Join the 2021 Perkins Lecture Series, Living Into the Legacy: Women in Reconciliation, Tuesday, April 27–Thursday, April 29. Brenda Salter McNeil, associate professor of reconciliation studies, will begin the week with the annual Perkins Lecture on Tuesday, April 27, 10:30 a.m. The week’s other virtual events will include spaces for connecting with campus through a Black Women Leading Panel, a conversation on student leadership, and a conversation with the CCDA Regional Network and Dr. John Perkins. Learn about all of the virtual offering by visiting the event site.

The rise in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate has exposed the latent racism against Asians in the U.S. This forum on Thursday, April 29, 7-8:30 p.m. will provide an opportunity to process anti-Asian racism, explore Asian American identity, and advocate against AAPI hate. The event is for AAPI students and the entire SPU community and panelists include Drs. Helen Chung (I-O psychology), Chaplain Lisa Ishihara, Paul Kim (psychology), Keyne Law (clinical psychology), Bo Lim (theology), Emily Nguyen (nursing), Munyi Shea (education), and Vanessa Zhou (clinical psychology). Join the forum via Zoom at spu.zoom.us/j/94848189939. Questions? Email bolim@spu.edu.

The History Department invites faculty, staff, and students to its Spring Quarter News & Nachos event: “Can the American Church Survive?” on Thursday, April 29, 10:10–11:40 a.m. on Zoom at spu.zoom.us/j/93114955781. 

In the face of partisan politics, racial inequality, and disagreements over gender and sexuality in the church, American Christians find themselves deeply divided (and oftentimes segregated) on Sunday mornings and, increasingly, in daily life together. The use of Christian symbols and language by many individuals and white supremacist organizations who besieged the Capitol on Jan. 6, or even the opposition to COVID-19 vaccination by some evangelical leaders, can feel like a moment of existential reckoning for American Christians. What has American Christianity been in the past, what has it become today, and where can we go in the future? And how can we apply these lessons to our own campus as we have recently found ourselves divided on questions of sexuality and, at times, on questions of faith and social justice more broadly? Join us as four panelists discuss these questions: Mike Hamilton (history emeritus), Josh Tom (sociology), Katie Douglass (theology), and Rev. Lisa Ishihara (SPU chaplain). There will be time for Q&A afterward.

Open to supervisors: This workshop from the Office of Inclusive Excellence provides practical strategies for navigating difficult conversations in the workplace around issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Participants explore common examples of difficult dialogues; examine how past experiences, biases, and fears can trigger unproductive responses; and acquire tools to turn challenging situations into opportunities for growth. This session is intended for supervisors who want to learn how to communicate across differences more productively and with less stress and anxiety. Next Session: April 28, 10–11 a.m. Register here.

University Communications needs help identifying outstanding students from this year’s graduating class. This request is for undergraduate and graduate students. These students and their achievements will be pitched to media outlets prior to Commencement, as well as used for promotional purposes. Please send the name(s) of the students and a short description about why you are recommending them. Examples would be students who overcame obstacles to graduate, were involved in community service projects, participated in innovative research, started a new venture, took a class that changed their career direction, or did something really interesting. Basically, anything that would make a good story! We will follow up with the student and get permission to use their profile. Send information by email to Director of Public Information Tracy Norlen at tcnorlen@spu.edu.

Latinx Meetings are a safe space for Latinx identifying faculty and staff and also a place to create a strong sense of community dedicated to professional support and success. The next meetings are May 21 and June 28 at noon.
Contact Nina Vizcarrondo in Multi-Ethnics Programs at Vizcarrondon@spu.edu.

You’re invited to the School of Education’s EdTalks dialogue event with a focus on building numeracy skills through community partnerships. Omo Moses, former executive director and founding member of the Young People’s Project, will reflect on his experiences learning and teaching math and working with students, families, and teachers employing math skills as a catalyst for upliftment, liberation, and systemic change. When: May 6, 4–5:30 p.m. PDT.  Register for the virtual event here.

Faculty and staff are invited to join intramurals virtual yoga classes during Spring Quarter with yoga instructor Haley Bjerkestrand. Take a break and join the Thursday classes at 5 p.m. or 6:15 p.m., beginning April 29. Sign up through Calendly. Questions or issues? Email intramurals@spu.edu.

Take a 10-minute break and join Sharpen or UMin’s Instagram page for a guided time of communal “Breath Prayer.” Join us on May 3, May 17, and May 31 at 12:30 p.m.

The University Ministries team is available as needed to faculty and staff. If you would benefit from spiritual care and pastoral presence during this time of uncertainty, there are multiple opportunities to pause, pray, and meet together as a community. Here's a list of resources available from UMin and other campus partners. UMin: Hard Spaces Together.

The SPU Art Department is pleased to announce the 2021 Studio + Visual Art Senior Exhibition ¡Vamos! curated by guest artist and theologian Maria Fee. The multidisciplinary exhibition can be viewed online at the SPAC Gallery website. Please join us to celebrate this culmination of work for our Senior Studio + Visual Art students!

The Office of Human Resources will host a Retirement Ready Webinar Series during the week of May 4–6, 2021. It is an opportunity for faculty and staff who are making plans or preparing to retire in the near future to hear from professionals in the retirement industry. We hope that you will be able to join us live or take advantage of these recorded events. Watch for specific webinar details and links to come.

From The Office of Human Resources: Transamerica representative Ronee Dakin will be available for one-on-one phone consultations Wednesday, May 12, and Thursday, May 13. She will be available to discuss your retirement strategy over the phone. Please have access to the internet during your phone consultation. Make an appointment here.

Faculty and campus partners, please join with the SPU library on Thursday, April 29, for a time of learning about open textbooks and how they can support student learning and success. Learn more and register here.

The John Perkins Center is hosting this annual writing competition for students enrolling or enrolled at SPU. The Perkins Prize honors the legacy of John Perkins’ work in reconciliation and Christian community development. The deadline for entries has been extended to April 30, 2021. The winner will receive a $1,000 SPU tuition scholarship. Visit the Perkins Prize webpage for detailed information.

All faculty and staff who come to campus must complete an online self-screening to attest that they meet certain criteria for being on campus (e.g., not exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms). SPU has developed a campuswide tool through Banner (login into Banner and select Personal Menu) to report a daily COVID-19 self-attestation for faculty and staff working on campus (including Camp Casey and Blakely Island). A link to the self-attestation form is also available on the Stay Smart website, which is now highlighted in the top banner on the SPU homepage.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly during the academic year. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, May 3, and the deadline is Thursday, April 29. 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.

A message from the Center for Career and Calling: After many years of dedicated service, Dr. Jacqui Smith-Bates will be stepping down as the executive director of the Center for Career and Calling at the end of the academic year. Jacqui has served our students and community well since 1986. Even though Jacqui will be turning over the reins, she plans to continue serving our community with teaching and special projects for a period of time. So, don’t be surprised if you see Jacqui around campus.

The reins for the CCC are being handed over to Lori Brown as the interim director for the Center for Career and Calling. Lori currently serves as the CCC’s associate director and has focused on employer relations for the past seven years. 

We congratulate and thank Jacqui for her service and are excited to welcome Lori into this new role!

In recognition of her service to the SPU community, Susie England Becker, operations and testing manager in the Center for Learning, was nominated by her peers and selected by Staff Council as the April Staff Member of the Month. Congratulations and thank you, Susie! Learn more about Susie and nominate a colleague for recognition on the Staff Council website.

Alberto Ferreiro, professor of history, gave the lecture, “Commandments, of God” for the Rite for Christian Initiation for Adults at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Bothell on April 18. The talk explored among other topics, the continuity and innovation between the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. This the fifth and last talk of the series that he delivered. It also marked 20 years that he has contributed to this ministry at the parish.