Don't miss this performance commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the SPU Music Department on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m., Nickerson Studios. In celebration, they’re putting on a fun, free performance, with costumes and snacks! Come join our all-star cast of musicians: SPU music faculty Brian Chin, Todd Gowers, Dan Adams, Christopher Hanson, Mary Kantor, Dave Krosschell, Jan Nelson, and Maggii Weitzel — plus special guests Eric Rynes and Francine Person. Livestream is also available.

From Family and Consumer Sciences: The SPU Community Kitchen program has come to a close. The program was launched in March 2011 by Daniela Gheleva, associate professor of food and nutrition, with the assistance of the Family and Consumer Sciences Department and the support of an SPU SERVE grant. For the past 11 years, SPU students, staff, faculty, and community members have come to gather for monthly cooking and eating events held on campus.

The program’s initial vision was to provide SPU students with opportunities to explore their vocation as future food and nutrition professionals, and a chance to experience the satisfaction of their professional interests being synchronous with their personal passion for serving others as Christ calls us.

The SPU Community Kitchen has engaged with many individuals over the past 11 years, many curious to learn more about food and cooking, a number on a limited food budget, some dealing with chronic health issues, and all in need of a fun and friendly community. We have cooked many affordable, delicious, and nutritious meals using seasonal, locally-sourced fresh vegetables and fruits, and demonstrated how easy it is to make healthy food on a budget while interacting and growing together.

Although we have decided to end the program, we hope to explore ways for our students to continue to engage with our community around food, nutrition, and wellness in the future. We hope you will still engage with the program through the content featured on its recipe blog, YouTube channel, and Facebook page. 

Sincerely, 

Daniela Gheleva, associate professor of food and nutrition; Joey Freeman, assistant professor of nutrition and FCS co-director; and Jaeil Lee, professor of apparel design and merchandising and FCS co-director

Explore topics of open data, open scholarship, and open educational resources with librarians, fellow faculty, and ETM as they relate to climate justice and more specifically, to your courses.

In person: Wednesday, Oct 26, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Library Seminar Room. Bring your brown bag lunch and we will provide cookies, tea, and coffee.
Online: Friday, Oct 28, 10– 11 a.m. Zoom link: https://spu.zoom.us/j/98853496125?pwd=dG1aSC9iSDlwa2xpbkxSQ2hoUlhCUT09

PACE NW, part of Pivot NW, is hosting a session on Saturday, Nov. 5, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. to share what has been learned in five years of research funded by The Lilly Endowment for connecting young adults and the greater church. Specifically, we will embark on a rhythm of encouraging, training, and networking those who care about young adults so that there is a greater spiritual safety net in the Pacific Northwest. Contact Martin Jimenez with any questions at martinjimenez@spu.edu. Register online.

Pivot NW is a research and innovation grant funded by The Lilly Endowment and based at SPU. PACE is an expansion of Pivot NW which worked within congregations from 2016-21.

A message from Human Resources: Open Enrollment starts this week and runs Oct. 19–Nov. 4! This is your opportunity to make changes to your benefit elections — including medical, dental, vision, and flexible-spending accounts for the upcoming 2023 benefit plan year. Watch for important announcements from Human Resources this week.

To help you with your benefit decisions, Human Resources will host its annual Benefits Fair on Thursday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., in Upper Gwinn. Take a few moments to stroll around the fair and enjoy some snacks with your co-workers. This will be an opportunity to talk with benefits providers from Aetna, HSA Bank, Delta Dental, VSP, Transamerica, and more. Attend a benefits fair presentation and enter to win a $100 door prize!

• 11:30 a.m.: “Taking Full Advantage of Your HSA” – HSA Bank
• 12:15 p.m.: “Medical Plan Overview and Navigating Aetna’s Tools” – Aetna
                     “Enhanced Wellness Program” – Aetna

Don't forget the prize giveaways at every table! We look forward to seeing you there.

SPU’s retirement plan is among the most effective ways to help you secure the future you deserve! As part of Open Enrollment, SPU’s Transamerica representative Ronee Dakin will be available to answer questions you have about your retirement plan, such as:

• How much should I be contributing to the plan?
• Do I have the right investments to reach my goals?
• What should I do with retirement accounts I have from previous jobs?

Live Webinar: “Retirement Plan Essentials”

• Wednesday, Oct. 26, 1 p.m.
• Register here

Individual Retirement Strategy Appointments

Ronee can review your personal retirement strategy and answer any questions you may have.

• Tuesday, Nov. 1, and Wednesday, Nov. 2
• Make an appointment

A group of students in Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement are working with Recovery Café to collect items they need to help their unsheltered or homeless constituents. Recovery Café offers individuals recovering from various addictions and issues a place to get food, connect to resources, and spend time with each other. The students’ goal is to promote health through education and support them in any ways they can. You can help by collecting warm clothes such as these items for Recovery Café members by Wednesday, Nov. 9.

• Jackets
• Oversize shirts
• New socks
• Gloves
• Scarves
• Hats
• Anything else that can fit in this category

Please drop off any clean and washed items in one of these locations:

• School of Health Sciences building, 6 Nickerson, first floor
• Student Union Building, second floor
• Weter Hall, third floor

The kickoff meeting for the annual Social Venture Plan Competition is Thursday, Oct. 20, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in McKenna Hall 117. Students are encouraged to come and learn how to get involved in the competition where teams of students from different majors plan sustainable businesses that meet real needs – and make a profit. It’s all about competition, innovation, and social benefit — not to mention thousands in prize money! Open to all majors.

A message from Computer and Information Systems: If you use the same password for your email, bank, social media, and health care accounts, an identity thief who found your login info on the dark web would be able to access all kinds of sensitive information with a single username and password. Learn more about password managers and how they can help protect you from cyberattacks on the CIS Technology Blog.

For the remainder of Autumn Quarter, the Student Financial Services lobby will be closed on Wednesdays for processing. SFS staff are available and will respond to time-sensitive messages, but the lobby will be closed on Wednesdays and available by appointment only. If you are working with a student or parent, please direct them to the SFS website for business hours. Questions can also be sent via email anytime to sfs-info@spu.edu.

The Center for Career and Calling is hosting a “CCC and Cider” open house for faculty and staff on Thursday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Student Union Building, second floor. You’re invited to drop by for some hot cider, treats, and a chance to connect with the CCC team and learn more about what we offer your students. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Winter/spring reservation requests are now being taken for Camp Casey's Faculty/Staff House for full-time faculty and staff. The dates of stay are Jan. 4–June 12, 2023. Reservation requests are due by Oct. 24, 2022. These requests are selected by lottery and are not affected by summer stays at Casey. Please visit this link to request a reservation. If you are curious how the lottery works or how to stay at Camp Casey with discounted faculty and staff rates, check out the Human Resources wiki. Questions? Contact Camp Casey at campcasey@spu.edu.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly on Mondays during the academic year (or Tuesday, if Monday is a holiday). The next deadline is Thursday, Oct. 20, and the next issue will be published Monday, Oct. 24.

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.

From the Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing: We are planning a very special retirement celebration this month. Our dear friend and colleague, Kim Gilnett, former senior Undergraduate Admissions counselor and longtime staff member, will retire after starting work at SPU in the summer of 1974. For nearly 48 years he has played a wonderful role in inviting students to SPU. (Or 52 years, if you count his four years of study here as an undergraduate.) His passion for SPU and for thoughtful Christian higher education has been a standard for many of us. We are celebrating his legacy at SPU on Oct. 19, 3–4:30 p.m., in Upper Gwinn. RSVP to Linda McCarrel at 206-281-2650 or mccarrell@spu.edu. We are grateful and thankful for Kim and his incredible years of service to SPU and God’s kingdom. Please join us to celebrate him.

Two poems by Jason Thornberry, receptionist for School of Education and an adjunct professor of writing, were recently published. His poem “Security Blanket” was published by Bookends Review, and “Drive Safe,” was published in the latest print edition of North Dakota Quarterly.

Please join the Office of Human Resources in welcoming Karen Byers, assistant women's basketball coach, Athletics.