Category Archives: For Staff Archive

For Staff Archive

Cookie decorating with All Staff Council

The holidays are right around the corner. Join the All Staff Council in celebrating this joyous time of year while decorating festive cookies. Lynne Cornelius will be showing us her expert decorating skills starting at 3 p.m. on Dec. 17 via Teams. Join the event here (and look for it on the University Calendar).

This is a virtual, family-friendly event for decorators of all ages. Participants can order kits for the session for $10 that will include 3 large cookies and 3 frostings. You can submit orders for cookie kits by Dec. 10 using this form. We will raffle off a dozen cookies to a lucky participant.

Please contact ascspecialevents@drake.edu with any questions or comments. The event is sponsored by ASC events and community service committees.

— Drinda Williams, on behalf of All Staff Council

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Next steps: Great Colleges To Work For Survey

As we’ve shared in prior OnCampus articles, one of our focus areas this year is to attend to our culture.  This is based on feedback from the Great Colleges To Work For survey and given that we are adjusting to working in an ongoing pandemic.

We recently invited all of campus to participate in focus groups to discuss ideas of how to attend to our culture and what’s possible yet this academic year. Through these sessions, we were able to gain valuable insights and feedback as to what’s important and possible. Thank you to those that participated!

As a summary, here’s what we discussed and discovered:

  • Culture Varies by Department: It’s clear that culture and perceptions of culture can vary tremendously depending on the area where people work.
  • Internal Growth: There are areas that have reputations for good culture—Advancement, the Admission Office, the Ray Center were three that came up. What are those areas doing well and how can we replicate it? Where we have strong leaders who can teach, train, or speak about leadership, are we over-looking and under-utilizing these internal assets?
  • Leadership Training and Tools: As we look at leadership training and development, building culture has to be part of this. Leaders create culture. Are we teaching leaders how to create culture?
  • Improved New Employee Orientation (and Onboarding): It’s a priority for HR to reinstate new-employee orientation. In addition, we’ll discuss some complimentary ways we can build on that orientation from others outside of HR as well.
  • Intentionality: We discussed that culture has to be intentional, proactive, and routine. We spent some time in both sessions talking about making time to build relationships outside of our immediate work areas. We can also think about an annual communication plan for culture and values. How do we routinely sprinkle culture/values/mission/inspiration into our communication practices?
  • Socializing Matters: We need to bring back regularly scheduled social events—and make them part of our routine.
  • Networking Cohorts: We’ll explore creating more opportunities for cross-departmental cohorts including mentoring programs.
  • Increase Visible Recognition of Achievement: We need a greater culture of recognition and stronger utilization of the recognition tools we already have (such True Blue Awards).
  • Communicating Across Departments: We heard about department-to-department silos and the need to enhance communication, horizontally across departments.

As there are many ways to tactically implement the above, we’ll be reviewing these outcomes of the focus groups at an upcoming President’s Council meeting and circling back with both managers/supervisors and all of campus on specific next steps.

In the months ahead, you’ll start to see more opportunities to engage in our culture and be a part of making Drake a great place to work.  Speaking of, here’s a great example!

Thanks for reading and all you do to attend to our culture.

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources, and Nate Reagen, President’s Office

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Men’s Basketball Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day Nov. 20

Drake Men’s Basketball will host Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night on Saturday, Nov. 20, when they take on Richmond at 12 p.m.

Each faculty and staff member can receive up to four complimentary tickets. Redeem your tickets.

For more information on all Faculty and Staff Appreciation days, visit DrakeTix.com/facultyandstaffdays. Please remember that per Drake University policy, masks are required in the Knapp Center.

— Aimee Lane, Athletics

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

FPM shares results of Administration Services Survey

An objective of Drake’s Continuous Improvement Plan is to “Elevate Service Excellence”. The Survey of Administrative Services (SAS) directly supports our continuous improvement in this area.  The feedback helps Facilities Planning and Management understand where service gaps may exist and how to improve our services to the University.

Survey respondents provided largely positive feedback about FPM services. Responses were provided on a five-point scale, with five being the highest.

Satisfaction with FPM staff – Total Average 4.38 (4.41 last year)
Respondents assessed their satisfaction with FPM staff including their courtesy, professionalism, knowledge, timeliness, resolution of issues and communication regarding work orders and projects.

FPM Staff are courteous – 4.82

FPM Staff are professional – 4.74

FPM Staff are knowledgeable – 4.62

FPM Staff respond to requests in a timely manner – 4.26

FPM staff provide regular communication about the status of my request – 3.96

FPM keeps me aware of projects or construction that will impact my work – 3.86

Satisfaction with services provided by FPM – Total Average 4.48 (4.50 last year)
Respondents assessed their satisfaction with the services FPM staff provide for all campus buildings and grounds.

Moving – 4.72

Carpentry – 4.66

Custodial – 4.62

Grounds – 4.61

Electrical – 4.57

Painting – 4.57

Plumbing – 4.51

Trash/Recycling – 4.43

Snow Removal – 4.35

Capital Projects – 4.18

Cooling and Heating – 4.09

Overall satisfaction with FPM —Total Average 4.13 (4.39 last year)
Overall satisfaction is above average, slightly down from the previous year.  FPM has opportunities for improvement and we are actively developing strategies to improve our services and overall quality. The preservation of historic buildings can be demanding when maintaining and updating mechanical systems.  It is our goal to heat and cool to establish a comfortable environment, but understand the capacity of the system along with individual preferences. Moving forward we promise to continue to service all customer needs on campus through collaboration and communication.

In reviewing the data and reflecting on the comments provided by the respondents, we make the following commitments.

FPM will:

  1. Ensure that FPM meet the promised response and resolution timeframes.
  2. Collaborate to find reasonable and supportable long-term solutions.
  3. Confirm the request was completed to satisfaction.
  4. Improve communication related to work order requests and construction projects.
  5. Work as a team to provide facility-related services on behalf of Drake.

FPM has been working on updating websites to better deliver communications. This, coupled with more direct reporting, we anticipate that we can booster our lower administrative service areas. Please visit:

https://www.drake.edu/build/

https://www.drake.edu/sustainability/

— Kevin Moran, Executive Director Facilities Planning and Management

For Staff Archive

Policy update: Customized work arrangements for staff

The new Customized Work Arrangement (CWA), Dress for your Day, and revised University Closings, Delays, and Class Cancellations policies were posted for review and comment. That posting period has now closed. Thank you to those who offered comments and questions. Overall, we received 17 comments—7 on the University Closure policy, 6 on the Dress for Your Day policy, and 4 on the CWA policy.

The task force will be going back to each of those policies to make some additional edits based on your feedback. This is exactly why we have a policy review and comment period. When you are working on a policy it is easy to get lost in the details and having fresh sets of eyes consider the drafts can be immensely beneficial. The policies will end up being stronger and clearer based on the feedback provided. Thank you!

On November 10, we offered a one-hour BUILD session on Moving Forward: Discussing Drake’s Updated Customized Work Arrangement Policies and Practices. We had over forty people attend, which is a great turn-out. That training was recorded and you can access the recording here. On November 17, we will offer another one-hour BUILD session, Supervisor Spotlight: Thinking Through Flexible Work Arrangements—Key Variables & Considerations. As the title implies, we are hoping for people in supervisory positions will consider attending this session. This training will largely be scenario-based. If you plan on attending the November 17 session but did not attend the November 10 training, please watch the recording in advance.

Throughout the rest of November and December, we’ll be finalizing the policies—which will likely take effect in January. We are also working diligently on a detailed guide that will be a great resource for managers and staff alike. We plan to roll out the draft guide in December, so we have a chance to receive some feedback on it before the policies go live.

We will be offering managers additional guidance on reviewing position descriptions, which is part of any CWA request process. Additionally, we will offer guidance on how CWAs will be folded into the annual performance evaluation process. More training and guidance to come!

If you have any questions about CWAs, the process, or timeline, you can reach HR and the task force by emailing drakehr@drake.edu using the subject line “CWA Question.” We’ll get back to you!

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Get prepared for multi-factor authentication changes coming in January

Earlier this month we shared in OnCampus that we will adding systems that require multi-factor authentication (MFA), and changing our MFA method from Duo to Microsoft Authenticator so that all students, faculty, and staff can be better protected.

Starting on January 4, when you login to a system set up with multi-factor authentication, you will be prompted to prove that you are the person logging in by using the Microsoft Authenticator app to verify your identity.

In order to help you prepare for this change, we’ve created a FAQ and some knowledge base guides linked below.

To encourage early preparation, we’re offering an incentive to the first 150 people who submit proof of downloading the Microsoft Authenticator app and connecting it with their Drake account. They will receive a $1 off coupon to use at the campus Starbucks. One coupon per person, and a screenshot of your phone is required. Visit https://forms.office.com/r/HGSY0L1JSf to enter and see complete rules.

We will continue to expand the FAQ and provide additional OnCampus updates as the January deadline approaches.

— Jeff Regan, ITS

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Deputy Provost 2:10: November events, research, and pedagogy

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

On Nov. 19 in Howard Hall, Room 210 from 1–3 p.m., the Office of the Deputy Provost is teaming up with the Office of Sponsored Program Administration and Research Compliance for an interactive two-hour session on funding your research. Mary Pat Wohlford and I are looking forward to talking about extramural and intramural funding, with an emphasis on finding grants that connect with our core commitment to helping faculty bring students into research projects. Please register here, so we can think ahead about the kinds of resources we provide, and can start to build opportunities for collaboration into the design of our time together.

Don’t forget, First Year Seminar faculty are invited to our final lunch of the semester—this one with actual food!—on Friday, Nov. 19, from 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. in Howard Hall, Room 210. And, if you’re interested in teaching an FYS, but haven’t had a chance to chat about what it is like, you’re also invited! We’ll connect about how the semester has gone, what you would do differently, and how you’ll continue to build and strengthen classroom community in the final weeks of the semester.  Please email Nicki.Kimm@drake.edu asap to register and to let her know if you have any dietary restrictions or needs.

Finally, I’m beginning to schedule our working group on how pandemic has changed our approach to teaching and learning. We’ll meet first in early December, and I’d love to have a robust representation of folks from each of our colleges and schools! Send an email to renee.cramer@drake.edu to volunteer yourself and nominate your colleagues. On Dec. 3, we’ll extend this conversation with a research conversation, learning about the great work done by our colleagues on understanding how learning unfolded in the past 18 months. Register here for lunch in Howard Hall (11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.).

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Deputy Provost 2:10: Gratitude

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

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is going through the process of hiring a new dean (we will miss you in your retirement, Dean Kathleen Richardson!), and members of Provost Council have had the opportunity to meet each of those candidates. As we meet, we all go around the table and explain what our role in the University is, and how we work with faculty to meet our University mission. At one point in our conversations, Dean of Admissions Anne Kremer told a candidate, “At Drake University, we rely really heavily on faculty.”

I am daily reminded that this is true: that faculty are at the absolute center of all we do and at the center of our ability to be the institution we are. I am so proud to remain listed as a faculty member within Law, Politics and Society—to continue to serve as an advisor to students and to direct an independent study. Honestly, in this new role, I notice how much I miss the classroom (nope, not the grading, sorry—but certainly, I miss engaging students’ work).

So, I want to take just a minute here to say thanks—yes, ‘tis the season—to my faculty colleagues who have shown up for programming out of my office, who have supported each other through this transition back to ‘normal,’ who have met with students and prospective students, who have learned BlackBoard Ultra and juggled technologies, who have adjusted assignments and maintained expectations—thank you, sincerely, for this difficult and excellent work. I know that many of us don’t get to hear Anne, or other members of Provost Council say this out loud, but I know just as certainly that we all express that feeling of gratitude daily.

As we head toward the holidays—one week left before November break starts in earnest—please know that your work is appreciated.

Next week, in OnCampus, I’d love to share a recipe or two for some “different” ways you/we celebrate the upcoming holidays. Please email me (renee.cramer@drake.edu) with an idea or two; maybe we can all share a meal, virtually, as we give thanks for what we have.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Bulldog Connect Networking Luncheon Nov. 17

The Special Interests Committee of All Staff Council is holding a Bulldogs Connect Networking Lunch on Wednesday, Nov. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come join us for a $5 lunch at Hubbell Dining Hall. We encourage attendees to wear their Drake nametag. We will also have nametags available. Anyone is welcome to come—bring a new Bulldog along with you! Look for the table with the Drake swag and a special Bulldogs Connect table tent in Hubbell.

— Megan Franklin, On behalf of All Staff Council

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day at Women’s Basketball Nov. 10

Drake Women’s Basketball will host Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night at their home opener versus Creighton on Nov. 10. Tip-off at the Knapp Center is at 6 p.m.

Each faculty and staff member can receive up to four complimentary tickets. Redeem your tickets.

For more information on all Faculty and Staff Appreciation days, visit DrakeTix.com/facultyandstaffdays. Please remember that per Drake University policy, masks are required in the Knapp Center.

— Aimee Lane, Athletics