A message from University Ministries: Join the campus community as SPU takes up this critical practice of lament, with the knowledge that this heart-posture is essential for reconciliation and the restorative work set before us.

Remembrance: Japanese American Incarceration – A Service of Lament
Tuesday, Feb. 18
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Upper Gwinn Commons

The History Department is hosting a brownbag series, News & Nachos. Move past sound bites and headlines for substantive conversations about current events in historical perspective. Join us Thursday, February 20, 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. in the Eaton Hall Lobby for a discussion on "Does the U.S. Torture? Lessons from Japanese Internment to Guantanamo Bay," led by Alissa Walter, assistant professor of history. This discussion is part of the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read: King County, co-sponsored by SPU. 

Chips and salsa will be served. The series is for students, faculty, and staff, and all are welcome.

The Office of Human Resources will host SPU’s annual Retirement Ready Seminar on Tuesday, March 10, 4–7:30 p.m., Upper Gwinn Commons, Queen Anne Room. It is an opportunity for faculty and staff who are making plans or preparing to retire in the near future to ask their questions to professionals in the retirement industry. A light dinner will be served. We hope that you will be able to join us, and watch for registration details coming soon!

Questions about attending the seminar:

• Who should attend this seminar?  Those who are planning to retire within the next ten or more years.
• What should you bring? 
  • There will be some printed materials from our speakers, but the majority of the information will be presented over PowerPoint presentations.  Please come prepared to take notes. 
  •  It is encouraged that you open your My Social Security account before the seminar and bring your Benefit Statement Printout as these will be referenced in the Social Security session.
• May I bring a guest?  Yes, you are welcome to bring a guest.
• I am unable to attend the seminar, will the presentations be recorded?  We will not be recording the presentations, but any printed material and PowerPoint slides will be available on the HR Wiki Retirement page after the seminar.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions Workshop Series is a three-part professional development plan designed to equip employees with the habits of mind and tools to address diversity-related matters on campus and contribute positively to a culture of belonging at SPU. In addition to Diversity 101, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is introducing “Diversity 102: Understanding Our Social Identities in the Context on Christian Community” and “Diversity 103: Becoming a Faith-Formed Inclusive Community” this quarter. Learn more about the workshops and register on our website.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions would like to thank all the faculty and staff who served as interviewers for the second round of the Distinguished Scholar Award competition on February 7. Thank you to professors Jenny Tenlen, Helen Chung, Heidi Monroe, Peg Achterman, Randy Beavers, Daniel Schofield, Danny Helseth, Rebekah Rice, Raphael Mondesir, Owen Ewald, Rod Stiling, Scott Kolbo, Alison Stigora, Laura Lasworth, and Jeffrey Overstreet, as well as staff members Jake Carlson, Bethany Cummins, Teylar Greer, and Kate Barker. As mentioned earlier, this competition would not have been such a success without the wonderful legwork of Professor of English Chris Chaney and incredible presentations by Professor of Biology Eric Long. We are very grateful for the widespread participation of so many faculty and staff in the majors and activities fair, and for taking such care to connect with our future students. Thank you!

Human Resources, Cigna, and Interactive Health have partnered together to offer free, confidential health and wellness screenings available to SPU employees and spouses currently enrolled in SPU’s Health Plan. On campus sessions will be held Wednesday, March 4, 7:30–11:30 a.m. and Thursday, March 5, 7:30–11:30 a.m. in Upper Gwinn, Cascade Room. You can earn points toward your wellness incentive of $75 through the myCigna Motivate ME program. Enrolled spouses can earn $25.

Your preventive health screening will take less than 20 minutes and consists of a health assessment, blood pressure screening, and a comprehensive blood test. Your results are 100% confidential and will not be shared with your employer. Both fasting and non-fasting options will be available. Please bring your Cigna medical ID card to your biometric screening. Contact Cherylin Shdo in Human Resources at shdoc@spu.edu with any questions.

To schedule your appointment:

1. Register online at www.hsscreeningreg.com. Please enter the login and password exactly how it appears below, and hit “Login.”
   • Login: seattle.pacific
   • Password: healthy
   
   If this is your first time logging in, scroll to the bottom and click on the “Create a New Account” button at the lower left of the screen. Simply provide the following information in the appropriate fields. Enter your birth date in (mmddyyyy) format. Click “Save My Account Profile.”
   

   Click the “Create New Appointment” button. This will bring up a screen that lists the available events box at the top of the page. Select your appointment location, date, and time. Confirm that the screening date and personal information on the screen are correct and select the time you wish to attend the screening from the drop down menu that appears to the right of “Appointment Times.” Now click “Save New Appointment.”

Your Falcon gymnasts will compete one last time for the regular season Friday, February 21, at 7 p.m. in Royal Brougham Pavilion. Don’t miss out on some amazing flips and tricks! As always, all faculty and staff members and their families receive free tickets. Don’t miss this family-friendly event as we honor the four seniors graduating this year.

A message from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Diversity Resource Guide includes readings, podcasts, videos, and teaching tools to facilitate your continued growth in the work of diversity. Updated quarterly, the list offers a sample of resources organized by a guiding question and categorized by levels of engagement. Explore the guide here.

Staff Council would like to recognize the Finance Office for their committed effort through the end of Autumn Quarter and beginning of Winter Quarter. Thanks for you all do!

A message from Kim Cavanaugh, director of annual giving: This year, SPU will host our second-annual Giving Day on Wednesday, March 4, to raise funding for the University and our students. In 2019 — the SPU Giving Day “beta year”— we made history by recruiting more donors than ever before to give to Seattle Pacific during a 24-hour period. Our goal this year is to beat last year and see 400 donors give to SPU on March 4.

Want to get involved for free, plus win SPU swag and prizes? Become a social media ambassador! (e.g. share about Giving Day with your social media networks). For more information, drop a note to me at cavanaughk@spu.edu. You won’t want to miss the chance to win some great prizes this year.

Eleven new causes from around the University will join this year and seek to raise funding for special projects and programs. From scholarships and aid to academics, athletics, Christian faith formation, and much more, SPU Giving Day shows the impact our global community can have. To save the date and for more information, visit givingday.spu.edu.

This month, in collaboration with Seattle Pacific University, Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum initiates a series of panel discussions about faith in America today. Folio is a community organization located in Pike Place Market which serves “as a gathering place for books and the people who love them. Devoted to the intellectually curious, Folio offers circulating collections, vibrant conversations, innovative cultural and civic programs, and work spaces for writers.” The series begins with a panel on faith and art followed by a panel on youth and faith in March. Future topics in April and May include the Bible in a post-biblical age, faith perspectives on artificial intelligence, and faith and politics.

On Monday, February 24, the series begins with a panel discussion moderated by Mischa Willett, SPU instructor of writing. Exploring stories as animating practice with a focus on “the beyond," Julia Duin will introduce us to contemporary Mongolian evangelical artists, Serrah Russell will discuss art-making as ritual and meditation, and Jeremiah Webster will discuss disenchantment. The cost is $20 ($15 for Folio members.) For more information and to register, visit the website.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions continues to be grateful for the support of our wonderful faculty, throughout the month of February, in handwriting several thousand notecards to our admitted students. Every single personal contact with this group of students counts! The following academic areas have made huge in-roads in writing notecards: SHS, Sociology, FCS, Philosophy, ECS, Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Math, Physics, Art, English, HHP, Music, and Theology. If you do not have scheduled times to gather, please be sure all of your cards are written, addressed, and returned to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by Friday, February 28. If you have questions, contact Michelle McFarland.

Sigma Rho is hosting a rummage sale April 3 and 4 to raise money for student scholarships. As you begin cleaning out closets and de-cluttering this spring, consider donating the following items: clothing, furniture, decor, linens, kitchen items, tools, toys, camping equipment, jewelry (real and costume), and books. (No large appliances or electronics— small ones are fine.) All items must be in good condition. Please tell your friends and family we want their treasures, too, and start setting your boxes aside! Donations can be dropped off March 13 and 14 from 8 a.m.–12 p.m., and March 19 from 4–7 p.m. in the old barbershop next to Subway and across from Tiffany Loop. Questions? Contact Pam Martin at martinp2@spu.edu. Sigma Rho is a philanthropic organization of Family and Consumer Sciences.

The current exhibit at the Seattle Pacific Art Center Gallery (SPAC) is titled At the edge of both, a group exhibition curated by local artist Serrah Russell and Assistant Professor of Art Zack Bent. The exhibit presents four artists who expose the complexity of  perceptions of geography and place. Through the bending of their chosen mediums, these artists appear to turn landscape and space inside out, revealing hidden seams and edges. The exhibit runs through March 6 at SPAC, located at 3 West Cremona Street. The hours are 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Monday–Thursday, or by appointment. Follow SPAC on Instagram or subscribe to our mailing list for upcoming events.

Once again SPU Athletics, in partnership with Shepherd Family Chiropractic, is offering all students, faculty, staff a FREE stress scan on Friday, February 28, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., in Royal Brougham’s Falcon Club. No appointment is needed, just drop in! Coffee and cookies will be provided. A 10-minute scan will measure muscle tension and identify where you are holding your stress. Scans are non-invasive and painless and quite informative. Dr. Shepherd will pinpoint areas of imbalance and provide the proper course of action. Learn more on the clinic's website. Questions about the event can be directed to Stefanie Kosco in Athletics at stefanie@spu.edu. We hope to see you there!

Do you know a student who demonstrates Christian character, has made a commitment to on- or off-campus service, shows a willingness to take on tasks regardless of recognition or challenge, demonstrates leadership, and is currently a junior? If so, nominate him or her for the Barnabas Servant Leadership Scholarship. Recipients of this scholarship receive a $750 cash grant and a contribution of $250 given in their name to a charity of their choice. Online nominations are due by March 6, 2020, and can be found on the University Ministries Student Leaders web page.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) during the academic year. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, February 24. The deadline is Thursday, February 20. 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.

"Remnants," an exhibition of work by Professor of Art Laura Lasworth, is now on display in Nickerson Studios. Laura says this about the work in her artist statement. “The paintings and drawings in this exhibition represent a petite, patchwork, retrospective glance at some twenty-five years of work. Looking back and simply put, the work in total attempts to record a journey through various regions of the inner life, mapping a particular cosmology of the soul.”

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Wind Ensemble performed “When I See His Glorious Face” and “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus,” on February 16 by Stephen Newby, professor of music and director of composition.

Alberto Ferreiro, professor of history, recently gave a guest talk titled “Paschal Mystery” for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Bothell. This was his third of five scheduled talks for those who will be baptized and/or confirmed at Easter Vigil.

Brad Murg, assistant professor of political science and director of Global Development Studies. was quoted in the Los Angeles Times on February 13 in a story about the relationship between China and Pakistan and the coronavirus outbreak. 

Stephen Newby, professor of music and director of composition, was interviewed on the radio show “City Lights,” which airs on WABE 90.1 FM in Atlanta, Georgia. In the interview, he described Montage for Martin: A Celebration of MLK, the oratorio tribute he composed to honor Martin Luther King Jr., and most recently performed at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.