This is a reminder that Alissa Mahar, vice president for business and finance and CFO, is hosting the first virtual CFO Fireside Chat on Tuesday, March 11, 10–10:50 a.m. An invitation with the Microsoft Teams link was sent to faculty and staff on March 10. Vice President Mahar will host quarterly virtual CFO Fireside Chats for all SPU faculty and staff. This will be a chance to hear about updates in the business and finance areas and will include a time for Q&A.

A message from SPU’s Information Technology Department (formerly Computer and Information Systems): We are excited to announce that our department name has officially changed from Computer and Information Systems (CIS) to Information Technology (IT). This change was made to align with standard industry terminology based on the role we play at SPU. Please note that while we transition to a new name, we will continue to recognize and respond to the name CIS. This will ensure a smooth transition as we incorporate the new name into the SPU culture. The same methods that you are familiar with to reach us will continue to work while we slowly introduce new email alias, changes in our Wiki, website, etc. If you have any questions, please send us an email at help@spu.edu. Thank you for your understanding and support.

The SPU Percussion Ensemble presents a winter concert on Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 p.m. in the EE Bach Theater in McKinley Hall. Percussion works by Mitchell Peters, John H. Beck, Bella Fleck, Eric Sammut, Carlos Chavez, William Kraft, Rich O'Meara, Patrick Speranz and George Hamilton Green will be on the program. Also featured is traditional Malinke drumming from northeast Guinea. Admission is free and open to the public.

The Faculty Development Committee and Office of the Chief Academic Officer invite you to Dr. Cara Wall-Scheffler's Weter Lecture on Tuesday, April 8, at 7 p.m. in Upper Gwinn. Her lecture, "The Role of the Body in a Digital Age: A Scientist's Reflection on Our Walking God," invites us to explore how studying bipedalism helps us understand our own humanity. In addition, Dr. Wall-Scheffler will provide some nuanced framing for Biblical narratives that specifically report on walking.

A message from Undergraduate Admissions: A huge thank you to those faculty who have already signed up! Over 20 of you have already committed to helping write personal notes to our admitted students for next fall. If you haven't signed up already, we would love your help! Signing up should take less than a minute of your time and you can clarify how many cards you can do.

The Center for Faithful Business will present the 2025 Frank Haas Integrity in Business Award to Jeff Van Duzer, former Seattle Pacific provost, dean, and professor, on Thursday, April 3, 7–8:30 p.m. in Upper Gwinn Commons. Dessert and beverages will be provided. Please RSVP by March 28. 

Between 2001 and 2019, Van Duzer served as SPU’s provost, dean of the School of Business and Economics, and professor of business ethics and business law. While dean, he led the initiative to establish and fund what became the Center for Faithful Business. He is also the author of Why Business Matters to God.

Before joining SPU, Jeff was a partner at the international law firm Davis Wright Tremaine, where he practiced for more than 20 years. Since retiring in 2019, he has remained active as a board member, consultant to SPU, adjunct professor, speaker, and writer on the theology of business.

Information Technology has developed detailed documentation to support your transition to Microsoft Forms for replacing existing forms or polls. It covers an overview of Microsoft Forms along with its core features, a step-by-step guide to creating your first form, and a walkthrough video for additional guidance. For advanced needs—like sending confirmation emails—documentation for Power Automate is also included, which is essential for more complicated forms.

You can find the documentation listed below. For any questions or support, please email help@spu.edu.

• Microsoft Forms
• Create a Form
• Create a Poll
• Power Automate

The Faith Formation Project is hosting a viewing of The Wind and the Reckoning, an award-winning film about a government mandated exile to stop the spread of leprosy (Hansen’s disease) in the Hawaiian Islands. The event will be held on Thursday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m. in Demaray 150. It is free and open to the public. If you are teaching during Spring Quarter about colonization, disease, public health policies, statehood, reconciliation, storytelling, or identity, this might be a great event to include as part of your class or as extra credit. Reach out to Cody Sugai, Hawai'i Ministry Liaison, with any questions.

A message from Information Technology: As you may or may not be aware, Windows 10 is reaching the end of its life cycle and will no longer be supported beginning October 2025. To prepare campus for this transition, all desktops that can upgrade to Windows 11 will be updated over spring break. Many academic machines have already been updated.

If you are new to Windows 11, there is documentation prepared to help with the transition: Introducing WIndows 11. If you would like to update your laptop over spring break as well, please let us know by opening a ticket at help@spu.edu and we will assist you with this process.

A message from Information Technology: Please note that the Helpdesk will be closed between March 13–25. During this period, all phone calls will be sent to voicemail and all assistance will be by appointment only through Helpdesk tickets. To schedule an appointment, please use our booking system where you can choose from available 30-minute slots between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Appointments can be scheduled up to three hours in advance. Once you book your appointment, a ticket will be automatically generated to notify us. You can email us at help@spu.edu to create a ticket and you can make an appointment online. If you have any questions, please let us know. We look forward to assisting you at your scheduled time. Thank you!

A book review of Marilynne Robinson’s Reading Genesis by Rob Wall, the Paul T. Walls Professor Emeritus of Scripture & Wesleyan Studies, was published in the Bulletin for Biblical Research (2024) 34 (3): 370–372. Rob says, "Robinson’s book is a wonderful read and I recommend it to you without reservation. Before you pick up her book, however, read Genesis, God’s inspiring word for the formation of God’s inspired people!"

Professor of Biology Ryan Ferrer is quoted in a magazine article titled, "A New, Chemical View of Ecosystems." The article in Quanta magazie published online March 5 was about the keystone molecule theory. Ryan explains the subject of his research: "(These) rare, special, and naturally-occurring molecules serve as a kind of glue for ecosystems by serving multiple different functions and affecting many different organisms. It might also be worth noting that keystone molecules are often toxic defenses for some species and important communication molecules for others."