Heard Around Campus — January

Drexel is back in session! And with the first month of winter term over, be sure to keep track of the various changes and updates that Drexel has planned so far for 2019.

Here’s what was heard around campus this month:

Coming Soon: RecycleMania 2019

Drexel is gearing up to participate once again in the nationwide RecycleMania competition among colleges and universities, which officially begins on Feb. 3. During this friendly, eight-week competition, Drexel Green will track the amount of paper, cardboard, aluminum, glass, plastic, cell phones and computer equipment recycled on Drexel’s campuses to benchmark the University’s performance against other institutions.

Drexel boasts a robust, single-stream recycling program that makes it easy and convenient to recycle most plastic, glass, aluminum, paper and cardboard waste in University-operated properties. During RecycleMania, expect to see more tips and resources and news about host collection events where students and employees can dispose of more cumbersome items, such as computers.

More information about Drexel’s recycling program, including a list of materials we recycle and Do’s and Don’ts, is available on the Real Estate and Facilities website. If you have questions about recycling at Drexel, email recycle@drexel.edu.

Incoming Updates for DrexelOne/Drexel Connect Sign-Ons

Starting Feb. 13, Drexel IT will simplify the sign-on system for Drexel Connect (including DrexelOne). So, if you sign in to Drexel Connect with the same password used with other Drexel services (including email, Office 365 and/or signing in to University-owned computers), this change does not affect you. Nice!

However, if you have a separate password for DrexelOne/Drexel Connect, then that password will no longer work for those services. So, starting Feb. 13 or later, when you use Drexel Connect, you have to use the same password that you use for signing in to Drexel email, Office 365 or University-owned computers.

If you have questions or concerns, call the IT Help Desk at 215.895.2020 — and if you can, call before Feb. 13, because call volume on that day is expected to be high.

How Drexel is Supporting Student Success

Earlier this month, Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management & Student Success Randy Deike, PhD, announced “changes in the administrative structure of the University designed to further the development of a culture of student success at Drexel and to better align areas of the University directly affecting and supporting the experience of Drexel students.”

From an email he sent to faculty and staff on Jan. 25:

“Event & Conference Services, Drexel Student Centers (Raymond G. Perelman Center for Jewish Life, Korman Center, James Creese Student Center, and Ross Commons), and University Housing are now part of Student Life, under the leadership of Dr. Subir Sahu, vice president and dean of Student Life. 

The newly expanded Inter-College Advising Office and the Center for Learning and Academic Success Services (CLASS) have been combined under the leadership of Dr. Rebecca Weidensaul, assistant vice president for Enrollment Management & Student Success. She and her team will fall under the leadership of Vincent Amoroso, associate vice president for Enrollment Management & Student Success, and they will work to provide a more integrated student experience with Drexel Central and other student-facing offices on campus. 

The Office of International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) will transition to Enrollment Management & Student Success under the leadership of Evelyn Thimba, vice president & dean of Admissions.”

Reminder: U.S. Postal Service Rate Increases Rates in 2019

Since Jan. 27, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has rolled out a 2.5 percent increase in common mailing services.

Visit the United States Postal Service website for more information, like a list of common mailing services and proposed rates. Contact Drexel Mail Service for questions at mailservice@drexel.edu or 215.895.2796 from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Diversity & Inclusion Spotlight: New Online Education Modules Supporting Inclusive Community

December saw the launch of two new online educational modules available to faculty and professional staff: Being an LGBTQ+ Ally (“Ally”) and Preventing Escalation with Conflict Resolution Skills (“Conflict Resolution”). Both courses, available via Career Pathway, feature content written by the Office of Equality and Diversity and were produced by Human Resources’ Learning and Development Team.

• Ally: The Ally class is intended to help participants learn about the LGBTQ+ community and the experience of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, professional staff and other members of the Drexel community. The training helps participants to understand some of the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and master best practices for creating a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment by focusing on up-to-the-moment vocabulary, delineation of best practices and exploration of common scenarios. The content and imagery were reviewed by student, faculty and professional staff members of the LGBTQ+ community.

• Conflict Resolution: The Conflict Resolution class leads participants through a discussion of the consequences of unresolved conflict, three main methods of resolving conflict — direct communication, conflict coaching and mediation or facilitated dialogue, as well as resources available to the University community.