A message from Sandra Mayo, vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion: The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) is pleased to offer seed grants to support initiatives that advance one or more of the University’s strategic diversity goal areas.

The following departments are eligible to apply:

1. Academic departments initiating the Departmental Readiness Evaluation (DRE). Funding is intended primarily for faculty time dedicated to completion of the DRE.
2. Operational departments that have submitted a diversity action plan. Funding is intended to facilitate the work proposed in the action plan.

Through the seed grant program, we hope to generate innovative ideas, encourage department-level planning, and foster a sense of mutual commitment to the work of diversity. To be considered for funding, please complete and submit an application by the posted application deadline. If you have questions or would like more information, contact the ODEI at odei@spu.edu or 206-281-2515.

Communion and the State of the University address is Wednesday, September 19, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. in First Free Methodist Church, adjacent to campus. Faculty and staff are invited to an opening breakfast in Upper Gwinn, 7:45–9:15 a.m. We hope that you will be able to come enjoy food and fellowship with other faculty and staff prior to the worship service and opening communion. Faculty and staff are encouraged to be a welcoming presence on campus this week as new students and their families join the SPU community.

A message from University Communications: Here is a helpful summary of resources the SPU community has available to go deeper in understanding the ideas and process behind the new brand expression, which clarifies how Seattle Pacific is different from competing universities:

•  “Running to the future” is a video that captures the ideas behind the brand in a story narrated by Doris Brown Heritage ‘64 and All-American athlete Lani Taylor, Class of 2020. You can also read this story in our story-telling hub, SPU Voices.
• There is a brand website where you can access the high-level ideas and methodology behind the change. This is the place to learn more about our definition of the Seattle advantage, Christian faith, and rigorous academics.
• President Dan Martin provided our campus community with a three-minute video overview of his thoughts on the brand. Filmed on a blustery day at beautiful Gas Works Park, it’s an excellent insiders’ peek at what this brand work is about and what it is intended to accomplish.
• We have created a wiki page explaining the do’s and don’ts of using the new visual identity, as well as a way to download the images.
• For those interested in diving deeper, watch a livestreamed presentation filmed for alumni and donors. This 40-minute presentation has been watched by more than 1,000 people.
• The SPU Brand Book (PDF) includes the foundational principles of the brand, visual identity, and messaging, 

Part of this rebrand expression work includes our website. We are in the process of refining the SPU homepage, which includes some changes to navigation. This will better align the website to industry standards by being based on the top tasks of users, and will provide a cleaner, simpler navigation to help refine the site. Watch for more details in the coming days.

In addition, stay tuned for more information on a special rebrand open house in University Communications for faculty and staff on Thursday, October 11, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

If you have thoughts, ideas, or input, please send a message to brand@spu.edu.

A message from Alumni and Parent Relations: Save the date for Homecoming and Family Weekend, February 1–3, 2019. Planning is underway for this once-a-year gathering for the entire campus community. Events include academic department reunions, the Alumni Awards Dinner, Falcons Hall of Fame Ceremony, men’s basketball game against the Western Washington University Vikings, SPU Theatre Department’s winter mainstage production, and more. Registration opens in November. Stay tuned for more details this winter!

The Nickerson Repaving Project will return for its third segment of construction as soon as Monday, September 24. This will affect primarily the area leading up to the Ballard Bridge around 14th and 15th streets. Please expect delays and detours, and plan your commute to SPU accordingly to allow for extra time. Visit the Seattle Department of Transportation website for more information.

A message from Computer and Information Systems: We are pleased to announce the launch of the Service Catalog. This is your one-stop location to find information about technology services available to the SPU community. You can browse for services by category, select from the alphabetical listing, or search by keywords. 

The content is visible to internal and external audiences. Guests on our campus can learn how to use a multi-function printer or connect to Wi-Fi, while internal users can access eligible computing resources using their SPU login credentials. New employees can get a broad overview of the services available to assist them in their new role, and continuing employees can find additional resources they may not know existed.

We will be updating the Service Catalog regularly with new content, so check back periodically to see what’s new. Please share a link to the Service Catalog with anyone in the SPU community who may benefit from this information.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every week during the academic year. If you have information or event news, send it as soon as possible to Bulletin editor Tracy Norlen at fsb-editor@spu.edu. Submissions may be edited for clarity. The next deadline is Thursday, September 20. The next Bulletin will be published on Monday, September 24.

An article by Assistant Professor of History Alissa Walter, titled "Diaries of Iraqi Soldiers: Views from Inside Saddam's Army," was published in the International Journal of Contemporary Iraqi Studies. Her co-author was Joseph Sassoon. The article examines 15 diaries of Iraqi soldiers found in the recently opened Iraqi Ba’th Party archives to analyze the mindsets, ideological frameworks, morale, and daily lives of Iraqi rank-and-file soldiers during the Gulf War (1990–91).

Daniel Castelo, professor of dogmatic and constructive theology, and Rob Wall, Paul T. Walls Professor of Scripture and Wesleyan Studies, attended the 14th quinquennial meeting of the Oxford Institute of Methodist Studies at Pembroke College-Oxford, August 12–18. An international group of invited Methodist scholars gathered together for fellowship and testimony and to hear and discuss academic papers in various theological disciplines around the theme "Revival, Reform, and Revolution in Global Methodism." Rob’s paper, delivered to a plenary of biblical scholars, targeted the theme of reviving dispirited and disillusioned believers — what Rob calls "post-Christians, pissed Christians, and parental Christians" — by considering the "wilderness" theme in the New Testament letter of Hebrews. Daniel delivered a paper, "Christian Perfection and Christian Mysticism: A Way to Resurrection?," to the constructive theologians there, arguing for a different way of understanding the most distinctive feature of Wesleyan theology — the full formation (or transformation) of a believer’s love for God and neighbor.

Professor of European History Alberto Ferreiro's summer highlights:

The Salamanca Program in Spain, which celebrated 29 years with students mainly from Western Washington University and a few from Seattle Pacific.

For the 800th anniversary of the University of Salamanca 1218–2018, Alberto was invited to give two lectures in situ to professors of Spanish finishing their master degrees from the United States and Canada. The lectures were on Francisco de Vitoria and Fray Luis de León.

          His article “The Bishops of Hispania and Pope Innocent I (401–417),” was published in Visigothic Symposium 3 (2018) 18–34.

          He finished his book Epistolas Plenas: The Correspondence of the Bishops of Hispania with the Bishops of Rome: Third through Seventh Century, (520 pages and 1004 notes).

          He took five day trips to Krakow and Dublin for R&R–research and relaxation.

          His summer reading included Francisco de Vitoria: Defensor de los Derechos Humanos; G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy; and Ken Follett, Column of Fire, third volume of the Pillars of the Earth series.

The Office of Human Resources would like to welcome the following new staff to the University.

Timothy Hisey, help desk manager, Computer and Information Systems
Brannon Molvik, technology support analyst II, Computer and Information Systems
Stella Willoughby, seasonal assistant rowing coach, Athletics

The Office of Human Resources would like the SPU community to congratulate Laurie Roberts in her new appointment as receptionist in Health Services.