Heard Around Campus — April 2026

By Irene Tsikitas Lin

April 27, 2026

From Mental Health Awareness Month to a new “Modern Professional Toolkit” certificate series, there are several new and timely opportunities available to Drexel faculty and professional staff.

Here’s what was heard around campus this month:

Mental Health Awareness Month: Free Resources to Support Your Emotional Well-being

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Drexel has you covered through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) from Health Advocate. It’s available to benefits-eligible employees, their spouse/partner, dependents, parents and even parents-in-law at no additional cost. The EAP offers services that can help you with legal advice, financial counseling or help balancing the demands of life and work. This May, Health Advocate is hosting two webinars on the topic of mental health and the EAP's offerings.

Mental Health and Me, May 26, 11 a.m. to noon: This session provides the opportunity to reflect, understand and explore how to care for your mental and emotional well-being. It is important to prioritize your own health before you can support and help others. Explore strategies and resources available to help manage your mental and emotional health. This discussion will also examine early warning signs to seek help and techniques to maintain positive mental health and wellness. Register in Career Pathway and attend to earn 15 wellness points ($15 in your pay after you complete your 2026 Personal Health Profile.)
Employee Orientation to EAP: Life and Work Services, May 27, 11 a.m. to noon: This workshop offers a detailed overview of the EAP's benefits, resources, and the many ways this program can help you with personal, family and work-related challenges. Register in Career Pathway and attend to earn 15 wellness points ($15 in your pay after you complete your 2026 Personal Health Profile.)

TIAA Webinars to Boost Your Financial Well-being

Money Psychology: Beyond the Numbers: Explore how emotions and habits shape money choices — and how to align them with your goals. Register for this webinar held on May 7 at 11 a.m.
Finance for New Grads: Build smart money habits early – learn to budget wisely, manage benefits, and plan for long-term success. Register for this webinar held on May 19 at noon.

Public Comments Open for UMAC–8: Accessibility Policy

Faculty, professional staff, and students are encouraged to participate in the policy development process by reviewing and submitting feedback on proposed policies. UMAC-8: Accessibility Policy is open for public comment now through April 30. Visit the Public Comment Period webpage to review and submit comments.

Reminder: Interim Policies Must Undergo Standard Review

As part of Policy Compliance Services’ governance responsibilities approved through the Expedited Review process must undergo a full Standard Review within the required timeframe. Several Interim Policies are now approaching or have reached the point at which a Standard Review must be initiated. Sponsoring Units are asked to:

Review applicable Interim Policies.
Begin the Standard Review process in accordance with the Policy Framework.
Coordinate with their Policy liaison to ensure timely submission.

If your Unit has already initiated the Standard Review process, no further action is required at this time. For questions regarding timelines or procedures, please contact Policy Compliance Services at policy@drexel.edu.

May 19 Workshop: Developmental Leadership

The Developmental Leadership workshop, scheduled for May 19 from 10–11:30 a.m., is intended to encourage leaders to engage in practices that support the development of their team members. Participants will identify approaches and practices for development conversations and create a plan for using these practices with their team members.

This session is open to anyone who is interested in the topic and is a required component of The Art of Management certificate program. Register in Career Pathway — you will need to enter your DrexelOne login credentials.

New! Modern Professional Toolkit Certificate Series

HR’s Talent Development team presents a new series providing practical, usable tools to help you tackle today’s work challenges. From tools to help you analyze data, to those that support project planning and execution, and others that introduce helpful methods for problem-solving, this series has just what you need to bring structure and expertise to professional discussions and endeavors. Use the links below to get started in learning about these tools.

Pretzels Meet Soft Serve: Philly Pretzel Factory Now Open in PISB

Now open at 3245 Chestnut St., on the first floor of the Constantine N. Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building (PISB), this new Philly Pretzel Factory location brings a fresh twist to a Philadelphia favorite by pairing its iconic soft pretzels with soft‑serve ice cream and refreshing water ice. It’s a crave‑worthy destination that blends classic Philly flavor with an exciting new dessert experience — perfect any time of day.

DUPD Workload and Crime Dashboard Update

The Drexel University Police Department’s (DUPD) Workload and Crime Dashboard shares pertinent information with the Drexel community about DUPD’s work in a user-friendly format. To provide context and transparency about trends over time, the Dashboard displays three years’ worth of data in three categories: calls for service; criminal statistics; and arrests and criminal complaints. The Dashboard has recently been updated with data for 2025, which you can review on the Drexel Public Safety website.

Support for Questions About NIH Research Rules

In a recent message to the University community, the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) and the Office of the Comptroller acknowledged that the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) recent issuance of NOT-OD-26-072 has generated questions about whether NIH indirect cost rules have changed again — and whether this creates an adverse impact for Drexel investigators. The Comptroller and ORI have developed an FAQ to support the Drexel community in navigating these updates, address common questions, and offer further clarification. Overall, for NIH grants, none of the recently announced “expanded” indirect cost flexibilities ultimately apply — NIH has reverted to the prior indirect cost framework, and Drexel should continue budgeting NIH awards accordingly. Please refer to the message and FAQs for more details.