"1619 to liberation," a panel discussion about Black history and liberation with faculty members Segbenon Gnonhossou, Carlene Brown, and DeHeavalyn Pullium, will take place Tuesday, Feb. 28, 6 p.m. in Demaray Hall 150. They will share their stories, studies, and experiences. The event is hosted by the John Perkins Center's Learn & Serve, Black Student Union, and African Student Association. The event is free and food will be provided.

You are invited to the Winter Quarter Faith, Diversity, and Science Lecture, “Can I get a climate witness,” with speaker Marqus Cole, JD, on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 11:10 a.m., in Upper Gwinn. At this special Chapel event, Mr. Cole will use his unique voice as a Black, millennial, professional, and person of faith to bridge the gap between key stakeholder communities in this climate moment. In this lecture, you’ll hear his call to train, equip, and mobilize believers to recover the Scriptural mandate to steward and care for creation. For more information, including a livestreaming link, visit the website.

Artificial intelligence is all around us. Recommendation systems and generative large language models such as ChatGPT are transforming the ways we discover, create, and share information. How should we respond to these changes? Come chat with SPU faculty who contributed to AI, Faith, and the Future, an interdisciplinary book exploring the intersection of artificial agency and hope: Thursday, March 2, 3–4 p.m., in the Library Seminar Room. Light snacks will be available. You can also check out open content from AI, Faith, and the Future on SPU’s Digital Commons.

The Music Department presents a winter orchestra concert, “By Any Other Name,” on Sunday, March 5, at 3 p.m. in Upper Gwinn. Experience what the SPU Orchestra has been working on this quarter at this FREE concert open to the public and wheelchair accessible. The concert will be livestreamed.

A message from SPU Dining Services: Come to Gwinn Commons and celebrate International Women’s Day with Her Campus on Wednesday, March 8. Join us for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit Her Campus' booth to learn more about their vision and mission, while enjoying our female chefs’ signature dishes.

A message from Human Resources: If you were not able to participate in this year’s on-campus biometric screenings, you can still earn your 2023 SPU Wellness Incentives! All 2023 benefit eligible employees and enrolled spouses can complete a biometric screening. As a benefit eligible employee, you can earn $75 toward your wellness incentive.

Go to My.QuestForHealth.com to set up a username and password. Note: If you have old Quest Diagnostics credentials once used with Cigna, you will need to set up a new username and password. Enter your unique ID: Aetna WID# (from your Aetna ID card); and registration key: SPU2023

From here you will be given the option to register for a biometric screening at a local Quest Diagnostics Patient Service Center OR download a physician form to complete at your next annual physical. Acceptable physician screening dates range from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023. All screening results must be uploaded or faxed to Quest Diagnostics by Dec. 31, 2023.

Do something important for your health while kick starting your 2023 SPU Wellness Incentive valued up to $400 in rewards! For information on more ways to earn your wellness incentives, visit this HR wiki page.

Questions? Contact Cherylin Shdo in Human Resources at shdoc@spu.edu.

A message from SPU Dining Services: We are pleased to announce that Bertona Mobile Kitchen has added not one, but TWO new merchants! Exclusively available on the GET App, Buddy V’s Cakes and Mariah’s Cookies have landed at SPU. These new merchants are available for order and pick up in the first floor of the Student Union Building (SUB). You can also use your credit card or Falcon Funds to purchase food from the GET App. Learn more here. Log in to your GET account here.

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 to your 403b account may take up to seven days to be provided to SPU for processing, so please contact Transamerica by the first of the month prior to your requested change. 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 Cherylin Shdo in HR at 206-281-2816.

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, March 2, and the next issue will be published Monday, March 6.

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.

Katya Nemtchinova, professor of linguistics, was invited to participate in a panel on the development of intercultural skills in world language and literature programs at the annual AATSEEL conference (American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages). Her presentation examined the theory and practice of “Building intercultural reflection into a busy language curriculum” based on the most recent models of intercultural competence.

Kathleen Braden, professor emerita of geography, received notice her article, “Myth-making Journeys on the Trans-Siberian Railway,” has been accepted for publication in Geography of Time, Place, Movement and Networks. (Stanley Brunn, editor, University of Kentucky, Springer Publications). The anticipated publication is in 2024.

Please join the Office of Human Resources in welcoming these new SPU staff members:

• Carrie DuBord Atkins, benefits administrator, Human Resources
• Kirsten Bird, weekday coordinator of Camp Casey Conference Services, Casey Conference Center

A mother asked strangers on TikTok to play her daughter's sheet music, inspiring a beautiful symphony conducted by SPU Music Professor Christopher T. F. Hanson and performed by other music educators. Christopher recorded the performance and responded to the mother on his TikTok channel. The story was picked up by many outlets, including Today.com, Classic FM.com, and Boing Boing.net. His video received more than 64,000 likes and more than 899,000 plays on TikTok!

Karl Lerum, Falcon track and field coach, was interviewed by Alaska Sorts Report about Falcon cross country and track and field runner Vanessa Aniteye for the story, “Once a star at 400 meters, former Chugiak High and UAA runner Vanessa Aniteye is now aces at 800 for Seattle Pacific.”