The Sponsored Research Administration and Research Compliance (SPARC) Office would like to congratulate the following faculty members on their grant awards from the National Science Foundation. These awards are the impressive result of their hard work and diligence.

Klaus Bartschat, PhD, Ellis & Nelle Levitt Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy was awarded a three-year, $319,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for his project entitled Photon- and Electron-Driven Atomic Collision Processes: General Theory and Accurate Numerical Calculations.

This study examines collisions of light (mostly lasers) and charged particles (mostly electrons) with atoms and ions. Elastic and inelastic processes, including excitation, single and double ionization, autoionization, and excitation-ionization for a wide variety of targets will be investigated by combining general collision theory with the development and subsequent application of highly sophisticated numerical methods. Continuing the close interaction with many groups in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia will lead to a deeper understanding of the quantum-mechanical collision dynamics while simultaneously producing data needed for many modelling applications, specifically in plasma and astrophysics.

Jerrid Kruse, PhD, Professor, and Lindsay Woodward, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair, Teaching and Learning Department, were awarded a three-year, $628,791 grant for their project entitled, Engaging Elementary Teachers in Developing and Implementing Instructional Materials Promoting Socioscientific Literacy.

Navigating complex societal issues such as water shortages, forest fires, and other phenomena-based problems requires understanding the social, technological, and scientific dimensions surrounding the issues and the ways these dimensions interact, shift, and change. Despite its importance, however, developing students’ socioscientific literacy has received limited attention in elementary science teaching and learning contexts. This project begins to address this problem of practice by focusing first on developing elementary teachers’ socioscientific literacy and their capacity to integrate socioscientific issues and local phenomena in their science teaching practice.

— Preston Miller, Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance

Full-time Drake employees are eligible to participate in tuition exchange programs, which offer waived or discounted tuition at other participating institutions for employees, their spouse/partner, or eligible dependent(s). See Drake’s Tuition Exchange Policy for complete information.

Tuition Exchange applications for the 2025-2026 year are available now (complete online via the links provided below). Students receiving Tuition Exchange for 2024-2025 should not complete another application. (Tuition exchange renews automatically, as long as the employee and student remain eligible.)

There are three steps in the tuition exchange application process:

1. The student submits a tuition exchange application online through one or both of the tuition exchange programs listed below (the student should also apply for admission at each school listed on the tuition exchange application).
2. Drake Human Resources confirms and certifies the employee’s eligibility to participate in the tuition exchange program. This is done on a rolling basis as applications are received.
3. The tuition exchange application is routed to each school the student included on the application(s), and each school will decide whether the student will be offered a tuition exchange award.

Schools have different application deadlines and timelines for announcing award determinations. It is the employee’s responsibility to submit the tuition exchange application early enough to allow time for step #2 to be completed in advance of each school’s deadlines.

Details about each of Drake’s tuition exchange programs are provided below:

Tuition Exchange, Inc. (TE)
TE has over 700 participating schools. Visit tuitionexchange.org to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.

Council of Independent Colleges & Universities Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP)
CIC-TEP has over 430 participating schools. Visit cic.edu/tep to learn more, view participating schools, and to submit an application.

–Ryan Zantingh, Student Financial Planning

On September 26, ITS will automatically uninstall outdated Acrobat Reader applications from Drake-owned computers. Built-in PDF reader applications on both Windows (Microsoft Edge) and macOS (Preview) will not be impacted by this change. We’re taking this step to increase the security of our network and improve the overall efficiency of Drake-owned computers. 

After Acrobat Reader is uninstalled, you may reinstall it on your own by using the preconfigured installation app in Company Portal (Windows) or Self Service (macOS). Using these installation methods will ensure that the applications are automatically updated. 

If you have questions or need assistance after this change, contact us by submitting a ticket though the ITS service portal or by calling the Support Center at 515-271-3001. 

–Becky Klein, ITS

Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance (SPARC) now provides monthly news updates on their website to keep you up-to-date with all the latest SPARC news. This news section includes process changes, form updates, funding opportunities updates, workshops & training dates, and funded grant announcements. Check it out by clicking here.

— Preston Miller, Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance

The All Staff Council Recognition Committee is accepting True Blue nominations.

Do you know a staff member or department that is “Called to be True Blue?” An individual or team that goes above and beyond expectations to serve students, colleagues, and the Drake community.

A staff member who is Called to be True Blue is someone who:

1. Epitomizes the values of leadership, teamwork, and integrity, and exhibits their commitment to the Drake community
2. Has shown others what it takes to get a task or project done, and accomplishes that by working well with others
3. Is able to be honest and fair in the situations they face
4. Does all of these things for the betterment of Drake and its values and goals.

If this sounds like someone you know, make your nomination today!

All individual and teams who receive a Called to be True Blue award are in the running to win top honors for staff accomplishment—the Sapphire Award—at a recognition event in May.

Nominations are considered on a rolling basis. An individual can only be recognized once each year. Nominations must be received by March 1 to be considered for that year’s Sapphire Award. Nominations received after March 1 will be considered for recognition in the fall and will be included in the following fiscal year’s Sapphire Award voting.

Please click here to submit your nomination. Be specific and provide details about how the nominee meets the True Blue award criteria.

Also, did you know the All Staff Council has its very own SharePoint page?  We invite you to explore it HERE for updates on upcoming events, committee details, past True Blue recipients, and much more!

—Amber Welsh, On behalf of All Staff Council

Historically, University Advancement has managed the recognition of alumni and their degrees. In the past, undergraduate degrees were the two letters for the college and then the class year (AS’09), all graduate degrees (except Law and Pharmacy) were changed to GR for graduate degree and then the class year (GR’09).

We have evolved as a University and have added degrees, and this recognition has not been updated for quite some time. We have heard from you throughout the years with questions. We also spoke with the Registrar’s Office who supports this update.

Recently we have updated this recognition that mirrors much of what is in Banner degree-wise.

 We will continue to recognize Liberal Arts (LA) and Fine Arts (FA) since we have living alumni from those schools (they merged in 1987 and became AS).

Undergraduate recognition will not change (but we have added some), graduate degrees will now be recognized by their degree. We believe this comprehensively gives us a better update of the current offerings at Drake and correctly identifies how these alumni should be recognition.

New rules:

• Undergraduates are recognized by their College and Year (this includes John Dee Bright College students with their associate degrees)
• Non-Degreed Alumni are recognized by their anticipated graduation year only
• Graduate and Honorary degrees are recognized by their specific degree abbreviation

New/changes to undergraduate degree recognition.

Undergraduate from former 4- or 5-year Pharmacy Programs	PH
Undergraduate from John Dee Bright College	JB
Undergraduate from Pharmacy & Health Sciences**	HS

** Note the change from the previous standard for the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. Since Pharmacy degrees are now graduate degrees only, they will be recognized according to the graduate degree table as PharmD. Those who graduated with a 4- or 5-year undergraduate Pharmacy degree in the past will be recognized with PH. Those with other undergraduate degrees (Health Sciences, Kinesiology, Nursing) from the College of Pharmacy & Health Science will be recognized with HS.

Also note, there is always a comma after the name, and then no spacing between degree and year.

Example	CY Salutation
Undergraduate with degree from single college or school	John Smith, AS’04 John Smith, BN’07
Undergraduate with degree(s) from two different colleges or schools	John Smith, AS’04, BN’04 John Smith, JO’07, HS’07
Undergraduate with associate degree only	John Smith, JB’23
Undergraduate with associate degree and bachelor’s degree	John Smith, JB’23, BN’25
Alum who received an undergraduate pharmacy degree through the 4- or 5-year program	John Smith, PH’92
Non-degree student who would have graduated with UG degree in 2007	John Smith, ‘07
Non-degreed student who would have graduated with a graduate degree in 2007	John Smith, ‘07
Alum with only a Juris Doctor	John Smith, JD’07
Alum with both a bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor	John Smith, HS’05, JD’08 John Smith, ED’17, JD’20
Alum with degrees from two different undergraduate colleges or schools and a PharmD	John Smith, AS’00, BN’00, PharmD’07
Alum with several graduate degrees	John Smith, MBA’07, MPH’09, JD’11
Honorary Degree	John Smith, HLLD’14
Alum with degrees at all levels	John Smith, JB’23, AS’25, BN’25, MBA’28, MS’30, JD’33, OTD’36

We will share this with the alumni in the fall issue of Blue magazine. We encourage you to share this with alumni as well.

Update your name badge and email signature

Should these changes apply to you, we ask that you work to get an updated nametag and business card to reflect the change. These can be ordered by your department staff through Image Solutions (badges) or Woolverton, Mfg. (business cards). Your division’s Budget Manager can direct you to the appropriate person to place those orders.

This links to the Image Solutions e-store  –  https://www.promoplace.com/drake-university

And this to the Woolverton, Mfg. e-store –https://printshop.drake.edu/

Also, you need to update your email signature block with these changes.

— Pam Pepper, University Advancement

As election season approaches, a reminder that faculty and staff are free to engage in political advocacy as individuals but should never do so using any Drake University-affiliated resources or as a representative of Drake University. As a tax-exempt institution, it is vital that we maintain political neutrality to maintain our tax-exempt status with the IRS. Faculty and staff are encouraged to review and familiarize themselves with Drake’s Political Activity Policy.

This means that any Drake-affiliated social media channels are subject to scrutiny and cannot be used to like, post, share, or comment on any content that could be perceived as Drake showing support of (or opposition to) any political party or candidate. We ask that anyone responsible for a Drake-affiliated social media page carefully monitor your content/likes in the months ahead to ensure that it cannot be interpreted as showing support or opposition to any political candidates, positions, or viewpoints.

For questions, contact John Krantz, director of strategic communications, University Communications and Marketing.

— John Krantz, University Communications and Marketing