Heard Around Campus — February
Drexel University packed a lot of updates and deadlines for events in the shortest month of the year. Here’s what Drexel faculty and staff should know about what was heard around campus last month.
RecycleMania Collection Events: March 6 and 7
Drexel is five weeks into RecycleMania! Next week, the University is hosting collection events on the Center City and University City campuses. Paper, cell phones, computer equipment* and plastic, glass and aluminum containers will be accepted for recycling.
Center City
Where: New College Building, Geary Lobby
When: March 6, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
University City
Where: Recreation Center Lobby, 33rd and Market Street
When: March 7, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
For complete details on RecycleMania, go to drexel.edu/green/programs/RecycleMania/
*The only way to ensure data stored on a hard drive is properly deleted is to overwrite it with pseudorandom numbers using a program called DBAN (see Drexel IT DBAN FAQ for more information, and contact security@drexel.edu if you need assistance). Drexel Green will be accepting old computers and other electronic devices for recycling at its three RecycleMania collection events, but it is the department’s responsibility to ensure the hard drive is properly deleted. Drexel Green will not accept any devices for recycling that have not been properly and securely wiped.
Eagles Autism Challenge
Drexel President John Fry recently sent out an email encouraging Dragons to sign up for the Eagles Autism Challenge, which is an important initiative for the University. Held on May 18, it is a 5K and 15-, 30- and 50-mile bike ride with all proceeds going toward autism research (the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute was a recipient of last year’s Eagles Autism Challengeproceeds, receiving over $800,00 of research funding). The event is at Lincoln Financial Field and includes the Eagles players, coaches, cheerleaders and Swoop!
Drexel is offering free registration to its employees, staff and alumni by using the promo code: DREXEL19. Join Team Drexel University today!
Student Loan Forgiveness: Resources & Workshop
Drexel employees with 10 years of service may qualify for the opportunity to have a portion of their direct loan debt forgiven through the U.S. Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, if program eligibility requirements are met. For more information, including application form instructions, visit the Drexel Human Resources website.
Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union is hosting a workshop, “Student Loan Repayment and Forgiveness: Understanding Your Options,” for Drexel employees on April 23. Registration for this in-person and virtual workshop is required via CareerPathway. Employees who participate in the 2019 Wellness Incentive Program are eligible to earn 15 wellness incentive points for attending this workshop.
Sign Up for a CSA!
This spring and summer, eat well and support local farms with The Common Market Farm Share! Receive 12 bi-weekly deliveries of your choice of farm-fresh shares beginning this May!
Registration opens March 4 at www.cmfarmshare.org with early bird pricing. The discount is taken on the website ($20 off large, $14 off small).
How to register:
1) Visit the Common Market Farm Share website
3) Click “Sign Up” and browse share options
4) Make your selections and confirm your payment option
5) Select the pick-up location affiliated with your organization from drop-down menu
6) Proceed to checkout to complete billing information
7) Receive a confirmation email
The Common Market Farm Share is a subscription to seasonal, local foods, all sourced from nearby family farms. Members receive their choice of share, including a Small or Large Produce Share (with the option to add on a dozen Certified Humane eggs), Artisanal Cheese Share, Antibiotic-Free Poultry Share, Full Meat Share, Freshly Baked Bread Share, and/or a Plain or Flavored Yogurt Share.
For more information or if you have questions please contact Brittany Gondos at bll55@drexel.edu or 215.895.1539.
Drexel's Faculty Assessment Fellows — Water Cooler Talks
The following was sent from the Vice Provost for Assessment, Accreditation and Institutional Effectiveness in a Feb. 25 email:
Currently on campus, there are faculty members who are participating in the assessment of teaching and learning in an exemplary fashion. As on any other campus, however it is sometimes difficult to show the importance of assessment as well as provide training opportunities, since the common perception is that assessment is both an outgrowth of an increased federal regulatory environment, and a "push down" effort by regional and program specific accreditation bodies. The Office of Assessment, Accreditation and Effectiveness under the purview of the Provost, initiated an Assessment Fellows program two years ago which we believe, helps to remediate that issue as well as provide tremendous benefit across the Drexel community. One of those recently developed benefits is described below and is the purpose of this communication.
Drexel's Faculty Assessment Fellows are piloting classroom assessment mini-lessons entitled "Water Cooler Talks." A goal of these mini-lessons is to provide faculty with brief introductions to classroom assessment topics through engaging content with practical strategies that can easily be implemented in any classroom. To gather information on how to move this initiative forward in terms of format and content best for you, we need your help!
Please click on the link to view a brief (5-7 minute) interactive video: Water Cooler Talks. Once you have completed the mini-lesson, we ask that you take 5 minutes or less to respond to the short opinion survey about the lesson as well as your assessment interests. Your feedback will be used to direct our future work on this initiative, so we are able to offer services most appropriate for your needs.
Please complete by March 8.
Diversity & Inclusion Spotlight: Public Safety
The Drexel University Police Department and Public Safety Communications Center have earned honors for strength in diversity from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CALEA’s rigorous standards are designed to encourage agencies to hire a diverse workforce in comparison to the service population.
“Having law enforcement and the public safety workforce reflect the population served gives us credibility and builds trust with the community,” said Vice President of Public Safety and Chief of Police Eileen Behr. The Department of Public Safety routinely recruits through organizations targeting underrepresented populations, such as the International Association of Women Police, Job Corps, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Spanish American Law Enforcement Organization, National Asian Police Officer Association and Mid-Atlantic Association of Women in Law Enforcement. Public Safety has also assigned officers to attend recruitment training to enhance their presentation and outreach to these populations.
This Diversity & Inclusion Spotlight was excerpted from the FY2018 Inclusive Community Review, an annual report celebrating the diversity and inclusion-related achievements of each of Drexel’s academic and administrative units. For general questions about diversity and inclusion initiatives at Drexel, please contact the Office of Equality & Diversity at oed@drexel.edu.