Thank you for your patience as we all work to get better at remote teaching and learning practices.

To help you keep learning how to best support students at a distance, our Academic and Emerging Technology (AET) team will be holding additional sessions to support your needs for teaching and learning remotely.

Assessing Student Learning with Multiple Options
Wednesday, April 1, at 10 a.m. via Blackboard Collaborate

Blackboard Learn has many tools available to assess student learning. As you identify how you want to assess student learning on any given learning objective, we can help you identify what tools match your assessment goals. This session will cover assignments, tests, surveys, and other gradable interactions among students, and between students and instructors.

Remote Presentations and Breakout Groups in Collaborate Ultra
Thursday, April 2, at 10 a.m. via Blackboard Collaborate

Many classes are upholding the requirements listed on their syllabi to include individual or group presentations while participating in remote teaching and learning. We will provide you with options of how you can support your learning objectives to complete remote presentations or have your students work in breakout groups during live sessions.

NOTE: If some or any of the work can be done in an asynchronous manner, we still recommend that approach. Live sessions are complicated and involve an additional learning curve. We hope to help lessen that learning curve by providing some better practices and approaches.

A few other suggestions:

• Please be mindful that students have other commitments during these changing times and we need to have conversations with the students before changing requirements. Please consult with your students about their availability before switching schedules.
• Remote learning does not equal best practices in distance or online learning. Many universities have had this discussion and all agree that remote learning is a way to conduct what were once face-to-face courses in a different format and yet not be held to the same standards as distance or online learning programs. This is an important distinction to make.

We are working with the best tools we have available to make the best of a situation. This does not mean that you are now conducting a program that must meet distance or online learning standards. Please continue to do the best with what you have, but understand that reality is a changing landscape and our learning environment will continue to need to be fluid in its delivery model.

— Academic and Emerging Technology (AET) Team, ITS

The deadline for submitting Fall 2020 course material adoptions is April 15. The University Bookstore has a simple tool for you to use this adoption season: Follett Discover.

Adopting on time contributes to course materials affordability. By submitting adoptions prior to the due date or by the due date, your campus store has time to source used and rental inventory, which translates to savings for your students. If you consistently use the same book from term to term, partner with the campus store to let them know because this will translate into even larger savings for your students.

Another important aspect that relies on timely textbook adoption is compliance to the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), which is aimed at making college more affordable and accessible by calling for full disclosure and transparency related to the selection, pricing, and use of course materials when registration for courses begins. HEOA was enacted into federal law in 2010. At Drake University, the Bookstore is the collection agent for textbook adoptions, posting the adoptions submitted and thus ensuring the University’s compliance to the HEOA.

Follett Discover allows you to easily discover, research, and adopt course materials all in one place. In addition to adopting traditional print materials, Follett Discover makes it easy to search and adopt non-traditional materials such as YouTube videos, open education resources, and MOOC content.

Easy steps to access Follett Discover through Blackboard

1. Log into myDrake.
2. Find the Tools channel, scroll down and click the Follett Discover link OR find the Follett Discover channel, and click the Launch Discover link.

For questions about the tool or how it works, contact the Bookstore.

—  Donna Hallstrom, University Bookstore

On Oct. 1, Microsoft will be decommissioning Basic Authentication, an older back-end protocol that allows us to log into email applications, in favor of a more secure method called Modern Authentication.

Modern Authentication is already built-in and enabled in newer versions of Outlook, but there are many other email clients that are incompatible, which will cause them to stop working when Basic Authentication is disabled on Oct. 1, 2020.

Over the next few months, ITS will be installing compatible versions of Outlook on all Drake-owned computers missing this software. If you are using Outlook 2016 or newer on a Drake-owned computer, no action is required.

If you use an older version of Outlook or a third-party email client to access your Drake email account from a Drake-owned computer, personal computer, or mobile device, you have a few options to ensure your access is not interrupted on Oct. 1:

1. Switch to Outlook on the Web. Outlook on the Web is available through myDrake at the My Email link. No software installation or changes are required with this option.
2. Switch to Outlook 2016 or newer. If you are using a third-party mail program, your mail may not be able to be migrated into Outlook.
3. Verify whether your third-party email program or app will work with Modern Authentication. Many email software publishers are updating their software to ensure continued compatibility, but check to make sure yours will work.

The following third-party desktop and mobile apps are currently known to be compatible with Modern Authentication:

• The native Mail app for iOS 11.x and newer
• Apple Mail on MacOS 10.15 and newer
• Outlook 2016 and newer
• Outlook for iOS and Android

For additional information, see Preparing for Modern Authentication (How-to).

Microsoft Outlook is the only mail and calendar application supported by Drake—all other apps are not guaranteed to work and are not supported by ITS.

As the Oct. 1 cut-off date approaches, ITS will send additional communications to those affected to ensure email access is not interrupted.

If you have any questions or need assistance with changing email clients on a Drake-owned computer, please visit the ITS Service Portal at https://service.drake.edu/its.

—Peter Lundstedt, ITS

Due to the campus transition from the impacts of COVID-19 and timing issues with the survey provider, the Great Colleges to Work For Survey will be postponed until the fall. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Alice Hill or Nate Reagen.

— Nate Reagen, President’s Office

As we adjust to working from home, there are some simple ways to ensure our data and devices remain secure. Attackers won’t miss an opportunity to take advantage of circumstances that allow for easier access to home networks and personal computers, and it’s important to keep sensitive information safe, no matter where we’re working.

Here are five simple steps that will help you and your household keep a more cybersafe home.

1. Remain vigilant to phishing. This remains the primary way attackers attempt to cause a breach, quite simply because it’s easier than finding a vulnerability in our technology. Be cautious of emails and phone calls that have a strong sense of urgency, or that use fear and intimidation. Carefully read the entire message before taking any action.
2. Take time to secure your home network. Almost every home network starts with Wi-Fi, which allows all our devices to connect to the internet. The router or Wi-Fi access point allows connections to and from the internet to occur, which means it’s a key part of protecting your home.

• Change the default administrator password. Protect the account that grants access to the network settings.
• Allow only people you trust. Enable a strong password for anyone connecting to the network, and ensure network traffic is encrypted.

Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can help verify these settings. Check their website, the documentation for your wireless access point, or refer to the vendor’s website.

1. Keep devices updated. Make sure every computer, mobile device, and all apps are running the latest versions of software. Software vendors continuously release patches that contain security updates, and attackers exploit the older, vulnerable versions. By ensuring computers and devices are up to date, you make it harder for attackers to break in. To stay current, enable automatic updates whenever possible. This rule also applies to devices you may not think about—internet-connected TVs, baby monitors, security cameras/doorbells, gaming consoles, appliances, thermostats, and more.
2. Family and guests. Something we usually don’t have to worry about on campus is guests and other family members using a Drake-owned computer, or accessing a personal/shared computer while we’re in the middle of a task. Make sure any family and friends at home understand that they cannot use your Drake-owned computer or other devices that you’re using to work, as they can accidentally erase or modify information, or infect the device by unintentionally visiting a malicious website.
3. Keep track of data. If you’re accessing and copying information to personal devices, or even downloading reports to your Drake-owned computer that you would normally view online, write down locations or visual cues to help track their location so you can delete or move it to its correct location when complete. This will help ensure that sensitive information does not remain on a personal device and cause future breaches of confidentiality.

If you have questions about any of these steps or would like to learn more about securely working from home, please email informationsecurity@drake.edu.

—Peter Lundstedt, ITS

You may be telecommuting and your children are home from school.  How do you keep your children occupied, engaged, and learning during this pandemic, and remain productive yourself?  Here are a few ideas.

• The Des Moines Public Library as well as other local libraries are a great resource to rent e-books and audiobooks, stream movies and TV, learn new skills, and more. This can all be done online. Cowles Library is also physically closed, but all electronic resources are available remotely.
• The dsm4kids website has a number of online learning resources from reading and vocabulary to math and history for children of all ages.
• USA TODAY and CNET shared a variety of online learning resources for pre-K-12 children. It includes sites such as Scholastic and PBS.

Try to create a daily schedule to help your children have a routine.  Some of the activities should be educational — your child’s formal structured educational assignments or the online educational resources mentioned above.

Mix in fun activities.  Depending on the child’s age it could include board or video games, streaming movies, baking, arts and crafts, or any outside the box ideas. Also, alternate between busy and quiet activities.

Even with social distancing, it is important for everyone to go outside for some fresh air and physical activity.  Families can spend time safely outdoors, maintaining safe distances.

When the day is done, maintain a regular sleep schedule.  Don’t let your children stay up too late or sleep in.  This will help them keep a routine.

For more information on ways to stay healthy, and tips for working remotely, please visit drake.edu/coronavirus and click on the Health & Wellness Guide from HR found in the Human Resources section of this page.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Drake launched its first semester study abroad program, DU Spain, in Alicante, Spain, spring 2020. As a part of the semester experience, a Drake faculty member will teach and serve in various other capacities to support the program abroad as Faculty-in-Residence.

The DU Spain Faculty-in-Residence application is live through Qualtrics for Spring 2021, Spring 2022, and Spring 2023. Apply and learn more about this opportunity, eligibility, compensation, and responsibilities.

The application submission deadline has been extended to Wednesday, April 1, 2020. If you have questions, please reach out to Maria Rohach, assistant director of administered programs abroad, at maria.rohach@drake.edu.

— Maria Rohach, Drake International

Drake ITS is continuously working to better protect University computers and confidential information. As part of these efforts, we are changing how vendor security patches are applied to Drake-owned Windows computers.

Microsoft releases security patches monthly to fix exploitable flaws. In order for the patches to be fully applied, the device being patched must be restarted afterwards. While devices remind you to restart, you can currently restart on your own schedule. This has resulted in some Drake-owned computers going unpatched for long periods of time.

Beginning April 20, ITS will configure Drake-owned computers running Windows to provide additional restart reminders after patches are applied, with options to restart immediately or schedule another time. While the exact appearance and wording may vary based on your operating system version, the below screenshots show the general notification and settings. While working from home or other off-campus locations, the notification and restart process may be delayed or suspended until the computer returns to the campus network.

If the restart doesn’t happen within two days of the patch installation, your Windows computer will restart automatically between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. If it’s asleep during that time, it will restart when you wake it up.

The best way to avoid disruption or lost work is to restart your computer when initially prompted, or schedule a restart at a more convenient time within the two-day grace period.

If you have any questions about these changes, please reach out to me.

—Peter Lundstedt, ITS

Only one week left to turn in nominations for the Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence and Distinguished Community Service Awards. All nominations are due to Human Resources by Tuesday, March 31.

Madelyn M. Levitt established the Distinguished Community Service Award to recognize the outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. Recipients are chosen on the following criteria:

• A demonstrated personal commitment to volunteerism and community service.
• An outstanding record of leadership or substantial involvement in community projects, services and activities contributing to the quality of life in our region, state and/or the nation.
• Professional and personal values and behavior that typify the ideals of “giving back to others” and “making a difference in the lives of others.”
• The nominee must be a current faculty or staff member with at least five years of service at Drake.

The Employee Excellence Award is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. Criteria for the award include:

• Exceptional performance as an employee of Drake University
• Outstanding dedication to providing courteous, prompt and quality service.
• Demonstrated commitment to University programs, initiatives and services.
• Professional values and behavior that demonstrate exceptional service to others and a commitment to Drake University
• The nominee must be a current staff member with at least one year of service at Drake.

To nominate a colleague, submit a letter of nomination to the Levitt Award Committee, care of (c/o) Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent through campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu. The letter should detail specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria. Additional letters of support are not necessary.

The screening committee will review all nominations and make appropriate recommendations to the President’s Council.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources