By this time next month, the new academic year will have already started. Here’s what was heard around campus in August that Drexel faculty and professional staff should know about to prepare for the busy weeks ahead.

Two Half-Day Summer Fridays Left!

The half-day Summer Fridays awarded to University employees end Sept. 7. Make sure you take advantage of the exclusive offers at local dining and retail businesses awarded to Dragons with a faculty or staff ID on Fridays!

Save the Date for Convocation 2018

Drexel’s 2018 Convocation will be held Sept. 27 in the Main Building auditorium.

The gathering and robing will commence at 10:30 a.m. At 11 a.m., the procession and ceremony will start. A reception will follow.

Construction Update: Façade and Ground-Level Repairs Around Campus

You may have noticed scaffolding rising up along the facades of several buildings on Drexel’s campuses over the past few months. The work being performed on these buildings is the result of Drexel University’s ongoing commitment to capital renewal, as well as a city ordinance that requires the University to conduct façade inspections every five years on all campus buildings over six stories tall or with appurtenances greater than 60 feet above grade. Drexel engages qualified architectural and engineering firms to inspect the buildings, then obtains competitive bids from qualified façade contractors to perform any repairs deemed necessary.

The following buildings are currently undergoing façade maintenance and repair work:

• MacAlister Hall is undergoing routine maintenance of the exterior. The majority of the work is replacing the aged caulk in the concrete joints and at windows. Minor repairs to brick and 6^th floor railings are included.
• At LeBow Engineering Center, in addition to routine masonry repairs, new expansion joints are being added where cracks have developed due to thermal expansion and contraction.
• Stiles Hall is undergoing repairs to the exposed concrete frame of the building, as well as routine masonry repairs and caulking. Once these repairs are complete, a breathable coating will be applied to the concrete surfaces for protection and to provide a uniform appearance.
• Beginning in September, the Academic Building will have the concrete frame repaired in the back of the building. The terra cotta cornice on the east side will be rebuilt, with replacement parts installed as required. Some minor work will be done on the Arch and 33^rd Street facades, which were renovated 12 years ago.

Meanwhile, the following buildings are undergoing ground-level work repairs on the University City Campus:

• Main Building: The stone steps are being adjusted and leveled, with epoxy compounds being used to patch cracks and missing portions of stone. The granite steps have been cleaned, and rust stains removed. The metal handrail and urns will be sand-blasted and painted. Since the front entrance to the building is closed during these repairs, Facilities is seizing this opportunity to paint the original wood windows inside the great arch. A paint analysis that was performed several years ago revealed that the original color of the woodwork was a rich brown, so this color will now be applied.
• Creese-MacAlister Courtyard at Chestnut Square: Since the original finish of the concrete did not hold up, it is now being replaced.

For an update on major capital projects around campus, visit drexel.edu/facilities/design/currentProjects.

Diversity & Inclusion Spotlight: Enrollment Management and Student Success

The professional and student staff members of the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Success (EMSS) are on the frontlines of Drexel’s student recruitment and retention efforts, and their work is critical in shaping a welcoming, inclusive, diverse and equitable environment for our students to thrive in. In recognition of this important role, EMSS provides ample development, training and engagement opportunities for its team members and the broader University community. Some examples from FY2017 include:

• Professional and student staff in the Center for Learning and Academic Success Services were trained on principles of cultural sensitivity and recognizing and addressing microaggressions, as well as how to work with individuals with identities that are different than their own.
• The Office of Veteran Student Services offered quarterly webinars and trainings for professional staff and faculty to improve awareness about working with military-affiliated students.
• The Drexel Autism Support Program offered ongoing professional staff and faculty workshops to improve awareness about working with neurodiverse students. The program also assisted students in forming Neurodragons, a student organization dedicated to raising awareness of neurodiversity.
• EMSS launched the First-Generation Student Initiative, in collaboration with faculty and professional staff stakeholders, to help University constituents learn more about what it means to be a first-generation student at Drexel and how the University can best support its current and future first-generation students.

This Diversity & Inclusion Spotlight was excerpted from the Inclusive Community Review: FY2017 Accomplishments (formerly called the Diversity Achievement Plan Accomplishments Supplement), an annual report celebrating the diversity and inclusion-related achievements of each of Drexel’s academic and administrative units. For general questions about diversity and inclusion initiatives at Drexel, please contact the Office of Equality & Diversity at oed@drexel.edu.