Message from Brian Ficken, director and treasurer of the Seattle Pacific Foundation: Reflecting preliminary investment valuations for July and August, the value of the University’s endowment now exceeds $121 million. By way of perspective, the endowment was valued at roughly $81 million just three years ago (as of June 30, 2016). The spending from endowment funds provides scholarships and operating budget relief to the University on a quarterly basis. In the most recent endowment survey conducted by the National Association of College and University Business Officers, the University’s endowment investment results were ranked #1 among colleges in Washington state.

Calling all artists! The Center for Professional Education is sponsoring a student art contest to help celebrate what’s right in the classroom — the bond between teachers and students. The theme of this year's contest is "Watch Me Grow," and we're asking for creative representations of how a teacher has helped them to grow, develop, and thrive. Selected students will have their work published on the SPU website and on CPE postcards, and up to four winners will also receive $50 gift cards! Download an entry form here.

Faculty and staff are invited to attend the Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarship Day on Friday, September 27, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. in the School of Health Science building, 36 Cremona Street. DNP students will present their scholarly projects.

From the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The ODEI is excited to begin the year with the September ODEI Connections. We invite you to explore our new website features and more in this edition.

A message from the Athletic Department: As we prepare our promotional schedule for this year, we want to include YOU, our beloved faculty and staff, in the process. Please take two minutes this week to complete our survey to better improve the Falcon game day experience. For more information, contact Stefanie Kosco, fan engagement and corporate sponsorship manager, at stefanie@spu.edu.

The John Perkins Center is looking for hosts for CityQuest (a day of service for all incoming students). Hosts will welcome students, attend the service project, and be a liaison between students and organizations. The time commitment for being a host is Saturday, September 28, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Hosts will receive a $100 Amazon gift card. If you are interested in being a host please email May Tag Yang at yangmaytag@spu.edu. Read more about being a host.

A message from Tracy Norlen, director of public information: We are launching a new webpage to highlight faculty and staff research and expertise. This page will mostly be used as a resource for the media, but it will also be helpful for anyone looking for a knowledgeable person on a certain subject. If you would like to be included in this new resource, complete this online form. (Password protected.) The form is designed so that you can easily copy and paste information from your current CV or resume. You will find more details on the online form. If you have questions, contact Tracy at tcnorlen@spu.edu or 206-281-2977.

The 2019 Palmer Lecture will be Tuesday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Upper Gwinn Commons. Ellen F. Davis, Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke Divinity School, will give a lecture titled “The Land as Kin: Renewing Our Imagination.” For more information about the lecture, visit the website.

In addition to the lecture, faculty are invited to a luncheon with Dr. Davis on Wednesday, October 9, 12–2 p.m. in Upper Gwinn Commons. To RSVP for the luncheon, contact Nate Hoover at theology@spu.edu.

The SPU community garden is blooming with several different veggies and herbs to be enjoyed by the SPU community. Pumpkins and gourds have come in, and there are still plenty of tomatoes to be harvested. Chives, parsley, and basil are also ripe in addition to the vegetables,  Please feel free to visit and enjoy the peace and quiet of the garden before campus is filled up and busy schedules resume. The garden is located just south of the main SPU campus, across the street from 3042 4th Ave. W. Select the link to see more photos of the garden.

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The weight room and fitness center in Brougham Pavilion are available to faculty and staff. The cost for access is $6 per month (free for commuters), paid through payroll deduction. The fee includes access to Brougham Pavilion, showers, and a personal locker. If you are interested in using these facilities, contact Madi Velling, office manager in Athletics, at 206-281-2085 or vellingm@spu.edu.

Want to get in shape? Need a community to help you get there? Come join our staff and faculty circuit training group. We meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 12:10–12:45 p.m. in the gym (or on the turf field). The class focuses on core strength, toning, and flexibility. If interested or you want to know more, email Lynn Anselmi in University Communications at lynnanselmi@spu.edu.

Mr. Darwin's Tree, the acclaimed British one-man play about Charles Darwin, will be performed in the E.E. Bach Theatre on Thursday, October 3, at 7 p.m. The production will be followed by a faculty panel who will respond to the performance and answer audience questions. The event is free, wheelchair accessible, and open to the public.

Written by noted playwright and director Murray Watts, and starring leading British film, TV, and theatre actor Andrew Harrison, Mr. Darwin's Tree has been described as “a brilliant, fast-paced and beautifully detailed performance” (Church Times). Broadway Baby reported that “Mr. Darwin’s Tree explores not only science, but religion, the divine intricacies of the soul, and what it is to be human…. A rare treat.”

The play is produced by Scholarship & Christianity In Oxford (SCIO), the UK Centre of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), and underwritten by the Templeton Religion Trust and The Blankemeyer Foundation. The play explores the life and work of Charles Darwin and his impact on science and religion.

Faculty are encouraged to incorporate the show into fall courses as appropriate.

Brought to you by Staff Council and master gardener Jeff Daley (and back by popular demand!): You are invited to join Jeff for a walking tour of our campus gardens Wednesday, September 18, at 12 p.m. We’ll gather at the rose garden in front of Peterson Hall. Bring your brown bag lunch and questions. Jeff looks forward to sharing this opportunity to enjoy the end of summer and anticipate the coming of fall!

Each Autumn Quarter, University Ministries holds a Church & Ministry Fair to give students an opportunity to learn about their local worship options. If you would like your church to be represented at the fair, email your church name and contact email to umconnects@spu.edu, so we can send an invitation. This year’s event is Thursday, October 3, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Martin Square (rain location: Weter Hall).

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) 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, September 19. The Bulletin will be published on Monday, September 23.

From Bruce Congdon, interim provost:

Interim Leadership for CAS–STEM and Social Sciences: Derek Wood (biology) and Sandra Hartje (family and consumer sciences) have agreed to serve as interim deans for the College of Arts and Sciences, STEM and Social Sciences Division, given my transition into the role of interim provost. They will each serve at 0.5 FTE in their co-interim dean role for the 2019–20 academic year. Each of them has served in the associate dean role and as highly capable chairs of their respective departments. I am very grateful for their willingness to step up and provide continuity during this season of change.

The Center for Scholarship and Faculty Development is being renamed to the Faculty Life Office (FLO). The name change reflects a shift in the office’s mission to serve as a central resource for faculty support and information. The FLO will manage key all-faculty events including Faculty Retreat, the Day of Common Learning, Faculty In-Service, and the Spring Faculty Governance and Award Luncheon. Additionally, the FLO and its website (to be launched later this fall) will serve as a clearinghouse of information about faculty life at SPU. The FLO will continue to host numerous workshops, events, and fellowships each quarter, and will remain the home of the Office of Sponsored Programs (for external academic grants) and internal grants such as the FRSG and SERVE grants. The FLO will also house the professional development certificate program, and will shepherd all new faculty development efforts, such as New Faculty Orientation, New Faculty Seminar, the mentoring program, and quarterly FLAGGs. The office continues under the leadership of Margaret Brown, associate provost for faculty life, and Jenn Wilson, assistant director of faculty life, and will be additionally staffed by Annie Kilpatrick, administrative assistant for faculty life. Feel free to direct any questions about the upcoming changes and scope of the office to Margaret Brown at mbrown@spu.edu.

Karen Gutowsky-Zimmerman has been nominated for the AIGA Fellow Award, which recognizes designers who have made a significant contribution to raising the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within their local or regional design community as well as in their local AIGA chapter. Congratulations, Karen!

In August, Jeffrey Overstreet, assistant professor of English and writing, led the film seminar at the 2019 Glen Workshop, hosted by Image, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The seminar was called “It’s Complicated: Movies About the Risks, Rewards, and Essential Creativity of Friendship,” featuring five films, in-depth discussions, and a Skype visit with award-winning filmmaker, Chad Hartigan. Jeffrey also interviewed award-winning filmmaker and Glen Workshop guest Daniel Enrique Garcia onstage after a screening of his short film, Tempestad. Also, Jeffrey's presentation at Brehm Cascadia’s Sacrament & Story conference, “Turn and Face the Strange: Thoughts on Ergonomics & Artistry,” is available on YouTube.

A chapter by Cindy Strong, education library liaison, titled, “Holy Listening in Reference Work: A Sacred Aspect of the Christian Librarian’s Calling” was recently published in The Faithful Librarian: Essays on Christianity in the Profession.

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

Karmen Baldwin,career counselor, Center for Career and Calling
Taylor Cherry, undergraduate admissions counselor, Undergraduate Admissions
Karin Derrick, assistant crew coach, Athletics
Kate Lee, events coordinator, Conference Services
Maliea Lowe-Hale, administrative assistant, Provost Office
Blaire McCreary, enrollment operations coordinator, Student Financial Services
Amanda McGovern, administrative assistant, Student Counseling Center
Matthew Oclander, assistant crew coach, Athletics
Ashlee’ Thomas, program coordinator for local community engagement, John Perkins Center
Katie Thomas, interim campus programs coordinator, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership
Teresa Tsang, program assistant, Master of Fine Arts

The Office of Human Resources would like to congratulate Annie Kilpatrick as the new administrative assistant in Sociology & History.

Brad Murg, assistant professor of political science, was asked to be a regular to contributor to The South China Morning Post. His latest commentary, “How Cambodia’s online gambling ban sparked the Great Chinese Exodus of 2019 – and why Beijing is fine with it,” was published September 5, 2019.