A message from Facility and Project Management: As summer approaches, Facilities encourages a few simple practices to help keep campus spaces comfortable and energy efficient:

• Open windows when outdoor temperatures are cooler and close them as the day warms to help regulate indoor temperatures (where appropriate for your building).
• Use blinds or shades to block direct sunlight during warmer parts of the day.
• Keep doors closed if you prefer a warmer office which helps maintain consistent temperatures within shared building systems.

These small actions can make a meaningful difference in both comfort and energy use across campus. If you need assistance with cooling or other temperature concerns, please let us know by visiting the Facilities Service Request portal.

A message from John Hossler, associate vice president for academic operations: I am reaching out to let you know about an exciting AI-powered texting service we are implementing this year to help with our efforts to maintain connections with students and increase persistence and retention. We've partnered with EdSights to bring this to life.

EdSights has built a student voice AI that will interact with our students via text message named after our mascot, Talon. Talon will check in with students about their experience at SPU, connect them to resources, and answer questions across a broad range of campus topics specific to our institution.

This is about meeting students where they are and providing support in a more intentional, timely way. It also gives SPU a meaningful channel to hear student feedback and make sure their experience shapes the support we provide.
As we launch, the primary users on the EdSights Dashboard — the Talon Care Team — will include:

• John Hossler (Academic Operations, EdSights liaison)
• Kati Barr (Center for Student Success)
• Jenny Elsey (Office of Student Life)
• Pat Keating (Office of Safety and Security)
• Annette Rendahl (UG Academic Counseling/Office of the Registrar)
• Erica Watt (Student Financial Services)

A huge shoutout to everyone who played a role in getting Talon ready for launch! Here is a webpage with the basic information. Talon sent an introductory text message to students on June 1. If you receive any questions from students about this new tool, feel free to forward the questions to me at hosslerj@spu.edu.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin will be on a summer hiatus until September 8. If you have SPU-related event information during the summer, you can send it to !Faculty/Staff Forum, which is an email distribution list to faculty (excludes adjuncts) and staff.

Four chapters by Professor Emeritus of History Alberto Ferreiro were published in Lexikon für Konziliengeschichtsforschung (Vienna/Rome) for the Society of Research of Church Councils. He has belonged to the councils for 25 years. The entries are on the Council of Toledo XVII (694), Tarragona (516), Girona (517), and Toledo II (527/531). He was assigned to write on 25 councils and has thr left to do. When completed, the Lexikon will have entries for all church councils convened across the centuries in all continents; scholars are assigned according to their expertise to write about them. Ferreiro was assigned those that met in Spain and Portugal prior to the Muslim Invasions of 711. The entries do not simply contain basic information; they are to include novel interpretations by the author and others with essential bibliography for further consultation. The entire Lexikon is available online and for download at the society website.