A message from Campus Ministries: December 3 marks the beginning of Advent season. Over the four weeks to follow, Christians take up the discipline of waiting, cultivating a posture of prayer and expectancy as we look toward Christmas and a celebration of the incarnation. The vocabulary of Advent is made up of words like longing, preparation, darkness, waiting, and promise — rich theological themes that are fundamental to our understanding of what it means to live in the now and the not-yet of our faith. Perhaps even more poignantly, the language of Advent speaks a word of both lament and hope that might resonate amid the injustices experienced personally and globally every day.

In observance of Advent, Campus Ministries (CM) invites you to the discipline of daily Scripture readings and a short challenge for each day, written by the CM staff. Our hope and prayer are that these practices will invite a season of restoration for our souls as we prepare to receive the light of Christ. Follow along on our Instagram or Facebook pages (@spucampusministries), or check out the full text version, available on the CM website starting in December. If you have questions, email Kelsey Rorem, associate director of campus ministries, at krorem@spu.edu.  

Learn about two new events involving SPU faculty at the Library’s next “Creative Conversations” on Thursday, November 30, 12–1 p.m. in the Library’s main floor reading room. "Creating Art through Collaboration: Presenting Saci and The Greater Trumps" are two new works involving faculty members Doug Thorpe (English), Brian Chin (Music), Sarah Mosher (Theatre), and Karin Stevens (Theatre). They will share about their upcoming event that incorporates music, dance, and language. The event will be performed at the Cornish Playhouse on December 1–2. Learn more about the event online.

A message from Residence Life: The resident advisor selection process begins Winter Quarter and we need your help to recruit qualified candidates. Our campus is blessed with students who have academic, spiritual, and leadership gifts. However, many students do not apply without the encouragement of faculty, staff, and peers. As we seek an applicant pool that reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of our community, and as we strive to increase the number of male students who engage in the selection process, we hope you will partner with us by emailing BeAnRa@spu.edu with student recommendations by January 8. Thank you in advance for your support!

The Center for Career and Calling has extended the Winter 2018 application deadline for the $1,000 SERVE Internship Grant to Friday, December 1. Students who have unpaid internships with a nonprofit organization during Winter Quarter are encouraged to apply. Some restrictions apply.

The Tent City 3 Committee has prepared a how-to guide for those preparing meals for residents of Tent City. For available dates, check out the Tent City 3 Meal Calendar. Also, kitchen access is available on most Wednesdays for faculty and staff to reheat food prepared at home. Email TC3Meals@spu.edu if you have any questions or to confirm your date selection.

A message from Robyn Myers, manager of conference services at Camp Casey Conference Center: Faculty and staff can stay at the Fort Casey Inn for $115 on Friday, December 1, if they are planning to participate in the annual Coupeville Chamber of Commerce Jingle Trail Run on Saturday, December 2. Also, Fort Casey Inn is available after Christmas during the holiday break.

Which new faculty member has exhibited her sculpture in Italy? Which SPU alumnus took Double Superior honors for his live production of The Grapes of Wrath? Where can you get the latest on the new Social Justice and Cultural Studies major launching in 2018? For answers to these and other probing questions about Arts and Humanities at SPU, take a look at the Autumn 2017 Exhibit newsletter. To subscribe, email cas@spu.edu.

Each month, Camp Casey publishes an e-newsletter with information about current activities and rental opportunities for groups. You can sign up to receive the newsletter online. If you have story ideas for the newsletter, email Robyn Myers, Camp Casey manager of conference services, at robyn@spu.edu. Read the latest issue online.

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The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will welcome prospective students and their families at the annual Tradition event on Friday, December 1, 7–8 p.m. in Tiffany Loop. If you know a high school student who is considering applying to Seattle Pacific, please encourage them to attend Tradition and check in with the Admissions table to receive a piece of Christmas swag and meet our staff. High school seniors who check in at the admissions table and attend Tradition are eligible for a $500 visit scholarship that will be applied to their 2018–19 financial aid package. RSVP online.

The Associated Students of Seattle Pacific (ASSP) Core invites faculty and staff to join students for the first SOTA (State of the Association) of the year on Sunday, December 3, 7:30–9 p.m. in Demaray Hall 150. SOTA began last year to increase communication between the student body and their student government. The goal is to spread more awareness of what ASSP is doing as elected officers, and be completely transparent in their work. Students, faculty, and staff can submit questions on OrgSync. All attendees will also have the chance to ask questions during a designated Q&A time. ASSP Core hopes to see you there, and feel free to spread the word. Watch the promotional video online. 

The Gwinn Commons Dining Hall menu is updated online every week.

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, November 30. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, December 4. 

A chapter written by Professor of Accounting Kimberly Sawers was published in The Rutledge Companion to Behavioral Accounting Research, (Theresa Libby and Linda Thorne, eds. Nov. 9, 2017). The chapter, with co-authors S. Kaplan and J. Samuels, is titled "Social Psychology and Application to Behavioral Accounting Research: Individuals within Groups." This book covers all bases necessary to learn how to become a competent behavioral accounting researcher. It lays out issues of theory, design, measurement, and analysis, and is designed for PhD seminars in behavioral accounting research as well as a gateway for those researchers looking at exploring and using behavioral methods.

Associate Professor of Sociology Karen Snedker presented a paper titled “To Lead Without Leading: The Role of Judges in Collaborative Treatment Courts” for a session on Drug Courts and Specialized Treatment Courts at the American Society of Criminology’s annual meeting in Philadelphia. This paper explores the role of judges in dispending therapeutic justice in mental health courts.

The Office of Human Resources would like the SPU community to welcome Sally Thunselle, nurse practitioner in Health Services.