I want to extend my thanks to our community for the rapid response and support for students from the Art Institute of Seattle. As I reflect on the situation these students were in and the challenge it presented for quick review of their academic options, I continue to be thankful for our incredible faculty and staff who stepped up to meet the challenge and help the students who are now a part of our community.

In particular, I want to thank the following offices and people for their extraordinary effort beyond enrolling the students that were already in process.

• University Communications
• Student Financial Services and Enrollment Operations
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Student Academic Services

And our faculty, and in particular:

• Raedene Copeland
• Aaron Dingler
• Daniela Gheleva
• Karen Gutowsky-Zimmerman
• Sandra Hartje
• Scott Kolbo
• Sarah Mosher
• Todd Rendleman

As we reported to the Faculty Senate in early April, we ended up enrolling 23 new students and met with many more in this process. While not all of the students were able or eligible to join us, they experienced SPU’s authentic care and compassion and for that I’m very proud of our community.

SPU’s Disability Support Services present their annual "No Limits, No Boundaries" event focused on increasing campus and community awareness of disability, and honoring an individual whose life, spirit, and work reflect a commitment to access, inclusion, and reconciliation. This year’s speaker and recipient of the No Limits, No Boundaries Award is local architect Karen Braitmayer FAIA. Come hear her Thursday, April 25, 6–7:30 p.m., in Nickerson Studios.

The Ecofaith Lecture, “Reforesting Faith: What Trees Teach Us About the Nature of God and His Love for Us,” is Thursday, April 25, 7–8:30 p.m. in Demaray Hall 150. Speaker Matthew Sleeth, MD, is a former physician and carpenter, and this lecture is based on his book, Reforesting Faith (WaterBrook, 2019).

The Theatre Department will present A Wrinkle in Time, April 25–27, and May 2–4, in McKinley Hall Theatre on campus. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of two Saturday matinee performances on April 27 and May 4 at 1 p.m.

This beloved story by Madeleine L’Engle tells the story of the heroine, Meg Murry, who joins forces with a cast of characters to battle the forces of evil so she can rescue her father, save humanity, and find herself. Under the direction of SPU theatre faculty member Charlotte Tiencken, the production features a small group of multi-faceted actors and puppets.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors (age 60 and over) and students (age 25 and under) with a valid I.D. Tickets are available for purchase at the door, online at the Theatre Box Office or by calling 206-281-2959.

The Fan Mayhall Gates Literary Reading is Thursday, April 25, 6:30–8:30 p.m., in the Art Center Gallery. The guest this year is D.L. Mayfield, who writes about refugees, theology, and downward mobility, among other topics. She is the author of a book of essays titled Assimilate or Go Home: Notes From a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith.

The debut concert of the new Ensemble[21] features original music of SPU composers and a cutting-edge 21st-century repertoire. The concert will be Tuesday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Nickerson Studios near campus. The event is wheelchair accessible and will be livestreamed.

A message from Campus Dining: Earth Day 2019 is Monday, April 22, but you can celebrate all week in Gwinn Commons. 

Monday will focus on animal welfare. Enjoy a 100% cage-free egg breakfast or a 100% sustainable seafood dinner in Gwinn Commons.

Tuesday will focus on the growth of Plant-Based Dining Initiatives. There will be a “Life of a Beet” presentation at lunch, which was presented at the Washington and Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference. Enjoy a plant-based meal that utilizes local beets from root to stem. 

Wednesday will focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, which will be available for purchase at lunch at the Gwinn Commons Farmers Market.

A message from the John Perkins Center: Did you miss the first tulip sale? Good news; we have another tulip sale this week. Purchase a bunch of tulips and support SPRINT (Seattle Pacific Reachout International) students in their trip to Colombia this summer. Each bunch of ten stems are $10 and they come straight from the growers in Mt. Vernon, Washington. We are taking online orders until midnight on Saturday, April 27. If you have questions, email sprint@spu.edu.

Please mark your calendar for the 2019 Celebration of Service, on Thursday, May 9, to honor Seattle Pacific University faculty and staff members with milestone years (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45) of dedicated employment. The event will be held in Brougham Pavilion at 11:10 a.m. Come support your colleagues and express your appreciation for their committed service. We will announce Staff Members of the Year, as well as Undergraduate and Graduate Faculty of the Year. There will be a community reception immediately following, and light appetizers will be served. All offices are closed so faculty and staff members can attend.

The School of Psychology, Family, and Community presents their annual event, "Voices of Autism: Individuals, Families, and Professionals" on Saturday, April 27, 1–4 p.m. in Demaray Hall 150. Come hear discussions from experts and families living with autism, and take part in a resource fair to connect individuals who have ASD and their families with community programs in Washington state. This year's keynote lecture, “You Are Your Child’s Most Important Educational Advocate: Notes for Parents of Children with Autism From a Psychologist’s 32 Years in Clinics and Schools," will be given by Clinical Psychologist Allison Brooks, Ph.D.

A message from Robyn Myers, Camp Casey conference services manager: The swimming pool at the Camp Casey Conference Center will not open this summer due to an unexpected and severe maintenance issue that cannot be repaired in time for the summer season. We know how much this pool is loved by faculty and staff, so we wanted to send this announcement as soon as possible. 

The Camp Casey outdoor pool was last renovated in 1995, and has been a popular location for swimming lessons and recreation for the Whidbey Island community. For several years, the Coupeville Lions Club has generously offered swimming lesson scholarships for those who qualified.

If you have any questions, contact me at robyn@spu.edu.

Seattle is known as a place of technological innovation, but many residents do not have access to the technology or skills needed to participate fully in our digital society. Come hear what the City of Seattle and other organizations are doing to close divides related to digital access and digital literacy in the panel discussion, Digital Equity and Inclusion in Seattle on Tuesday, May 7, 7 p.m., Upper Gwinn Commons. Panelists include:

• David Keyes, digital equity program manager for the City of Seattle
• Steven Maheshwary, chair of the Seattle Community Technology Advisory Board and board advisor for DemocracyLab
• Minh-Duc Nguyen, executive director, Helping Link
• Marcellus Turner, executive director and chief librarian, The Seattle Public Library
• Stacey Wedlake, research coordinator and analyst, Technology and Social Change Group at the University of Washington Information School

The event, sponsored by SPU's Information Studies Program and Friends of the Seattle Pacific University Library, is free and wheelchair accessible.

A current estate plan is vital to ensuring you leave a legacy that counts. A complimentary estate planning seminar with attorney Ryan Rehberg of Rehberg Law Group, PLLC, will be held Wednesday, April 24. Due to popular demand, a third estate planning seminar session will be held 2:30–4 p.m.  A light meal will be provided at each seminar and complimentary follow-up consultations with the attorneys will also be offered to attendees.

Date: Wednesday, April 24
Time: 12–1:30 p.m.; 2:30–4 p.m.; or 6–7:30 p.m.*
Location: Hendricks Falcon Club in Royal Brougham Pavilion
RSVP: Courtney Hollander in Alumni, Parent, and Family Relations at 206-281-2451 or hollanderc@spu.edu

*The same seminar will be offered.

Learn more about the upcoming Diversity Seed Grant application due date, diversity initiatives across campus, and strategies for mentoring and making office hours matter in the April edition of ODEI Connections.

Ivy Honorary will honor retiring faculty Ramona Holmes and Doug Thorpe by having them present their “Last Lecture” on Wednesday, May 1, 5 p.m. in Eaton 112. Ramona is professor of music education, and Doug is professor of English. The concept of the Ivy Honorary “Last Lecture” event is based on the 2007 lecture and 2008 book by Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor who died from pancreatic cancer in July 2008. In subsequent Last Lectures, professors reflect on what matters most and what wisdom they would hope to share with others.

Human Resources maintains a webpage for all open positions on campus and at Camp Casey and Blakey Island. Visit this website for the latest openings.

The new Staff Council term begins on July 1, and five open positions are available for representatives from Student Life, Athletics, Campus Ministries; Enrollment Management and Marketing; Finance and Business Affairs; and the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs. If you’re interested in serving for the coming two-year term (or for a term in the future), or would like more information about what it means to serve on Staff Council, email staffcouncil@spu.edu or connect with your current Staff Council representative. Thanks for your consideration. 

As you begin to hire students for summer employment, remember that on-campus summer housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please advise your student employees to complete an application in the Housing Portal by Tuesday, May 7, if they hope to live on campus during the summer. If you have any questions, contact Housing and Meal Plan Services at 206-281-2188 or housing@spu.edu.

A reminder from University Communications: With the rebrand, SPU faculty and staff are asked to adopt the same email signature convention. This will provide more consistency across campus. UC has provided instructions on how to update your email signature to the newly branded signature. Because graphics cannot be consistently delivered through email on mobile devices or when an email is forwarded, UC is not recommending use of the new SPU flame for email signatures. UC is also recommending “Arial” as the default font for email correspondence. If you have any questions, contact UC at 206-281-2051 or ucofficemgr@spu.edu.

You have until 9:59 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, to have stationery orders delivered Monday, May 20. Stationery orders are delivered once a month. Orders made after 10 a.m. on May 7 will be delivered June 17. For more information, contact Hope McPherson in University Communications at hmcpherson@spu.edu.

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, April 25. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, April 29.

This week, we are highlighting two more faculty colleagues who will retire at the end of this academic year. We hope you will enjoy watching and reading a bit more about them.

Please join us in celebrating:

Frank Spina, professor of Old Testament, for 46 years of service.

• Video tribute | Emeritus Resolution

Ramona Holmes, professor of music education, for 25 years of service.

• Video tribute | Emerita Resolution

Lynette Bikos, associate dean, School of Psychology, Family, and Community, and Jacqui Smith-Bates, dean of career and learning support, gave a presentation about the Center for Career and Calling's Field Guide and its companion piece, the Online Field Guide, at the biannual NetVUE conference. The Field Guide supports students by guiding them through their time at Seattle Pacific, with academic milestones, career tools, and discernment practices. The conference was attended by about 750 university members from various Council of Independent Colleges institutions nationwide and was held in Louisville, Kentucky.

Katya Drozdova, associate professor of political science, presented her research at the University of Washington’s QUAL Speaker Series based on her book Quantifying the Qualitative: Information Theory for Comparative Case Analysis (SAGE, 2016). QUAL (Qualitative Multi-Method Research Initiative) promotes rigorous research design and methods training in the social sciences as well as community building around these goals.

Jennifer McKinney, professor of sociology, has been appointed to serve on the advisory committee for the 2020 U.S. Religion Census: Religious Congregations and Membership Study (USRC 2020). The decennial census provides the most complete data available on religious congregations and their members. The longevity of the study, using the county-level data, helps to identify national trends and track religious change. The USRC is conducted by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB). Access the USRC’s data from 2010, 2000, 1990, and 1980 from the Association of Religion Data Archives.

Brad Murg, assistant professor of political science and director of global development studies, was invited by the Université du Québec, where he serves as a member of the scientific committee of the Chaire Leopold Senghor, to lecture on the future of Haitian economic development. He lectured to a group of Haitian graduate students and young development professionals. Brad’s two hour lecture and Q&A, conducted in French, was organized online via Zoom with participants in Montreal, Port-au-Prince, and Cap-Haitien.

From University Archivist Adrienne Meier: This panorama photo of the Seattle Seminary campus was taken around 1911 at the corner of Third Avenue West and West Bertona Street, looking southwest. From right to left the buildings are Tiffany Hall (completed 1908, demolished 2001); Peterson Hall (completed 1904); Alexander Hall (completed 1893); the Girls’ Hall (completed 1900, demolished 1960); and the president’s house, where Alexander and Adelaide Beers lived at the time of the photo. An unpaved section of West Bertona Street can be seen in the foreground. The picture was taken by E.L. Meyer Photo of Seattle. Select the link for the full panorama.

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