February is American Heart Month—a great time to be reminded about the importance of practicing heart-healthy habits. Not-so-fun fact: Every 36 seconds in the U.S. someone dies from cardiovascular disease, and heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.

Do you know your risks? Risk factors include smoking, inactivity, high blood pressure, obesity/overweight, high cholesterol, and family history of heart disease. Although you can’t fix family history, no matter your age, you can take simple steps to lower your risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Know your numbers. Get your annual physical and review your medical conditions with your primary care physician. This includes controlling your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels and weight.

Choose healthy foods and beverages. Add some heart-healthy recipes into your day and reduce the amount of sodium, sugar, and bad fats from your diet.

Get moving. Regular physical activity is a must for all ages. It could be as simple as walking more and sitting less. And don’t forget to add some resistance training. Moving your body has benefits beyond a healthy heart. It can help reduce stress, keep your joints healthy and improve brain function.

If you smoke – QUIT.  There are a number of online resources to help you reach this goal.

In addition, if you are not vaccinated against COVID-19, the American Heart Association (AHA) joins Drake in encouraging you to do so!

“Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is especially important for heart and stroke patients because people with such underlying conditions are more likely to develop complications from the disease.” The AHA offers more details on the importance of vaccination and heart health here.

If you want to get started toward a healthier heart but don’t know where to begin, follow this 28-Days Toward a Healthy Heart chart.  These small steps could make a giant leap in your health!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The amazing group of employees who came together to help assess the future of flexible work for staff has been released of their task force service. While the updated existing policies, newly adopted policies, and supporting resources will be works in progress for the foreseeable future, the task force’s work is now officially complete.

In line with each one of our Core Values, Drake HR would like to thank each of the task force members for their:

• Joyful Accountability in being curious, creative, brave, and bold;
• Generosity of Spirit in approaching this work by presuming the very best in our talented and dedicated staff and with an eye always on equity and inclusion;
• Desire to be All In This Together—assuring the task force’s work was regularly communicated to campus with the highest levels of transparency and with opportunities for feedback and input; and
• 100% Commitment to Drake’s Mission in keeping our students first, while simultaneously acting with purpose and optimism in how we evolve and modernize our approach to workforce management.

As we have shared with campus previously, we are adopting a Customized Work Arrangement Policy to replace and supersede policies informing staff about telecommuting, flexible schedules, and summer hours. The CWA policy is now live and posted in the Policy Library. Since it is a brand-new policy, we will conduct a formal review of the policy after it has been in place for one year. Until then, we are accepting on-going feedback, suggestions, and questions. You can direct them to drakehr@drake.edu, please use the subject line: CWA Policy and let us know what you think. We still have a lot of learning to do and we will make improvements as we identify them.

Drake HR is creating a CWA page on its website that will house a variety of tools, templates, and resources relating to the CWA policy. A lot of time and effort has been put into them and we hope that investment of time is reflected in their usefulness to both staff and managers. If you are interested in exploring with your manager a CWA, we suggest you spend some time with these new resources as a next step.

If any managers or department would be interested in training for their areas, please let us know. We are happy to provide whatever assistance or training may be helpful.

Managers: separate communications will be coming your way in the coming weeks addressing how to help review and update essential functions of your direct reports and conduct eligibility assessments of existing positions—as these will be important initial steps to complete before approving any new CWA requests.

Once again, we thank the task force and also all staff who provided feedback, ideas, and suggestions throughout this journey. It’s not over, but it feels great to have covered this much distance already.

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

One of the interesting byproducts of COVID-19 has been a spike in remote work arrangements. As we have discussed in the past, hybrid working arrangements are likely here to stay. As we work on finalizing our new updated policies related to hybrid work, there’s a companion topic: out-of-state work.

COVID-19’s impact on the mobility of the workforce has prompted many states to review their state practices on income tax treatment of teleworking employees and the threshold requirements for employers to register as a business in their state.

Consequently, we are taking a fresh look at our existing Out-of-State Policy to assure it is clear, consistent, and adequately addresses the new landscape shaped by the COVID experience.

It is important to note that each state has different requirements for employers conducting business within their borders. A separate set of state income tax laws impact employees conducting business in any given state. This policy is designed to appropriately manage risk associated with both of these topics.

Fun Fact: As of January, 2022, Drake is conducting business in several states where we anticipate an on-going need for active registration. These include: Iowa (naturally), Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, and Vermont. There are additional states where we have temporary registration based on short-term needs, but we do not intend to continue active registration. Most states require annual registration—so this list regularly expands and shrinks over time.

However, it’s more complex than that. If we are not currently registered to conduct business in a state, we also have to review the state’s unique labor and employment laws. There could be different forms of paid leave, a state (or municipal) minimum wage, workers’ compensation, etc. If we are going to have employees in another state working on Drake’s behalf, we want to do so lawfully and ethically and this doesn’t happen without time, care, and effort.

The updated policy is now posted for public comment, and it addresses both situations where Drake may be interested in hiring a new employee who will remain out-of-state and situations where an existing employee may want to temporarily or permanently relocate out-of-state. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please share them. This will help inform final edits.

Please be sure to read next week’s OnCampus for an update on the Customized Work Arrangements policy and related policies that have also been under review.

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Heather Travis, Controller

Drake HR is happy to share with you a message from our new partners at Broadlawns Medical Center:

Broadlawns Medical Center is so pleased to become your Tier 1 healthcare partners in 2022! We’re committed to providing exceptional, personalized care that keeps you healthy and feeling your best. We offer a broad range of services to meet your healthcare needs, including:

• Primary Care
• Urgent Care (Three locations—check the wait times on our homepage)
• Mental Health Care, including a Psychiatric Urgent Care
• Pediatric Care
• Virtual Care
• Surgical Care
• Specialty Care
• Inpatient Care

You can view a complete list of offerings on our Clinics and Services page.

Here are a few resources to assist you as you familiarize yourself with Broadlawns Medical Center:

• Find A Provider/Service: You can find a provider, specialty, or service on our website using our Find A Doctor
• Maps and Directions: You can find directions and maps for each of our locations on our Maps and Directions webpage.
• Patient Portal: Once you have established care, be sure to enroll in our Patient Portal. Our Patient Portal allows you to view and monitor your health information, request appointments, securely message your provider… and so much more!
• Broadlawns Pharmacy: Our pharmacy is conveniently located on our main campus so you can stop by after your appointment. You can request refills with ease and message your pharmacist using our Pharmacy App.

• Questions About Broadlawns Services: If you have any questions regarding Broadlawns services, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via our Contact Us page.
• Questions About Coverage: If you have questions regarding your insurance coverage, please reach out to Wellmark.

If you haven’t seen Broadlawns lately…

Here are some of the exciting things that have happened in recent years:

• March 2016: Completion of our newly renovated 30-bed inpatient Behavioral Health Unit.
• November 2016: Opening of Broadlawns East University Clinic.
• March 2017: Opening of Broadlawns Medical Plaza, which houses our Family Health Center, Geriatric & Memory Clinic, Outpatient Mental Health, Dental Clinic, and Pain Management Center.
• November 2017: Completion of our 14-bed expansion for Inpatient Behavioral Health focusing on major depression.
• June 2018: Psychiatric Urgent Care opens (The first in the State of Iowa).
• October 2019: Completion of the Oncology & Hematology Center renovation. Check out the photos of the new clinic.
• August 2020: A new 42,000 sq ft hospital floor was added to our Sands building that includes a Birthing Center, Med/Surg and ICU unit. See photos of the new Birthing Center.
• October 2020: New Connections addiction center opens in newly constructed space within the Broadlawns Medical Plaza.
• February 2021: A brand new lab with state-of-the-art facilities.
• COMING SOON: Broadlawns Surgery Department is doubling in size with new OR suites, Endoscopy suites, robotics, pre and post-operative patient suites.
• Keep up to date with the latest happenings at Broadlawns by following us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter.

We look forward to getting to know you and your families and attending to your healthcare needs.

Warmly,

The Staff at Broadlawns Medical Center

Together A Healthy Community.

Increased cases of COVID-19, along with classes moving to a remote format for the first two weeks of the semester, and more staff working remotely during this time, has prompted the decision to adjust some of the upcoming in-person BUILD sessions.

Please note the following changes:

• Leading Hybrid Teams will be presented remotely Jan. 19 from 10–11 a.m.
• S.T.A.R.T. Standing Against Racism Together two-part workshop will be moved to April 7 and April 14 from 1–3 p.m. in the Olmsted Center, 310/311 conference rooms.
• Meet the STEM Hub at Drake will be presented remotely Feb. 2 from 12–1 p.m.
• Slowing the Avalanche: A Values Based Approach to Managing Email Before It Buries You will be presented remotely Feb. 17 from 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

To register for any class, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Bulldogs United In Learning Drake (BUILD) is a learning and development series available to faculty and staff who wish to enhance their professional skills, improve their wellbeing, and expand their boundaries.

We encourage all employees to check out the BUILD Spring 2022 schedule that is now available on myDrake. To register for any class, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

January and February offerings:

Leading Hybrid Teams
Jan. 19 from 10–11 a.m.
Olmsted Center, Rooms 310–311

S.T.A.R.T. Standing Against Racism Together
Jan. 20 and Jan. 27 from 1–3 p.m.
Olmsted Center, Rooms 310–311

Meet the STEM Hub at Drake: Who we are, what we do, and what we can do for you
Feb. 2 from 12–1 p.m.
Olmsted Center, Rooms 310–311

Reporting from Qualtrics
Feb. 9 from 11 am. to 12 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

Drake Benefits 101
Feb. 11 from 10–11 a.m.
Microsoft Teams

Slowing the Avalanche: A Values Based Approach to Managing Email Before It Buries You
Feb. 17 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Olmsted Center, Rooms 310–311

Microsoft OneNote Level 100
Feb. 22 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

Think SMART-Using the SMART Goals Framework for Personal and Professional Goals in 2022
Feb. 23 from 10–11 a.m.
Microsoft Teams

OT Mindfulness Class
Feb. 25 from 12–1 p.m.
Zoom

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The annual open enrollment period for Drake’s health, dental, and flexible spending (FSA) plans ends Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 11:59 p.m. If you have not yet enrolled, please do not wait any longer. Elections made during the annual open enrollment period will become effective Jan. 1, 2022.

If you wish to continue your current health, dental or voluntary life insurance you need not do anything—your current participation will automatically continue. If, however, you wish to change your current participation, you must elect or terminate coverage in the Benefits Portal in myDrake.

If you wish to participate in either of Drake’s flexible spending account (FSA) plans during 2022, you must make an election in the Benefits Portal in myDrake by the end of today. There is no automatic renewal from year-to-year for FSAs.

If you wish to add or increase voluntary life insurance coverage for yourself or your eligible dependents (one benefit increment), without providing proof of good health, you must make an election in the Benefits Portal in myDrake.

ALL benefit elections for the 2022 Plan Year must be made online in the Benefits Portal no later than 11:59 p.m. today! Instructions and information about how to access the Benefits Portal are available here. Should you have questions, please contact Drake HR at drakehr@drake.edu or Marlene at 515–271–1901 or marlene.heuertz@drake.edu before 5 p.m. today. If you need assistance at 11:58 p.m. tonight, it will be too late.

— Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

The deadline to enroll in Drake benefits for the 2022 Plan Year is fast approaching.  If you wish to change your current health, dental, or voluntary life insurance coverage, you must elect or terminate participation in the Benefits Portal in myDrake.  Additionally, if you wish to participate in Drake’s health or dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) plans during 2022, you must enroll or re-enroll in the Benefits Portal.  To learn more about Drake’s comprehensive benefits, visit the new Benefits Guide here.

Instructions and information about how to access the Benefits Portal are available here.  If you have not yet made benefit elections for 2022, please don’t wait until the last minute.  All benefit elections for the 2022 Plan Year must be made no later than 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.

— Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Did you know that the average person will consume 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving dinner and gain one to four pounds between now and the end of year? That may not sound like a lot, but most individuals don’t lose the weight, which can add up over the years.

The good news is that you can still enjoy a great meal, and a day with family and friends. Here are a few tips that may make the day even better.

Eat breakfast. You may think it’s better to save calories for the big dinner but eating a small meal in the morning can help you control your appetite. Include some protein and fiber such as an egg with a slice of whole wheat toast or a bowl of oatmeal with nuts and fruit.

Be active. Take a walk early in the day, just before dinner, or after dinner. Go outside and play touch football with family, instead of watching it on TV. Start a new family tradition that includes activity like a scavenger hunt. The goal is to stay active.

Choose water. Limit your intake of alcohol and sweetened beverages. Try some fruit infused water instead. If having a cocktail, choose a glass of wine over a higher calorie mixed drink.

Lighten up. If you are the cook, make your recipes healthier with less fat, sugar, and calories. Try some new recipes or healthy substitutes. If you are the guest, bring a healthy dish to share, and make healthier choices. For example, opt for grilled veggies over a green bean or sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie over pecan pie, and go easy on the gravy.

Watch your portions. If you can’t resist some of the fattening delicacies, survey the choices and select small portions of the foods you enjoy the most and may only get at the holidays. Another tip – use a smaller plate and avoid having seconds.

Slow down. Savor the food you are eating by putting down your fork between bites. Eating slowly and tasting each mouthful is a great way to enjoy your meal and feel satisfied with one plateful of food.

Focus on family and friends. Thanksgiving is not just about food. It’s a time to celebrate relationships with family and friends. Focus more on spending quality time together and the day will be a success, even without that extra helping of pie!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Don’t forget to register for DU Well Healthy Holiday BINGO. This five-week program runs from Monday, Nov. 29, 2021 through Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022. The goal is to fill up a blank BINGO card (or two), between Thanksgiving and the New Year, with healthy activities completed from a provided list. This is a great way for you and your family to have fun while making healthy choices.

In January, participants will be invited to meet virtually to play BINGO for prizes with their completed cards. You are welcome to fill out the BINGO card without playing the BINGO games as well.

To register, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources