The annual contribution limit for Drake’s Voluntary Retirement Plan will increase from $18,500 to $19,000 effective January 1, 2019. Employees age 50 and over may contribute an additional $6,000 for a total maximum of $25,000 during 2019.

If you would like to change your current contribution amount, or open a voluntary retirement account, please contact Human Resources. Should you wish to schedule an individual counseling session with a TIAA Consultant, please call 271-1901.

Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Did you know the average American checks their phone 80 times a day, with some checking it as much as 300 times per day? If you are one of the approximately 270 million U.S. cell phone users you may want to take advantage of the Drake employee discounts offered by Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.

And if you are looking for supplies for your home office or holiday tech gifts, Drake employees can register their personal credit card with an Office Depot or OfficeMax retail store to receive a 5 or 10 percent discount off the regular retail price (promotions excluded).

View details on each discount.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Drake’s annual open enrollment period for the 2019 Plan Year ends this Friday, Nov. 30. You are not required to visit the Benefits Portal if you do not wish to make changes to your health, dental, or wellness participation.

If you wish to participate in Drake’s flexible spending account plans during 2019, you must make a new election in the Benefits Portal.

If you wish to disenroll or enroll in Drake’s health, dental, or wellness plans, you must make an election in the Benefits Portal.

Additionally, it is important to ensure your basic and voluntary life insurance beneficiary information is correct in the Benefits Portal.

All benefit elections must be made online in the Benefits Portal, accessible via myDrake’s Human Resources Section, no later than 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. Should you have questions, please contact Diana at 515-271-1871 or Marlene at 515-271-1901.

Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Drake benefit consultants will provide a benefit overview addressing benchmark comparison data and plan design changes for the 2019 Plan Year Monday. Wellmark representatives will also be present to answer your questions.

Please take this opportunity to learn more about your Drake benefits Monday, Nov. 19, at 9 a.m. in Olmsted 310.

Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Drake’s online recognition tool, Peerceive, is a quick and simple way to show recognition to colleagues. Recognizing employee contributions, and creating meaningful recognition and awards programs, are an important part of the Drake culture.

The Peerceive dashboard includes easy-to-use tools to send electronic kudos or e-cards. Kudos are a way for co-workers to express gratitude for a unique contribution to the workplace. They can be sent as often as you wish and to any employee (or group of employees) in any department. E-cards are an electronic version of a hand written note. Use these to tell an employee happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, or wish them well.

Recipients will receive an email letting them know they received a kudos or e-card. A link will take them to the site where they can view the message. You can access Peerceive on myDrake under Other Employee Apps on the All Apps page. Your username is your Drake email address and your initial password is your employee number, including any leading zeroes.

For additional information, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Chances are you are already making some healthy choices: Getting a dental check-up, participating in BUILD classes or wellness programs, sending a Peerceive kudos, or attending a Drake Social. Now you have the opportunity to win some great prizes for those choices. The Bulldog Pack Wellness Scorecard is a points-based spreadsheet dedicated to helping you enhance your quality of life in seven areas: physical, emotional, financial, community, social, occupational, and intellectual. Simply check items off on the scorecard as you complete them. If you reach 100 points between Sept. 3, 2018, and May 31, 2019, you will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a prize.

The Bulldog Pack Wellness Scorecard is available to all current Drake full-time and regular part-time employees, regardless of enrollment in the Drake Medical Plan. Download a copy of the scorecard and get started today.

For more information, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu or 515-271-1880.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Drake challenged Des Moines University and Wesley Life to a step challenge in October. During the month team members from all three institutions tracked their daily steps using pedometers, fitness trackers, and smart phone apps. The goal was to be the institution with the highest average step total. The prize – a traveling trophy and bragging rights for the year.

Seventy-four Drake faculty, staff, and students began the program and 58 completed the challenge. Out of those 58 participants, we collected a total of 16,931,373 steps which is equivalent to 8,465 miles. Our average step total was 291,920 steps.

Although we did not win the trophy it was a close competition and we should be proud of our accomplishment!

1st Place: Wesley Life 294,546 average step total

2nd Place: Drake University 291,920 average step total

3rd Place: Des Moines University 272,287 average step total

We will compete again next October and hope that many of you will help us bring this trophy home. But you don’t need to wait until then to get moving. Being more active is possible any time of year. Even during the winter months. Here are a few ways to add steps to your day:

Create a walking group with co-workers and friends. The Knapp indoor track is available most days over the lunch hour. You may need to check times and schedules.

Join a Group X class at the Bell Center.

• If your building has an elevator, skip it if you are able and take the stairs instead.
• If possible, walk to talk to co-workers instead of calling, emailing, or texting.
• Set a timer and every hour get up from your desk and walk around or walk in place for a couple minutes. Walk and talk on the phone as well.
• Park further from your destination. And if your building has multiple entrances, enter from the furthest door.
• If you are getting groceries on your way home from work, walk the shopping cart back inside the store when you are done with it.
• Watching TV at night? Get up and walk around during the commercials. Better yet, skip TV and try an active video gaming experience with a Wii Fit or Xbox Kinect.
• And instead of getting together with friends for dinner, make it an active night out. Check out a winter farmer’s market, go ice skating, or try a dance class.

For more information, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Holiday Trimmings is a six-week program designed to encourage you to maintain or lose weight over the holiday season. If you have trouble dodging festive yet fattening foods, like pecan pie, sausage stuffing, and egg nog, this challenge is for you.

Beginning and ending weights will be recorded and throughout the challenge you will receive healthy holiday tips. Everyone who maintains or loses weight will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win prizes.

For more information, or to register to participate, please send an email to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with the subject line “Holiday Trimmings.” Deadline to register is Thursday, Nov. 15.

A packet of information will be sent to those who register. Read through the packet carefully and start the challenge on Monday, Nov. 19.

Let’s make this a happy and healthy holiday season.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

With the holidays quickly approaching, some Drake faculty and staff may travel by air to visit family and friends. If that sounds like you, did you know that Drake employees receive a 50% discount (or $3.50 per day) at the Keck Airport Shuttle Parking, located at 5555 Fleur Drive, for business and personal travel?

Simply take a ticket at the gate and park your car in any open space.  A shuttle will pick you up in the parking lot and drop you off outside the terminal for quick and easy entry into the airport. Upon returning to the airport, the shuttle will pick you up outside of the baggage claim doors and drop you off at your car.

When you pull up to the cashier window to pay, identify yourself as a Drake employee, show them your Drake ID or business card if asked, and you will receive the discount.

And, if you need a reminder of our upcoming Holiday dates, review them here: 2018-2019 Holiday Schedule.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Have you ever thought of yourself as your own brand? It may seem like terminology that is only specific to product marketing, but today personal branding can be your path to success in professional development, whether you are wanting to expand your career, achieve personal recognition or just work better with your colleagues. Carlyn Crowe, Visiting Assistant Professor and Internship Coordinator for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication will provide several tools for developing or enhancing your personal brand by identifying and learning to express your unique set of values. You’ll leave this session with tools you can use immediately for understanding and communicating your brand that will give you more confidence and empowerment for professional and personal success.

As part of the conversation, individuals will incorporate knowledge on their personal traits, through Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). If participants are uncertain of their type, individuals can take the Jung Typology Test, at http://www.humanmetrics.com/personality.

Please join us on Wednesday, Nov. 7, from 1–3 p.m. in Olmsted, 310 for this productive session.  Register online. 

Debra Wiley, Human Resources