Nominations are being accepted for the Principal Global Citizenship Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to global engagement and internationalization of the campus and curriculum on the part of faculty or staff. The selected awardee will receive a plaque, up to $3,000, and will be announced at the 2022 Global Citizen Forum in March. A screening committee will review all nominations and make recommendations to the Provost.  Nominations should be submitted to Bonnie Ehler at bonnie.ehler@drake.edu by Monday, Feb.14, 2022. 

A letter of nomination should be submitted recommending an individual for the award and explaining the context and manner in which the nominator has come to know the faculty or staff member. This letter should speak to the following qualifications:

Pursuant to the University’s mission to develop “responsible global citizens,” explain how the nominee has made outstanding contributions at Drake toward realizing the following:

1. Support Drake University as a global institution by creating linkages to global partners in local, national, and international settings;
2. Develop and/or actively support global and intercultural learning opportunities for Drake students;
3. Develop infrastructure, resources, and partnerships to support internationalization and global engagement.

The nominee must be a faculty or staff member with at least four years of service at the University. The nominee cannot have won this award within the past five years. Faculty and staff members who report directly to Global Engagement are ineligible.

Nominees who indicate a willingness to be considered will be invited to submit a resume or C.V. and a statement discussing their contributions to the above goals. Up to three letters of support from unit or institutional leadership, faculty, staff, or students will be accepted (this is optional).

Any individual who was nominated for the award in 2021 may be re-nominated if the nominator resubmits a letter offering the individual for consideration this year. Files of previous nominees are maintained for one year. If a faculty/staff member is re-nominated, the nominator will be invited to review the file from the previous year to ensure that the nomination is as current as possible.

Past recipients include:

2021 – Sally Haack, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Clinical Sciences

2020 – Jody Swilky, Ellis and Nelle Levitt Professor of English/Writing Workshop

2019 – Pramod Mahajan, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences

2018 – Tim Knepper, Professor of Philosophy/Comparison Project Director

2017 – John Rovers, Professor of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

2016 – Ellen Yee, Professor of Law/Director of International Programs

Nomination letters are due by Feb. 14, 2022 and should be sent as an attachment to bonnie.ehler@drake.edu.  Questions may be directed to Annique Kiel, executive director of Global Engagement and International Programs, at annique.kiel@drake.edu.

— Annique Kiel, Global Engagement

On Friday (Jan. 7), Iowa’s labor commissioner announced that Iowa submitted official notice that it will not be adopting or enforcing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).

The ETS requires employers of 100 or more employees to require vaccination or weekly COVID testing of their employees.

Iowa is among 22 states that have an individual state plan for workplace safety, which gives the state the option of writing its own workplace rules for public and private sector workers. But those rules can’t be weaker than what the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires. Iowa Labor Commissioner Rod Roberts said in a news release that the state has determined its existing standards “are at least as effective as the federal standard change.”

Also on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether to reimpose a stay of the ETS. The Court has not yet issued a ruling.

Because of the legal challenge and the position of Iowa’s labor commissioner, Drake will delay taking additional steps to comply with the ETS until there is greater legal clarity.

In the meantime, Drake strongly encourages all employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine—including a booster shot—when advised. Employees who choose to get vaccinated should provide proof of vaccination through Drake’s secure online form. If you have previously provided proof of vaccination and have since received a booster shot, please upload a photo of your updated vaccination card, noting the completion of your booster, by selecting “submit proof of booster.”

Questions about the ETS or Drake’s decision to delay implantation can be directed to drakehr@drake.edu.

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety

Need some information regarding Drake’s students or faculty? You can find it on the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) website. Databook 2021 is updated (aside from student outcomes and staff information) and uploaded.

— Christine Marchand, Institutional Research

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.

The Spring 2022 BUILD schedule is available in the Learning and Development section on myDrake. To register for any class, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Upcoming January classes include Leading Hybrid Teams on Jan. 19 from 10–11 a.m. with Alanah Mitchell, associate professor of information systems, and the two-part workshop S.T.A.R.T. Standing Against Racism Together on Jan. 20 and 27 from 1–3 p.m. with Jennifer Harvey, associate provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion, and Jazlin Coley, director, Equity and Inclusion. Both programs will be held in the Olmsted Center 310/311 conference rooms.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources