Heard Around Campus — September 2023

It’s officially fall and fall term! That means there are a lot of activities that are popping up on campus now — with some even geared towards helping set you up for the holiday season and 2024 (!).

Here’s what was heard around campus this month:

Be a Voter: Register to Vote in PA by Oct. 23

This year, municipal and judicial elections will be held in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on November 7. Make your voice heard, and register to vote, if you haven’t already, by Oct. 23! And, if you’re planning to vote absentee or by mail, the last day to request that ballot is Oct. 31, 5 p.m. More information on how to register to vote and other resources can be found at drexel.edu/vote.

Celebrate Drexel Public Safety Day on Oct. 4

You’re invited to attend any and all of the following Drexel Public Safety Day events on Oct. 4:

National Coffee with a Cop: 9–11 a.m., sponsored by Greek from Greece (107 N. 33rd St.)
Public Safety Resource Fair: 1–3 p.m. on Perelman Plaza; join Drexel Public Safety, University and community partners, and first responders to learn important safety information.
Fall-themed community event: 5–7 p.m. at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships (3509 Spring Garden St. and a stop on the Powelton/Spring Garden shuttle route), featuring pumpkin painting and other fall fun!

Fall Learning Opportunities from Drexel Benefit Providers

SupportLinc Webinars on Healthy Living (Oct. 4) and Holiday Budgeting (Nov. 1): Each month, Drexel’s Employee Assistance Program provider, SupportLinc, offers free webinars for Drexel employees on workplace-related topics. In October, register to attend the Healthy Living one-hour webinar at 8 a.m., 3 p.m. or 8 p.m. And November will address Holiday Budgeting, with one-hour webinars on this topic at 8 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Retirement Plan Consultations With TIAA (Oct. 5 and Nov. 2): Drexel’s TIAA representative Sabrina Evenosky will be on the University City Campus, offering one-on-one, in-person consultations at the HR offices in 3201 Arch St. (Suite 430) on Oct. 5 and Nov. 2. Schedule your session at tiaa.org/schedulenow. If you need assistance scheduling an in-person investment advice session, contact 800.732.8353, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Understanding the Adoption Process (Tuesday, Nov. 14, 3-4 p.m.): During Adoption Awareness Month, learn more about the adoption process from Progyny, including what to consider, the different pathways, average costs and legal considerations. Registration is required.

Reserve Your Spot at the Oct. 23 Campus-wide Flu Vaccine Clinic

Drexel faculty and professional staff are invited to attend Drexel's onsite flu vaccine clinic on Monday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. You will be asked to enter your insurance information upon registering. You must bring your Drexel ID and insurance card. Faculty, professional staff and students who have health insurance through Drexel University are eligible to receive their flu vaccine at this clinic for a $0 copay. Please check with your insurance company if you have any questions about your insurance plan's coverage.

Faculty and professional staff who participate in the Wellness Incentive Program are eligible to earn 50 wellness points ($50) in their paycheck for receiving a flu vaccine before Nov. 30, 2023, at this clinic or through other in-network providers. Please visit the FAQ section of the HR website for information on how to claim your 50 points for preventive care, including the flu vaccination.

Noteworthy Deadlines From Human Resources

Fall is a busy time! Please be mindful of the following dates and deadlines:

Oct. 26 — Manager Step in Performance Development Process Due: Managers must complete their section of the annual wrap-up process and hold meetings with each professional staff member by Oct. 26. Please review the Performance Development Timeline to ensure you are completing each step timely and to find additional information about the process. And managers, if you need extra support, please consider attending HR’s Oct. 3 webinar, "A Manager's Guide to Performance Conversations," which will explore practices that can make a performance conversation much more effective, caring and future-focused. Register for this session in Career Pathway.
Nov. 1 — Deadline to complete enterprise learning and Annual Conflict of Interest and Commitment disclosure. For more information on each of the three enterprise learning courses, please visit the HR website. You can access the courses via your transcript on Career Pathway. To access the Annual Conflict of Interest and Commitment report, navigate to the Employee tab in DrexelOne, and select "Conflict of Interest Disclosure" under the Compliance and Privacy Programs channel.
Nov. 30 — Last day to log points for the 2023 Wellness Incentive Program. Visit the HR website or read the recent related announcement for a list of all the ways you can earn points. Remember, you must complete your annual (2023) Personal Health Profile before any earned points will be paid out in your paycheck.

Save the Date: 2024 Open Enrollment Starts Oct. 23

Drexel’s open enrollment season for 2024 starts on Oct. 23, 2023. As we approach this enrollment period, take a moment to review your current benefit information:

Visit the My Drexel Benefits portal via DrexelOne, under “Employee” tab.
Click "My Drexel Benefits" to access the portal.
On the left side of your screen, select "Benefits Profile,” which gives you the option to see your benefits Information, including “Dependents and Beneficiaries.”

You will receive more details in the coming weeks to help you prepare for the open enrollment process that begins on Oct. 23. Once the process begins, you can contact the Benefit Center with any questions by phone at 1.844.690.3992, by email at help@mybenefitexpress.com, or via the chat function (general questions only) in the enrollment portal. Certain confidential information such as plan details or personal identifiable information cannot be relayed over chat or email and may require a phone call. A benefits representative is available Monday–Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. EST.

Celebrate the Start of Fall at The Gateway Garden

Fall is officially here, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the seasonal weather outside at the Gateway Garden (32nd Street and JFK Boulevard):

The Maker’s Market at the Gateway Garden runs every Thursday, Oct. 5 through Nov. 2, from 2–5 p.m. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) presents this weekly market featuring Philly-made art, ceramics, jewelry, skin care and more.
Meet the Brewers, a PHS event series at which you’ll meet and get to know local brewers, returns to the Gateway Garden Wednesdays this fall. Sessions include Autumn Apple Harvest with Dressler Estate on Oct. 4, IPAs with Love City Brewing on Oct. 18, and Cider Fermentation with Hale and True on Oct. 25, and Yeast Basics with Sacred Vice all from 5–7 p.m.

Stay SAFE This Fall With DPS’ Self-Protection Class

Public Safety’s self-protection program, Self-Awareness for Everyone (SAFE), is split into two sessions. Due to the hands-on nature of the class, it is strongly recommended that you register with a fellow Dragon. Participation in the techniques is recommended, but not required. Registration is required 72 hours prior to the class via Eventbrite; these classes are also available by request for your group.

SAFE I classes are the second week of every month on Monday and Wednesday from 5–7 p.m. Upcoming classes are on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11.
SAFE II classes are offered the fourth week of every month on Monday and Wednesday from 5–7 p.m. and cannot be taken until you have completed SAFE I. Upcoming classes are on Oct. 23 and Oct. 25.

Wondering what a SAFE class is like? Check out the video feature, created by Drexel students, on the DPS website.

October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)

In the United States, October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). During this month, individuals, organizations, and communities are called upon to raise awareness for domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and all types of relationship violence – physical, mental, emotional, financial, and beyond – and to promote methods for prevention. EIC, in collaboration with other Drexel departments and organizations, has built a robust calendar of events for October 2023. You are encouraged to join your peers and colleagues at any event, and to learn more about DVAM at the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

Order Ahead at Campus Dining Locations With GrubHub

You can now order ahead for Drexel Campus Dining locations like Pret A Manger, the Café at HSB, and The Drop at The Hans (a new nightly concept), and pick it up when you’re notified it’s ready. It’s easy to add campus dining locations to your GrubHub account. After downloading the GrubHub Mobile App, go to Account, tap Campus Dining and then select Drexel University. For a limited time, use code FIRSTBITE50 to receive a 50-percent discount on your first on-campus pickup order.

Policy Compliance Reminders and Updates

2023–2024 Policy Council: You can now view the list of members on the Policy Council webpage.
Submitting New and Revised Policy Drafts: The Director of Policy Compliance processes Intake Forms for new and revised Official University Policies ONLY on the first Tuesday of every month. Sponsoring Units may submit Intake Forms at any time, but requests will only be processed on the first Tuesday of the month. NEW: Before or at the same time as you submit your Intake Form, Sponsoring Units are asked to send an advance copy of the proposed policy or revision to the Faculty Senate via email to senate@drexel.edu (for planning purposes only).
Coming Up Soon for Public Comment: revisions to PO-01: Academic Standing and Undergraduates Policy and PO-02: Repeated Courses and GPA Adjustments: Undergraduate Students Policy. Look for the announcement in DrexelNow, the It’s Okay to Ask e-newsletter, and/or the Public Comment Period webpage.

A black garbage bin next to a blue recycling bin.

Climate & Sustainability Pilots a New Recycling System — and You Can, Too!

Recycling can be ruined by putting trash (food waste especially) in the recycling container. To work toward a solution to this problem, Drexel Procurement Services and Climate & Sustainability are piloting a new trash/recycling system at their office space on the second floor of the PSA Building. The departments removed individual trash and recycling bins and replaced them with two sets of totes with items for landfill (trash) in one bin and mixed recycling in another. The aim of this pilot is to increase recycling rates from this floor. Employees will now have examples for what to recycle and what to throw out shown on the lids of the new containers. Feel free to reach out to sustainability@drexel.edu for tips on how you can make your own office space more recycle-friendly.

Upcoming Training for Journal Entry Workflow

The Office of the Comptroller is hosting a Journal Entry Workflow 3.0 virtual training session on Tuesday, Oct. 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.