Thanksgiving has come and gone, and the holidays and Drexel University's winter break are just around the corner. As such, there are several opportunities to be aware of and note deadlines for in order to get involved before the new year! Whether you're looking forward to Employee Olympics, helping out with holiday drives or taking part in community events, here's what to keep in mind this month:
Last Call for Nominations: Drexel Public Safety Oversight Committee
As announced in President Fry’s Nov. 15 communication, Drexel is establishing an independent Public Safety Oversight Committee (DPSOC) charged with providing vision, guidance and oversight to the delivery of police services to the Drexel University community. Drexel community members who are interested in contributing to this important oversight body may nominate themselves to serve by submitting a nomination form by the end of the day today, Nov. 30. DPSOC member roles and responsibilities, as well as full charge details and nomination process, are detailed on the committee's website; if you have any questions, please send them to dps-oversight@drexel.edu.
One S’more Day Left to Sign Up for the Employee Olympics
Don’t forget to register for this year’s Employee Olympics — today, Nov. 30, is the last day to sign up! The event will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 15, from 2-5 p.m. The event promises cozy hot chocolate with outdoor fire pits, 25 points toward Drexel’s 2022 Wellness Incentive Program, and a commemorative Employee Olympics scarf for those participating on campus. Please note that masks are required for in-person participants during indoor activities to keep the community safe and healthy. You can register for one of four events: the Fun Walk (virtually or in-person), baggo (teams of two), dodgeball (5-on-5), or basketball (3-on-3).
Donations Accepted for Military Care Package Drive Through Tomorrow
In partnership with the Office of Veteran Services, Public Safety is collecting toiletries, non-perishable food, kids’ supplies and more to make care packages for local veterans. Donations are being accepted now through Dec. 1 at several locations around campus. You can also come to the Recreation Center Lobby on Friday, Dec. 3, to help pack boxes and/or write thank-you notes to service members. Visit the calendar listing for a full list acceptable donation items and drop-off locations, and other details.
Quiet Period for Service Enhancements at TIAA
For participants in Drexel's retirement plan, the Quiet Period for service enhancements at TIAA will take place from now through Dec. 8. During this time, you may still access your TIAA account, transfer funds, update beneficiaries and review investment performance at TIAA.org; however, you cannot make changes to your contribution rate or enroll in the Plan while new features are being added. For more information about the Quiet Period, please review page 4 of the TIAA Transition Guide [PDF]. Drexel Human Resources has complete details, including an FAQ, on its TIAA Transition website.
Say Hello to Drexel HR’s Newly Rebranded “Talent Development” Team
Human Resources is happy to announce that its Learning & Development team has a new name —Talent Development! It probably seems like a small change, but the story behind the change is all about centering people, and that’s no small thing. For more than a decade, the name of the team that supports faculty and staff professional development has focused on the verb – learning. It’s now time to focus on the noun – talent – which describes both the people and the capacity they bring to the University. For more about the Talent Development team, visit the HR website.
Temporary University City Campus Bus Stop Changes
The University City Campus bus stop at 33rd and Market streets outside of Nesbitt Hall is temporarily closed until further notice due to construction in the area. This change will impact the following routes:
- Dragon Route (Center City Loop): Passengers will load and unload at 33rd and Ludlow streets, at the Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building lot, and the bus will not be able to discharge passengers at 32nd and Market streets.
- Powelton/Spring Garden Route: Passengers will load and unload at 33rd and Market streets next to Hagerty Library. The rest of the route will remain unchanged.
Bake a Pie With the Administrative Professional Learning Community
On Dec. 9 at noon, the Drexel Administrative Professional Learning Community (DAPLC) presents A Special Pizza Hour with Chef Pepino. In this one-hour session, Executive Chef Richard Pepino will delight your taste buds by walking you though preparing a pizza from scratch. Come hungry; leave happy! The in-person slots for this event are full, but you can still join virtually, following along on Zoom with your ingredients on hand. Please use Career Pathway to register. The DAPLC will send a list of ingredients along with the Zoom link.
Appreciation Day at Drexel Barnes & Noble: Dec. 14
On Tuesday, Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Barnes & Noble Drexel University Campus Bookstore at University City will host an all-day Faculty & Professional Staff Appreciation Day. Faculty and professional staff will receive an additional discount of 10-percent off (in addition to the typical 15-percent discount) with their DragonCard. Restrictions may apply; see store for details. Appreciation Day discounts do not apply to items already discounted.
Drexel Summer Housing Now Accepting Reservations
Drexel Conference Services is now accepting reservations for summer housing (June 18 – Aug. 27, 2022) for Drexel-affiliated groups and programs. Drexel Conference Services offers convenient, budget-friendly, traditional and suite-style summer group housing accommodations in University City Campus residence halls and can accommodate short- and long-term stays for almost any size of group or program. For more information, email conferences@drexel.edu.
Retailer Spotlight: The Board and Brew
Drexel Business Services recently sat down with Michael from The Board and Brew (3200 Chestnut Street) for a Q&A to learn more about the restaurant. The restaurant reopened in Spring 2021 after having to close shortly after its grand opening February 2020 due to the pandemic. This unique two-level restaurant concept has an impressive café menu and over 500 games to play. Read all about Michael’s menu recommendations (like the Mike’s Mistake Burger) and a one-time delivery discount on the Drexel Business Services news feed.
Community Events From DPS: Situational Preparedness Workshops & Cocoa With Cops
The next installments of “Your Safety Is Our Goal,” Drexel Public Safety’s monthly, interactive, virtual trainings on situational preparedness, are taking place on Dec. 16 at noon and 6 p.m. Sign up for one of these scheduled events. If you have a group you would like Public Safety to present to, or would like to propose an alternate presentation time, please contact Officer Tom Cirone at tjc94@drexel.edu or Officer Kim McClay at kam556@drexel.edu to schedule based on your availability.
The next installment of Cocoa With Cops, a meet-and-greet hosted monthly at the southeast corner of 33rd and Arch streets (next to Buckley Field entrance), will be held tomorrow, Dec. 1, from 8-9:30 p.m. Come out and say hello! And if you can’t make this one, be sure to check out the 2022 dates listed in this month’s Public Safety & U.
General Accounting Reminder About Deposits
Departments that are expecting any receipts of funds (deposits): Please email General Accounting at acct11@drexel.edu with the expected receipt amount as well as FOAPAL to apply this receipt.