Seattle Pacific University and the Faculty Life Office are pleased to present the 20th annual Day of Common Learning on Thursday, Oct. 7. This year's theme is "Unbreakable: Unifying Principles of Long-Lasting Communities." The day features a keynote address by Dr. Monica A. Coleman, professor of Africana studies at the University of Delaware, at 10 a.m. in Brougham Pavilion, followed by afternoon sessions with faculty panels and faculty-hosted breakout sessions.

The impulse for unity and wholeness often leads us to see brokenness as a personal or communal failing. We strive to be unbreakable, and struggle when we find that we are not. When we consider our fragility as part of the human condition, we will uphold new ideals as we renew community in these uncertain times. At this year’s Day of Common Learning, Dr. Coleman will address ways in which we can form resilient communities by asking how we live amidst broken pieces, how we repair, and how we become stronger at our fissures.

Dr. Coleman spent over 10 years in graduate theological education at Claremont School of Theology and Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Answering her call to ministry at age 19, she brings her experiences in evangelical Christianity, black church traditions, global ecumenical work, and indigenous spirituality to her discussions of religion.

The Day of Common Learning is a campuswide event in which students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the outside community have the opportunity to engage in deep thought and conversation around a topic of focus, interest, and concern. (Because of COVID-19, this year's event is not open to the public.)

A message from Computer and Information Systems: The year 2020 broke all the records when it came to cybersecurity incidents. Driven by the pandemic and the shift to remote work, there were over 1.4 million reports of identity theft in the U.S., more than double the reported count in 2019. Malware increased by more than 350%, and several colleges and universities were impacted by ransomware.  

The increasing risk is promoting changes to how higher education must protect students, employees, and the institutions themselves. New cybersecurity training for all employees is one of several steps that SPU is taking to protect our community. Learn more in the CIS Cybersecurity Awareness Month update.

The Office of Global Engagement invites students, staff, and faculty to submit photos from their journeys around the world in the 2021 International Photo Contest. 

• Photos must be the original work of the person submitting the photo and must have been taken in a country outside the United States. 
• Each photographer can submit one photo in each category, for a total of up to three photos. 
• Categories include People, Places, and Culture. 

Photos can be submitted Oct. 4–29. Get more information and submit a photo.

Winter/spring reservation requests are now being taken for the Faculty/Staff House at SPU's Camp Casey Conference Center on Whidbey Island. The dates of stay are January 3–June 13, 2022. Reservation requests are due by Oct. 31, 2021. These requests are selected by lottery and are not affected by summer stays at Casey.

Due to COVID-19 and our continued desire for guest safety, some reservations may be shorted due to vacancy requirements. If we have to cancel your stay due to COVID-19, we will refund your payment. Please request a reservation online. If you have questions, contact Camp Casey at 866-661-6604 or campcasey@spu.edu. We look forward to seeing you soon!

From Staff Council: It’s time to get SPOOKY! Come decorate a pumpkin and be entered for a chance to win a $15 gift card to Two Kick Coffee! Winners will be chosen for each category: Spooky, Cute, Falcon Spirit, and Most Creative. Staff Council will provide all art supplies as well as pumpkins while supplies last; you just need to supply that creative spirit! Join us on the rescheduled date of Wednesday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., in Martin Square. 

Loren Haarsma, associate professor of physics and astronomy at Calvin University, will be on campus to talk about his new book, When Did Sin Begin? Human Evolution and the Doctrine of Original Sin (Baker Academic, 2021). Loren has studied, written, and spoken on science and faith for decades and will discuss how human evolution can be viewed alongside a belief in the original sin. Hosted by the student Faith and Science Club, this lecture is open to all in the SPU community and will be held on Thursday, Oct. 14, 6–7:30 p.m., in Eaton Hall 112. Questions? Contact the club president, Carrie Cox at coxc7@spu.edu or the faculty advisor, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Wade Grabow, at grabow@spu.edu.

The Office of Inclusive Excellence invites you to join us for two upcoming DEI workshops: Diversity 102: “Understanding Our Social Identities in the Context of Christian Community,” Wednesday, Oct. 6, 12–1 p.m., and Diversity 103: “Becoming a Faith-Formed Inclusive Community,” Thursday, Oct. 21, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Learn more and sign up here.

Please remind students about the Night Against Procrastination on Tuesday, Oct. 5, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The evening is a late night study hall with pizza, snacks, and raffles! There will be many student services there, as well –– study tables, librarians, and tutors from the Research, Reading, and Writing Studio.

The Office of Inclusive Excellence offers diversity seed grants up to $1,500 to support departmentwide initiatives that advance one or more of the University’s strategic diversity goals. The application window for the quarter closes on Friday, Nov. 12.

A message from Human Resources: Open enrollment is coming Oct. 20–Nov. 5 for the benefit plan year that begins Jan. 1, 2022. This is your opportunity to make changes to your benefit elections — including medical, dental, vision, and flexible-spending accounts for the 2022 benefit plan year. To help you with your benefit decisions, Human Resources will host a Virtual Benefits Webinar Series in October and early November. This will give you an opportunity to hear from benefit providers and receive answers to your questions or concerns. Dates and times will be announced soon.

Seattle Pacific University recently enhanced continuing education offerings to include career accelerators specifically designed to build workplace skills. Students can extend their marketability with a variety of courses, including Project Management, Leadership in Healthcare, Financial Success and Professionalism, Foundations of Data Analytics, and more. Designed for busy professionals, you can begin developing your skillset with SPU through self-paced curriculum led by respected industry experts. Learn more and review all the career accelerator courses.

Go Birds! chronicles Seattle Pacific University sports and how they evolved over time — from the origins of men's competition in 1930s-'40s to the expansion of women's sports in the 1970s. The history is told through stories, beginning in 1950 and extending through SPU's 125th anniversary year in 2016–17. From golden goals to buzzer beaters, the pages are filled with engaging anecdotes and statistics about Falcon players, coaches, and teams. It's a book for Falcon fans, former players, and anyone who appreciates the impact SPU sports have made on the Seattle community and beyond. 

The book was compiled by John Glancy, retired staff member and former director of SPU's 125 anniversary celebration; Wes Lingren, professor emeritus of chemistry and former tennis coach; Frank MacDonald, former SPU sports information director; and Adrienne Meier, University Archivist.

Go Birds! is available on Amazon.com.

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.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly during the academic year. The next deadline is Thursday, Oct. 7, and the next issue will be published Monday, Oct. 11. 

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.

In recognition of her service to the SPU community, Rebecca Weygandt, area coordinator in Campus Housing and Apartments (CHA), was nominated by her peers and selected by Staff Council as the September Staff Member of the Month. Congratulations and thank you, Rebecca! Learn more about Rebecca and nominate a colleague for recognition on the Staff Council website.

Jennie Warmouth, adjunct instructor of education, has been named a Top 50 Finalist (out of 8,000 applicants/nominees from 121 countries) for the Global Teacher Prize from the Varkey Foundation. The Global Teacher Prize, now in its seventh year, will award a $1 million grant. Jenny is a second grade teacher at Spruce Elementary School in Lynnwood, and teaches in the School of Education.

A new book by Doug Koskela, professor of theology, has been published by Cascade Books. The Radiance of God: Christian Doctrine Through the Image of Divine Light explores the image of God as light in Scripture and the Christian tradition. In conversation with a range of ecumenical voices, the book develops an account of divine radiance framed by three central concepts: allure, movement, and joy.

Paul Youngbin Kim, professor of psychology, is a co-author on the recently published article, “East Asian cultural values and life satisfaction among Korean college students: The moderating effects of gender,” in the Journal of Asian American Psychology. Paul would like to acknowledge his co-authors from Sogang University (South Korea), KyuJin Yon and Hunje Jo.

Peter Moe, associate professor of English and writing, recently had his essay, “The Year of the Whale,” published in The Millions, an online magazine that includes writing on books, arts, and culture.

A chapter by David Wicks, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, titled “Minimizing Zoom Fatigue and Other Strategies for a Successful Synchronous Class Experience,” was published in the book Tackling Online Education: Implications of Responses to COVID-19 in Higher Education Globally. The volume brings together leading experts from the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Sweden, India, Azerbaijan, and Nigeria to discuss how national conditions and institutions have shaped initial policy responses to COVID-19.

A new poem about the experience of Christian conversion titled “Dice Will Land as They Will” by Mischa Willett, assistant professor of English and writing, was published in Ekstasis magazine.

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

• Rachel Johnson, administrative assistant, Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jennifer Young,  coordinator, Student Financial Services
• Kyla Zornes, coordinator, Student Financial Services

Mike Tindall '71, professor emeritus of computer science and SPU alumnus, passed away on September 24. Mike taught at SPU for 37 years, and served as chair of the Computer Science Department for 25 years. He retired in 2017. 

A tribute written for the SPU 2015 Celebration of Service to honor his 35th year of service stated: "Get together the computer science graduates from SPU and they all say, 'I survived Tindall!' Mike Tindall '71 has the unique distinction of having taught every one of the hundreds of graduates of the program. His Systems Programming assignments are the stuff of legend. In many ways, computing in 2015 bears little resemblance to computing in 1980. Who can imagine life without the Internet, a network that did not exist in its current form when Mike came back to teach at his alma mater. Fortunately, one thing that has not changed is Mike's enthusiasm over what is now 21st-century technology and his commitment to computer science education at SPU. Mike served as Computer Science Department chair for 25+ years. His professional leadership and commitment to providing students with a solid foundation in both theory and practical application infuse not only the classes he teaches but those of his colleagues as well. When he came to work at SPU, Mike was a pioneer — computing was the wild frontier. He was our Daniel Boone!"

A celebration of Mike's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, his family suggests donations to these organizations as a way to honor his memory.

Seattle Pacific University
University Advancement
3307 3rd Ave. W. STE 304
Seattle, WA 98119
(Designate donation to: “In Memory of Mike Tindall”)

Open Doors, USA (the Brother Andrew — God's Smuggler organization)
PO Box 1595
Merrifield, VA 22116-1595
(Please make checks to "Wycliffe Associates" and add on memo: in memory of Michael Tindall)

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF)
PO Box 47
Nampa, ID 83653
(Please make checks to "Wycliffe Associates" and add on memo: in memory of Michael Tindall)

Wycliffe Associates (Bible Translations)
11450 Translation Way
PO Box 620143
Orlando, FL 32832
(Please make checks to "Wycliffe Associates" and add on memo: in memory of Michael Tindall)

For his monthly cartoon, Nate Hoover, associate director for the Center for Biblical and Theological Education, explains this month’s feature: Every time I pass a sign that says “No Shoulder Driving," I wonder what it would be like to drive using my shoulders. This cartoon takes the pun in a different direction. To see more of my cartoons, you can find me on Instagram: @hoovernathaniel.

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