SPU Symposium to Explore Higher Education

What does it mean to be an evangelical Christian university? What is evangelicalism and how does it inform higher learning? What contribution does SPU make as a Wesleyan evangelical university to the world of higher education? What core commitments must we make to propel us into a more vital role in the 21st Century? These and other penetrating questions will be explored during a national event to be held on the Seattle Pacific University campus February 11-14, 1997. The University Through the Eyes of Faith: A Symposium on Evangelicalism and Higher Education is designed as the centerpiece for SPU's Inaugural Year and "as a catalyst for intentional thinking about the future of evangelicalism and higher learning," says President Philip Eaton. The Seattle Pacific symposium will bring together prominent scholars and leaders in Christian higher education and Wesleyan thought, including: Kent Hill, president of Eastern Nazarene College; William Hull, University Professor at Samford University; Kenneth Kinghorn, dean of the School of Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary; Alister McGrath , principal of Wycliffe Hall at the University of Oxford; Thomas Oden, Henry Anson Buttz Professor of Theology and Ethics at Drew University; Nancy Pearcey, fellow and policy director of The Wilberforce Forum; James Sire, senior editor of InterVarsity Press; Patricia Ward, chair of the Department of French and Italian at Vanderbilt University; David Wells, Andrew Mutch Professor of Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and Ben Witherington III , professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary. Events include individual addresses as well as panel discussions. Each speaker will in some way address the now-famous question posed by John and Charles Wesley: How can we "unite the two so long disjoined, sound knowledge and vital piety"? The Symposium is free and open to anyone. For more information or to obtain a full schedule of events, contact Inaugural Year Coordinator Chad Pecknold at 206/281-2763 or at cpeck@spu.edu

Accrediting Body Seeks Input on SPU

The Commission on Colleges will visit Seattle Pacific University April 16-18, 1997, to conduct a full-scale evaluation of the University in compliance with the accreditation procedures set forth by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NASC). Currently, SPU enjoys full accreditation by the NASC. This status was reaffirmed after the last Commission visit in 1988. Anyone wishing to comment about University programs related to the accreditation process should write to: Commission on Colleges, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, 3700 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105-6796. Comments must be received by March 16, 1997.

SPU Mourns the Death of Doctoral Program Founder

On November 21, the Seattle Pacific University community gathered in First Free Methodist Church to pay tribute to Dennis Bailie Guernsey, director of family psychology programs at SPU. The respected professor, author and academic leader died November 15 of brain cancer at the age of 58. Among his many accomplishments, Dennis Guernsey built two doctoral programs in marriage and family therapy. The first was at Fuller Theological Seminary; the second now thrives at SPU. "We worked as a team for 15 years," recalls Ray Anderson, professor of theology and ministry at Fuller. He says Guernsey, who joined the Seminary faculty in 1978, was the force behind its doctoral program in marriage and family therapy. "That was his genius - getting things going." Dennis Guernsey and his wife, Lucy, came to Seattle Pacific in 1992. Lucy became dean of students, while Dennis began to build his second doctoral program. "What a man of vision he was," says Associate Professor of Psychology Les Parrott. "Dennis had a clear picture of the University's potential for training clinicians in the ministry of marriage and family. He was my friend and mentor." Before his death, a Seattle Pacific lecture series was established in Dennis Guernsey's honor. Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology Nathan Brown, who now heads the doctoral program, says the annual lecture will focus on one of Guernsey's deepest commitments - the integration of theology and psychology. SPU President Philip Eaton recently visited the Family Therapy Clinic on campus established under Guernsey's leadership. An outreach clinic, it acts as both a training ground for graduate students and a provider of low-cost therapy to the community. "I am so impressed by the work going on there," says Eaton. "All of that came from Dennis. I'm going to miss him a lot. We all will."

School of Education Commended by NCATE

Despite having one of the state's premiere teacher education programs, it's still "pins and needles" time in Seattle Pacific University's School of Education when the national evaluators come to call. The visit last spring of a team from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) required extensive input from professors, administrators, students, field supervisors and employers. The results were recently announced: Seattle Pacific not only received full approval of its education program at both the initial teacher preparation and advanced levels, it was granted a rare NCATE award for "exemplary practice." "Such commendation is only given when a program is held up as a national model," says Ginger MacDonald, assistant professor of school counseling and associate dean in charge of preparation for the NCATE review. While the examination once every five years is stringent, MacDonald says it has considerable value apart from the prestige. "It provides an opportunity to share our distinctive mission with other institutions nationwide."

Poetry Celebrated at SPU Reading

"The function of poetry is to awaken us to beauty," says Seattle Pacific University Instructor of English Doug Thorpe. "Great poets do that wonderfully, and there's something about hearing poets read their own work that deepens the experience." On November 25, SPU had the unique opportunity to hear authors interpret their own words when Thorpe invited three poets to campus: Denise Levertov, one of America's leading poets of the last 50 years, internationally known and winner of numerous literary awards; Emily Warn, author of two volumes of poetry, The Leaf Path and The Novice Insomniac; and Sam Hamill, co-founder of one of the nation's most important publishers of poetry, Copper Canyon Press of Port Townsend, Washington. The reading was also a fund-raiser for Share Our Strength, a writers' program which supports the homeless and hungry. Since coming to Seattle Pacific in 1988, Thorpe has intentionally focused on these types of literary events. "It's a resource for students, of course, but I also want to get the word out about poetry and support it. Our assumption," he says, "is that poetry matters." It clearly matters to him. Thorpe writes poetry, reads it daily and this spring will publish an anthology that he edited, The Life of the Spirit, which includes poetry.

Second Essence Opens its Pages to Alumni

Second Essence, a journal of the literary and visual arts published by Seattle Pacific University students, will now accept submissions from alumni as well as current students, faculty and staff. The change was made "in an effort to broaden the scope of Second Essence," says Editor-in-Chief Jason Zinza. Published annually in late spring, Second Essence seeks to include the best poetry, prose, photography, sketches, drawings and other artistic accomplishments of the SPU community. Alumni who wish to submit artistic works to be considered for publication in the 1997 edition of the journal should write to Second Essence, Humanities Office, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, Washington 98119.

SPU Welcomes New Faculty

Fifteen scholars recently joined the Seattle Pacific University faculty ranks. "Once again, we're fortunate to have some outstanding additions to our faculty," says Martin Abbott, interim provost. "These individuals bring both the finest scholarship and a deep Christian faith." The new faculty members are: Tom Amorose, English; Jeffrey Barnhart, Spanish; Nathan Brown, clinical family psychology; Denise Daniels, management (one-year appointment); Susan Allen Evans, social service (replacing faculty member on leave); John Goux, music; Jeff Joireman, social psychology; Russ Killingsworth, mathematics; Frank Kline, education; Kathy Lustyk, physiological psychology; William Nagy, reading education; Kevin Neuhouser, sociology; William Rowley, school counseling; and Linda Westbrook, nursing. Please read our disclaimer. Send any questions, comments or correspondence about Response to jgilnett@spu.edu or call 206-281-2051. Copyright © 1999 University Communications, Seattle Pacific University. Seattle Pacific University Office of University Communications 3307 Third Avenue West Seattle, Washington 98119-1997 United States of America