In July, the University purchased buildings immediately west of SPU’s Human Resources Office. These buildings are currently occupied by a marine equipment company and martial arts studio. The acquisition represents the final piece of property within our existing Master Plan zone facing the north side of Nickerson between Third and Sixth Avenues.

When the tenants vacate the building in mid-October, work will commence to transform the area into expanded and improved space for the Music Department. Our facilities staff has been working with music faculty over the past year to evaluate and determine essential program needs. The acquired property has existing characteristics that meet many of the current identified needs, as well as those previously planned in the former University Center project.

Once completed, the renovated space will include six faculty offices, two ensemble practice rooms, and a choir/recital facility. Additionally, the recording studio and piano lab currently housed in Beegle Hall will be relocated to this location. This allows the recording, practice and recital spaces to be integrated for expanded recording capabilities. It will also allow the Crawford practice rooms, which had been converted to faculty offices, to return to their original purpose. Below is an architectural rendering of the planned exterior for the building and the expected interior floor plan:

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Work on the project will begin immediately upon the move of the existing tenants and will continue on through the end of Winter Quarter. A second phase renovation plan to support the Music Department will include an evaluation of additional changes and enhancements to Crawford for functionality and design.

The Tent City 3 Host Committee is sponsoring a series of community education forums around the topic of homelessness. SPU will be hosting Tent City 3, January-March 2015. The first forum, “Who Would Jesus House?”, is Thursday, October 9, 11:10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Demaray Hall 150. How can faithful Christian discipleship move us toward compassion and justice? Join panelists Dr. Ron Ruthruff from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology and Janet Moore from Bethany Presbyterian Church for a conversation on homelessness, poverty, and how people of faith and their communities can better love and serve the poor.

“The New World: Music of The Americas and Spain” is the theme for a special faculty recital on Friday, October 10, 7:30 p.m. at First Free Methodist Church. The concert, a collaborative event between three professors in the SPU Music Department, will feature music of the United States and Spain with selections from Aaron Copland, Granados, Manuel DeFalla, and more. Performing will be professors Brian Chin (trumpet); Chérie Hughes (soprano); and Dainius Vaicekonis (piano). The concert is free and wheelchair accessible.

The Department of Philosophy is pleased to present a public lecture on Thursday, October 9, 5:30 p.m. in Demaray Hall 150 with Alfred Mele, the William H. and Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University. He is director of the Big Questions in Free Will Project and The Philosophy and Science of Self-Control Project. He is the author of several books and countless articles. His lecture, titled "Neuroscience and Free Will," will examine certain scientific studies that say the brain routinely decides what a person will do before they become conscious of its decision, and there is only a 100 millisecond window of opportunity for free will. The lecture is free and wheelchair accessible.

Mental health professionals will be available for several evenings during the week for students affected by the June 5 tragedy. Students who would like an opportunity to discuss their current level of stress with a professional are welcome to come to the Collegium on any of the scheduled evenings. This is a walk-in service without the need for an appointment. Visit the website for more information.

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The School of Business, Government, and Economics invites faculty and staff to attend the 2014 Business as a Calling Day, Thursday, October 9, 9-11 a.m. in Upper Gwinn. Dr. Michael Naughton from the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota) is the keynote speaker. Dr. Naughton is an expert on Catholic social thought and the author and editor of several books and articles, including Bringing Your Business to Life, Managing as if Faith Mattered, Rediscovering Abundance, and Rethinking the Purpose of Business. Learn more on the Center for Integrity in Business website.

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A message from Kristen Hoffman, scholarly communications librarian. “Have you ever published an article and discovered that no one can access it? Perhaps the full text is unavailable for a year, or the library doesn’t subscribe to the journal? As the author, you have options about your original documents. 

1) You can negotiate to retain certain rights prior to publication.

2)  You can self-archive your article in Digital Commons @ SPU (check your copyright transfer agreement, SHERPA/RoMEO, or the publisher’s website to verify author rights).

3) You can contact the publisher and ask for permission. Often a publisher will allow a specific version to be posted to an institutional repository or a personal website so you can share the content more broadly. 

To self-archive your article, sign into your account in Digital Commons @ SPU and submit your research into the SPU Works series, or start a personal page in SelectedWorks to share your scholarship. To learn more, contact me at khoffman@spu.edu, and I’ll walk you through the self-archiving process or answer any questions.

From Conference Services: As a new academic year has begun, 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 room, 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 many times Conference Services 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, contact Conference Services at 206-281-2187 or confereceservices@spu.edu.

Are you interested in learning about how your pursuit of personal wellness could impact more than your health? Find out about the incentives available to faculty and staff through the “Motivate Me” program by attending a 30-minute session in the Library Seminar Room. For more information, contact Human Resources 206-281-2809.

Monday, October 20, 1 p.m.
Thursday, October 23, 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Tuesday, November 4, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, November 5, 1 p.m.
Thursday, November 6, 1 p.m.

All faculty and staff are invited to sign-up for the Fall 2014 Community Bible Study on Genesis with Professor of Old Testament Frank Spina. The study is sponsored by the Center for Biblical and Theological Education. The study meets Wednesday nights with a lecture from Professor Spina, contemplative engagement with the text, and a chance to meet in intergenerational small groups. It’s an invaluable opportunity to grow in your faith and engage with others from the SPU community. More information and registration for this free program are available online.

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Faculty or staff members who would like counseling related to the June 5 tragedy can meet with a counselor by contacting the Life Assistance Program (LAP) at 1-800-538-3543. LAP is part of SPU’s employee assistance program. Faculty and staff may also contact Director of Human Resources Gary Womelsduff at womelg@spu.edu or 206-281-2678.

A printable version of the 2014-15 Office/Departmental Directory is now available. The directory includes departmental phone numbers, office fax numbers, contract service providers, and mailstop numbers. This section of the directory is updated annually. The Faculty/Staff Employee Directory (all full-time, permanent employees) is also available in a printable version. This document is updated every day. Visit the website for more information.

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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 remove your spouse and/or children from your health care plans? If so, contact Human Resources (HR) to complete the appropriate form. It must be submitted to HR by the 10th of the month, prior to your dependent's access to new coverage. Otherwise, the change can only occur the subsequent month, and any premiums paid will not be refunded. Changes might also 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 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 Carrie McCrimmon in Human Resources at 206-281-2676.

The deadline for October’s monthly stationery orders is Tuesday, October 7, at 10 a.m. Stationery orders will be delivered on October 17. Stationery orders are now delivered once a month. Orders made after 10 a.m. on October 7 will be delivered November 14. If you have questions, contact Hope McPherson in University Communications at hmcpherson@spu.edu.

There are several free employee assistance programs for regular employees working half-time (.50 FTE) and above. Learn more about these resources available through Cigna by attending a drop-in 30-minute session in the Library Seminar Room. The sessions are: 

Monday, October 6, 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 7, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Wednesday, October 8, 2 p.m.

If you live on the Eastside, drive across the 520 bridge, and would love to save more than $225 per month on toll fees and gas, then we want you! There are currently three fun people who are seeking two more fun people to get a vanpool going from the Eastside. Van pools are completely paid for by the SPU Commute Trip Reduction Program, so there are no expenses to riders. We're hoping to meet at the South Kirkland Park and Ride at 7:25 a.m. each day so that we can work an 8 a.m.-5.p.m. schedule. If you are interested (even part time), email Lynn Anselmi in University Communications at lynnnanselmi@spu.edu.

For all the latest in Falcon sports, visit the Falcons online.

Thursday, October 9
Men's soccer vs Montana State Billings, Interbay Stadium, 4:30 p.m.
Women's soccer vs Montana State Billings, Interbay Stadium, 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 11
Women's soccer vs Northwest Nazarene, Interbay Stadium, 1 p.m.
Men's soccer vs Northwest Nazarene, Interbay Stadium, 7 p.m.

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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 Bulletin will be published Monday, October 13. The next deadline is Thursday, October 9.

The Department of Political Science and Geography is pleased to announce the publication of an article by Assistant Professor of Political Science Katya Drozdova in the current issue of International Studies Quarterly. The article, co-written with Dr. Kurt Gaubatz, is titled "Reducing Uncertainty: Information Analysis for Comparative Case Studies.”

Professor of European History Alberto Ferreiro was a summer visiting professor at the University of Salamanca where he taught students from Western Washington University and Seattle Pacific. This summer marked the 25th year of the program. He also took two R&R (research, relaxation, and visit friends) trips to Antwerp, Dresden, and Berlin. Summer reading included Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (again after 35 years); a sport history, La Roja: How Soccer Conquered Spain and How Spanish Soccer Conquered the World; and 51 short stories featuring Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. He wrote the first chapter of his book, another chapter for a conference, and did linguistic research of a Vicent Ferrer Catalan sermon. Lastly, he enjoyed glorious nights at the Plaza Mayor, tapas, siestas, good conversations with friends, the World Cup, wonderful students, excursions, and more.

Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Dale Cannavan recently hosted the Washington State National Strength and Conditioning Association’s annual clinic in Royal Brougham Pavilion. More than 100 attendees from the Health and Human Performance field attended this one-day clinic. The clinic incorporated both didactic and hands-on interactions from some of the best minds in their respective fields. Dale says he wanted to take the opportunity to showcase the new training facilities to allied health professionals, and reports the clinic was a huge success.

Associate Professor of Psychology Margaret Brown co-authored the updated edition of The Self, a text which documents theoretical and empirical understandings of the self in the discipline of psychology. New research and conceptions are juxtaposed with the classic and traditional views of self, providing the reader with a comprehensive introduction to this central area of social psychology. The text will be translated into Chinese and published in Beijing by Posts and Telecom Press, in partnership with Taylor & Francis Group.