Voting is now open in The Seattle Times "Best in the PNW" contest. Vote for SPU in the "Education" category. You can vote once a day through 5 p.m. on June 28, 2024.

A message from University Communications: Faculty, we are again asking you to send us a short video about what you are doing this summer, similar to the video of faculty-submitted selfies from last year, which received great engagement on our social media channels.

Here’s what we need.

1. Record a short vertical video on your phone of your summer pursuits (i.e. travel, research, writing, gardening, outdoor adventures)
2. Remember: vertical video!
3. Start the video with your name and what you teach. (Example: “My name is Emily Smith and I teach English.”
4. Explain and show what you are doing and/or where you are spending your time, etc. (“I’m conducting research with undergraduate students” or “I’m on a vacation in France.”)
5. Try to keep the video under 30 seconds.
6. When you are done, send the video by text to Social Media Specialist Kelsey Chuang at 1-206-458-9455.

We’d like to collect these by Friday, July 12 . If you have specific questions, email Kelsey at chuangt1@spu.edu.

University Communications is looking for students (either current or recent grads) who are interning or doing volunteer work in the greater Seattle area. This is for a video highlighting some of the career opportunities offered in the region, similar to this video we produced last summer with Class of 2024 computer science graduate Karena Qian and her internship at Impinj. If you know a student, please send the information and their contact information to Director of Public Information Tracy Norlen at tcnorlen@spu.edu.

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 on its summer schedule and will be published every other week through September 9. Due to the July Fourth holiday, the next deadline is Wednesday, July 3. The next issue will be published Monday, July 8. 

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.

A message from University Ministries: You are invited to a time of celebration of ministry and sending out for Rev. Kelsey Rorem and Rev. Mike Labrum. Join us on Wednesday, June 26, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. in the John Perkins Center in the upper SUB for some treats, a time of prayer, and sending out at 11:30 a.m. This will be a moment to send them out with blessings as they both end their time at SPU.

A essay based on his Shakespeare class by Mischa Willet, assistant professor of English and writing, was published The Buechner Review.

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

Mei Singer, Office and Operations Manager, Residence Life
Devan Wilcox, Maintenance Technician–Painter, Facility & Project Management