From Sandra Mayo, vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion: You are invited to the inaugural ODEI diversity lecture with Christian author, historian, and speaker Jemar Tisby. The purpose of the annual lecture is to provoke thought, extend conversations, and inform current practices related to our University-wide diversity efforts. The series will bring thought leaders to campus who can inspire and challenge us to engage the theological, cultural, and institutional aspects of this work.

This year’s theme, “Understanding Our Past to Change the Future,” is one that we believe is vital for moving us forward with a clear commitment to driving out enduring institutional biases. Drawing on his highly acclaimed book The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism (2019), Jemar Tisby will explore the connection between the church and racism throughout American history. He will offer practical steps for Christians to understand and fight against their own complicity in institutional racism, both individually and corporately.

Please join us on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 5 p.m. in Upper Gwinn Commons for this important conversation. I also invite you to begin thinking about how you might incorporate The Color of Compromise into your winter quarter classes or use it as part of a book study within your departments.

I look forward to meaningful conversations with all of you!

SPU will be a part of a nationwide first-of-its-kind program to help students lacking resources find affordable, nutritious food. The University’s food service provider Sodexo, in partnership with Swipe Out Hunger — a leading national nonprofit group committed to reducing food insecurity on college campuses — selected 13 universities around the country to pilot the new program.

Sodexo will provide two free meals for every full-time meal plan sold at SPU, an estimated donation of 2,000 meals per year. These meals will be the basis for the “Meal Swipe Bank,” where food insecure students can request meals at campus dining service outlets. Campus leaders in student life, residence life, financial services, campus housing, and student government are meeting to finalize the details. SPU Dining Services General Manager Kim Karstens hopes to have the pilot program in place by January 2020. “We want students to focus on their studies and not where their next meal is coming from,” Karstens said.

A message from University Ministries: Please join us for the final Chapel of the quarter, with a special focus on ushering in the Advent season, on Tuesday, December 3, 11:10 a.m. in First Free Methodist Church. (Choir prelude at 11:05 a.m.). Participating in Chapel will be the SPU Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, and Treble Choir.

The next meeting of the Pacific Northwest Historians Guild titled "Faces of Citizen-Soldiers: Stories of the Washington National Guard" will feature co-authors Bill Woodward, professor emeritus of history, Andy Leneweaver, and Rick Patterson talking about their new book. Washington National Guard (Arcadia, Oct 2019). This pictorial history book highlights several of the long-overlooked personal stories they uncovered, and shows how the guard has played an integral role in peace and war and state and federal service.

The presentation will be on Thursday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. n the Library Seminar Room. This presentation is free and open to the public. 

The Seattle Times "Seattle Now and Then" column on December 1 highlighted the authors' new book.

Important announcement from Human Resources: The 2020 voluntary life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance open enrollment takes place Nov. 20–Dec. 4.

SPU will transition on January 1, 2020, to The Standard as our provider for Life and AD&D Insurance, and guaranteed issue coverage is offered for 2020.

This special open enrollment is significant because guaranteed-issue coverage is being offered anew to all eligible individuals — even if they do not have coverage currently. Health underwriting normally applies to this kind of coverage, meaning that any enrollment or increase in coverage is only accepted for those that the insurance company underwriters approve of. If you request coverage greater than the guaranteed-issue amounts, or apply for coverage outside of Open Enrollment, the health questions apply. That means based on your health, you might not be approved for the coverage you apply for based on your health.

• Current coverage will roll to 2020.
• Premiums for 2020 coverage match current coverage.

For more information, watch for upcoming email announcements from Human Resources.

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.

Google Drive and DropBox need to take a back seat to OneDrive. Learn why at a CIS training event on Tuesday, Dec. 3, or Wednesday, Dec. 4, and begin storing, sharing, and accessing documents securely, wherever you are. Please RSVP here. Light refreshments will be provided.

Tuesday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m., Otto Miller Hall 128
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 12:30 p.m., Otto Miller Hall 227

Staff Council invites to join us for our annual Staff Council Christmas Party on Monday, Dec. 16, from 12–1:30 p.m. in the SUB’s Gazebo Room. Bring your lunch and join us for cookie decorating, creating Christmas cards, photo booth, hot chocolate, and a raffle. Staff Council will also be collecting donations for The Bridge Care Center. We look forward to connecting with each of you!

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 servant-leadership gifts. However, many students do not apply without the encouragement of faculty, staff, and peers. We are seeking an applicant pool that reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of our community, with increased numbers of male students who engage in the selection process. We hope you will partner with us by submitting your recommendations by email to BeAnRA@spu.edu with the names of students whom you’d like to see apply by Thursday, Jan. 9, 12 p.m. Thank you in advance for your support!

The 11th annual Jingle Trail 5K run (or walk) is Saturday, Dec. 7,  at 10 a.m. at Camp Casey, a co-sponsor of the event. It would be fun to have faculty and staff participate. Lodging is available in Fort Casey Inn for Friday or Saturday nights at $115 night. Visit jingletrailrun.com for more information. If you spend the night with us at the Fort Casey Inn, you can register for the run at half price. To reserve a room at Fort Casey Inn, go to fortcaseyinn.com and let the staff know you are an SPU employee in your booking notes.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) 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, December 5. The next Bulletin will be published on Monday, December 9.

Brad Murg, assistant professor of political science and director of global development studies, was interviewed on KIRO-FM on November 26. He discussed the current U.S.-China trade conflict, its impacts in Washington state, and recent political developments in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Listen to the interview.

From Archivist Adrienne Meier: As reported in the recent Board of Trustees report, Alexander Hall will be renamed Alexander and Adelaide Hall to better reflect Adelaide's "significant partnership and influence in the early days of Seattle Pacific." Here is some more information about her.

Adelaide L. Beers was the first head teacher at Seattle Seminary (she was called the “preceptress” in contemporary Seminary literature), and served the seminary with her husband, Alexander Beers, between 1893 and 1916. A single-story white-frame building built on the campus in 1922 was named for her in 1945. Adelaide Hall served as the main elementary school building (1922–45), a women's dormitory (1945–58), and as a classroom building (1958–78). It was located near the south entrance of Alexander Hall, partially where the lowest level of the Dravus Parking lot is now. 

For more on Adelaide Hall, see this SPU History Wiki entry (SPU credentials required). Select the link to see photos of Adelaide Hall.

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For his monthly cartoon, Nate Hoover, office manager in the School of Theology, explains this month's feature: Some phrases are so commonplace that we don’t notice their pun potential. "Passed out'" is a phrase that can be used in different contexts. When I discover a phrase like this, I think, "Is there a way to combine those contexts?” For this week’s cartoon, the reports are passed out in more ways than one. Shout-out to Derick Harris in SOT for the idea about being "hole-punched."

Select the link to see the cartoon.

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