure campus network.

We understand that stable, uninterrupted internet access is critical to teaching, learning, and daily operations. Although service disruptions are not anticipated, the scale of the network upgrade means work will continue throughout the academic year. ITS will schedule installations to avoid busy instructional times and will coordinate with building managers to minimize any potential impact. Project and schedule updates will be shared in OnCampus to keep campus informed.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Drake continues our commitment to cybersecurity by participating in this national initiative promoting safer online practices. ITS will promote awareness activities throughout October, and in alignment with this effort, annual security awareness training will launch next month—moving from its usual spring schedule to the fall.

Workday Transition Underway

We are excited to begin a three-year transition from Banner to Workday—our new enterprise platform for finance, human resources, and student information systems. The Drake project team, made up of dedicated staff from business offices and ITS, is working hard to prepare for the launch of finance and human resources next fall.

To help the campus community stay informed and ready, we’ve created a dedicated site that serves as a central hub for updates, timelines, and training opportunities.  Visit the Workday Implementation site to explore the schedule and learn more about the project.

Staying in Touch with ITS

Effective communication is central to our service. Here are several ways to stay connected and informed:

• Email Updates: Sign up to receive an email notification when a service-related announcement is posted on our Newsroom.
• Text Notifications: Visit myDrake to verify your cell number for Bulldog Alerts, then text “DrakeITSALERTS” to 226787 to opt in to SMS updates.
• Internal Site: The ITS Internal Site centralizes technology projects, policies, cybersecurity resources, and service announcements.
• Instagram: Follow @DrakeITServices for tips, reminders, and quick tech insights.
• Support Center: Resources are available 24×7 on the ITS Service Portal at: service.drake.edu/its. You can also call us at 515-271-3001 or bring in your device during walk-in hours to the lower level of Carnegie.

Wishing you a productive and successful academic year!

— Becky Klein, ITS

As President Martin shared in his message to campus today, your feedback is needed on the draft ‘Identity Statements’ for Drake University. You can find the latest draft of those statements here. The objective is to declare what is most distinctive and powerful about Drake and its people. You can get involved by participating in one or more of the upcoming community forums:

Olmsted Center Parents Hall (in person only)

• Monday, 9/15, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, 9/23, 11:00–12:00 noon
• Wednesday, 10/1, 3:00–4:00 p.m.

Virtual Sessions

• Thursday, 9/25, 2:00–3:00 p.m. (Teams meeting link)
• Monday, 9/29, 10:00–11:00 a.m. (Teams meeting link)

An online feedback form will be made available after the forums have been held. Please make every effort to participate in at least one of the forums. Consistent with the draft Identity Statement of “We Empower Human Connection,” take full advantage of the opportunity to be in community as together we declare what is best about Drake University.

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

You are invited to attend Ultra Hours, hosted by Drake Online & Continuing Education and the Center for Teaching & Learning, to update and copy the courses you need for fall.

Fall 2025 Ultra Hours

Tuesday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 20
1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Howard Hall Faculty Lounge, Room 212

If a virtual appointment or another time works better for you, fill out a service request and one of our instructional design staff will be in contact shortly.

— Brett Sikkink, Faculty Development Specialist