Heard Around Campus — November 2025

As Drexel University gears up for Thanksgiving break, there’s plenty to look forward to around campus when the community returns. Feeling charitable? There’s still time to donate to the Military Care Package Drive. Want to grab some discounted Birds gear? Rally House is offering 20% off storewide to Drexel employees on Dec. 17. Hoping to take stock of your finances for 2026? TIAA representatives will be on campus several times in the next few months to offer guidance. Need a refresher on end-of-year benefits deadlines? All this and more in this month’s "Heard Around Campus." Happy Thanksgiving, Dragons!

Exclusive Rally House Shopping Event Dec. 17 — 20% Off Storewide

Drexel employees are invited to a special in-store shopping event at Rally House, conveniently located at 33rd and Chestnut streets. Stop by the store on Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and show your DragonCard to enjoy an exclusive 20% discount on your entire purchase — including licensed professional sport team gear! Don’t miss this opportunity to show your school spirit and stock up on your favorite team apparel.

Donate to the Military Family Care Package Drive Through Dec. 1

Public Safety is partnering with the Center for Military & Veteran Services to collect non-refrigerated products that are in boxes, cans or plastic bottles and donate them to families of active-duty service members. You can drop off donations now through Dec. 1 at:

• Main Building, Suite 106 or outside Suite 225, 3141 Chestnut St.
• Drexel Police Headquarters, 3219 Arch St.
• Korman Center, 15 S. 33rd St.
• Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, 3210 Cherry St.
• Drexel Recreation Center, 3301 Market St.
• Health Sciences Building, 60 N 36th St.

Then, on Dec. 3, help wrap care packages for families at the Recreation Center lobby from 9:30–11 a.m. For more information, visit the care package drive event listing.

Get Your Team Together for a SAFE Class

Public Safety’s self-protection program, SAFE, aims to give Drexel students, faculty and staff the practical skills, resources and knowledge to increase their personal safety and protect themselves in an unsafe situation. These three-hour classes are offered on specific Tuesdays and Saturdays each month. Due to the hands-on nature of the class, Public Safety strongly recommends that you register with a fellow Dragon; the course would be a great opportunity for team-building! Participation in the techniques is recommended but not required. Sign up for the following classes by emailing dpssafe@drexel.edu. You can also request a class if you have a larger group that you would like to schedule outside of these monthly class dates.

• Dec. 2, 5–8 p.m.
• Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Jan. 6, 5–8 p.m.
• Jan. 10, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Review Your Retirement Plan Contributions for 2026

If you are currently participating in a retirement plan with Drexel, your existing election will automatically continue into 2026 until you make a change. You can access your TIAA account directly through DrexelOne: log in, locate the Employee tab, scroll down to the My Benefits section on the left side of the screen, and select the link for Retirement Plan Management to connect to tiaa.org. Once you have logged into TIAA, you must select Manage Contributions under the Accounts menu. Be sure that your changes have saved and review your confirmation statement to ensure accuracy.

Use your FSA Funds by the End of the Year

Funds in your 2025 Flexible Spending Account(s) (FSA) must be used by Dec. 31, 2025, since these accounts are “use it or lose it.”

• You may carry over up to $660 of unused funds from your 2025 Healthcare FSA into your 2026 Healthcare FSA. Any remaining balance over this amount will be forfeited.
• There is no carryover for the Dependent Care FSA; any unused or unclaimed funds will be forfeited.
• You can use your Healthcare FSA to purchase eligible items directly at fsastore.com. 

You have until March 31, 2026, to submit manual reimbursement requests to WEX for both your Health Care and Dependent Care FSA accounts for any eligible expenses incurred between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, that were not paid using your WEX card. For questions regarding your FSA, please contact the Drexel University Benefits Center at 1.844.690.3992.

Wellness Updates: A Healthier U Teams; New Caregivers Program

• Did you know there’s a Healthier U group on Microsoft Teams? It’s the perfect place to add or view posts about wellness offerings at Drexel. Join the site now!
• New benefit alert: The Generations Caregiving Program, administered by Health Advocate, launches on Jan. 1. Whether you’re caring for an adult who is aging or has a disability, this program can help you navigate the healthcare system, and plug in to mental and emotional support for yourself and your loved ones. To learn more, sign up for the overview of the new program on Feb. 4, 12–12:45 p.m.; participants will earn 15 points ($15) toward the 2026 Wellness Incentive Program.

Snag Hotel Discounts With Campus Travel Management

Are you planning for holiday season travel? Or perhaps preparing to host family locally but don't have the capacity to house out-of-town guests? You are eligible for discounted hotel rates in Philadelphia and around the country, for both business and personal travel, through Drexel's Campus Travel Management program. You can find more information on the Accounts Payable & Procurement Services website. 

• For local hotel stays: Use the "Book a Hotel in Philadelphia" link for competitive rates locally in Center City and University City.
• For hotel stays outside of Philadelphia: Use the "Campus Travel Management Affiliates Website" to view discounts through other universities around the country that are part of the Campus Travel network. If you are planning travel to New Orleans, for example, select “Tulane University” to view rates with participating hotels in range of that campus. Likewise, the New York University link will help you find discounted rates in New York City.

Catch-up Contributions for High Earners Moving to Roth in 2026

Under Secure Act 2.0 Section 603, 401(k) and 403(b) catch-up contributions for employees who are aged 50+ and who earned more than $145,000 in 2025 must make their catch-up contributions as Roth (after-tax) starting in 2026. Drexel’s 403(b) plan must comply with this new law. This change affects how these contributions are taxed, moving employees from a pre-tax to an after-tax basis, which may impact take-home pay and retirement tax strategies. For more information, review the related announcement on the HR website.

If you need some financial input for this transition, you may want to schedule an appointment with your financial advisor to better understand your taxable income for 2026. You can also schedule a virtual or in-person consultation with one of Drexel’s TIAA advisors by calling 800.732.8353, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or visiting tiaa.org/schedulenow-drexel. You can meet virtually, or in person with a TIAA advisor at 3201 Arch St., suite 430, on Jan. 29, Feb. 12 and March 26. You can also contact TIAA participant services on 800.842.2252, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Drexel Awarded CALEA Accreditation for DUPD and Public Safety Communications

The Drexel University Police Department (DUPD) and Public Safety Communications Center were awarded reaccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) on Nov. 15. DUPD and the communications center both received their first CALEA accreditation in 2011 and have continued to achieve reaccreditation since then. This achievement reflects Drexel’s continued commitment to excellence, accountability, and the highest standards of public safety and community service. CALEA's reaccreditation recognizes the hard work and dedication of the Public Safety team, whose efforts ensure that Drexel remains a safe, supportive, and well-protected environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Effort Report Certification Deadline is Dec. 19

Please ensure all effort reports for reporting period FY26Q1 (July 1 through September 30, 2025) are completed and certified by the Friday, Dec. 19, deadline. Contact ras@drexel.edu if you have any questions.