Faculty and staff who use Drake-managed Mac computers will soon see a more reliable process for installing required macOS updates. 

The update schedule isn’t changing. When a required macOS update is released, you’ll continue to have 10 days to install it. The technology managing these updates is being improved so that required updates are applied more consistently. 

What Mac users should expect 

• You’ll receive the usual notification when a required update is available. 

• You may install the update at a convenient time during the 10-day window. 

• If the update hasn’t been installed by the deadline, it will be enforced at or after 5 p.m. 

• If your Mac isn’t used during the update window, the update may begin when you next use the computer. 

How to prepare 

Install updates promptly when notified. Before beginning, save your work, close open applications and connect your Mac to power. Updates may require a restart, so choose a time when you can briefly be without your computer. 

Keeping your Mac current helps protect your device and the campus technology environment. Thank you for completing required updates within the notification window. 

Need Help? 

If you experience issues relating to macOS updates or have questions, submit a Computer/Printer/Software Issue ticket through the University Service Portal or call the ITS Support Center at 515-271-3001. You can also visit us in the lower level of Carnegie Hall; bring your device with you. 

Our annual opportunity to contribute to United Way of Central Iowa, as a University, is coming again the week of Nov. 9. Your optional participation can be one of three ways: financial, volunteering, and/or needed supplies. We’ll continue to have some fun giving-level incentives as well.  This especially includes the incentive of getting a full-day off on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving instead of a half-day. That is, if we can hit our campaign participation goal of 30%!

The campaign will kick-off on Monday, Nov. 9, with an email from United Way of Central Iowa and will conclude on Friday, Nov. 13. Some highlights to share:

• The campaign is part of our identity: being proudly of our place, celebrating our neighborhood, our city, and our many partnerships
• 100% of the funds donated remain in central Iowa (Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties)
• 1 in 3 central Iowa households are unable to afford basic needs
• United Way financially supports many organizations that are partners with Drake including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa

More details about this years campaign, giving level incentives, our supply drive, and volunteer opportunities can be found on this site.

Looking forward to a great week!

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

As always, you are encouraged to review Drake’s Continuous Improvement Plan which is our strategic plan. This page reflects our mission, inspiration, and identity statements. This page contains all of our objectives along with major, university initiatives. Please take time to explore how each of those objectives are embodied in many ways across our campus. You can do so by clicking on the “Learn More” link or the “+” in each objective area to see more on student, faculty, and staff successes.

This site is continuously updated and can be found any time by going to the drake.edu home page, clicking on “About Drake” and selecting “Continuous Improvement.”

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 29; 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Fisher Stelter Hall, Johansen Student Center

WHAT: Chili Lunch and Bake-Off Contest

COST: $5, includes chili, drink and dessert

Come enjoy some yummy chili (vegetarian and gluten free options) while building community with coworkers—all you care to eat for just $5 (cash, credit and Bulldog Bucks accepted).  Not coming for the chili? Feel free to stop by at no charge to hang out with friends and support your baking coworkers.

In addition, we are sponsoring The Great Drake Bake Off contest. Winners will be announced at 12:30. The top three winners will receive prizes!  

— Toni White, On behalf of All Staff Council

It’s time to refresh your Drake email signature! Due to recent server changes, logos and some social icons that were previously used in Drake email signatures have now been moved to a new location. Faculty and staff are encouraged to take a couple minutes to generate a new signature to ensure any image files being used can continue to display correctly.

How to Update Your Email Signature:

1. Visit the UCM Toolkit, and select “Open Email Signature Generator“.
2. Select the Templates tab on the left and choose your desired signature template.
3. Return to the Build tab. (Your selected template will automatically replace the previous one.)
4. Complete the form with your information.
5. Select Copy Signature, then paste into your signature field in Outlook.
   
   Instructions for finding the signature field can be found directly on the page, after selecting “Copy Signature”.

Please note: Athletics signature options should only be used by Athletics staff.

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For any questions related to using the email signature generator, please reach out to Kelsey Faybik, Director of Web and Creative Services, at kelsey.faybik@drake.edu.

Drake Athletics welcomes Drake faculty and staff to two upcoming Drake basketball games for our Faculty and Staff appreciation games.

Faculty and staff can use this link to claim two free tickets, and purchase additional tickets at a discounted rate.

Join us in the Knapp Center for Drake women’s basketball vs St. Thomas on Nov. 17, and Drake men’s basketball vs. North Carolina Central on Dec. 11.

https://godrakebulldogs.evenue.net/promotions/STAFF

— Tim Tesar, Athletics

Join us for the first in a new series from the Center for Teaching & Learning. Conversations with Colleagues brings Drake faculty and staff together to talk about important campus and higher education issues.

In November, join interested colleagues from around campus to discuss generative AI at Drake and its implications for the future of higher education.

There will be two conversations each month on alternating days to meet as many schedules as possible. The November kickoff events will be held Wednesday, Nov. 4, and Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Feel free to bring your lunch; drinks and light snacks will be available in the Ernst Boardroom, Johansen Student Center, Room 350.

— Bret Sikkink, Faculty Development Specialist

Please join us in our brown bag lunch series on Nov. 3 and Nov. 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Howard Hall, Room 212. Our second session, Including Students on Grants, will discuss the policies, procedures, and normative practices for including students on your grant applications. The session is repeated, so you only need to attend one of the dates each month.

— Preston Miller, Sponsored Programs Administration & Research Compliance

Drake defines a first-generation student is a college student whose parents/legal guardians have not received a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university.

In an effort to make more connections between first gen students and first gen faculty/staff, we are creating a directory to share on our website that lists our first gen faculty and staff. This was a project we started Fall 2025 that was put on hold due to new website. We are ready to get to work on this again.

If you identify as first generation and would like to be listed on this directory, please email Marina at marina.verlengia@drake.edu by Monday, Oct. 19.

— Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs

Drake’s new Acceptable Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy is available for campus review and comment on the Policy Development and Review page of the University Policy Library internal site (Drake login required). This policy establishes standards for the acceptable use of AI technologies at Drake. It addresses the responsible use, acquisition, integration, and deployment of AI technologies. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that AI-enabled content, automation, and representations of the University are used in a manner that protects security, compliance, institutional integrity, and the rights and privacy of individuals. 

The campus comment period has been extended through Friday, October 9, 2026.

Comments may be submitted to dupolicies@drake.edu. 

— Keren Fiorenza, Chief Information Technology Officer