This is the last week to take advantage of the clearance sale at the campus bookstore with deep discounts on clothing, hats, mugs, notebooks, art supplies, and books. The bookstore is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Alumnus Michael Henry '79 is a a retired pastor and missionary. His ministry included serving as a missionary in Mexico, where he encountered intense spiritual warfare, and planting and pastoring churches in Washington state. Now retired, Mike pursues writing novels, screenplays, and film production, including an award-winning documentary film titled "Kidnapped Redemption," the story of missionary Phyllis Sortor’s harrowing adventure in Nigeria. Listen or read the podcast.

A message from the UMin Spiritual Care Team Chaplain Lisa Ishihara, Jen Manglos, and Mike Labrum:

Spiritual Direction Sessions

Whether or not you had the opportunity to take advantage of the free spiritual direction sessions that were offered, we still would encourage you to consider meeting with a spiritual director that could walk with you as you process all that these last few months have looked like for you. Having a soul friend that can help us discern the voice and fingerprints of God in the midst of a challenging season is invaluable.

If you sense that spiritual direction could be beneficial in the weeks and months ahead, both Jen Manglos and Mike Labrum, spiritual formation coordinator in UMin, would be honored to walk with you in spiritual direction if we could serve you in that way. Pastor Jen and Pastor Mike are trained spiritual directors who are available to help process anything on your heart or mind that you’d like to talk about. Email Jen or Mike using the contact information below.

Jen Manglos – jenmanglos@gmail.com (visit jenmanglos.com for more information)

Mike Labrum – mike@deeperwalksd.org(visit deeperwalksd.org for more information)

Spiritual Care Room SUB 110

We will be winding down our Spiritual Care Room this week. We have a number of succulents that need a new home if you are interested in taking a few with you! We hope this space has served as a place of rest and reflection over this last quarter.

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 every other week during the summer. The next deadline is Thursday, July 6, and the next issue will be published Monday, July 10.

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.

Each month an SPU staff member is designated the Staff Member of the Month. Nominated by their peers and selected by Staff Council, these staff members exemplify service to the University, showing leadership in their staff role and elsewhere.

Meet the June Staff Member of the Month, David Haslam, Facilities services manager. David’s colleagues say that he consistently goes out of his way to make sure campus events are successful and safe. He pours countless time and energy into talking through the little details, walking you through the correct steps and forms to fill out, and gives suggestions when needed. His encouraging demeanor makes working with him a delight. Learn more about David.

An article written by Stephanie Armes, assistant professor of marriage and family therapy, with colleagues from three different institutions was recently published in the International Journal of Systemic Therapy. The article, titled “Marriage and family therapists’ exposure to trauma, access to support, and intention to leave: It takes a village,” examines therapist exposure to trauma through their helping role and how this is associated with their intention to leave their current work.

A prose poem by Jason Thornberry titled "Shiny Surfaces," was published in The Decadent Review. Also, his poems "Faucet" and "Here is Your Father" were published in Parentheses Literary magazine: Jason is the receptionist for the School of Education and an adjunct professor.

Please join the Office of Human Resources in welcoming the following new staff members. 

Zachariah Johansen, accountant, Controller’s Office
Mia Van Wyk, bookstore manager, University Services

And we'd like to welcome again Sariah Goux, accounting assistant in the SPU Foundation office, whose first name was misspelled in a previous Bulletin.

Professor Emeritus of Sociology and alumnus Gordon Cochrane died on June 13, 2023. He graduated from Seattle Pacific College in 1950 with BA in sociology. and then earned an MA in 1950 and a PhD from the University of Southern California in 1968. He taught at Seattle Pacific from 1965 through 1989, when he retired. The "Elvis and Gordon Cochrane Scholarship" was established for students majoring in either theology or sociology. His father, Elvis Cochrane, graduated from Seattle Pacific in 1911. Gordon was an active member of SPU's emeriti faculty.

His online obituary is at legacy.com.