From Mailing Services: Please note our updated Thanksgiving and Christmas break hours:

• Wednesday, Nov. 24, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Closed Thursday–Friday, Nov. 25–26.
• Nov. 29–Dec. 23, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., however there will be no mail deliveries to the departments. You are welcome to come in during those hours to pick up your mail and/or packages.
• Dec. 24, 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
• Dec. 27–31, 8 a.m.–12 p.m., with no counter sales. If you wish to pick up your departmental mail, please come to the back door for assistance.
• Jan. 3, 2022, Mail Services resumes normal operational hours, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., with afternoon department mail and package deliveries.

A message from the Office University Communications: If you need to update your school, department, or office website, but you want or need a Sitecore refresher, check out the five short Sitecore video tutorials, the Sitecore Mini-Guide, and the Sitecore User Quick Tips. If you have questions about the recent upgrade to Sitecore 9, email ucwebteam2@spu.edu.

Nearly 5,800 SPU parents and families received the November In the Loop parents newsletter,  which included news about Homecoming and Family Weekend 2022, the Falcon women’s soccer GNAC championship, information about the campus climate survey from the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and more.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly during the academic year. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the next deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 24, and the next issue will be published Monday, Nov. 29. 

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.

Faculty and staff are invited to a retirement celebration for Debbie Crouch, senior associate registrar for Student Academic Services, on Thursday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in Emerson Hall lounge. A short program will begin at 11:30 a.m. Join us as we celebrate Debbie’s 38 1/2-year legacy at SPU and wish her well on her life post-SPU. RSVP here by Tuesday, Nov. 23, and sign the digital card for her here.

Peg Achterman, associate professor of communication, journalism, and film, was selected for inclusion to the College Media Association’s Adviser Honor Roll. She was one of three advisers selected for the honor which recognizes outstanding advisers serving in their first five years. Peg serves as adviser to the Falcon, SPU’s student newspaper. She was nominated by students and colleagues for facilitating her staff’s work during a turbulent and unprecedented year. Honorees were recognized in a ceremony at CMA’s convention in October. Here is a short video featuring Peg. Congratulations! 

Munyi Shea, professor of counselor programs, Cher Edwards, professor of counselor education, and School of Education PhD graduate Esther Penzar co-authored the article “College Students’ Academic Achievement: Exploring the Role of Hope and Academic Self-Efficacy,” which has been published in the latest issue of International Dialogues on Education Journal.

Mischa Willett, assistant professor of English and writing, contributed the article, “‘Some Work of Noble Note’: Changes and Chances in Literary Pedagogy,” about the future of literary studies in higher education for a special issue of Christianity and Literature. 

Pete Renn, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, co-presented two papers at the American Educational Studies Association conference last week in Portland, Oregon: “The Clearest of Reflection: Using Visual Analysis in the Social Studies Classroom as a Means to Interrogate Systemic Racism,” co-authored with Lauren DeHerrera. a recent SPU graduate student; and “Who Released the Kraken? Examining the Mega-monsters of (Un)ethical Practice in Doctoral Education,” co-authored with P. Konkol.