Entertainment, snacks, and the change to recognize amazing colleagues!  That’s what you can expect at the Sapphire Awards on Thursday, May 12, from 1–1:45 p.m. in Levitt Hall. We will recognize True Blue individual and group nominees and announce the Sapphire Award winners. The Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Award and Distinguished Community Service Award winners will also be presented. Dance without Borders will be our entertainment as they share their Mexican cultural dance with us. Please save the date. We look forward to seeing you there!

— Teresa Downs, Human Resources

Every Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.

Do you know that rare, rare feeling, as a faculty member or part of university staff, when you’re talking with someone from outside of your institution, but within the profession, and they absolutely get it? It’s that feeling when you connect with someone who understands deeply the context you’re working within, sees the potentials and the roadblocks, and has actual ideas for moving forward. It’s the sometimes too frequently rare feeling of being energized through work—motivated to plan a bit, think a bit, act a bit, even though you’re tired and overwhelmed.

I had the opportunity to experience that feeling yesterday, for the brief twenty seven minutes I spent on the telephone with Cathy Davidson, the author of The New Education: How to Revolutionize the University to Prepare Students for a World in Flux. That energetic conversation carried me through the entire rest of an email-and-meeting-filled day. To be honest, that conversation carried me through an intense evening of parenting, painting my bathroom, and avoiding doing dishes-laundry-tidying.

I am so happy to be able to provide an invitation for you to spend a virtual hour with Cathy on Wednesday May 4, at 7 p.m. because I know it will energize you, focus you, and provide you with concrete examples of how to shift your pedagogy and practices in ways that will benefit our students. Dr. Davidson is the winner of the 2021 Annual Advocacy Award from the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences, the Founding Director of the Futures Initiative at CUNY, and a founding member of HASTAC: Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory.  Her keynote address to the campus community will kick off an entire month of programming that I’m designing, meant to help our faculty and staff address the ethical imperative of meeting our students where they are—emotionally, intellectually, and socially—in a post-pandemic but always-disrupted world.

Sign up to receive the link to this event. If you’d like to join us for a catered Watch Party and after-presentation discussion, please let us know, here. We will also have the opportunity to gather together on Monday, May 9, from 3:30–5 p.m. in Howard Hall, Room 210, to discuss Dr. Davidson’s book, after her visit. Please register here, so we know how many books to buy and can provide an appropriate amount of refreshments.

If you are teaching an FYS in the fall (or have always wanted to spend a day or two learning more about FYS), or a writing intensive course, or a course that you want to make certain is accessible to all learners, extend the energy you’ll get from Cathy’s talk, by attending a newly imagined All Faculty Development Workshop: Meeting Our Students As We Find Them Post-COVID. You can plan now for an intensive two-and-a-half day workshop; we will meet as a whole group, and in cohorts, on May 18 and 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, and from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday, May 20.  Faculty who attend and participate will receive $375 stipends, access to some terrific guest speakers, all materials, ample time in shared conversation and directed learning, and meals – as well as an invitation to be part of compensated faculty learning communities meeting through fall and summer. To assist in our planning, please register at this link, as soon as you are able to commit.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

Do you like to read, or want an outlet to meet co-workers from across the University? Join the University Book Club.

The University Book Club reads several books each academic year and meets for a casual discussion on each book. The next book is Rose Code by Kate Quinn. A discussion will be held Tuesday, May 10, at 3 p.m. at Louie’s Wine Dive (yes, the group is back in person!).

Our final book of the year will be “Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation” by John Lewis. We’ll meet to discuss the book in July.

Please feel free to reach out to sara.heijerman@drake.edu or dan.chibnall@drake.edu if you would like to participate in this discussion or would like to join the TEAM’s chat or email notification list.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

Does your New Hire need a desk chair?  Does your office furniture need to adapt to accommodate flex and shared offices, or remote work options? 

A few basics on ordering the furniture you need:

Furniture Options:

• The Drake Furniture Standards lists the typical new office furniture options available for order through our vendors.  Amazon purchases for these items are not permitted, in order for the University to capture the full warranty and maintenance benefits.  
• New To Drake Furniture – we have a furniture available by consignment through our furniture vendors that can provide a significant cost savings (typically between 75-90% discount).  These items are usually limited in number and are available sporadically.  The best way to take advantage of this pricing option, is to submit your furniture need request early to FPM, and we will put the vendor on alert for your request.   

Planning and Delivery Timelines

• New Office Furniture please allow 4 weeks for processing and 6-8 weeks for delivery
• Academic Rooms Furniture Requests – please fill out a project request form http://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_doGJSI87RkzQX1c.  These requests often involve technology, electrical needs, painting, etc.  Timeline for this could range 4-8 weeks for design and approvals; 8-12 weeks for delivery   

Approvals and Final Purchase – information to include on request:

• Name of Requestor
• Office / Space Location (Building + Room Number)
• Description of items needed
• Budget available and FOAPAL to use for final purchase
• Signed approval from the respective Dean (email approval is acceptable)

Furniture Request Timeline

• We process furniture requests with our vendors the first week of each month.   By submitting the furniture request by the last Friday of the month, you will get in-line for the next cycle of orders.  

Upcoming deadline: Please note that Friday, April 15, is the final day to request a furniture purchase within the FY22 fund cycle.  We will continue to process your requests for furniture after April 15, but will fall to FY23 funding.

Please submit furniture requests to Rob Ebel, FPM construction manager, at rob.ebel@drake.edu. 

— Michelle Huggins, Planning and Design Manager, FPM

Provost Sue Mattison will have open hours in the Cowles Library coffee shop the remainder of spring semester. Faculty and staff are invited to drop by for conversation and questions at the following times:

• Friday, May 6, 8:30–9:30 a.m.
• Monday, May 16, 3–4 p.m.
• Thursday, June 2, 9–10 a.m.
• Wednesday, June 15, 1–2 p.m.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Are you engaging in conversations about sexual assault, gender based violence, or dating and sexual relationships within the work you are doing on campus? With April being sexual assault awareness month, I am inspired to connect with others across campus.

As the Director of Prevention Education and Programs, I know I am not in this work alone. One of my goals for the year is to connect with others throughout campus who are ‘doing the work’ with me.

If you have an interest in sharing the work you are doing to advance prevention conversations or are simply interested in knowing more about the formal prevention efforts being done through the Prevention Office, I welcome you to fill out this form.

This group would meet a few times a year to support, collaborate, and connect about prevention work.

— Lynne Cornelius, Violence Prevention and Programming

All Staff Council invites you to take part in Paul Morrison Spruce Up Day Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Participants should meet in the Harkin parking lot at 28^th Street and University Avenue.

Sign up to participate.

Paul Morrison, a beloved member of the Drake family, had a tradition of picking up trash in the Drake neighborhood. Every day, throughout his life, when Paul walked to and from campus and through his neighborhood, he would stop and pick up any piece of trash he saw. This was a part of his commitment to making Drake a better place for everyone. Paul is also known for his love of the Drake Relays and his commitment to always making it better for those who came after him. To honor his legacy and share his story, Drake Student Alumni Association, the Drake National Alumni Scholars, and the Drake Neighborhood Association will host Paul Morrison Spruce-Up Day. This event combines Paul’s love for the Relays, and his tradition of picking up trash around campus and the neighborhood. At this event, neighbors and students will remember Paul’s Legacy while sprucing up our neighborhood. A snack and all supplies will be provided. Special guests may be present!

If you cannot join in person, you can participate virtually by using #paulmorrisonday to share images on social media of how you are continuing Paul’s legacy. You can still sign up to be entered in a drawing for prizes!  

— Drinda Williams, On behalf of All Staff Council

Every Tuesday in OnCampus the Deputy Provost shares two articles with a read time of 10 minutes.

When we gather together to share about our teaching and research work, we build community that improves our time in the classroom and strengthens students’ experiences. Plus, it’s fun. Consider these upcoming opportunities:

On April 15, Professor Sally Haack will present on the various Scholarship of Teaching and Learning projects she has accomplished in the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, with an emphasis on talking about lessons learned – and helping attendees generate ideas for SOTL projects across the disciplines.  Howard Hall 210, 12:30 – 1:30, lunch provided – please register by April 8.

The final Books for Breakfast of the academic year will be April 20 and 27, from 8:30 – 9:30, in Howard Hall 210, and we will be reading Why Bother? Discover the Desire for What’s Next.  Sign up, here, by April 8.  This book is perfect for heading into summer and for redefining what’s most important in our scholarly, creative, and personal lives.

On April 22, Professor Tim Urness (Math and Computer Science) will tell us all about (work) his trip to Italy … and what to do, in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, “When You Think You Have a Good Idea, but Just Need to Prove It.”  Howard Hall 210, 12:30 – 1:30, lunch provided; please register by April 15.

On Wednesday, May 4, at 7 pm, Cathy Davidson, the author of The New Education: How to Revolutionize the University to Prepare Students for a World in Flux, will address the campus community, virtually.   Sign up to receive the link to this event, here.   If you’d like to join us for a catered Watch Party and after-presentation discussion, please let us know, here. We will also have the opportunity to gather together on Monday, May 9^th  from 3:30 – 5:00 in Howard Hall 210, to discuss Dr. Davidson’s book, after her visit.  Please register here, so we know how many books to buy and can provide an appropriate amount of refreshments.

All Faculty Development Workshop: Meeting Our Students As We Find Them Post-Covid.  Please plan for an intensive two-and-a-half day workshop appropriate for all Drake faculty and staff who teach – but especially designed for First Year Seminar instructors, those engaged in the teaching of writing (across the curriculum and in your disciplines), those engaged in teaching math and science across the university, faculty who want to do community engaged learning, and those faculty who want to learn more about how to make their online and face-to-face courses truly accessible to their students.  We will meet as a whole group, and in cohorts, on May 18 and 19 from 8:30 to 4:00 each day, and from 8: 30 – noon on Friday May 20.  Faculty who attend and participate will receive $375 stipends, access to some terrific guest speakers, all materials, ample time in shared conversation and directed learning, and meals – as well as an invitation to be part of compensated faculty learning communities meeting through fall and summer.  To assist in our planning, please register at this link, as soon as you are able to commit.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost