With the start of the new academic year, new representatives are being appointed to the University Advisory Council (UAC), and we are expressing our thanks to members who have served and are rotating off the Council. The representatives are leaders from a cross section of the campus constituency to represent the needs and viewpoints of faculty, staff, and students in our community.

For those not familiar with the UAC, there are two purposes for the Council’s existence. The first is to provide an opportunity for greater University representation and discussion on key institutional matters of concern – both present and future. As we continue to assess and enhance our strategic plan, the UAC serves as a key sounding board and point of conversation regarding the plan’s design, content, and progress toward goals. Second, the UAC serves as an integral communication point where we can discuss and share important information regarding both our operations and future plans to enhance broader awareness and understanding. I believe this occurs as the UAC members serve as a communication conduit to the various units, departments, programs, and constituents across the University.

The representatives of the University Advisory Council for 2017-18 can be found online. 

President Martin and Pam Martin invite SPU faculty and staff to the Hillford House (600 West Dravus Street) for an Autumn Celebration and Open House on Thursday, October 19, 2-6 p.m. Celebrate the season as a community with fellowship, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. 

Also, to celebrate both the start of a new year and Seattle Pacific’s institutional commitment to address homelessness in Seattle, faculty and staff are invited to participate in Project Cool’s drive for school supplies for homeless students ages 14-18. Project Cool is one of SPU’s previous CityQuest partners, and has supported more than 30,000 homeless students since its founding 28 years ago. This will be a great moment to restock Project Cool’s supplies as they provide backpacks, school supplies, and basic health items to hundreds of homeless children and teens. Here is a list of items Project Cool has requested. The items will be collected at the Autumn Celebration and Open House. 

Crayola crayons (box of 24)
Crayola colored pencils (box of 12)
Thick colored markers (box of 10)
Highlighters
Pens (black and blue)
#2 Pencils
Pink erasers
Glue sticks (non-toxic)
Toothbrushes (individually wrapped)
Toothpaste
Floss (containers of 40 yards+)
Wide- and college-ruled filler paper
Wide- and college-ruled 1-subject notebooks
Wide- and college-ruled composition notebooks

Preparations are underway for Tent City 3’s encampment at SPU from November through February. As in 2012 and 2015, volunteers are welcome to join one of our three committees: Food, Services and Auxiliary; Campus Programming; and Church and Community Programming. Please email tentcity3@spu.edu if you are interested. All volunteers are welcome to help on move-in day (TBA). If you’d like to do something other than lifting and carrying, we welcome contributions of lasagna, salad, or dessert for move-in dinner with Tent City 3. More information to come. 

The Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (VPDEI) will host a meet-and-greet reception on Tuesday, October 10, 3–4:30 p.m. in Upper Gwinn. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the office and hear a vision for the work of diversity at SPU in the year ahead. Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend. The event begins at 3 p.m. with informal networking and refreshments. A brief program will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by an opportunity to meet Sandy.

The Office of Educational Technology & Media (ETM) is hosting weekly workshops on topics such as copyright, open content, and Canvas. Here are the upcoming events.

Tuesday, October 10. Advanced Quiz Features in Canvas. 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the Ames Library Classroom on the main floor. The workshop will look at different question types, question banks, feedback, and statistics in Canvas. It will be a hands-on event and last approximately one hour, but can go 90 minutes if you have other questions you’d like to drop in and talk about.

Thursday, October 12. Mobile Apps Available for Canvas. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Ames Library Classroom on the main floor. This workshop will look at the mobile apps available for Canvas — the existing Canvas app, the new teacher app, and their features and limits. The workshop will be hands-on, so bring your devices. The workshop will last approximately one hour, but can go 90 minutes if you have other questions you’d like to drop in and talk about.

Monday, October 16: Copyright and Open Content, 12:45-1:15 p.m. in the ETM offices, located on the lower level of the Ames Library. Kristin Hoffman, psychology and scholarly communications librarian, will provide tips for finding open content.

In recognition of October as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Awareness Month, the Office of Safety and Security (OSS) is hosting a series of brown-bag lunch presentations on subjects related to gender-based violence. The first presentation is Wednesday, October 11, 12:20-1:30 p.m. in the Library Seminar Room. IPV is commonly known as domestic or dating violence. It is not always easy to determine in the early stages of a relationship if one person will become abusive and controlling. These behaviors intensify over a period of time. This presentation will discuss the warning signs of an abusive relationship and how you can help a friend in need. (If someone needs help immediately, contact OSS at 206-281-2911 or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) or 800-787-3224 (TTY), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.) For more information on upcoming events, visit the OSS website.

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.

Winter/Spring reservation requests are now being taken for the Faculty/Staff House at the Camp Casey Conference Center on Whidbey Island. The dates of stay are January 2 through June 11, 2018. Reservation requests are due by October 20. The winter/spring requests are selected by lottery and are not affected by summer stays at Casey. If you have questions, contact Camp Casey at 866-661-6604 or campcasey@spu.edu. Request a reservation online.

(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 provide 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 also provide campus and community resources that are available for students.)

All college students have mental health needs. Transitioning to college for the first time, or returning for another school year can be difficult for all students. It’s important to consider how faculty and staff can act as mentors to promote positive mental health and academic outcomes for students. Similarly, students may benefit from mentoring other students or community members. To learn more about the impact of mentorship, visit the Wellness blog.

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For the latest information on Falcon sports, visit the Falcons online.

Thursday, October 12

Women's soccer vs Central Washington, Interbay Stadium, 7 p.m.

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 deadline is Thursday, October 12. The next Bulletin will be published on Monday, October 16. 

In recognition of her tireless service and generous kindness to our international students, Lori Honts Tongol is the September Staff of the Month. Lori is the senior international student advisor. Her dedicated strong work ethic, calm and caring presence with students, and organization and hard work have contributed to student success and supported those who work with her. Congratulations, Lori! Learn more about Lori and nominate a colleague for a future Staff Member of the Month.

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By request of an arts editor at Christianity Today, adjunct English Instructor Jeffrey Overstreet wrote about the Showtime television series Twin Peaks: The Return and its focus on spiritual warfare. The article concludes with some personal reflections in which Jeffrey looks back on the influence of the original Twin Peaks series on his community of undergraduates here at Seattle Pacific. He has written for Christianity Today since September 2001 and served as their senior film critic in 2016. Read the article online.

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The Office of Human Resources would like the SPU community to welcome Raynette Parks, a new housekeeper at SPU's Camp Casey Conference Center.

From Master Gardener Jeff Daley: A great little plant that helps usher in the fall season is the autumn-blooming crocus, Colchicum autumnale. Perhaps you have noticed some growing on the south side of Alexander Hall, or in a neighbor’s yard on Queen Anne Hill? This crocus brightens up any fall landscape, which makes you wonder why you don't see it around more.

Don't be confused by the plant's odd growing habits. Unlike its distant spring-blooming cousin that produces both leaf and flower, the autumn-blooming crocus initially pushes up only its broad-leafed foliage. This lasts for several months as the plant is storing energy to use in the fall. By mid-June, the vegetation browns and dies off, and removing the old foliage leaves no trace the plant was ever there. However, as we turn the calendar page to October, almost like magic, up shoots the flower head, which bursts into glorious bloom. 

These plants offer two color choices: light pink and white. Single-petal flowers are more common, but there are also star-shaped double-flowered varieties, which resemble small water lilies. Plant the bulbs — which are called corms — in groups to maximize presentation. A few complementary plants that would go nicely with autumn-blooming crocuses would be asters, chrysanthemums, and ornamental grasses. Lastly, be aware that all parts of this plant are poisonous, so caution is advised for those with small children and pets. 

As the seasons are changing and the temperature continues to drop, now is the time to shop specialty nurseries to get yourself some fun, bright Colchicum autumnale for your own gardening pleasure.

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