A message from Student Life: We are looking for a few additional people to help out before, during, and after the Lecrae and PEABOD concert on Saturday, Sept. 28. There are a limited number of volunteer spots on Friday and Sunday as well. Please use this link to sign up. Thank you.

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 Mailing Services: As the summer winds down and we all prepare for the return of students, many University Services departments are also preparing to serve campus through another academic year. Here are a few updates.

Package Locker Pilot:
Thank you for working with us through the pilot of our package lockers outside Falcon’s Post. The original purpose of these lockers was for students, however we decided to pilot with faculty and staff to ensure we worked through any implementation details before releasing to students. Now that we have established the service and know that many faculty and staff preferred not to use the lockers, we are moving to end the pilot and launch use of the lockers for our residential students beginning next week.

This means notification for any package received on your behalf to campus will return to email notifications letting you know that your package arrived and can be picked up during Mailing Services business hours (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.) by anyone you designate. Communication will be going out to 2024-25 residential students shortly to announce this new service launch for them.

Anytime Postage Self-Serve Kiosk:
With the implementation of our FedEx partnership, University Services has been working to ensure campus constituents had at least two options for outbound shipping. To allow for broader price shopping options, we have launched a self-service kiosk located at the front of Falcon’s Post which allows you to ship your packages with a variety of USPS rates. Limited stock of USPS flat rate boxes are also available. Stop into Falcon’s Post anytime (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.) to print and pay for your USPS shipping label at the kiosk, then drop your prepared package with Mailing Services staff to send out with the next USPS pickup.

On behalf of the Mailing Services team, we look forward to continuing to serve you. Contact us any time at mailing.services@spu.edu or 206-281-2077.

A message from University Communications: If you have a few updates to your office or department webpage, submit them to the online Web Update Request Form. If you need an updated directory photo, contact Design Manager Lynn Anselmi at lynnanselmi@spu.edu.

A message from Office of Student Involvement and Leadership: We’re pleased to announce that Christian rappers Lecrae and PEABOD will appear in concert in Royal Brougham Pavilion as a part of SPU’s New Student Orientation on Saturday, Sept. 28. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to this complimentary show exclusive to our community. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. Be sure to bring your SPU ID with you — that’s your ticket into the show. We’re looking forward to having you with us!

A message from Student Involvement and Leadership: Following a successful New Student Orientation schedule shift last fall, we are excited to announce that New Student Orientation will once again take place over three days this September (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 27–29) to better accommodate our students and their families. Faculty Council and Senior Leadership have approved moving the opening ceremony for the 2024-25 academic year to Saturday, September 28, 2024.

As you remember, New Student Convocation is where we join to formally welcome our new students into the academic community at SPU by circling around them, visualizing the care and wisdom that will surround our new students throughout their time at SPU. This ceremony has proven to be a meaningful experience for our new students, their families, and our faculty and is a great powerful connection to Ivy Cutting at the end of a student’s journey with us.

Faculty are invited to join our students and families for lunch in Tiffany Loop beginning at 12 p.m., with the convocation and Circle of Matriculation ceremony occurring at 1:30 p.m. We hope you’ll be able to join us for the community meal; it’ll certainly make gathering for the convocation processional that much easier.

Saturday will also have additional opportunities for faculty to engage with new students (including UCOL Connections) and their families (Faculty Academic Forum). Questions or ideas can be directed to Orientation@spu.edu or Kevin Deschler, assistant director, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, at deschlerk@spu.edu. Thanks!!

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. 26. The next issue will be published Monday, Sept. 30. 

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.

An article by Abel Cruz, assistant vice president and chief information officer, was recently published in the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Noticias magazine. The article is titled, "Artifical Intelligence: A New Power for our Times as Legal Professionals."  Abel was formerly chair of the HNBA's Technology Committee.

Seven School of Business, Government, and Economics faculty and staff members presented and/or served on panels at the Principles of Responsible Education (PRME) North America biennial meeting held in Victoria, British Columbia, in May 2024. Yelin Li, assistant professor of accounting, won the best poster award for the entire conference.

• Gary Karns and JoAnn Flett, “Decent Work & Development in the Garment Industry: A Case Study of Ethical Apparel Africa.”
• Annie Kato, “Developing Next Generation Global Leaders who Advance the SDGs: An International Hybrid Educational Program.”
• Yelin Li, “Do Investors Punish Companies for Voluntary Disclosure in EDG Matters When Companies Experience Bad Earnings?” (Best Poster Award Winner.)
• Geri Mason, “Thriving in Responsible Management Education: Lessons from the Classroom.”
• Geri Mason, Panel: “The Advantages of UN PRME Working Groups.”
• Jonathan Mvududu, “Decolonization and Indigenization of Economies: The case of Canada and New Zealand.”
• Ross Stewart, Dean’s Panel: “Leading PRME B-School Impact in the age of AACSB Standards 8 and 9.”

Alissa Walter, associate professor of history, presented a two-part series in September on the "History of Israel/Palestine and the War in Gaza" for Bethany Presbyterian Church.

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

David French, assistant vice president, finance, Finance
Andrew Page, mental health counselor, Student Counseling, Health and Wellness
Catherine Vaughn, communications specialist, University Communications