From new wellness and well-being opportunities and workshops to important fiscal end-of-year deadlines to green spaces on campus, there’s a lot to keep track of as the end of spring term and FY21 is approaching.
Here’s what was heard around campus this month:
Upcoming Events from Public Safety
Blood Drive on June 2: Drexel Public Safety is holding a blood drive on June 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Red Cross House at 4000 Powelton Ave. To donate, follow this link or visit redcrossblood.org and use the sponsor code: Drexel Public Safety.
Situational Preparedness Workshop on June 24: Public Safety is offering virtual, interactive, monthly presentations on situational preparedness that educate the Drexel community about measures they can take to prevent themselves from being victims of a crime. The one-hour sessions, open to students, faculty and professional staff members, provide tips that encourage you to be prepared, not scared. The next scheduled presentation is June 24 at 6 p.m. Complete this Qualtrics form to register for this session and to receive the Zoom link.
Explore Upcoming Events at the Gateway Garden
The Gateway Garden at Drexel University, located at 32nd and Market streets, is a multi-use, serene outdoor gathering spot blooming year-round with a variety of plants, trees, and other horticultural delights. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is hosting various events there this summer:
- Maker’s Market: a weekly market featuring Philly-made art, ceramics, jewelry, skin care and more. This event is free and open to the public. Join the fun on May 27 from 1–5 p.m., June 3 from 1–5 p.m. and June 23 from 1–5 p.m.
- Meet the Makers: a series from Beer 101 with Urban Village Brewing Company, in which you’ll meet local brewers and taste through a selection of your favorite beer and cider. On June 2, Dave, head brewer from Urban Village Brewing Company in Northern Liberties, will explain the basics of beer-making and give you some tips for how to brew your own. On June 23, Risa and Aaron, co-founders of Hale & True, in Bella Vista, will share their love of all things fermented and explain the science behind cider fermentation. This event is $25 per person, and you must be 21+ to attend. Join this event from 4–5:30 p.m. or 6–7:30 p.m. on either day.
- Register for June 2, 4–5:30 p.m.
- Register for June 2, 6–7:30 p.m.
- Register for June 23, 4–5:30 p.m.
- Register for June 23, 6–7:30 p.m.
Take the “Healthy Hydration” Challenge and Enter to Win a Free Fitbit
Registration for Drexel’s "Healthy Hydration" employee wellness challenge launches June 28, and the fun begins on July 5. Log your hydration habits at least once a week between July 5 and Aug. 1 and be entered into a raffle to win a free Fitbit. Everyone who logs weekly will also receive 25 Wellness Incentive Program points ($25). Want to learn more about Drexel’s award-winning wellness program? Read about its recognition as a Platinum Well Workplace in this HealthAdvocate article.
The "Healthy Hydration" challenge is open to all benefits-eligible employees who participate in the Wellness Incentive Program, as well as spouses and partners eligible for the program. Mark your calendars for June 28 and get ready to up your hydration game!
Journal Workflow 2.0 Virtual Training on June 17
This course will explain the functionality of the Journal Entry Workflow 2.0 tool and allow for hands-on application in a test environment on how to process journal entries (funding transfers, transaction corrections) using the tool. This training will demonstrate how to process non-budget, research and non-research journal entries, how to attach supporting documentation, and how to upload information into the tool. The session will show how the tool works for journal submitters and approvals and how it interacts with the expenditure authorization tables. Come join us and learn the workflow just in time for year-end close on June 17, from 1–3 p.m.
Important FY21 Year-end Closing Purchasing Timelines
In preparation for the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) year-end close on Wednesday, June 30, Drexel Accounts Payable & Procurement Services has compiled key processing dates for the University community. Please review the May 13 Procurement announcement carefully to facilitate a smooth end to FY21 and transition to FY22.
Remember to Complete Your Year-End Leave Reports
Each year, as part of the fiscal year-end process, Payroll asks that you complete and submit any exempt leave reports that remain outstanding for prior reporting periods. All exempt leave reports for the fiscal year must be completed to ensure that time-off balances are correct, since the balances are used in calculating the University’s vacation and sick liability for our financial statements. Please review your exempt leave reports for each month from July 2020 through May 2021 to confirm that they have been submitted and approved. Remember that even if you did not use any time off during a month, you are required to create and submit a blank leave report as confirmation.
Local Businesses Offer Special Discounts for Drexel Faculty and Staff
Local businesses on and near Drexel campuses are open, and many have special offers just for faculty and professional staff. Here are a few featured offers from local retailers:
- Barnes & Noble at Drexel University – 15% discount for faculty and staff. See store(s) for offer details.
- Board & Brew (3200 Chestnut St.) – Use the code BBDELIVERY to receive 15% off your delivery order. View the menu or start your online order here.
- Pita Chip Mediterranean Grill (3601 Market St.) – Use the code DRAGON to receive 15% off your first online order.
For a list of DragonDollars retailers, view the DragonDollars Directory.
Drexel Program Offers Funding Support Toward Your Dream Home in West Philly
Through Drexel’s Employee Home Purchase Assistance Program, full-time and part-time benefits eligible faculty and professional staff are able to receive $15,000 towards the cost of a single-family home, condo or duplex within the defined boundary from 31st to 48th streets and Chestnut Street to Girard Avenue. Additionally, employees who are within the income guidelines set by the City of Philadelphia are eligible for an additional $4,000 matching grant from Home.Buy.Now. Drexel has recently helped more than half a dozen employees receive funds towards their dream homes. Full-time and part-time benefits eligible employees who live within the boundary are eligible to receive up to $7,500 towards the cost of renovating their home. To learn more about these benefits, please visit the HR website.
Stratton Greenhouse Ready for Community Use
Bring your own seeds! Drexel University has updated the greenhouse located on the third floor of Stratton Hall for botanical use by the Drexel community, and any students, faculty or professional staff members can request to use this space and onsite resources to grow plants. Learn how by checking out this DrexelNow feature, or contacting Scott Dunham at greenhouse@drexel.edu.
Data Sharing Agreements
At times, members of the Drexel community may need to share personally identifiable information (PII) with external entities. Agreements covering how PII will be processed, shared, transmitted, protected, and ultimately disposed of (such as BAAs, DUAs, DSAs, DTAs, or DPAs) must be put into place prior to sharing data.
Drexel’s Privacy Program Services department is responsible for signing agreements to share Drexel’s data with external entities. Please contact them at privacy@drexel.edu to start the data sharing agreement review and signature process. The process takes approximately 10 business days. For more information on the variety of data sharing agreements they review, please visit Privacy Program Service’s website, which features a convenient chart to help you understand these agreements and when they are required. Remember, It’s Okay to Ask!
Reminder From General Accounting
Departments who are expecting any receipts of funds (deposits): Please email General Accounting at acct11@drexel.edu with the expected receipt amount as well as FOAPAL to apply this receipt.