The Ballard Bridge will be closed over several weekends in September and October to complete maintenance and preservation work. The next closure is scheduled beginning the evening of Friday, September 27, through the early morning hours of September 30, which is the same weekend for Orientation and the first day of Autumn Quarter. (Bridge closure dates are subject to weather conditions.) Please visit the the Seattle Department of Transportation website for the latest information.

A message from Health Services: Our local Safeway pharmacy team will be coming to campus Oct. 22-23 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. in lower Watson Hall (beneath Health Services) to provide a wide variety of vaccines to faculty, staff, and students. Please sign up for an appointment spot using the specific date links below. Bring your insurance card as most vaccines are covered by insurance. This is a great time to get updated on your flu vaccine, COVID-19 booster, tetanus booster, shingles, or any other routine vaccine you may need. Sign up today!

Tuesday, Oct. 22. Sign up online.

Wednesday, Oct. 23. Sign up online.

A message from the Center for Professional Education: Did you know that SPU’s Center for Professional Education sends out quarterly newsletters to help K-12 teachers learn about funding opportunities, helpful course offerings, and conferences? You can read the back-to-school newsletter here and sign up for future newsletters here. Please pass this along to the K-12 educators in your community!

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

Bobbie Childers, program coordinator for music and theatre, recently won two awards in pro-am ballroom dance competitions. In May, she competed in England at the Blackpool Dance Festival — the most prestigious ballroom competition in the world — and took first place in the Pro-Am American Open Smooth Championship, C Division. Earlier in September at the United States Dance Championships in Orlando, Florida, she finished second in the Pro-Am Closed American Smooth, S2 Division. Bobbie says, "As an athlete, it takes a team — coaches, a trainer, a nutritionist, and family support. You don’t do it alone. My team is incredible. I have wanted to simply go watch the Blackpool Dance Festival for longer than I can remember. I never dreamed until two years ago that I might actually be dancing on that famous floor, much less standing on the podium, and then to dance and place at nationals. It is still all surreal. Keep your dreams in front of you. Put in the work, trust your team, and never give up.”

Jeff Keuss, professor of Christian ministry, theology, and culture, delivered a paper as the conveners plenary address at the 21st International Society of Religion, Literature and Culture hosted at Aarhus University in Denmark on September 5, 2024. Titled "Theological Anthropology and AI: Jean Luc Marion, Toni Morrison, and 'Counterfeit Humans,'" Jeff discussed the future opportunities and challenges brought by deep learning and machine learning to the humanities in the liberal arts in relation to Harvard's Henry Lewis' notion of "counterfeit humans" disrupting the humanist and theological legacy of universities.

Please join the Office of Human Resources in welcoming the Carmen Ferrufino as a new residence life coordinator in Residence Life.