Category Archives: Archive

HR Information Archive

Last chance to register for HealthyU BINGO

This is your last chance to join us for a HealthyU BINGO challenge in May—with a twist.

Throughout the month, participants will fill up a blank BINGO card (or two) with healthy activities completed from a provided list. But instead of getting together in-person to play HealthyU BINGO for prizes in June, we will set up a video BINGO game using Microsoft Teams.

To get started send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu. Deadline to register is Thursday, April 30. All participants will receive an email with an attached packet that includes directions, a list of HealthyU BINGO activities, and a blank BINGO card. You are welcome to make multiple copies of this card for your whole family.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Banner, MyDUSIS planned outage May 2

ITS is making updates to Banner. As a result, access to Banner 9, Banner/DUSIS INB, MyDUSIS, Workflow, ODBC, eTranscripts, Online Balloting, and DSAP will be completely unavailable between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. This upgrade is being made to apply security and functionality upgrades and patches.

We appreciate your patience while we perform this necessary work. If you continue to have any issues after the planned maintenance window, please contact the Support Center at 515-271-3001 or visit service.drake.edu/its to report your issue.

— Carla Herling, ITS

For Students Archive

Apply for a Fulbright Scholarship

Drake University is a Top Producing Institution in 2019–2020 for student Fulbright Scholarships, and has been for several years running.  Fulbright Scholarships are open to graduating seniors and recent graduates who are not enrolled in a degree program at another school or university. They provide valuable international experience and funding for teaching English, working on research projects, or attending a graduate program in another country. Now is the time to begin working on your application! Applications will be due in early September.  Support for Drake applicants is provided by the Post-Graduate Global Programs Coordinator. Please contact Eleanor Zeff at eleanor.zeff@drake.edu to set up a virtual appointment for more information.

— Annique Kiel, Drake International

For Students Archive

Move-out for residential students May 8–24; Review procedures

Students who had been or are still living in Drake residence halls received an email April 17 regarding move-out procedures. Students will be able to move out of their residence hall beginning May 8 with all move-outs to occur by May 24.

Students will sign up for a two-hour move-out time slot through the Housing & Meal Plan Selection Portal. Each two-hour time slot will be limited to five students per residence hall, with the exception of Goodwin-Kirk which we will limit to ten students per time slot. Time slots must be reserved no later than noon on May 7.

Time slots will be made available each day as follows: 7–9 a.m., 9–11 a.m., 11 a.m.–1 p.m., 1­–3 p.m., 3–5 p.m., and 5–7 p.m. You must move out only at the time you sign up for. Do not travel to campus until it is time for your assigned move out time slot. Hall access will only be granted during your designated move out time slot.

To sign-up for your move-out time slot

  1. Login to my.drake.edu  
  2. Click the fork & knife icon to open the Housing & Meal Plan Selection Portal
  3. Click on Move Out Time Slot Form tab
  4. Choose the Academic Year 2019–2020 Term, Save & Continue
  5. Sign up for your Move Out Time Slot, Day and Time

Please review all move-out instructions online at drake.edu/coronavirus/students. 

If you would like to discuss individual concerns not addressed above, please contact the Residence Life Office by email at housing@drake.edu.

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Support campus partners

As we are all in this together, a University-wide list has been created for ways to help other offices during this time. It can be found here.

If you have some time available and would like to help, please sign up following discussion with your director. To sign up, simply put your department and name down (in the right two columns). The contact listed for the need is on the left. I’m happy to coordinate if needed. 

Thank you for all that you are doing for Drake. 

— Nate Reagen, President’s Office

Campus Announcements Archive

J-Term 2021 travel seminars deadline extended to May 15

Drake has currently restricted all international travel due to COVID-19. However, J-Term 2021 travel seminars have not been canceled at this point given that January is many months away. Due to the ever-changing situation, please know this could change in the future. Please carefully review the following information if you are interested in going abroad or on a domestic program for J-Term 2021:

  • Deadline Extended: You can still apply to study abroad J-Term 2021. The J-Term travel seminar priority deadline has been extended from April 15 to May 15. Applications will be reviewed at that time and students will be accepted or waitlisted by June 1. To apply go to: https://drake-sa.terradotta.com/.
  • Deposit: After acceptance, to secure your spot on a travel seminar, you will need to commit to the program in Terra Dotta, pay your $500 deposit, and complete Terra Dotta post acceptance steps. Given the impact of COVID-19 on students and families, we have temporarily revised our deposit refund policy. If you choose to independently withdraw prior to Sept. 1, your deposit will be refunded. As always, if Drake cancels a travel seminar, your deposit will automatically be refunded.
  • Availability: Some travel seminars already have more applicants than we can accept. If you haven’t already started an application, we encourage you to check out these options:
  • Finland: Perspectives on Education
  • Italy: Forks and Farms in Italy: Global Food Security and Sustainability
  • Kosovo: Repairing and Rebuilding
  • Panama: Place-based Integrated Science
  • South Africa and Zimbabwe: Religions of Africa
  • Spain and Morocco: Exploring the Intersection of Ethics and Culture
  • Thailand: Research, Exploration and Reflection
  • On campus registration back up plan: In addition to applying for a travel seminar, we ask that you also register for an on-campus course at Drake as a backup plan (if you need J-Term credit regardless of the travel component). Please register during the regular registration process and timeframe. If you have questions about registering for on-campus courses for J-Term, please reach out to your academic advisor.
  • Independent withdrawal: We want you to be clear on the financial implications of committing to a J-Term travel seminar. Given the impact of COVID-19 on students and families, we have temporarily revised our deposit refund policy. If you choose to independently withdraw prior to Sept. 1, your deposit will be refunded. If after Sept. 1 you decide you want to withdraw from the program, you will be subject to Drake’s withdrawal and refund policies. Because of this, we strongly recommend you familiarize yourself with our withdrawal and refund policies which can be found in Terra Dotta. In addition, we strongly recommend you purchase ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ travel insurance through an insurance carrier.

Please be assured that your health and safety is of utmost importance. Given that this is an ever-evolving global situation, applicants will be notified if we make a change to the policy regarding J-Term travel seminars. Should you have any questions, we encourage you to reach out to studyabroad@drake.edu. 

New J-Term Timeline:
May 15: Priority Deadline
June 1: Accept/waitlist Students who applied by May 15
June 15: Students Commit in Terra Dotta and pay a $500 Deposit to secure their place in the program
May 15–Sept. 1: Students can still apply if travel seminars have openings; deposits are due within two weeks of acceptance
Sept. 1: Final day to apply and final day for deposit refunds

— Maria Rohach, Drake International

Strategic Updates Archive

Employee retention credit program

Congress recently passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to address the significant economic impact of the pandemic. Drake University has continued to provide full compensation to individuals who are available to work but don’t have enough work available to fulfill their regularly scheduled hours. The CARES Act now offers Drake the opportunity to receive a tax credit for the provided compensation for those non-worked hours.

What should employees do first?
First, contact your manager to find out if there is work available for you to do. The work may include helping your own department or another area with a project that needs assistance. Leaders of each area have been asked to identify projects where additional resources would be welcomed, so consider these as you have time available. If you’re assisting another area simply record those hours on your timesheet as time worked.

I’m not working my full schedule—what should I do now?
In order to qualify for the tax credit Drake needs employees to track the hours they are being paid for time they’re available to work without having work to complete. Even recording small amounts of time is helpful in securing the credit. Exempt employees may record time in increments of one hour and non-exempt employees may record time in 15-minute increments.

  • Non-exempt employees will record the hours in the new Employee Retention Credit area of the bi-weekly timesheet.  Submitted time will count as “worked hours” for purposes of compensation.
  • Exempt employees will record the hours in the new Employee Retention Credit area of the monthly time report. The monthly time report is located on the left margin of the home page of myDrake and is used to track use of vacation, personal leave and sick time. The report is to be submitted by the 15th of the next month following each month’s end, and managers are to approve it by the 20th of the month. A quick reference guide is available for employees and managers.

What time qualifies for the credit?
Compensation that qualifies are any wages paid to employees for time they are not providing services as a direct result of COVID-19.  Time for vacation or sick leave does not qualify, even if as a result of the virus. 

How does this information help?
Employees are expected to submit this information to assist Drake in qualifying for the federal tax credit. The credit allows Drake to receive a credit against employment taxes for retaining employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The credit will improve Drake’s financial situation, which benefits all faculty, staff, and students as we continue to achieve our important mission.

Questions may be directed to the HR Partner who supports your group or to the Drake HR email at drakehr@drake.edu.

— Mary Alice Hill, Human Resources

HR Information Archive, Strategic Updates Archive

Fiscal year 2020 vacation use extension

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many activities, including the cancellation of vacation plans due to travel and event restrictions. It’s unknown when travel and gatherings may be resumed and there is limited time remaining to use FY20 vacation time. Given these unusual circumstances, Drake is extending the timeframe to use FY20 vacation to September 30, 2020.

How it will work:
In July any remaining FY20 vacation time will be loaded into the system in a field called FY20 Vacation Extension. The time will be available to be taken through September 30, 2020.

  • Non-exempt employees will record use of the time in the FY20 Vacation Extension area of the bi-weekly timesheet.
  • Exempt employees will record the use in the FY20 Vacation Extension area of the monthly time report.

Any remaining time will expire as of October 1, 2020. Drake does not provide payment for unused vacation or other forms of leave at the end of employment.

FY21 Vacation 
The FY21 vacation time will be loaded into the system in July and will be available to use through June 30, 2021. Any remaining FY20 vacation time should be taken prior to using FY21 vacation. FY21 vacation is to be recorded in the usual Vacation field of the timesheet or monthly time report.

Continue to work with your manager to schedule your vacation to enjoy upcoming time off to relax and recharge.

Questions may be directed to the HR Partner who supports your group or to the Drake HR email at drakehr@drake.edu.

— Mary Alice Hill, Human Resources