Thank you to those who were able to attend the recent post-Board Town Hall. For those unable to attend, or who would like to watch it again, you may view the presentation online. As was stated in the Town Hall, this information is for faculty and staff only and is not to be shared in any form outside of current faculty and staff. Thank you for respecting this expectation.

You may also read Winter BOT narrative reports (that are provided with the same criteria) through the following links: 

Academic Affairs Report

Faculty Chair Report

Business and Finance Report

Chief of Staff Report

Enrollment Management and Marketing Report

Student Life Report

University Advancement Report

Mission Integration Report

Diversity and Belonging Report

A message from the Office of Business and Finance: Did you know that all contracts/agreements, including independent contractor agreements, must be reviewed and approved by the vice president for Business and Finance/CFO? For clarity, this requirement applies to all contracts, agreements, binding agreements, scopes of work, memorandums of understanding, interagency agreements, independent contractor agreements, and invoices that include terms and conditions, etc.

Submit a Jira Requisition Request (Spend Request) to receive approval (a rough estimate is OK).  After receiving approval in Jira, submit contract to OBF for review. Once the vice president for Business and Finance/CFO has reviewed and approved the contract, the area vice president will sign the contract. If the amount is higher than Jira approval received, resubmit the Jira Requisition Request (Spend Request).

Please contact  Audrey Kamemoto, executive assistant for vice president for Business and Finance, if you have upcoming contract needs. Please plan for a minimum of a 1-2 week turnaround time for review/approval. The Contract Review Policy can be found on the Institutional Policy Wiki.

For those looking for a Lenten reflection space, the School of Theology has set up Stations of the Cross in the Alexander & Adelaide Hall chapel on the second floor, featuring ceramic stations designed by Fr. Mauer van Doorslaer, O.S.B., and made at the St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA. In the chapel there is a reflection guide by Cadence Moore with sonnets from Malcolm Guite. As Lent places us in a season of prayer, you are invited to meditate on the story of Jesus taking up his cross. The School of Theology hopes it might be a meaningful way to journey through the season.

The current SPU Store window displays were designed by Family and Consumer Sciences students in the Visual Merchandising class, taught by Gwia Kim, assistant professor of apparel design and merchandising. This was a class project for students Madison Fisbeck, Emeri Beitler, Jessica Blackburn, and Emilay Chafen in the Apparel Design and Merchandising program. The window themes are Pacific Northwest and Seattle. Please stop by and check out their creative displays! 

SPU’s Giving Day is coming up on Wednesday, April 2. NEW this year — plan to stop by the table in Gwinn Commons to cast your vote for an area of campus to receive additional Giving Day funds! Visit givingday.spu.edu.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Nate Hoover, assistant director of the MFA program, explains his monthly cartoon: This classic game is full of surprises. To see more of my cartoons, follow me on Instagram @hoovernathaniel.

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