Drake University Human Resources desires to provide opportunities for you to learn about your benefits and talk with the benefit providers. There are three upcoming opportunities for you to do so.

Benefits & Wellness Fair.  Friday, November 1 from 9-11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main. Interact with our benefit providers in a casual environment and fill out a bingo card for a chance to win prizes!

Virtual Benefits Overview Session. Tuesday, November 5 from 1:30-3 p.m.  Please send an email to drakehr@drake.edu to register and receive the online link.

In-Person Benefits Overview Session. Friday, November 15 from 10-11:30 a.m. in CR 313, Olmsted Center.

During both the virtual and in-person overview sessions, Drake HR and some of our key consultants and providers will share information about the benefits that will be effective January 1, 2025.  Both are great opportunities to learn and ask questions.

As we progress through Open Enrollment, please refer to the Open Enrollment Page, as it will serve as a repository of benefit communications that will be distributed during the month of November.

Remember, the 2025 Benefit Enrollment period will be from November 1 through December 2, 2024.  This is your opportunity to adjust benefits for the 2025 calendar year.  Questions may be directed to drakehr@drake.edu.

—Debra Wiley, Human Resources

This year’s Benefits and Wellness Fair will be held Friday, Nov. 1, from 9-11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall in Old Main. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending this “come and go” event.

Representatives from our benefits partners will be present to answer your questions, including: Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Broadlawns, Delta Dental of Iowa, TIAA, Long Term Care Strategies, The Hartford, HealthEQUITY, Avesis, and Employee & Family Resources. Chat with registered dietitian Samantha Matt and folks from Drake Recreational Services. Stop by the table hosted by the Drake Athletic Training Club to get your blood pressure taken and visit with the Drake Kinesiology students.

There will be beverages, freebies, and the chance to win prizes. Most importantly, this is an opportunity for you to be sure you understand and take advantage of the benefits and perks offered to you as an employee of Drake University and help prepare you to make benefit elections during the month of November, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Don’t forget to pick up a bingo card when you arrive and have the vendors you visit stamp/mark it.  If you secure a blackout (filling in all vendor spots), we’ll enter your name in a drawing for prizes.

—Linda Feiden, HR

The University is pleased to announce the observance for Thanksgiving will be extended to include the entire day of Wednesday, November 27. 

In previous years, faculty and staff were given aspirational goals to support the annual United Way campaign – with a goal culminating in extra time off at Thanksgiving.  This year, we have a unique scenario that requires a significant power shutdown required by FP&M.  So, embracing a generosity of spirit in support of this years’ United Way campaign and this unique opportunity, the morning of Wednesday, November 27 has been awarded in advance. 

The United Way of Central Iowa employee campaign at Drake is an invitation to demonstrate our commitment to the Des Moines community. With the United Way campaign, every dollar donated stays within central Iowa by providing essential funding for hundreds of local social service nonprofits.  Watch your email later this month for additional information about how you can get involved.

At Drake, we are a community of individuals who have much to be thankful for.  We encourage you to remember those who may be less fortunate and demonstrate our value, generosity of spirit – through providing financial resources to the organizations that the United Way serves.

Thank you for your consistent commitment to Drake University and our community.  Happy Thanksgiving.

—Debra Wiley, HR

 Drake changed workers compensation carriers effective July 1, 2024. The shift to a new carrier, United Heartland, provided an opportunity to carefully review our workplace illness and injury policy. The revised policy is posted for comment. The policy revision requires a first report of injury within 24 hours of the incident giving rise to the illness or injury. In addition, the policy now includes details about how pay and benefits are handled during any related absence consistent with past practice and Iowa law. Finally, the policy also shifts responsibility for the policy and its administration to Human Resources. The office of Environmental Health and Safety will remain involved in investigating workplace accidents and working to improve safety on campus, while Human Resources will be responsible for managing claims, working with employees to secure care, and assisting employees and managers with return to work and workplace accommodations.

 — Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Several comments were received regarding the proposed update to the Tuition Waiver policy. Concerns were raised that the proposed policy edit did not reflect how the benefit is applicable to Occupational Therapy programs for dependents were being administered. Further research into this question showed that the occupational therapy program has been administered at the 50% level for dependents. Thus, the policy draft has been updated to reflect this and will remain posted for the remainder of the comment period.

— Debra Wiley, Human Resources

Grab your walking shoes and join the Healthiest State Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 2.  All faculty, staff, and students are invited to meet at noon at the start of the Bulldog Mile where you will receive a token. At the end of the 1-mile walk, turn in your token for a raffle ticket and chance to win a prize. If that’s not enough, you can earn additional raffle tickets with the lucky roll of some dice.

If it is raining, we will move the event to the indoor track at the Knapp Center.  Come alone, bring a friend, or make it a team or department event!  Let’s get moving!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Iowa serves as a catalyst around advocacy, education, support, and public awareness to help all Iowans affected by mental illness lead better lives.

In recognition of our continued partnership with NAMI Iowa, Drake is a supporter sponsor of the 2024 NAMIWalks Iowa event, on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Terra Park, 6400 Pioneer Pkwy, Johnston, IA from 8:30 a.m. to noon. 

You are welcome to participate on your own or form a team. And you can choose to walk either a 1K or 5K route.  Friendly leashed dogs, strollers, and wagons are welcome, but no bicycles or rollerblades.

Funds raised during this walk support NAMI’s free programs and the walk is a great way to get some fresh air, exercise, socialize, and support others.

If interested, please go to the NAMIWalks Iowa website to register yourself or your team. If you have questions, please contact Amanda Huppert, NAMI Iowa events manager, at amanda@namiiowa.org.

–Linda Feiden, Human Resources

If you are looking for a way to motivate yourself to get up and move more, join this year’s Walktober step challenge.  Drake is competing with Des Moines University and Wesley Life to see which site’s competitors can achieve the highest average step total during the month of October.  The winning site claims the Walktober traveling trophy for a year and bragging rights.  DMU won the trophy last year and we want to bring it back home!

You are welcome to register as an individual or create a team (adding a little internal competition to our already external one).  If you would like participate, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.  If you are putting together a team, please include your team’s name, team captain, and team members (4-8 people per team).  This event is open to all faculty, staff, and students.  Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 27.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The Tuition Waiver Policy is available for public review and comment on the Policies Under Review webpage.  In summary, this policy provides tuition waiver benefits to employees, their spouse/partner and dependent children.  The proposed policy now confirms the benefit level for dependents and spouse/partner of John Dee Bright College programs and clarifies the benefit levels in undergraduate and graduate programs.  This policy will be posted through October 9, 2024.

–Debra Wiley, Human Resources

Bulldogs United in Learning & Development (BUILD) provides faculty and staff learning opportunities throughout the academic year to enhance professional skills, improve wellbeing, and create conversation.  BUILD is a great platform for learning new ideas as well as an opportunity to collaborate with others from across campus.

The Fall 2024 schedule is available online and registration is open.  Please take a moment to check out the classes on the Drake HR website under Learning & Development.  Click on BUILD – Upcoming Sessions for the full list, including detailed descriptions.  There is an online registration link to a Qualtrics survey that makes signing up easy.

We continue to add new classes so be sure to check back to find the latest offerings.  As an example, we recently added a new class on public speaking and presentation skills!

Most classes are only an hour in length, and many are facilitated by our own faculty and staff.  This is a great way to invest in yourself, support your colleagues, and take in the culture that Drake has to offer.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources