We have invited a team from Blackboard for a Learn Ultra user feedback session. This 45-minute session on Nov. 15 will allow faculty and staff to share how we use our LMS, along with any concerns or favorite features with the Blackboard Learn team.

The Learn Ultra user feedback session will be held on Nov. 15 from 10–10:45 a.m. on Blackboard Collaborate. Join the session.

If you are unfamiliar with Collaborate, you can learn more about being a participant in a Collaborate session and familiarize yourself with Collaborate features prior to joining the session. 

If you are unable to attend, please share your feedback with the Drake team by submitting a Blackboard Learn Ultra Issue or Blackboard Learn Ultra Request as a consultation. ITS staff will collect and share all feedback provided.  

As we have transitioned to Blackboard Learn Ultra, the Drake community has been actively providing feedback which has already been forwarded to Blackboard. Thank you for keeping the communication channels active!

Below are some suggestions/feedback we’ve already shared:

• Ability for gradebook feedback and rubrics in more column types; adding the option for negative scores; more granularity in settings to show/not show question text during testing feedback; adding running points total; choice to exempt grades
• Option to see student members of groups and add instructors to multiple groups
• Access to course properties to change date restrictions
• Ability to subscribe to discussion boards

— Karly Good, ITS

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

In collaboration with Jody Swilky, director of writing, we invite faculty and staff to participate in the Spring Writing Project.

The project consists of a one-semester commitment that will include: working with Director of Writing Jody Swilky on the development of a writing assignment, writing activities or a writing project for one of his/her spring classes; meeting no later than the first or second week of the semester with the Coordinator to discuss the assignment and project as well as issues related to instruction such as responses to writing; and attending 60-minute meetings of all participants in the program in February and March 2022. These meetings may be structured as two sessions each month, half of the participants at each session, in order to facilitate more in-depth discussion. There will be required meetings of all participating instructors held in late April or early May 2022.

An additional aspect of the project is that faculty will require all students enrolled in their class to attend The Writing Workshop at least twice during the semester as the student works on the writing assignment/activities/project.

After the initial meeting(s) with the Coordinator of Writing Instruction to develop a writing assignment or writing project, participants will receive a stipend of $500. After completing the project and attending the final meeting, participants will receive an additional $500.

Participation is limited to 10 individuals, and the deadline to respond to this call (by emailing Nicki.Kimm@drake.edu) is Nov. 22.

Should more than 10 individuals express interest, priority shall be given to:

1. Those who participated in the May writing across the curriculum or writing in FYS workshops taught by Jody Swilky.
2. Insuring a mix of faculty/staff across a wide range of schools/colleges/departments.
3. Full-time continuing Drake faculty or staff who teach on a regular basis, with those lower in rank receiving priority over those more advanced in rank.
4. Part-time continuing Drake faculty or staff who teach on a regular basis. (This would include faculty who teach as adjuncts on a regular basis.)
5. Visiting faculty. (With priority going to those with more time left on their visiting appointment.)
6. Other faculty/staff members who teach on an occasional basis.

If you have questions, contact Director of Writing Jody Swilky (jody.swilky@drake.edu).

Also this spring, a Changemaker Event: Illuminating our Past and Igniting Our Future

On the afternoon of March 3, 2022, we will gather to celebrate the Every Bulldog a Changemaker initiative that is highlighted in The Ones campaign. This gathering will leverage a fast-paced visual storytelling format known as PechaKucha. Pronounced pe-cha ku-cha, with equal stress on each of the four syllables, PechaKucha is a Japanese presentation format that incorporates up to 20 images that are shown for 20 seconds each, totaling a six-minute 40-second presentation. This visual storytelling format keeps presentations concise and the audience engaged.

Our gathering will help to create awareness of the changemaking initiatives happening across campus; demonstrate the interdisciplinarity of changemaking by highlighting initiatives with the private, public, and non-profit sectors; provide a forum for networking, community building, and the exchange of innovative ideas; celebrate the good work of Drake faculty, staff and community partners; and inspire action and connection to the resources to make it happen!

The Office of Community Engaged Learning seeks proposals that speak to the Global Citizen Forum theme Everyone a Changemaker: Perspectives across disciplines. Presenters may highlight current or past initiatives, feature course projects, personal scholarship, or community partnerships that are yielding changemmaking opportunities for students. A Changemaker 101 session was offered in September 2021 to further explore the theme. We encourage you to watch the recording if you were unable to attend. Selected presenters will each receive $75 honorarium for participating and the chance at a $250 grand prize!

Abstracts are due Dec. 10, 2021, and must be submitted via the online proposal form. Presenters will be selected and notified by January 2022.

Please contact Renee Sedlacek Lee, Director of Community Engaged Learning, with any questions.

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

First-Year Seminar faculty are invited to our final lunch of the semester—this one will be face-to-face and with actual food—on Friday, Nov. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 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 to register by Nov. 12. Please let her know if you have any dietary restrictions or needs.

Also on Nov. 19 in Howard Hall, Room 210, from 1–3 p.m., the Deputy Provost’s Office is teaming up with the Office of Sponsored Program Administration and Research Compliance for an interactive two-hour session on funding your research. 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.

Calling all Department Chairs—the Chronicle of Higher Education has a great handbook on the role of chairs in strategic departmental leadership. If you missed the opportunity to download it, please reach out to me (renee.cramer@drake.edu). I have a copy that I’m happy to send your way! The article on “what we can’t afford to lose” when we get back to face-to-face operations is really interesting, and reminds me to remind you: I’d love to hear from people who want to engage in a bit of conversation about how pandemic has changed our approach to teaching and learning. I’m seeking nominations for people to form a loose working group—meeting pretty regularly from December to May—to understand the impact that COVID-19 has had on the way we approach our students, our classrooms, and our profession. Please email renee.cramer@drake.edu to volunteer yourself and nominate your colleagues. We’ll meet in ways that are generative, not onerous; and we’ll develop an institutionally-useful report on what we learn about how our approaches have grown and changed. The Chronicle is hosting a free three-day ‘festival’ on higher education, with one session dedicated to thinking about the future, in light of our recent past. Here’s the link to register. If you plan to attend and want to have a zoom watch party, email me and we can be in community together as we learn this information.

Finally, you may have seen that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who authored the books that popularized the concept of “flow,” passed away earlier this month. This piece from a year ago, in the Chronicle, references him and offers a perspective on how our classrooms can be respites for our students (and, I’d argue, for ourselves). Enjoy it with a cup of tea, if you have a moment to spare.

— Renée Cramer, Deputy Provost

Tecnológico de Monterrey, Drake’s global partner in Mexico, is seeking faculty and staff to participate in virtual collaboration projects in Spring 2022. 

Interested Drake faculty and staff may review this list of over 120 possible collaboration projects across a range of disciplines, in Spanish or English.

A few sample themes include:

• Sustainable urban development
• Intercultural competence
• Gender equity
• Marketing for responsible consumption
• Financial inclusion in developing countries

International Networking Sessions: Nov. 3 and 4

Tecnológico de Monterrey will host two virtual networking sessions this week to share about their Global Classroom initiative, its relation with the COIL methodology, and how it facilitates the integration of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in the learning process.

Participants in the networking sessions will connect with professors from Tecnológico de Monterrey and other universities around the world. Before the session, meet participating faculty and share your own introduction video on this Padlet page.

Networking Internacional | Sesión en español
Miércoles 3 de noviembre
9 a.m. (Cuidad de México)
REGISTER

International Networking | English Session
Thursday, Nov. 4
9 a.m. (Mexico City)
REGISTER

If you are interested in global virtual learning but unavailable for these networking sessions or if you need further guidance on how to get started with a collaboration project, contact Alanah Mitchell, Global Virtual Learning Fellow.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Now that you have your Direct Travel profile set up, you are ready to book your first flight. When you go out to search flights, it can be overwhelming understanding the different flight options and prices. You might find yourself wanting to compare Direct Travel fares to other travel sites to see if there is a better deal out there. We appreciate you being resourceful with Drake’s funds, however there are some considerations to be made before automatically choosing the lowest fare.

There are two types of economy flight options: Standard economy and basic economy.  While each airline carrier is different, in general basic economy is a no-thrills option created for customers who may be more price sensitive. It is offered in addition to standard economy at a cheaper rate. With that reduced price comes a trade-off. These lower priced options often have important restrictions on seating, carry-on baggage, member benefits and other aspects of your travel. Passengers often have to pay additional fees to match a similar experience to the standard economy ticket. Also, all carriers consider Basic Economy non-changeable. If you do need to make any changes, you will be charged.

It is important to remember online travel sites will quote only the cheaper standard economy fares. Direct Travel will default to the standard economy fare due to the benefits available. However, you can still book basic economy through Direct Travel by calling an agent directly and asking the Direct Travel agent to price basic economy fares.  While there will be exceptions, Direct Travel should be able to match the prices from online travel sites for basic economy fares. Please note calling the Direct Travel agent will result in a higher agent fee.

Prior to booking any fare, it is important to check with each carrier on their rules as they aren’t standard across airlines. Below is a visual from Delta that shows what is included in basic economy vs. standard economy.  Although the price looks good, the tradeoffs might not make it so valuable.

Look for additional travel articles In the coming weeks, as we continue to share information about our travel program.  In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email procurement@drake.edu.

— Erica McGowan and Heather Winslow, Finance and Administration

Please note the following schedule for payment processing through Accounts Payable to accommodate winter break.

• Friday, December 17, 2021 – All Payment requests (including wires) are due to Payments @Drake.edu by the end of the business day.  Requests received by this deadline will be processed for payment before Winter Break.
• Monday, January 3, 2022 – Normal payment processing will resume this week.

The accounts payable office will be closed during both holiday breaks.

Thank you for your help in coordinating to ensure we meet all needs during the upcoming season.

Please contact Jeni at ext. 4509, or jenifer.baugher@drake.edu with any questions.

— Jeni Baugher, Accounting

When people feel uneasy and insecure, hackers feel empowered. Throughout the pandemic, criminals have leveraged fear to trick people into giving up sensitive information. Fear and uncertainty associated with the virus, along with millions of people working remotely, have created the perfect storm for criminals looking to cash in. Here are some scams to be aware of:

• Vaccine distribution: Scammers send emails or call potential victims posing as representatives of a local distribution agency who can help book vaccine appointments. They then pressure targets for information such as birth dates, Social Security numbers, and medical history. Other scam emails make false claims about the vaccine and then direct recipients to a malicious website with “proof”.
• Romance and relationships: Hackers are posing as lonely people in quarantine on social media and dating apps. As they build trust, they request personal information from the victim. In many cases, the hacker claims to be infected with the virus and asks for financial support due to hardship.
• Contact tracing cyber scam: State and local governments use contact tracing applications to anticipate COVID-19 hot spots and prepare communities. Cybercriminals are sending text messages claiming to be official contact tracing. The message instructs victims to visit a website for more details. Once there, the site infects their device with malware.
• CDC malicious attachment: In this scheme, the user receives an email supposedly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The email contains an attachment that claims to provide “official advice from the government on how to stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak.” Once opened, the attachment infects the computer with malware.

Scams and phishing attacks related to working from home and COVID-19 continue to be a significant issue. It is important to remain ever vigilant in protecting personal and institutional data from these threats. ITS will continue to simulate phishing and assign training to those most susceptible. If you believe you’ve been targeted by phishing, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to).

— Chris Mielke, ITS

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) helps ensure that you are the only person who can access your account if your password is compromised. With MFA, you log into campus systems using your Drake email address and password and then confirm your identity with another method. Drake is currently requiring faculty and staff to use Duo MFA when accessing key campus systems.

Strong passwords, even those with significant number of characters and complexity, don’t provide sufficient protection. Educational institutions have increasingly become major targets for attackers, and Drake has to upgrade our protections for individual and campus data.

Starting in January, we will increase the number of systems that require MFA, and change our MFA method to Microsoft Authenticator so that all students, faculty, and staff can use MFA.

Microsoft Authenticator will work much like Duo, but has a few additional benefits.

• Duo licensing costs prohibit campus-wide usage while Authenticator is included in our Microsoft Office 365 subscription.
• There are additional verification options.

We will provide instructions on using Microsoft Authenticator, a detailed change timeline, a list of systems that will require MFA, and answers to additional questions you might have between now and January. Watch OnCampus and our other communication channels for more information throughout the rest of the semester.

— Jeff Regan, ITS

Due to the holidays, several payroll deadlines will be moved up.

The deadline for monthly direct pays for payroll will be changed to:

• 12/10/21 for payroll direct pays for the December monthly payroll

The deadlines for the biweekly time sheets and direct pays will be:

• 11/22-12/5/21 hours paid 12/10, 10:00 AM Monday, 12/6, for employees and noon that day for approvers.
• 12/6-12/19/21 hours paid 12/22, 10:00 AM Thursday, 12/16, for employees and noon that day for approvers. Employees will need to estimate hours for 12/16-12/19.
• 12/20-1/2/22 hours paid 1/7/22, 10:00 AM Monday, 1/3/22, for employees and noon that day for approvers.

The deadlines for student time sheets and direct pays will be unchanged:

• 11/1-11/30/21 hours paid 12/10, noon on Thursday, 12/02, for students and midnight that night for approvers
• 12/1-12/31/21 hours paid 1/12/22, noon on Tuesday, 1/04, for students and midnight that night for approvers.

— Korrine Jackson, Payroll