With the University’s fiscal year-end (June 30, 2021) approaching, below are recommended guidelines for efficient and effective year-end processing of purchases.

Accounting for departmental expenses:
In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, Drake is required to report transactions in the proper fiscal period. For that reason, expenses are recorded in the period when goods are received and/or services are rendered. In short, items expensed to a FY21 budget will need to be received before ‘end of day’ on June 30, 2021. Factors such as budget allocation, invoice receipt, or payment issuance would not have an impact on the application of expenses within a fiscal period.

Exceptions to this general rule apply when a benefit of service or receipt of item extends into multiple fiscal years. In such cases, the following guidelines will be applied.

• Expenses less than $5,000: will be charged against the fiscal year in which the majority of the expense will be incurred. (For example, if a subscription is purchased for $3,000 and covers the period of 7/1/20 through 12/31/21, the expense would be charged to FY21)
• Expenses greater than or equal to $5,000: will be split into the fiscal years according to the percentage of benefit received during each fiscal period. (For example, if a subscription is purchased for $10,000 that covers a period of 7/1/20 through 6/30/22, $5,000 would be charged to FY21 and $5,000 charged to FY22)

The University’s guidelines for year-end purchases are subject to external audit. As you make purchases during this period leading up to and overlapping our fiscal year end, it is important to note when the goods or services were received so they are expensed according to reporting requirements. If the timing of receipt is not clearly noted on the invoice, it would be beneficial to help call the receipt date to accounting’s attention by clearly marking the appropriate fiscal year for the expense, based on the above guidelines, on the pay request.

Please contact Jeni Baugher at x4509 or Jenifer.Baugher@drake.edu with any questions you might have.

Year-end timeline:
In order to facilitate efficient and effective year-end processing, the following timeline is recommended for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021.

— Jenifer Baugher, Accounting

Unlike regular phishing, which aims to hook anyone willing to bite (think: financial appeals from a Nigerian Prince), spear phishing attacks target a specific individual or organization for a “long con.” TechTarget offers the following spear phishing attack definition:

“Spear phishing is an email-spoofing attack that targets a specific organization or individual, seeking unauthorized access to sensitive information. Spear-phishing attempts are not typically initiated by random hackers, but are more likely to be conducted by perpetrators out for financial gain, trade secrets or military information.”

Spear phishing attacks are significantly more successful than generic phishing emails. According to a report from FireEye, “spear phishing emails had an open rate of 70 percent … 50 percent of recipients who open spear phishing emails also click on enclosed links, which is 10 times the rate for mass mailings.”

So, why are targeted phishing attacks so successful?
Hackers spend a lot of time and effort planning their spear phishing attacks. They design their fake emails to look as legitimate and authentic as possible to trick the intended victims. This means using imagery/graphics, design, language, and even email addresses that can pass as real when minimally inspected. Spear phishing emails are personalized and use specific information to lure in victims. Sometimes, these messages are tailored to look like they are sent by a manager or high-level executive. They also can be customized to appear to come from a company-trusted vendor. They don’t resemble traditional mass phishing emails, so the messages are often missed by spam filters and other email protections.

Finally, rather than trying for a quick attack, spear phishers are patient with their targeted attacks. They often use multi-stage attacks that involve malware downloads and data exfiltration which can take weeks or even months.

Spear phishing attacks consist of three main steps:

1. Infiltration — Directing users to click on a malicious link that downloads and installs malware or leads them to a fraudulent website. Once on the fraudulent website, requests for vital information are made and the phisher can use the collected information or access to log in to the victim’s account.
2. Reconnaissance — The phisher monitors and reads emails to learn about the organization and identify additional targets and opportunities.
3. Extract Value — Using the information and knowledge gained over time, or even using the compromised email account itself, the attacker launches spear phishing attacks.

As mentioned earlier, spear phishing attacks often elude spam filters and other email security solutions. As a result, the only defense against spear phishing is diligence. You must use caution when you receive an email, even if it’s from a supposedly trusted source, that requests you to click on a link or share sensitive information.

ITS will continue to send simulated phishing emails in order to help the campus community learn how to recognize phishing attacks. Training is assigned to those who prove to be susceptible to phishing attacks. If you believe you’ve been targeted by phishing, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to).

— Christopher Mielke, ITS

During the past academic year, 432 faculty and staff participated in at least one virtual Bulldogs United in Learning Drake (BUILD) class. These classes assist individuals with learning a new skill, improving their health, or strengthening professional knowledge.

If you missed any of the classes, links to the recorded presentations are available on myDrake. To view any past presentation, click the Human Resources App at the top of the employee home page and then click on Learning & Development.

We are now in the process of planning for our 2021–2022 academic year. Classes may be held in a virtual format, in-person, or a combination this fall. Regardless of the format, we continue to look for ways to assist and engage faculty and staff.

If you have suggestions for topics, or would like to present a BUILD class, email linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Thank you to everyone who tuned in for the virtual Sapphire Awards hosted by the All Staff Council Recognition Committee and Human Resources. The committee recognized the nine groups and 18 individuals who received True Blue Awards throughout the year. One individual and one group are voted on by All Staff Council members to win the Sapphire Award.

Congratulations to Chris Nickell on winning the individual Sapphire Award!
Here is what his nominator had to say: Chris has done the job of at least four people during this pandemic and has done a great deal to enable the success we saw in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 on campus. He worked tireless and countless hours often with no regard to day or night. It’s his tireless dedication that actually served as a motivator to others and inspired many of us to also do our part. 

Congratulations to the Contact Tracing Team on winning the group Sapphire Award!
Here is what the group’s nominator had to say: There have been countless times a member of this team will be working with students late into the evening and on weekends, talking them through implications of a potential exposure or how to navigate various aspects of an isolation or quarantine. I can’t count how many times a member of the Contact Tracing team has worked to keep communications coordinated so that we can make an already tumultuous experience (testing positive for COVID or being exposed to someone) more relaxing and smooth. This team has taken on an enormous task and has done it with excellence, grace, humor, and a servant’s perspective. 

Congratulations to all of the True Blue Winners!

• Lance Berg
• Glenn Clark
• Lynne Cornelius
• Deneen Dygert
• Emily Fleming
• Alice Fynarrdt
• Sara Heijerman
• Alicia Hilligas
• Shannon Hilscher
• Sara Hughes
• Jessica Lang
• Venessa Macro
• Chris Nickell
• Geena Rasmussen
• Joyce Ryerson
• Mich Wieczorek
• Lisa Wyatt
• Ryan Zantingh

Group winners:

• Kris Brewster, Adrick Smith & the ITS
• Contact Tracing Team
• Stephanie Sledge and Athletics
• Ross Hall Custodial Staff
• Jerry Parker & Sharyn O’Connor
• Records Room and Finance Staff
• Jeremy Sievers & Annie Spadt
• National Alumni Scholars Admissions Team
• Facilities Planning and Management & Public Safety

Watch a recording of the event.

— Amelia Klatt, On behalf of All Staff Council

A campus-wide, al fresco open house will be held Wednesday, June 30, from 2–4 p.m. to honor Drake retirees (scroll down for a list of this year’s retirees). Please mark your calendars and plan to stroll the campus, dropping in at each location to share your thanks, congratulations, and well-wishes.

— Sandra Harris, Office of the Provost

Final grades are due by 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 19. Exception: final grades for the Law School are due on Tuesday, May 25. Your ability to submit final grades will be disabled at that point.

View instructions on how to send your final grades from Blackboard to MyDUSIS.

Those of you who want to submit grades directly into MyDUSIS should begin by clicking the Grading button in the “Faculty & Advising” menu in MyDrake and then finding the “Final Grades–Submittal Link.”

The final evaluation schedule includes a listing of when courses are scheduled to meet for their final evaluations.

— Kevin Moenkhaus, Office of the Registrar

Now that summer beckons, academics’ thoughts turn to—research! If you are a Drake faculty member or other researcher who needs some help with any part of the publishing process, Cowles Library is here to help.

We have a new resource available for those looking for help finding a journal that will publish your research (and what their expectations are), tools for citing information in your paper, Journal Impact Factor, and beyond. We also have a link to Cabells Journalytics, a tool that provides provides complete contact and publication information and quality metrics for over 11,000 journals.

So, please take a look. If you have any questions or comments, contact reference@drake.edu.

— Bruce Gilbert, Cowles Library

Registration for golf league is now closed. Registration ended Wednesday, May 12. Please note: the date shown in the OnCampus email is incorrect.

The league is a doubles league held at Grandview  Golf Course/A.H. Blank Golf Course in Des Moines. Nine holes will be played each week on Wednesdays with tee times starting at 4 p.m. for Grandview and 4:30 p.m. for A.H. Blank. The first day of play is May 19 and will continue through July 28 (10 weeks).

— Ryan Parriott, Rec Services

Current status 
Thank you for continuing to prepare for the shift to Blackboard Learn Ultra. All training modules have now been released in the Blackboard Learn Ultra Instructor Orientation. The CTE Ambassadors have visited every college/department to provide a quick preview and/or demonstration of what is expected for Fall 2021 courses. Fall courses are now available and ready for development. (We are still working out a few kinks, so you may currently see some duplicates. This will be remedied soon.) 

Third-party tools and Ultra courses 
As you design and test your new Ultra courses, please be sure to check that any third-party tools you plan to use have been updated. Third-party tools may include ancillaries for your textbooks, any audio or video captured content, or proctoring software. ITS has updated most of these tools, but there are likely some we are not aware of that will need to be addressed before fall courses begin.  

Videos and Blackboard 
Please refrain from uploading video files directly to Blackboard. Video files take up a significant amount of space and they can be stored on Panopto without impacting Blackboard’s storage allowance.  

Additional training opportunities 
If you are looking for additional training, please watch for offerings throughout the spring and summer terms. The Blackboard Learn Ultra Training site will provide updates on the Design Dialogs workshops as well as additional Blackboard led training. If your department wants to schedule any additional or advanced training sessions, please coordinate with your area’s CTE Ambassador or Karly Good.  

Project FAQs  
Find answers to your project questions as well as additional updates around the Learn Ultra upgrade on our project site: https://www.drake.edu/its/learnultra/. 

— Karly Good, ITS

Final grades are due by 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 19. Exception: final grades for the Law School are due on Tuesday, May 25. Your ability to submit final grades will be disabled at that point.

View instructions on how to send your final grades from Blackboard to MyDUSIS.

Those of you who want to submit grades directly into MyDUSIS should begin by clicking the Grading button in the “Faculty & Advising” menu in MyDrake and then finding the “Final Grades–Submittal Link.”

The final evaluation schedule includes a listing of when courses are scheduled to meet for their final evaluations.

— Kevin Moenkhaus, Office of the Registrar