Last Call: Register to Vote in the PA Primary by May 1
Make your voice heard in the May 16 Pennsylvania municipal primary! This year, Philadelphians will be voting for a new mayor, district and at-large City Council members, city commissioners, controller, sheriff and register of wills, as well as various judicial races. The deadline to register to vote in the primary is May 1, and the last day to request an absentee or mail-in ballot is May 9.
To request a mail-in or absentee ballot, check your registration status, register to vote, download a registration form and find information about your polling place, visit vote.pa.gov or call the Pennsylvania Department of State's toll-free hotline at 1.877.VOTESPA (877.868.3772). Information for other states can be found at vote.org. For more information, visit drexel.edu/vote.
Now Through April 30: Donate to the PSARC Clothing Drive
The Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) is a not-for-profit center established to meet the forensic and medical needs of sexual assault victims in Philadelphia. To assist with the care of sexual assault victims, PSARC and the Drexel Greek Week Committee are asking the Drexel community for the following donations to support patients (please ensure any pre-owned clothing items are washed):
- Sweatpants (all sizes, but especially M-3XL, unisex)
- Plain undershirts (all sizes, unisex)
- Plain sweatshirts (all sizes, unisex)
- New packages of basic underwear (all sizes, unisex)
- New packages of basic sports bras (all sizes)
- Tampons, hygiene pads, panty liners
- Bath wipes
- Uber/Lyft ride gift cards
Donation boxes are available in all Drexel residence halls, the Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture (James E. Marks Intercultural Center, 3225 Arch St.), and the Drexel Student Health Center (3401 Market St., Suite 105B) through April 30. If you would prefer to make a monetary donation to assist with the increasing cost of care, please contact psarc@drexel.edu.
Contribute to Drexel Libraries’ AANHPI Heritage Month Displays
As part of Drexel’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI) celebrations this May, the Drexel Libraries is assembling a physical display in the W. W. Hagerty Library and a corresponding online exhibit. (Check out the new and improved online resource guide!) This year, the theme is “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity.” The Libraries are seeking contributions to explore this theme (and beyond) through photos, books, articles and other objects that showcase the accomplishments of Drexel’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander researchers, teachers, scientists, artists and others who have influenced and enriched our society. Submit content to the Libraries’ 2023 AANHPI Heritage Month exhibits via Qualtrics.
Mental Health Awareness Month at Drexel
May is Mental Health Awareness month, and Drexel Human Resources (HR) has several upcoming wellness events to help foster your mental and emotional well-being. In addition, HR has created a more comprehensive webpage featuring the mental health resources available to faculty and professional staff, their families and students. Please bookmark the Mental and Emotional Well-being resource page and share it with a colleague or two.
Learn more about and register for the following Mental Health Awareness Month events in Career Pathway:
- Introduction to Insight Dialogue (2 Parts) (May 3; May 17): This two-part series will help you cultivate kindness, self-compassion and increased awareness of yourself and others. Register in Career Pathway for one or both sessions.
- Managing Mental and Emotional Health (May 9, 11 a.m. to noon): Health Advocate will present strategies to increase your awareness of how to seek help to support your mental-emotional well-being. Register in Career Pathway.
- Browse the Work Wellness and Self Care online course offerings in Career Pathway to discover ways to develop healthier habits, practices to nurture your well-being and more.
A New Format for Public Safety’s Self-Protection Class
To better suit Dragons’ schedules, Public Safety has modified its self-protection program, Self-Awareness for Everyone (SAFE), by splitting it into two sessions: SAFE I and SAFE II. These two-hour classes offer the same important information and techniques as the original class. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to register in groups of two or more in order to practice the hands-on techniques.
- SAFE I begins with a brief overview of the class and explains the reporting processes, mindset and various free public safety services that are provided. It focuses on stances and patterns of movement, then gives a general overview of striking such as punching palm strikes and how to kick and knee properly. SAFE I ends with instructions on how to defend against arm grabs and some chokes. SAFE I classes will be offered the second week of every month on Monday and Wednesday.
- SAFE II begins with a quick review of what was learned in SAFE I. Class then transitions to defense from both arm grabs and body grabs, then explores various techniques from the ground (for example, how to defend against an assailant that is sitting on top of you and roll them off). SAFE II classes will be offered the fourth week of every month on Monday and Wednesday, and cannot be taken until SAFE I is complete.
To register for classes, please email Linda Moran, lmm467@drexel.edu; these classes are also available by request.
Reminder: Register for Alumni Weekend
Attention Dragons: Registration is now live for Alumni Weekend 2023, happening May 19 and 20, for both Drexel University and the College of Medicine. For detailed information on programming and how to register, visit the Alumni website.
It’s a Great Time for a Mid-year Performance Check-in
It’s time to revisit your 2022-2023 goals! Since this performance cycle is about halfway through, managers and professional staff members are encouraged to check in with each other to discuss progress on goals, accomplishments and other professional development benchmarks. During a check-in, staff members will have the chance to discuss their achievements and challenges, and supervisors will provide feedback and offer guidance on growth and development. This check-in is a valuable way to develop a supportive and forward-looking manager-staff relationship and ensure there are no surprises before the fall performance process. For more information on goal-setting, check out the Goal Setting in Career Pathway online course and the Performance Development goal setting page.
Register for the June 21 Employee Olympics Starting May 17
Employee Olympics will return Wednesday, June 21, from 2–5 p.m. New this year: a table tennis option! Come for the Fun Walk, the therapy dogs, the competition or simply for the snacks. Registration opens May 17. Visit the HR website for more information.
AP & Procurement Services Website Recognized for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Drexel University was recently spotlighted by the Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship's report, titled “Addressing the Supplier Diversity Awareness Deficit.” After analyzing the websites of 114 higher education institutions in New England, the Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship discovered a lack of information available to the public regarding how universities acquire goods and services. Drexel’s Accounts Payable & Procurement Services website was acknowledged for its best practices and effective content and communication about partnering with Drexel. During a private webinar on April 11, Drexel’s Executive Director of Economic Impact and Workforce Inclusion Allen Riddick and the University of Connecticut’s Executive Program Director Veronica F. Cook discussed the report’s release and shared their perspectives on how colleges and universities can “open the window” to procurement opportunities to diverse suppliers with well-designed webpages. Read the report on Northeastern’s website.
Drexel and WBEC East Collaborate to Support Woman-Owned Business Community
Drexel University's ExCITE Center and Accounts Payable & Procurement Services recently collaborated with the Women's Business Enterprise Council East (WBEC East) for a Technology and Surplus Giveaway, in which a local diversity advocacy organization is chosen quarterly to receive technology donations for their members and partners. For the most recent giveaway, Drexel donated computers, monitors and web cameras to Pre Pro Bono, Femininely Free, Sandy Ferguson and Carmenletta Shelton. For this project, Andy Stutzman of ExCITE and Bo Solomon, Allen Riddick and Mia Cohen of AP & Procurement worked together to ensure this technology was able to be reused by businesses and organizations whose mission aligns with equality.
Local Diverse Supplier Spotlight: Farina’s Pasta and Noodle
Philadelphia’s own Farina’s Pasta and Noodle is the first and only fast-casual style restaurant that serves handmade customizable pasta and noodles. They have a brick-and-mortar store located in Center City at 132 S. 17th St. Customers can select the sauce they like, then the shape of the pasta and finally any add-ons, like chicken, shrimp, spinach or handmade meatballs. They also provide catering for large events and corporate clients. Farina is a veteran-owned company and prides itself in working with veteran-centric nonprofit companies. You can visit the restaurant in person or online at farinapastaphl.com.
In an effort to promote and strengthen Drexel’s buy-local strategy, Accounts Payable & Procurement Services is spotlighting local and diverse businesses for the benefit of Drexel faculty and professional staff who may want to use their products and/or services.
Upcoming Trainings for Journal Entry Workflow
The Office of the Comptroller will be hosting two upcoming Journal Entry Workflow 3.0 virtual training sessions, the first of which is just in time for fiscal year-end close: Wednesday, June 21, from 1–3 p.m., and Tuesday, October 17, 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will learn how to submit and approve journal entries in a test environment; they will also learn how to attach supporting documentation, upload journals into the tool and more. Register in Career Pathway and contact slw383@drexel.edu with questions.
Important FY23 Timelines From Comptroller
- Fiscal Year 2023 Accrual and Deferral Process and Timeline: The handling of prepaid expense deferrals and expense accruals will be consistent with the last seven fiscal years. General Accounting processes all prepaid expense deferrals and accruals for all of Drexel University and its subsidiaries. Read the related announcement for details.
- In preparation for the 2023 fiscal year-end close, please review and circulate the Fiscal Year 2023 Year-end Closing Schedule so that everyone is familiar with the guidelines and important deadlines. This will assist in making the year-end closing process more efficient.
Reminder for Departments Expecting Receipts of Funds
Please email General Accounting at acct11@drexel.edu with the expected receipt (deposit) amount as well as FOAPAL to apply this receipt.