Various departments on campus are hosting a series of events about the current war between Israel and Hamas to gain insight in different ways. Please share this information with your students. Faculty, staff, and students are welcome to attend. These will not be livestreamed or recorded.

Tuesday, Oct. 17: Faculty in the School of Theology will offer a time of prayer and reflection at 11:10 a.m. in. First Free Methodist Church

Wednesday, Oct.18. History professors Becky Hughes and Alissa Walter will offer some historical context on the current war at 3 p.m. in Demaray 150

Thursday, Oct. 19: Sara Shaban, assistant professor of communication, will discuss media narratives and misinformation at 3 p.m. in Demaray 150.

A message from the Office of Finance: Finance is excited to announce the upcoming launch of a new purchasing program with Amazon Business. Amazon Business will be a recommended vendor for purchasing business items effective Oct. 18, 2023. This new program simplifies your purchasing process and allows you to take advantage of Amazon’s wide product selection and competitive prices. Going forward, all SPU Amazon purchases should be made through this new, central Amazon Business account.

If you would like to request access to this account, please contact Justin Freeman in Financial Affairs at freemanj2@spu.edu.

A message from Human Resources: This year’s Open Enrollment will be an active enrollment — everyone will need to make benefits elections between Monday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. This is your opportunity to make changes to your benefit elections, including medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, and voluntary benefits for the upcoming 2024 benefit plan year. Watch for important announcements from Human Resources in the days ahead.

A message from Computer and Information Systems: During October, CIS is posting weekly blogs about phishing, spear phishing emails. social engineering (whaling), passphrases for passwords, and ransomware as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. At the end of the month, there will be a quiz released to employees and students. Receiving 100% on the quiz will automatically enter the user into a raffle. The raffle will have two winners, one student and one employee, who will each receive a prize from CIS! Be sure to check out the CIS blog each week.

Kick-start your day with a watch party hosted by Computer and Information Systems and Educational Technology and Media in the ETM offices (library lower level) with colleagues, coffee, donuts, and AI on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 8-9:15 a.m. Together, we will watch an EDUCAUSE online conference session: "Generative AI and the Transformation of Higher Education: Challenges, Opportunities, Best Practices." Following the session, we will have a follow-up discussion.

You are invited to the School of Business, Government, and Economics Dean's Speaker Series event featuring Compass Housing Alliance Executive Director Mary Steele, who will speak on the topic of affordable housing and issues related to homelessness. Please join us on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. in Ames Library, Seminar Room (2nd Floor). Please RSVP to cal@spu.edu as space is limited.

A message from Staff Council: The annual Staff Pumpkin Painting contest is Tuesday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Martin Square. Prizes will be awarded for "Most Creative" and "Spookiest" pumpkin. Not feeling overly creative or spooky? Don’t have time to paint a pumpkin? No problem! Stop by for a trick-or-treat goody bag and to meet and greet your fellow SPU staff members. We hope to see you all there!

Encourage your students to attend the SVPC kickoff to learn about the Social Venture Plan Competition. Students will learn how to participate in the competition, hear from SVPC winners, and have the opportunity to form teams. The kickoff is Thursday, Oct. 26, 11:30 a.m. in McKenna 117.

Join the SPU Library in celebrating International Open Access Week by participating in a workshop in the ETM offices (Library lower level) on Thursday, October 26, 12:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Bring your laptop and CV and either drop in or stay the entire time to work one-on-one with librarians and ETM colleagues. Learn how to upload your scholarship and contribute to the open knowledge movement, ensuring that your research, publications, and intellectual contributions reach a broader audience. In an era where knowledge dissemination is paramount, open access is a key to making your research accessible to a global community. We look forward to coming together as a community to further the work of open access.

Box lunches will be available for those that RSVP by October 24, but RSVPs are not required otherwise. Coffee, tea, and cookies will also be available. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you would prefer to meet individually online another time, email librarian Kristen Hoffman at khoffman@spu.edu to coordinate a time that works for you.

From SPU Dining Services: We'd love to hear about your dining experience! SPU Dining's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey allows our guests to rate their dining experiences, including meal plans, dining locations, and events. Participants will get the chance to win one of three $50 Visa gift cards. Find the survey online through Oct. 21.

A message from Human Resources. SPU’s annual Benefits Fair will be two days this year, Tuesday, Oct. 24 and Wednesday, Oct. 25. Come and hear from your benefits providers and enter to win multiple table prizes and give-a-ways, including $100 cash door prizes!

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every Monday during the academic year, or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday. The next deadline is Thursday, Oct. 19. The next issue will be published Monday, Oct. 23.

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.

Please join the Office of Human Resources in welcoming Omar Ordonez, chemistry lab coordinator, in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.