The annual campus observance of Memorial Day will be Tuesday, May 26, beginning at 12 p.m. at the flap pole in Tiffany Loop. (Eaton Hall 112 in case of rain.) If you have a loved one who was killed while serving his or her country, we invite you to submit the name to be read during the ceremony. Following the ceremony, a luncheon will be offered in the SUB Gazebo Room. SPU students and alumni who were killed in action since World War II will be remembered, including the most recent alumnus, Nic Madrazo, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2008. All are welcome to attend. This event is sponsored by the Military and Veteran Support Club, and the Veteran and Military Support Cadre.

SPU’s Ivy Honorary presents “The Last Lecture of Professor George Scranton” on Wednesday, May 27, 6 p.m. in Emerson Hall lobby. George is a professor of theatre and will retire this year after more than 40 years at SPU. Students, faculty, staff, and the general public are welcome to attend. The concept of a “Last Lecture" is based on a 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. Ivy Honorary is SPU's chapter of the National Mortar Board Honor Society.

Please join Campus Dining in celebrating the annual Ho’loaule’a Celebration on Wednesday, May 20, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. in Gwinn Commons. This traditional luau will feature kalua pork, loco moco, bubble tea, guava cake, as well as live music, giveaways, and a photo booth. The cost is $7.78 for faculty and staff. 

Join SPU's Center for Biblical and Theological Education, School of Theology, and Seattle Pacific Seminary for a special event highlighting their faculty authors on Thursday, May 21, 3 p.m. in the Fine Center in First Free Methodist Church.

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Each year SPU and Image journal award a one-year writing and teaching fellowship to a post-graduate writer working to complete his or her first full-length fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry manuscript. During the next Creative Conversations event on Thursday, May 21, 12-12:50 p.m. in the Library Reading Room, current Milton Fellow Dyana Herron will discuss her project — which explores the experience of having a family member sentenced to federal prison — while focusing  on both the advantages and potential pitfalls of using humor to approach painful or delicate material.

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Doug Kelly, senior pastor at Bethany Presbyterian Church, will speak on the topic “Whose Are You?” from Romans 14 at the next Chapel on Tuesday, May 19, 11:10 a.m. in First Free Methodist Church. The weekly chapel “Gather” service is a time for faculty, staff, and students to worship God and celebrate the diversity of the church. The Spring Quarter services are following the Lectio series in the book of Romans.

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SPU’s Theatre Department presents the musical review “Oh, Coward!” about the life and work of British legend Noel Coward, a successful playwright, composer, lyricist, librettist, director, and actor. The production runs May 21-30 in the Backstage Theatre in McKinley Hall.

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The Art Department presents an exhibit featuring the work of graduating visual communication design students May 20-June 12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Art Center Gallery. The exhibit highlights multiple mediums of visual communication including motion, interaction, exhibit design, print, and brand identities. An opening reception will be held Thursday, May 28, 5-7 p.m.

SPU’s choirs will present a spring choral concert on Thursday, May 28, 7:30 p.m., at First Free Methodist Church. The performance will feature the 70-voice Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by David Anderson, assistant professor of music and director of choral music. The Men’s Choir will perform selected works and is directed by Interim Director Justin Cormier. Finally, the 48-voice Women’s Choir will perform “Hymn of Grateful Praise” by Northwest composer Joan Szymko; “Sing Creation’s Music On” by Stephen Paulus; and other selected works. The Women’s Choir is directed by Beth Ann Bonnecroy, SPU instructor of voice. Admission is free.

The Symphony Orchestra will present the concert “What Love Tells Me” on Friday, May 29, 7:30 p.m., at First Free Methodist Church. The concert will feature pianist and SPU Concerto Competition winner Hannah Chong. The repertoire will include works by Tchaikovsky, Liszt, and Mahler. The concert is directed by Eric Hanson, professor of music and director of the Symphony Orchestra. Admission is free.

SPU’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble concert will be held Friday, May 22, 7:30 p.m., at First Free Methodist Church. The concert will feature the Flute Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble, Sax Quartet, and chamber ensembles. The repertoire will include three pieces from William Schuman’s collection of short musical pieces called “New England Triptych.” The ensembles are directed by Danny Helseth, SPU director of bands. Admission is free and the event is wheelchair accessible. For more information, contact 206-281-2205. Learn more about upcoming music events.

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Disability Support Services presents the inaugural “No Limits, No Boundaries” lecture on Tuesday, May 19, 6:30 p.m. in Upper Gwinn Commons. This year’s speaker is Washington State Senator Cyrus Habib. The lecture aims to increase campus and community awareness about our perception of individuals with disabilities, and will honor individuals whose life, spirit, and work reflect their commitment to access, inclusion, and reconciliation. The program will feature a guest lecturer, a video montage, student reflections, as well as a travelling disability history exhibit.

Habib is a three-time cancer survivor, a Rhodes Scholar, Truman Scholar, and a Soros Fellow. He graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University, and is a graduate of Yale Law School. In 2012, he was elected to represent Washington’s 48th Legislative District (Bellevue/Redmond), and was named one of the “12 State Legislators to Watch in 2014.” He is the highest ranking Iranian-American elected to a state office. Habib is also a professor and Distinguished Lawmaker in Residence at Seattle University Law School.

Admission is free. To request disability accommodation, contact the Disability Services office in advance of the event at 206-281-2272, TTY 206-281-2224, or dss@spu.edu.

SPU’s Gospel Choir will present excerpts from the jazz oratorio “Hosea” on Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 p.m., at First Free Methodist Church. The oratorio features performances by the student group Mime Ensemble, Seattle gospel singer Nichol Venneé Eskridge, a performance by SPU music faculty Chérie Hughes (soprano) and Danius Vaičekonis (piano). The concert will also include a special performance by local tap dancer Alex Dugdale. The event includes Scripture readings, litanies, and prayers. The oratorio is directed by Stephen Michael Newby, associate professor of music and director of the SPU Center for Worship. Admission is free and the event is wheelchair accessible. For more information, contact 206-281-2205.

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 for promotional purposes. Please send the name(s) of the student(s) 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 students and get permission to use their profile. Send information by email to Manager of Public Information Tracy Norlen at tcnorlen@spu.edu.

The student MODE Fashion Club presents their annual fashion show on Saturday, May 30, 7:30 p.m. in Brougham Pavilion. The theme is “Perspectives” and is a showcase of student talent from the apparel design and merchandising majors. Admission to the event is free and open to all students, alumni, and community members.

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New pickup soccer games for faculty, staff, alumni, and students will be held Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. on Wallace Field (when available). Pickup basketball games are held Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. as the gym is available. These are not intramural programs. For more information and to sign up, contact Intramural Manager Adam Finch at 206-281-2891 or acfinch@spu.edu.

Have you been trained in Sitecore or Contribute but keep putting off making changes to your website? Join members of the University Communications Web Team this Thursday, May 21, for our monthly brownbag Q&A. Sitecore/Contribute Brownbags occur the third Thursday of most months, noon to 1 p.m. in the Lower Weter large conference room. If you need help with changes you need to make to your site, bring them with you and we’ll walk you through them. If you plan to come, email Kathy Henning in University Communications at kathy@spu.edu.

Fall and winter reservation requests are now being taken for the Faculty/Staff House at Camp Casey on Whidbey Island.  The dates of stay are September 28, 2015, through January 4, 2016.  Reservation requests are due by June 5, 2015.  The fall and winter requests are selected by lottery and are not affected by summer stays at Casey. If you have questions, contact Camp Casey at 866-661-6604 or campcasey@spu.edu. Visit the Camp Casey website to request a reservation.

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If you need to order stationery in this fiscal year ― including having it delivered and billed by June 30, 2015, you must order by June 2. Orders made by June 2 will be delivered June 12 and billed before June 30. If you have questions, call Hope McPherson in University Communications at 206-281-2552.

Do you have questions about our medical plan? Need help with our new online enrollment form? The Office of Human Resources and Cigna will be hosting four online Open Enrollment sessions this month in Otto Miller 139. Join us as we go through how to complete the Open Enrollment form and learn the basics of our medical plans. Space is limited, so call the Human Resources front desk at 206-281-2809 to RSVP.

5/20      3:30-4:30 p.m.
5/21      11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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, May 21. Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the next Bulletin will be published Tuesday, May 26.

An article by Director of Educational Technology & Media Rolin Moe was published in Learning, Media & Technology. The article, “OER as Online Edutainment Resources: A Critical Look at Open Content, Branded Content, and How Both Affect the OER Movement," was part of a special issue addressing critical themes and issues in the emerging field of open educational resources (OER). He also gave a presentation at the Online Learning Consortium's Emerging Technologies Symposium in Dallas in April, discussing the paper and subsequent obstacles for OER adoption. His article is available online or through the SPU Library.

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A new book by Associate Professor of Music Stephen Newby was recently published by Redemption Press. Worship Outside the Music Box calls for Christians to set aside personal preferences, welcome different musical and liturgical genres, and learn from each other.

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Assistant Professor of Political Science Katya Drozdova received a research award from the Center for Scholarship and Faculty Development. Her research proposal is titled “Counterterrorism Strategies: Resolving Complex Conflicts in Afghanistan and Beyond.”

"Are Sit-ups Good for You?" was the title of a recent presentation by Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance Dale Cannavan. He gave his presentation on why not to do sit-ups at the Washington Wellness Higher Education Alliance Conference.

Professor of English Kimberly Segall presented a chapter from her book Performing Democracy at the New Voices on the Middle East Series, held at the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington on May 6, 2015.  

The Office of Human Resources would like the SPU community to join us in welcoming Brandon Robbins, security officer in the Office of Safety and Security; and Andrea Johnson, administrative assistant in Advancement Services.