In late 2015 and after the second visit to campus by Tent City 3, I announced the launch of a Committee on Homelessness to keep the issue in front of the Seattle Pacific community. The committee grew out of the Strategic Plan, Goal 3 to embody “SPU’s commitment to Christian identity and human flourishing through cross-disciplinary and co-curricular discussions on local, national, and global issues.” The committee’s goal is to work with students, faculty, and staff to implement this initiative through academics, advocacy, and service.

The initial work by the committee resulted in a new SPU website titled “Engaging Homelessness,” which includes curricular and co-curricular ways to get involved with this critical issue facing Seattle and the greater King County community. This website will be an important resource not only for our faculty, staff, and students, but for local and regional community leaders. Accompanying the website is a new Facebook page titled Engaging Homelessness at SPU. 

Among other things, the website includes information about how to volunteer with local agencies, and a resource webpage for readings, research, and films. I encourage you to find ways to incorporate these resources into your classes and offices.

I want to thank committee co-chairs Niki Amarantides, director of the Center for Learning, and Karen Snedker, associate professor of sociology, as well as the University Communications office, for their work on this website.

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As part of the Grand Reunion, the SPU Story Pole will be rededicated on Saturday, October 8, at 1:30 p.m. The Story Pole is located in front of Beegle Hall between Alexander and McKinley Halls. In 1971, Seattle Pacific’s senior class commissioned artist Abner Johnson of the Tlingit tribe to create a totem, or “story,” pole that reflected the history of SPU. Members of the Class of 1971, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology Ken Tollefson, and Tlingit tribal representative Tom Dalton will be part of the rededication of this unique gift.

Also on Saturday, at 4 p.m. in Tiffany Loop, a white popular tree will be planted and dedicated as part of SPU’s 125 anniversary celebration. The tree is a genetic offspring of the 125-year-old white poplars that remain in Tiffany Loop, and the new white popular will symbolically affirm SPU’s commitment to its historic mission for generations to come. Join President Martin and University Master Gardener Jeff Daley for this community dedication. 

As part of SPU’s 125 anniversary celebration, a special art exhibit featuring the work of alumna and painter Anelecia Hannah Brooks ’05 will be on display in Nickerson Studios beginning Friday, October 7. There will be an opening reception on October 7 at 7 p.m., and the exhibit will run through June 2017. In this solo exhibit titled "Heritage," Anelecia combines the bittersweet imagery of young adulthood with imagery drawn from millennia of Christian history, suggesting that personal history and community history share similar dynamics of discovery. She is completing her Master of Fine Arts in Painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

A message from Alumni and Parent Relations: Stop by the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations in the Walls Advancement Center this week to get a free SPU Grand Reunion T-shirt when you purchase Crowder concert tickets (cash or check), or show us your online receipt through Brown Paper tickets. Crowder will perform during Grand Reunion Weekend, Saturday, October 8, at 7 p.m. in Royal Brougham Pavilion. All SPU alumni, family, friends, faculty, staff, and students are invited. Tickets start at $10. Visit spu.edu/crowder for more information.

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For the latest information on Falcon sports, visit the website.

Tuesday, October 4
Volleyball vs Saint Martin's, Brougham Pavilion, 7 p.m.

Thursday, October 6
Women's soccer vs Concordia, Interbay Stadium, 4:30 p.m.
Men's soccer vs Western Washington, Interbay Stadium, 7 p.m.
Volleyball vs Montana State Billings, Brougham Pavilion, 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 8
Men's soccer vs Concordia, Interbay Stadium, 7 p.m.

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The weekly Spanish Language Table on Wednesdays in Marston Hall 252 is open to anyone who wants to chat with others in Spanish. Beginners are welcome. The table meets from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. You can meet your colleagues and make new friends as you improve your Spanish. Get some help on vocabulary or figure out how those reflexive verbs work. You don’t have to sign up ahead of time — just bring your lunch and join us! If you have any questions, contact adjunct faculty member Vilma Illanes at villanes@spu.edu.

A message from Undergraduate Admissions: Hundreds of prospective students and their families will be on campus this month for SPU Fridays. Prospective and admitted high school and transfer students will dine in Gwinn, attend informational sessions, and visit classes on Friday October 7, 14, and 28. Look for these students and their families and make them feel welcome.

From the Wellness Initiative: The SPU Wellness Initiative is a group of faculty and staff working to improve the mental, physical, and emotional health of undergraduates. The monthly posts on the Wellness Initiative blog will provide you with information about common mental health problems that students deal with on a daily basis. We hope this will help faculty and staff identify students who may need extra support. We will also provide you with campus and community resources that are available for students.

The blog is kicking off the new school year with thoughts about wellness. Promoting your own wellness can help you improve your everyday life and reduce stress. Faculty and staff can also help students promote their wellness. This month, our focus is on understanding wellness and all of its facets. Read more at the Wellness blog.

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Professor of Education Nyaradzo Mvududu is leading a free Zumba class beginning Wednesday, October 5, 12-1 p.m. in the lower gym in Brougham Pavilion. The class will be offered on Wednesdays during Autumn Quarter, and is open to faculty, staff, and alumni of all fitness levels. Nyaradzo, a licensed Zumba instructor, says the class is “fun and beginner-friendly. Money back guarantee! Let the beat carry you through this energetic dance workout set to international music tracks. Zumba is designed to feel like a party so that the hour flies by.” If you have questions, email Nyaradzo at nyaradzo@spu.edu or Intramural Manager Adam Finch at acfinch@spu.edu.

A message from Safety and Security: SPU offers incentives for employees to use alternative transportation, such as bus, vanpool/vanshare, carpool, light rail, bicycling, and walking. We encourage alternative methods, not only to help minimize emissions, but also to help reduce the cost of commuting. Check out our incentives at the Commute Trip Reduction webpage, or visit the Office of Safety and Security Commuter webpage for details. If you need parking or have parking questions, visit the parking webpage.

You have until 9:59 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4, to have stationery order(s) delivered on October 14. Stationery orders are delivered once a month. Orders made after 10 a.m. on October 4 will be delivered November 10. To see deadlines and delivery dates for the remainder of the fiscal year, visit the “Create an Order” stationery page in Banner. For more information, contact Hope McPherson in University Communications at hmcpherson@spu.edu.

From Conference Services: As a new academic year begins and event requests are coming in, it's a good time for a few reminders about requesting space on campus. All space requests for meetings and events can be made through SPU Room Finder. For general campus space (classrooms, meeting rooms, etc.), the typical response time for a request is two business days. Requests for Upper Gwinn may take a bit longer, as the space is in high demand and Conference Services often needs to consult with other event requestors and service providers to confirm all event details before putting the space on hold. Once you receive a “Hold Email,” pay close attention to the deadline date of keeping or releasing the requested date, as other clients may be waiting for the same date. Please remember to wait for an official confirmation before moving forward with the planning of any event. If you have questions, visit our new FAQs page, or contact Conference Services at 206-281-2187 or conferenceservices@spu.edu.

Tickets for SPU’s annual Sacred Sounds of Christmas concert are now available. This event sells out every year, so buy your tickets early. The concert is Tuesday, November 29, 7:30 p.m., in McCaw Hall at Seattle Center. Sacred Sounds of Christmas features the best of traditional Advent and Christmas music from around the world, performed by the Music Department's nationally recognized student and faculty musicians. Buy tickets online.

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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 you wish to make to your 403(b) account contributions must be made by the 10th of the month. 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 Mardeth Hughes in HR at 206-281-2816.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly 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, October 6. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, October 10, 2016.

In recognition of her service to the SPU community, Carlie Curlee, administrative coordinator for Student Financial Services, was nominated and selected as the September Staff Member of the Month. Carlie says,” A memorable good day at work would look like this: laughing with co-workers, helping families, and some sort of unicorn magic.” Congratulations, Carlie!

Visit the Staff Council website to read more about Carlie and submit a nomination for someone you think should be recognized as a future Staff Member of the Month.

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A recent commentary in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) highlights research conducted by Ryan Ferrer, associate professor of biology, and Karisa Pierce, associate professor of chemistry. The article titled “Inner Workings: Can Single Molecules Bind Together Entire Ecosystems?”, references their research on saxitoxin (STX) and sea stars in the Puget Sound.

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Two articles by Bo Lim, university chaplain and associate professor of Old Testament, were recently published. The first article, “The Lynching of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah: Death at the Hands of Persons Unknown,” was published in Ex Auditu 31 (2016):108-120. The second, “Exile and Migration: Toward a Biblical Theology of Immigration and Displacement,” was published in Covenant Quarterly 74.2 (2016):3-15.

Sociology professors Jennifer McKinney and Karen Snedker organized a session on homelessness titled “Homeless in Seattle: Responding to a State of Emergency” for the American Sociological Association’s annual conference in Seattle. They presented a paper titled “Voices from Inside a Tent Encampment: Risk, Resilience and Community in Tent City 3.” Their essay on homelessness is available online, and the PowerPoint presentations are available on SPU’s Engaging Homelessness website.

Professor of European History Alberto Ferreiro taught students from Western Washington University, the University of Washington, and SPU at the University of Salamanca during July and August. This was the 27th summer of the Spanish Language and Culture program at the University of Salamanca. He also presented the paper “Quia pax et caritas facta est: Unity and Peace in Leander’s Homily at the Third Council of Toledo (589),” at the Konzil und Frieden conference on September 16. An article titled “Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 2016” will be published in the journal Annuarium Historiae Conciliorum of the Gesellschaft fur Konziliengeschichte, Paderborn-Rome.

On September 26, Jeffrey Overstreet, former contributing editor for Response magazine and now an adjunct instructor of writing in the English Department, launched a new weekly column at Christianity Today. “Viewer Discussion Advised” invites readers to watch one film a week together as families, communities, film classes, and church film clubs, and then discuss post-viewing questions. He highlights films that encourage viewers to see the world through the lenses of other worldviews, cultures, and experiences, for the cultivation of empathy, compassion, and multicultural understanding. Jeffrey also began teaching a 15-week online course of the same name for high school students who are homeschooled, challenging them to cultivate discernment in moviegoing and multiculturalism. Read the first installment of “Viewer Discussion Advised” online.

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The School of Business, Government, and Economics announced the winners of their annual faculty awards.

Adjunct Instructor of the Year (excellence in teaching): Randy Wilcox
Ambassador of the Year (activities that promote the visibility and positive reputation of SBGE in the Puget Sound business community): Vicki Eveland, Assistant Professor of Marketing and Program Director for MAM-SSM
Scholar of the Year (Excellence in scholarship): Katya Drozdova, Associate Professor of Political Science
Lisa Klein Surdyk Teacher of the Year (excellence in teaching): Denise Daniels, Professor of Management
Dean’s Award (Outstanding service to students and exemplifying SBGE’s core values): William Kauppila, Clinical Instructor

The Office of Human Resources would like the SPU community to welcome the following new employees. Contact information can be found in the SPU online White Pages.

Madi Velling, office manager, Athletics
Allison Williams, executive assistant to the senior vice president, Planning & Administration

On September 26, Educational Technology and Media (ETM) opened the EdTech Desk on the lower level of the Ames Library. This service desk is open during ETM’s regular hours, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Faculty and staff can reach the desk at etmhelp@spu.edu or 206-281-2170.

We are also excited to announce new services at the Library Front Desk on the main level of the Ames Library. The Tech Desk, previously on the lower level of the Library, is now integrated into our Front Desk. In addition to checking out library materials and access items on reserve, students, faculty, and staff can check out technology tools such as cameras, headphones, and much more. The Front Desk also offers consultations to help students use software for academic projects. Contact the Front Desk during library hours at 206-281-2228. As before, you can also contact Ryan Ingersoll at ingersollr@spu.edu if you are interested in collaborating on a student project requiring technology and training for a class project.