All Drake faculty and staff are eligible to receive up to four complimentary tickets to the events listed below. Tickets may be picked up at the Drake Athletics Ticket Office Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or at the ticket window on game day. A valid Drake ID must be shown at time of pick up.

Women’s Basketball
Drake vs. Northern Iowa
Friday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.
The Knapp Center

Men’s Basketball
Drake vs. Missouri State
Saturday, Jan. 20 at 3 p.m.
The Knapp Center

More game information is available at www.DrakeTix.com/promotions. For more information, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or visit www.godrakebulldogs.com.

— Ryan Harris, Athletics

University Communications will hold a portrait session Feb. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The session is free to all faculty and staff. High-resolution portraits are made available for download through SmugMug.

If you are unable to attend the Feb. 9 drop-in session, you can book a portrait session during University Communications’ studio hours. Studio hours are held for two-hours each month in University Communications’ office located at 1229 25th St. (next door to the Department of Public Safety).

Studio hours:
Feb. 5, 3–5 p.m.
March 5, 3–5 p.m.
April 2, 3–5 p.m.
May 7, 3–5 p.m.

Contact Justice Simpson at justice.simpson@drake.edu to book a drop-in date.

— Justice Simpson, University Communications

Faculty are invited to attend the ITS workshop, Getting Started with Blackboard on Monday, Jan. 22, from 10 to 11 a.m. in Olmsted, Room TMR 132. Learn basic tips and tricks for working with Blackboard with a focus on course menus, navigation, and grade center setup. Participants should bring their own laptop or other internet capable device to the workshop. Laptops can be checked out from the kiosk located in the lobby of Meredith Hall if needed. Karly Good will lead the course. Visit http://www.drake.edu/edtech to sign up, or to see topics of future workshops.

— Carla Herling, ITS

Faculty are invited to attend the ITS workshop “Getting Started with Blackboard” on Monday, Jan. 22, from 10 to 11 a.m. in Olmsted Center, TMR 132. Learn basic tips and tricks for working with Blackboard with a focus on course menus, navigation, grade center setup, and more. Please bring your own laptop or another internet capable device. Laptops can be checked out from the kiosk located in the lobby of Meredith Hall. The course will be taught by Karly Good.

Register for the course, and view other upcoming workshops.

—Carla Herling, ITS

En Li, professor of history, and Nate Holdren, professor of law, politics, and society, are convening a faculty writing productivity group in the spring semester, with a monthly meeting and weekly check-in. Faculty members interested in participating are welcome to contact Li at en.li@drake.edu or Holdren at nate.holdren@drake.edu for more information.

—Nate Holdren, Law, Politics & Society

Due to the upcoming winter break, ITS routine maintenance is moving from Thursday, Dec. 21, to tomorrow, Dec. 20. Systems supported by ITS may be unavailable from approximately 10 p.m. tomorrow to 2 a.m. Thursday.

—Carla Herling, ITS

Winter break check processing schedule:

• All check requests are due to Accounts Payable by the end of the business day on Friday, Dec. 15.
• For requests received by Dec. 15, checks will be processed and available after 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 19. This will be the last check run before winter break.
• The accounting office will be closed during winter break. Normal check processing will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 3.

Thank you for your help in coordinating to ensure we meet all needs during the upcoming season. Please contact Accounting at ext. 2125 with any questions.

—Jeni Baugher, Accounting

Following graduation on Dec. 16 and through Dec. 21, most campus buildings will adopt administrative hours. This means buildings will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Starting Dec. 22, doors will be locked for the winter break. Faculty and staff will still be able to utilize their authorized access plans and enter their office buildings 24/7. Student plans will be shut off during this time. Regular building hours will resume on Jan. 3, the start of January Term.

Cowles Library open hours/after-hours are listed on their website.

Contact Public Safety at 515-271-2222 if you have a door access emergency during this time, or contact Student Services Center at 515-271-2000 or studentservices@drake.edu if you have a general card access question.

—Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

All Staff Council and Human Resources invite faculty and staff to attend its Holiday Cheer gathering on Thursday, Dec. 14, near the Pomerantz stage in the Olmsted Center. Faculty and staff are welcome to come and go as they please from 9 to 11 a.m.

Guests can enjoy a hot chocolate bar, cookie decorating station, music, and drawings for prizes. Griff will also be in attendance. To be eligible for prize drawings, please bring at least one non-perishable item that will go to the Drake Food Pantries on campus.

Holiday Cheer will replace the holiday breakfast previously hosted by Human Resources. The event is a chance to give back to others in the Drake community, while mingling with coworkers.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources