Tag Archives: operations

Campus Announcements Archive

Business continuity & disaster recovery planning

Since project inception in January 2015, the Information Security team within Drake Technology Services’ Infrastructure & Security Services unit has been working to develop business continuity and disaster recovery plans for processes and technologies in use at Drake. An off-site datacenter, designed to hasten and ease recovery of our most critical technology assets, has been leveraged to help reduce downtime in the event of an outage and ensure that data is secured and available for recovery, if needed.

Meanwhile, DTS staff conducted tabletop Business Continuity Planning (BCP) exercises using a potential disaster scenario, designed to help guide conversation around plan updates and potential changes to plans. These exercises help to ensure adequate continuity is in place to maintain University processes should a real disaster occur. Ongoing work throughout the year will help ensure our plans are up to date.

—Submitted by Jeff Sabin, Information Security Officer, Head of Infrastructure and Security

Strategic Updates Archive

Campus community budget discussion

The President’s Council invites you to attend a campus community budget discussion on Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. in the Shivers Hospitality Suite. The event will be recorded and made available on the continuous improvement channel on blueView for those who are unable to attend.

Individuals are strongly encouraged to submit any questions you have about budgeting before the discussion at Drake via the Conversations site “Provide your Feedback” function. Questions/comments can be anonymous. You can also submit questions or comments after the discussion using the same tool.

Following the event, everyone is invited to stay for a Drake Social Club event from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

—Submitted by Andrea McDonough

Strategic Updates Archive

From the President

In my message to campus a few weeks ago, I introduced our new continuous improvement site, www.drake.edu/conversations. We have already received thoughtful comments and questions through the site, and I encourage everyone to provide feedback throughout the process of transitioning to a continuous improvement model at Drake.

We have recently made a few additions to the site. A new page has been added about our ongoing Higher Learning Commission re-accreditation efforts. The idea of continuous improvement is an integral part of the HLC’s approach to accreditation, as it enables universities to more accurately measure the success of their efforts and be responsive to the needs of an evolving student body. I encourage you to view Craig Owens and Kevin Saunders’ video message on this topic. By adding the re-accreditation information to our continuous improvement site, we are better aligning ongoing efforts, streamlining communication channels, and, hopefully, increasing campus-wide engagement with the process. As we move forward with re-accreditation, you will be able to find progress updates on the site.

We have also added several campus units’ balanced scorecards to the Conversations site: College of Business and Public Administration, Office of University Communications, Office of Admission, and Office of Alumni Relations and Development. These units volunteered to create continuous improvement plans for their operations. I encourage you to take a look at these plans as tangible examples of the balanced scorecard, as well as to see how campus colleagues are embracing this change and working toward creating a stronger University for the future. One thing to remember—these plans will change. Like the University’s continuous improvement plan, with feedback and progress these unit scorecards will evolve over time.

Sincerely,

Marty

Campus Announcements Archive

Check processing during the holidays

Please note the following schedule for processing check requests to accommodate the upcoming holiday breaks.

Thanksgiving Week:

  • Check requests larger than $25,000 were due to Accounts Payable by noon on Wednesday, Nov. 18, for processing on the Friday check run.
  • All other check requests were due to Accounts Payable by noon on Friday, Nov. 20.
  • Checks will be processed and available on Tuesday, Nov. 24.
  • Normal check processing will resume on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Winter Break:

  • Check requests are due to Accounts Payable by noon on Friday, Dec. 18.
  • Checks will be processed and available as normal with the final check batch to be processed on Tuesday, Dec. 22.
  • Normal check processing will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Thank you for your help in coordinating to ensure we meet all needs during the holidays.

Contact Jana Brem at x3168 or jana.brem@drake.edu if you have any questions.

—Submitted by Jana Brem, Accounting Manager

Campus Announcements Archive

Important campus operations update

Thanksgiving break door access

Due to the University closing at noon on Nov. 25, we will be locking doors to most campus buildings at 1 p.m. Card access will still allow you to access your authorized buildings, they will just be locked to the general public. Regular door schedule will resume on Sunday, Nov. 29.

Please contact Public Safety (515-271-2222) if you have a door access emergency during this time, or email studentservices@drake.edu if you have a general (non-emergent) card access question or concern.

Happy Thanksgiving!

—Submitted by Sara Heijerman, Manager, Campus Card Office

 

Building heating for 2015–2016

Campus is now set for the heating season with all systems up and running and cooling generally shut down and being winterized. Because the bulk of campus is cooled with water based cooling systems, they must be drained and in many cases winterized to prevent freezing. Once this is done they cannot be turned back on until warm temperatures in the spring. Facility Services begins this process prior to temperatures dropping below 32 degrees.

The University has adopted uniform temperature settings for heating and cooling: heating temperature is 68 degrees and cooling temperature is 77 degrees. In 2003 the University Sustainability Committee recommended energy efficient temperature set points for University buildings to the President’s Cabinet, which ratified the recommendation at that time. The set points were guided by the federal recommended set points, those used in federal buildings, and those recommended by MidAmerican energy for maximum efficiency and energy sustainability. These set points are intended for common spaces, classrooms and labs, offices and administrative spaces, athletic facilities, and auditoriums. Residence hall rooms are still on their own control and can be regulated to suit the resident’s liking.

—Submitted by Mark Chambers, Director Facility Services


Scheduled electrical shutdowns

On Nov. 25, a scheduled electrical shutdown will occur from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., affecting the following buildings: The Knapp Center, Fieldhouse, Bell Center, and Shivers Basketball Practice Facility. This scheduled shutdown is part of the electrical project that needs to be completed prior to the construction of the new School of Education/Computer Science and Mathematics Building and the new Science Connector Building.

Another scheduled electrical shutdown will occur on Nov. 27, from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., affecting the Fine Arts Center and Olin Hall. This scheduled shutdown is a routine shutdown that occurs ever year the day after Thanksgiving. This allows Facilities Services to clean the electrical transformer on campus.

—Submitted by Jolene Schmidt, Director, Operations & Support Servi