Say goodbye to 2015 and say hello to new building upgrades, scholarly initiatives and employee opportunities as Drexel grows both literally and figuratively. Here’s the rundown of all that's happened in December:

New Opportunities for Faculty and Students

The Office of the Provost has announced application details for two new scholarly initiatives.

• The Drexel Areas of Research Excellence (DARE) initiative will provide resources to enable four or five small groups of faculty and students to each spend a year in deep thought about an interdisciplinary research signature that spans at least four of our schools and colleges.

DARE teams will receive seed funding for one year with the option of continued funding for a second year. Funding will range from $125K/year to $250K/year. Resources will support release time for up to six faculty members and three graduate students. DARE teams will be required to develop a website that represents a research area in which Drexel can take the lead and also organize a symposium on campus that brings together relevant researchers to discuss the signature area.

The deadline to apply is March 1, 2016, with awards to be announced April 15. For complete details on how to apply contact Senior Vice Provost for Research Aleister Saunders or Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Brian Blake.

• Market-Driven Academic Program Ventures (MPVs) are intended to function akin to venture capital funding. The Office of the Provost, in partnership with the Graduate College, will provide "startup" resources for new, innovative academic programs that align with current market opportunities and that have the potential to provide key professional opportunities for future students. Although the primary focus will be on innovative master’s degree programs, cutting-edge, reputation-enhancing, sustainable undergraduate programs will also be considered.

MPV proposals should focus on new degree programs, or significant redesigns of existing degree programs, that have significant market appeal and that are highly distinctive with respect to competitor programs. These programs can be on-campus, online, hybrid or remote in collaboration with other universities or colleges at satellite locations or within the facilities of corporate partners. Successful MPV teams will receive resources for support for a formal market study and upon analysis and approval, release time for the first year of instruction, partial support for directing the new programs, and discretionary funds to foster and advance partnerships when applicable. Assessment of the quality and number of applicants, course outcomes, student progression, professional outcomes of graduates, and finances will be directed at assuring the success, quality and sustainability of each MPV.

Submissions are due March 1, 2016, and should be made by email to Director of Operations and Assistant to the Executive Vice President and Provost Donna McVicker. Notifications will be made April 15.

Contact Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate College James Herbert or Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Brian Blake with specific questions.

Deadline Approaching for Stein Fellowships

The deadline to apply for the Louis and Bessie Stein Family Fellowship for Exchanges with Israeli Universities is January 29 for funds during the academic year 2016–17. The fellowship encourages students and faculty of Israeli educational institutions to come to Drexel and for Drexel students and faculty to go to Israel for education, to teach or do research.

Proposals are to be submitted electronically as a single pdf document to Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Dr. N. John DiNardo at steinfellowships@drexel.edu.

Get Engaged through Colleague Resource Groups

Drexel currently has five active Colleague Resource Groups. CRGs promote the mission of the University and raise awareness and understanding of issues that are important to traditionally underrepresented groups and their allies. CRGs are open to all faculty and professional staff members. Learn more about Drexel’s groups by contacting them directly.

• Bienvenidos: jsr62@drexel.edu

• Black Faculty & Professional Staff Association: BFPSA@drexel.edu

• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Allies + (LGBTQA+) Professional Staff Network: LGBTFS@drexel.edu

• Veterans Colleague Resource Group: DUVeteransCRG@drexel.edu

• Women’s Finance Colleague Resource Group: jkk55@drexel.edu

For more information about CRGs or to form a new group, visit the Colleague Resource Groups webpage or contact EOC Specialist Lexi Morrison.

Construction/Renovation Updates

• Pearlstein Business Learning Center Renovation — Demolition is finished and renovations are underway on the fourth floor to allow the Close School of Entrepreneurship to expand and occupy the full space. This new space will provide expanded entrepreneur incubator workplaces and collaboration venues. Substantial completion and beneficial occupancy are expected in March 2016.
  
  
• 3401 Market Lease (DragonsTeach, CASTL and College of Arts and Sciences) — DragonsTeach, the Center for the Advancement of STEM Teaching and Learning (CASTL), as well as components of the criminology and justice studies programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, have moved into new leased space in suite 110. Drexel now occupies the entire first floor.
  
  
• College of Nursing and Health Professions Consolidation — The College of Nursing and Health Professions has been relocating to the Three Parkway Building over the past three years. The last phase of the consolidation will be to relocate the college’s administrative staff and the dean’s office to the 10th floor. Groups that are currently on the 10th floor of Three Parkway have been or will be relocated to the Bellet Building. The Office of Research relocated in mid-November to the 7th and 10th floors. Institutional Advancement relocated in mid-November to the 12th floor. The Office of General Counsel and Compliance/Audit will relocate in January.
  

• New College Building, First Floor Library, 24 Hour Student Study Space — Drexel University Libraries recently relocated the 24-Hour Student Study Space to the first floor of the library within the New College Building. Over winter break, the Student Study Space will be completely renovated by replacing existing carpet with new carpet tiles, improving the electrical distribution, and replacing the majority of furniture to create multiple study space options.
   
  
• University City High School Site — Work has begun on temporary parking lots along 38th Street. Infrastructure work is scheduled to start in January.

For a full list of University construction and renovation projects, check here.