With the start of a new year comes new opportunities for faculty and professional staff to make the most of their Drexel benefits through professional development options, wellness challenges and webinars, and reviewing the first paystub of 2022.
Here’s what was heard around campus this month:
Nominations for Drexel Leaders 20/20 Due Jan. 28
The Drexel Leaders 20/20 (DL20/20) program is back for 2022 with a new option for faculty and professional staff to nominate themselves to participate. DL20/20 helps seasoned leaders at Drexel expand their capabilities and share their experiences with colleagues through comprehensive and engaging seminars. Nominations are open now through Jan. 28. For details on the leadership development program and its nomination process, please visit the DL20/20 webpage, or email Kathy Choy, assistant director of Talent Development, at klc323@drexel.edu.
Info Session: How to Earn Your Drexel MBA With Tuition Remission
The LeBow College of Business is currently accepting applications for both part-time evening and online MBA students for the spring and fall 2022 terms. Drexel employees can use tuition remission for these programs, and are eligible for an application-fee waiver for any of LeBow’s MBA or MS programs. The LeBow Graduate Enrollment team is providing an information session on Feb. 16 from 12–1 p.m. just for Drexel employees about how to navigate the application process, how to use tuition remission, and how to fit part-time degree programs into your work schedules. The HR Benefits team will be available to answer questions about tuition remission. Register for this virtual event to obtain the Zoom link.
Dining Updates From Business Services
- Outdoor Seating in Heated Tents: There are two tents on the University City Campus that have seating and heat for the winter term: Daskalakis Athletic Center Fitness Plaza and The Gateway Garden (32nd and Market streets). For a full list and interactive map of Designated Indoor Eating Locations and Outdoor Locations, open the DrexelOne Mobile App, click on Menu > Find > Other Places, and use the filters to view locations.
- LaScala’s FIRE, a wood-fire Italian American restaurant with a modern twist, is opening a new location soon in Chestnut Square (the former Zavino retail space). Learn more about the restaurant on their website.
- True Balance, a new station at Urban Eatery, is designed to serve Drexel community members with food allergies to one or more of the top eight food allergens. The menu is updated with a protein, starch, and vegetable of the day and more, such as stews, tacos, stir-fry, etc. Grilled chicken, white rice and a steamed vegetable are available every day. The True Balance station at Urban Eatery is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for lunch and dinner. For additional menu information, including ingredients and calorie counts, visit the Drexel Campus Dining website.
Last Call to Register for the Personal Winter Olympics Challenge
Drexel Recreational Athletics and Human Resources are hosting a Winter Olympics Personal Wellness Challenge from Feb. 4–20. Exercise for 30 minutes at least six times during the challenge period to earn 25 Wellness Incentive Program points and either a comfy, cozy Employee Olympics commemorative scarf or A Healthier U logo mug*. It’s not too late to join! Email Monica Fauble at mfauble@drexel.edu. You’ll receive a reminder email in February, when the challenge begins, to help you stay motivated and remember to log your activity.
*Scarves and mugs will be available for pick-up at the Drexel Recreation Center in late February. These items are in limited supply, so we cannot guarantee which prize you will receive. Scarves and mugs must be claimed in person.
Upcoming Wellness Events: Webinar, Biometric Screening
Benefits-eligible faculty and professional staff are invited to register for the upcoming webinar, “Navigating the Wellness Incentive Program,” on Feb. 9 from 1–2 p.m. Earn 15 wellness points ($15) for attending, and learn how to optimize your well-being through different features of the Wellness Incentive Program. Please register in Career Pathway (by clicking on the Events Calendar) at least 24 hours in advance.
Then on March 23, Drexel University will offer an onsite biometric screening in Behrakis Grand Hall, Creese Student Center (32nd and Chestnut streets) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for benefits-eligible faculty and professional staff who participate in the Wellness Incentive Program. This 15-minute screening is a great way to capture an overall snapshot of your health. To schedule your appointment, log in to the wellness incentive portal and select “Complete Your Health Screening” from the “To Do” list, then select “Schedule” under “Attend an Onsite Health Screening Event.” If you can’t make it or prefer to do your biometric screening elsewhere, follow the instructions on the program website, or in the Health Advocate portal, to schedule an appointment directly at LabCorp.
In Case You Missed It: Panel Discussion on Disability Rights
If you missed this panel discussion on Jan. 12, you can view a recording of “A Frank Conversation: Disability Inclusion and Ableism,” which reviewed the history of the disability rights movement leading to the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973). The legal landscape set the tone for compliance in public and private settings, granting individuals with disabilities with protections to equal access and equal opportunity. The panel discussion highlighted diversity through the lens of disability and identified the barriers presented by ableist views and biases. Find the recording of this event, plus other diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) resources, on the DEI Media Library page.
Benefits Reminders for January 2022
- Remember to review your first paystub of the year to ensure that your Open Enrollment elections are accurately reflected in your benefit deductions. Please contact hr@drexel.edu with any questions.
- If you are enrolled in the Consumer Directed Health Plan, the University will contribute to your health saving account (HSA) each January in the amount of $500 for individual coverage and $1,000 for employee plus dependent coverage. The funds will be deposited in your HSA account within two weeks after your first pay in January 2022. Employee contributions will follow the same time frame in subsequent pays. You may contact the Benefits Center at 1.844.690.3992 with questions.
- Benefitexpress is now known as benefitexpress, a WEX company. The administration of Drexel’s FSA and Commuter benefits moved to a new platform as of Jan. 1.
Details on all these reminders are outlined in the related feature in this month’s HR @ Your Service newsletter.
Data Privacy Week: Secure Your Apps & More
Data Privacy Day is celebrated annually on Jan. 28 to commemorate the Jan. 28, 1981, signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty on privacy and data protection. For 2022, the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) has expanded this event to mark Data Privacy Week from Jan. 24–28. Please visit the Privacy Program Services website for a list of ways to celebrate this observance, including events, online privacy tasks (like how to secure your apps and beef up your passwords), and a data privacy quiz.
New Tech Store at Barnes & Noble
As part of the Drexel University Barnes & Noble renovation completed in fall 2021, the bookstore added the Drexel University Tech Store, which serves as a one-stop-shop (sales, service and repairs) for Apple devices and accessories. Drexel students, faculty and professional staff can receive an education discount on Apple devices. See store for details, located at 3250 Chestnut St.
Policy Process Implementation Reminders
The selection panel is continuing to review nominations for the Policy Council; the inaugural members will be announced in a future It’s Okay to Ask newsletter. In the interim, please contact the Policy Compliance Program at policy@drexel.edu and review the Policy Compliance website for steps to take now if your unit has existing Official University Policies, plans to propose new Official University Policies, or plans to make material changes to existing Official University Policies. By Feb. 28, all existing Official University Policies must be converted to the Word document version of the new Policy Template (with each relevant section of the template completed) and submitted to the Director of Policy Compliance in order to be reviewed and included in the Official University Policy Directory after Feb. 28.
Fun fact: Policies make your life easier — really! A thoughtful, well-designed and vetted policy helps to remove guesswork ("Am I doing this right?" "Is this a best practice?") and can help you feel confident in your work and decision-making, knowing that it aligns with your organization's values and legal requirements.
Engage With Public Safety This Winter
Come say “hi” to the Public Safety folks over some delicious hot chocolate! Stop by the southeast corner of 33rd and Arch streets (near the entrance to Buckley Field) for Cocoa with Cops on the following dates and times: Feb. 16 from 2–3:30 p.m.; and March 9 from 5–6:30 p.m.
Drexel Police will also be at select men’s and women’s basketball games this season, near the student section, to say hello, offer resources, help you register your property or answer any other questions.
Finally, learn all about situational awareness by participating in an interactive Zoom training, “Your Safety Is Our Goal,” on Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. or 6 p.m. Register now!
Compliance Program Services Awareness Survey
Please provide valuable feedback to Compliance Program Services by completing this Awareness Survey via Qualtrics. All responses are completely anonymous. Feedback will be used to enhance the Compliance Program at Drexel. Thank you in advance for completing this 10 minute or less survey!
Confronting Antisemitism Through Storytelling
In an effort to inform the Drexel population about the issue of antisemitic rhetoric and behavior, a partnership between the Pennoni Honors College, Drexel Hillel, Jewish Studies and the College of Arts & Sciences seeks to create a storytelling event on the Drexel University campus in spring 2022. The goal is to bring together students, faculty, staff and members of the community to consider the present-day implications of discrimination against Jews. Rather than a panel discussion or conference, this event will showcase stories that reflect real-life experience and give a more vivid, first-hand account of antisemitism. You are invited to submit a story for this project, however big or small, about antisemitism as it may have occurred to you or that you observed as a Jewish person or Jewish ally.
Full Physical Equipment Inventory Is Underway
Fiscal year 2022 (FY'22) is considered a base year for developing the facilities and administrative (F&A) rate proposal for submission to the Division of Cost Allocation (DCA) of the Department of Health and Human Services. The F&A rate proposal is the tool used to set the indirect cost rates for the University. Drexel’s proposal is required to be submitted to DCA in January 2023 based on the financial activity of FY'22. Representatives from Asset Services are on campus for the inventory process as of Jan. 24., with an anticipated completion of May 2022. General Accounting will use this data as the annual fixed asset confirmation. For a detailed announcement, please visit the Comptroller website.
Deposits Reminder From General Accounting
Departments that 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.