The Provost's Office recently sent an email about the 2022 Undergraduate Commencement exercises on Sunday, June 12, at the Tacoma Dome. In case you missed it, you can read the complete email here. You can also visit the Commencement website for more information.

Schedule of events

Ivy Cutting

Saturday, June 11, 3–4 p.m., Tiffany Loop

Graduate Hooding Ceremonies

Friday, June 10, and Saturday, June 11, various times and locations

Graduate Commencement Ceremony

Saturday, June 11, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Tiffany Loop

Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony

Sunday, June 12, 2–4:30 p.m., Tacoma Dome

SPU has partnered with Curative — a company with a network of over 13,000 sites across 18 states and three CLIA certified, high-complexity labs — to provide COVID-19 testing for the greater Seattle community and our campus. The testing is by appointment only in the Student Union Building across from the Unicom desk. Hours are 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. with some additional later time slots reserved for SPU community members by referral.

Walk-ups cannot be accommodated. The number of tests and hours of testing will be limited to keep traffic at a minimum in the building. The Ross Parking Lot will be available for the public. To make an appointment, visit the Curative site or navigate directly to the appointment page.

Office and departments can request KN95 masks through Facilities and Project Management by filing out an online request via tma.spu.edu. Please make the request for one per person. The CDC currently recommends that you wear the most protective mask that fits well and that you will wear consistently. Surgical masks that fit securely, like KN95, KF94, and N95 masks, offer better protection than single/double layer cloth masks.

Sign up for In Context, a discussion series on racism and capitalism run through Catalyst. Our goal is to equip SPU community members to work toward a better world by thinking critically about systems of exploitation. All SPU students, staff, and faculty are welcome! This quarter, we will meet on Thursdays, Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Feb. 17, and Feb. 24, 4–5:30 p.m. Please reach out to student Patti Fong at fongp@spu.edu with any questions.

"House Specials: SPU Art Faculty Exhibition," featuring sculpture, painting, video, and animation by Art Department faculty, is currently on display in the Seattle Pacific Art Center. Assistant Professor of Art Zack Bent says, "Drop by sometime this quarter to check out what these artists and designers do for research! You are welcome to direct your students to the space as well for visual exploration and contemplation." The center is open Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 3 West Cremona Street. The exhibit runs through March 11.

In the latest SPU Voices podcast, Mischa Willett, assistant professor of English and director of the Ascent Scholars Program, talks about this cohort-based program that helps students build relationships and navigate challenges they may encounter during their undergraduate years.

The Office of Inclusive Excellence invites you to join us on Thursday, Jan. 27, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. for Diversity 101: Exploring the What, Why, and How of Diversity at SPU. This workshop is required for all new employees. Learn more and register online.

To promote a healthy working environment and in compliance with applicable law, SPU has created a training presentation regarding COVID-19 infection and prevention that all faculty, staff, and student employees must complete by Feb. 11, 2022. The training can be accessed through Percipio, SPU’s online training platform for employees (formerly known as Skillsoft). The training is approximately 17 minutes long, covers both general COVID-19 information and specific SPU policies, has closed captions available, and contains links to websites with additional information.

Detailed information about how to find and access the training was included in an email on Jan. 13, 2022, from the SPU COVID-19 Decision Group. If you have any difficulty accessing the training, contact Audrey Kamemoto in the Office of Risk Management at kamemoto@spu.edu.

From now through Monday, Jan. 24, faculty and staff will receive two bonus meals if they purchase a Faculty Staff Block 10 Meal Plan. That’s 12 meals for $91 (or $7.58 per meal)! (Limit one per person.) You can use the plan in Gwinn Commons anytime during service hours. Or you can use it to purchase Simply to Go meals at the Corner Place Market, Academic Perks (SUB), or Common Grounds (Weter). Meals can be used for guests, too. Plans can be purchased through Banner. Meal balances roll from quarter to quarter as long as you are employed at the University. Questions? Call Housing and Meal Plan Services at 206-281-2188 or email mealplan@spu.edu.

The Office of Inclusive Excellence, in partnership with the Biology Department, invites you to the Faith, Diversity, and Science Lecture on Monday, Jan. 31, 4–5 p.m. This lecture will be held virtually and livestreamed via the SPU YouTube channel. The keynote speaker, evolutionary biologist. geneticist, and author Dr. Joseph Graves, will address the questions, “How should we understand inevitability in creation?” and “Is racism inevitable?” Learn more here.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly during the academic year. The next deadline is Thursday, Jan. 27, and the next issue will be published Monday, Jan. 31.

If you have information or event news, send it as soon as possible with an image or graphic to Bulletin editor Tracy Norlen at fsb-editor@spu.edu. Submissions may be edited for clarity.

Gwia Kim, assistant professor of apparel design and merchandising, recently co-authored the article, “Virtual reality as a promotion tool for small independent stores,” which was published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services.

A book chapter co-authored by Kimberly Sawers, professor of accounting, titled “Developing the sustainability mindset and leadership,” was published in the book Sustainable Mindset and Transformative Leadership, edited by Aixa A. Ritz and Isabel Rimanoczy. Kimberly has also been appointed as an editor of Issues in Accounting Education.

Mohammad Shah, assistant professor of global development, co-authored the paper, “Deproblematizing the Federal–Unitary Dichotomy: Insights from a Public Opinion Survey about Approaches to Designing a Political System in Afghanistan,” which was published recently in Publius.

Jason's prose poem "Residue of Yesterday" was published on Jan. 16, in OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters. On Jan. 17, his article, "Unyielding Soil: On Stephen G. Bloom’s 'Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes: A Cautionary Tale of Race and Brutality' appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books and his short story, "The Cake Eater" was accepted by the Broadkill Review.

Alberto Ferreiro, professor of European history, gave the lecture, “The Paschal Mystery” at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Bothell on Jan. 16, 2022, to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults group. The talk focused on the Paschal Mystery in Scripture, the creed, and how to enter it through the sacraments and discipleship. It was the third of five scheduled talks.

Please join the Office of Human Resources in welcoming these new staff members:

• Leslie Cox, housing and meal plan manager, Housing and Meal Plan
• Shelby Perkins, undergraduate admissions counselor, University Recruitment & Admissions
• Jamee Rhoades, study abroad advisor, Global Engagement