From Louise Furrow, vice president for University Advancement: I’m pleased to share with you that as we approach the end of this fiscal year we are on track for a very strong fundraising year, having already surpassed last year’s total dollars raised as well as number of donors who have given gifts. We are extremely grateful to the thousands of donors who continue to support the University. In a given year my team and I would have hosted multiple events to thank our leadership-level donors, however, due to the pandemic we’ve been unable to provide any in-person opportunities.

On Wednesday, June 9, University Advancement will host a webinar for SPU leadership-level donors to thank them for their remarkable and faithful generosity, helping sustain the University through this challenging year. Updates from Provost and Executive-in-Charge Laura Hartley and myself will be shared, as well as interviews highlighting two of SPU’s amazing students (one a graduating senior and one a grad student). Faculty and staff who are Wellspring members (i.e., have included a gift to SPU in their estate plans), President’s Circle level donors ($1,000+/fiscal year), or who have given over $100,000 in their lifetimes have been invited to attend.

The SPU Art Department is pleased to announce this year’s Visual Communications Senior Exhibition: MakeShift. Due to COVID-19, instead of celebrating this work on display at SPAC Gallery on campus, you can view their work at viscom21.spu.edu or on Instagram at instagram.com/spu_makeshift.

From Gary Womelsduff, director of Human Resources: The Senior Leadership Council is actively engaged in making plans and preparing for our return to campus, and we look forward to providing important information in the very near future. A key decision will be how we approach vaccinations for our staff and faculty. We are all aware of conversations universities and businesses are having on how best to approach vaccines.

To gain an understanding of our community’s thoughts and opinions, we are asking all employees to complete the following very short survey. Please know that your responses will be anonymous, and we will not be able to tie responses to individuals. This survey will close on Friday, June 14. Click here to participate in the survey.

We very much value the input from all members of our community and are appreciative of your participation.

The 10th of each month is the last day to make changes to your upcoming payroll check. Do you need to add or remove your spouse and/or children from your health care plans? If so, contact Human Resources (HR) to complete the appropriate form. Changes might include events that are expected to impact your benefits and deductions, such as your spouse or children gaining or losing coverage due to employment, birth, marriage, etc. Additionally, any changes to your 403b account may take up to seven days to be provided to SPU for processing, so please contract Transamerica by the first of the month prior to your requested change. For changes to your 403(b) account, contact Transamerica Retirement Solutions at 1-888-676-5512 (5 a.m.–6 p.m. PST), or 1-800-755-5801. If you have any other benefits-related changes, call Cherylin Shdo in HR at 206-281-2816.

SPU’s Department of Engineering and Computer Science is offering on-campus summer day camps for rising 9th–12th graders. Students can jump-start a tech career with hands-on programs focused on video game creation (Aug. 16–20) and mechatronics and 3D printing (Aug. 16–20). No coding experience necessary. Plus, they’ll earn college credit! Learn more and register at spu.edu/techcamps.

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.

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 and every other week during the summer. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, June 14, and the deadline is Thursday, June 10. Beginning June 14, the Bulletin will be published every other week during the summer.

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.

From the Office of the Provost: We have four faculty retirements at the end of this academic year, and the Bulletin has featured one faculty member a week. This week we are highlighting the fourth retiring faculty member. 

Robert W. Wall, Paul T. Walls Professor of Scripture and Wesleyan Studies, 43 years of service.

The Rev. Dr. Robert Wall began teaching in the School of Theology (then the School of Religion) in 1978. During his 43 years at SPU, he chaired the Department of Scripture, created the Community Bible Study course, wrote the School of Theology’s standards for teaching and scholarship, helped write the University’s Faith Statement, and served three three-year terms on the Faculty Status Committee. Rob was named Paul T. Walls Professor of Scripture and Wesleyan Studies in 2006.

A Seattle native, Rob was educated at Valparaiso University (BA), Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM, ThD), and Perkins School of Theology (additional graduate study). He is an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church and enjoys an active ecumenical ministry of preaching and teaching adult Bible studies in congregations of various faith traditions.

Rob has worked out his calling through his four decades of teaching, research, and service at SPU. He centers his calling on teaching, which he describes as “introducing theological reading of the Bible as a sacred and holy text.” His theological interpretation of Scripture emanates through a distinctively Wesleyan lens. This ecclesial approach to theological interpretation animates his research agenda, his service to the University, and his detailed focus on student learning. A self-confessed “intuitive” teacher, Rob continually monitors and adjusts lectures and assignments in his courses. He has mentored many undergraduate and seminary students, preparing them for further graduate studies.

The body of Rob’s published work is extraordinary, not only in the range of subjects covered, but also in the depth of research devoted to each subject and in the principle that energizes all of it — namely, that biblical interpretation and theological reflection be in service of the classroom and the church, not only the professional guild. In fact, while Rob is a leading New Testament scholar (as evidenced by his membership in the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas and his presidency of the Wesleyan Theological Society), he is one of just a few biblical professors known for both their commitment to Christian faith and their contributions to the academy. He is the author of 15 books and dozens of articles.

As the Paul T. Walls chairholder, Rob’s service extended to the larger community of Seattle, providing a rich resource of understanding of Wesleyan approaches to theology, the church, and the Scripture, both through the annual Walls lectures and through his writing.

A message from Niki Amarantides, director of the Center for Learning: How do you say goodbye to an invaluable team member who has worked at SPU for 28 years? Mary Jayne Allen, coordinator for learning services, will be leaving the Center for Learning on June 30, 2021. She is hoping to do a job search and pursue other opportunities in education.

Mary Jayne arrived at SPU in 1993 where she worked in Residence Life as a coordinator and then assistant director. In 2000, she joined the Center for Learning where she facilitated outstanding peer education programs such as USem Mentors, the CFL Tutoring program, the BioCore Scholars program, and the Peer Academic Coach program. She also met with students one on one in academic coaching appointments. Mary Jayne touched the lives of hundreds of students as well as all of us who worked with her and witnessed her love of learning, her commitment to inclusion and justice, and her love of art. Plus, she was just plain fun to work with!

I wish we could all gather to celebrate her time with us, but for now I hope you will contact Mary Jayne and wish her well.

Biology professors Eric Long, Jenny Tenlen, Charlotte Pratt, and Tracie Delgado recorded a presentation discussing COVID-19 and vaccines. They answered some of the most common questions, including vaccines and the immune system, fertility, blood clotting, and more. The video description includes time stamps identifying the start of each question. Watch the video online.

An article by Tracie Delgado, associate professor of biology, alumnus Shun-Je Bhark, and collaborators at San Francisco State University titled, “Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection of Neuronal and Non-Neuronal Cells Elicits Specific Innate Immune Responses and Immune Evasion Mechanisms,” was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.

The 2021 Lily Conference invited Joel Jin, assistant professor of clinical psychology, Paul Y. Kim, professor of psychology, and Munyi Shea, associate professor and director of doctoral programs in the School of Education, as panelists to present “Co-Creating a Caring Community through an Inclusive Ethics of Care” (select the link to watch). The panelists are grateful for David Rither, senior instructional designer in Educational Technology & Media for enhancing the recording as a professional and accessible presentation.

Peter Moe, assistant professor of writing and director of campus writing, will discuss his new book, Touching This Leviathan, on Thursday, June 17, 6–7 p.m., at the Edmonds Bookshop on Facebook Live. Jeffrey Overstreet, assistant professor of English and writing, will be asking the questions. Peter will also be at the Edmonds Bookshop on Saturday, June 19, at 10:30 a.m. for an in-person book signing.

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

• Luke Douglas, transportation worker, Facility and Project Management
• Rachael Kamwesa, field placement and professional partnership assistant, School of Education

Human Resources would like to congratulate Shana Hainzinger on her new staff appointment as field placement coordinator in the School of Education.

For his monthly cartoon, Nate Hoover, associate director for the Center for Biblical and Theological Education, explains this month’s feature: If you’re attending a wedding this summer and need to give a toast, the cartoon is an idea. Regardless of what you say, puns are always a hit. Check out more of my cartoons on Instagram: @hoovernathaniel.

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