On Thursday, August 14, the SPU community is invited to a morning of collaborative professional development to view the award-winning documentary First Generation. The event is 10 a.m.-noon in Eaton Hall 112. The screening of the documentary will be followed by a discussion of how to better serve students taking the monumental step of being the first in their family to attend a four-year university. For more information about the film, visit the website or contact Director of Multi-Ethnic Programs Susan Okamoto Lane at solane@spu.edu.

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Does your office have a waiting area that needs copies of Response magazine? Is your office getting enough copies? Copies of the latest Response magazine have just been sent to campus offices. Since faculty and staff members receive the magazine at home, campus copies are available for distribution in locations where current students, prospective students, prospective parents, and other visitors to campus can read and enjoy them. To request copies or update the amount of copies you are currently receiving, contact Hannah Notess, managing editor, at hnotess@spu.edu.

In advance of the upcoming Lectio series, faculty and staff are invited to a one-day workshop on Genesis 1-Exodus 19, taught by Professor of Old Testament Frank Spina. The workshop is Friday, September 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in Bertona 1, and includes lunch. This rich learning opportunity is free to SPU faculty and staff, and is co-sponsored by the Center for Biblical and Theological Education and the Center for Scholarship and Faculty Development. Topics include the nature of creation; God’s engaging of the created order; the nature and role of humanity; the themes of sin, judgment, and grace; the election of the ancestors; the rescuing of God’s people; and the eventful trek through the wilderness. 

Staff members can register by sending an email to cbte@spu.edu. 

Faculty members can register online at this website.

If you have questions, contact Kelsey Rorem, program manager in the Center for Biblical and Theological Education, at 206-378-5415 or krorem@spu.edu.

A message from Sam Davis, Metro vanpool rider. “Have you experienced that lonely, jealous, hopeless, terrible, empty feeling while you idle in the fast lane and vehicles full of laughing, gleeful people zoom by in the HOV lane (that's us!)? Do you ever wish you knew more people on the SPU campus, beyond your officemates and the cashiers at Corner Market? Have you ever thought, "Golly! I'd sure love to save HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS on gas!" or "Jeepers! Wish I wasn't putting SO MUCH MILEAGE on my car!" Our illustrious northend vanpool has a few openings, and we would love to have you join our amazing commuting team. We meet at the Ash Way Park and Ride off of I-5 on 164th, and work a fabulous 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. schedule. Also, Metro is replacing our van with a shiny new 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan, so you will get to ride in style. Please reply with any questions, I'd love to hear from you!” Sam Davis, graphic designer, University Communications, at daviss1@spu.edu or 206-281-2879.

You have until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5, to have stationery order(s) delivered on August 15. Stationery orders are now delivered once a month. Stationery orders made after 10 a.m. on August 5 will be delivered September 12.

If one of your summer goals is to create or update your personal LinkedIn profile, or learn how LinkedIn works, then plan to attend the next Center for Career and Calling workshop on Monday, August 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in McKenna Hall 113. The summer training session is open to all students, alumni, faculty, and staff. No RSVP is needed. The workshop will cover:

•           Creating a powerful professional profile
•           Learning basic LinkedIn search techniques
•           Finding and joining interesting groups
•           Discovering the SPU, alumni, and company pages
•           Developing advanced search techniques and connection strategies

The summer hours for Gwinn Commons Dining Hall are now posted online. The hours will be updated regularly for the upcoming week. Please remember that dining hall hours are based on Conference Services clients and internal groups, and are subject to change. Contact conferenceservices@spu.edu if you have any questions.

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Over the last two months, SPU has received many meaningful messages of support from around the world – via email, social media, printed items, photographs, and many other forms. We are collecting these items, with the SPU Archives in the Library as the ultimate destination. In the meantime, University Communications will be collecting these items. If you have items that you would like to contribute, please send them to Hannah Notess at hnotess@spu.edu in University Communications, Suite 116. Contact Hannah or Adrienne Meier at ameier@spu.edu with questions.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every other week during the summer. If you have information or event news, send it as soon as possible to Bulletin editor Tracy Norlen at fsb-editor@spu.edu. Submissions may be edited for clarity. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, August 18. The next deadline is Thursday, August 14.

Associate Professor of Theology Daniel Castelo’s new book Confessing the Triune God has just been published. In his book, Daniel makes a case for why a trinitarian understanding is at the heart of the Christian confession of who God is. The book, published by Cascade, is part of the "Wesleyan Doctrine Series" which aims to help Wesleyans and Methodists in particular grow more conversant with features of the Christian doctrinal tradition. Learn more about the book online.

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Several School of Education faculty members recently wrote a chapter for a book about the role of science teachers in international classrooms. SOE professors Andrew Lumpe, Robin Henrikson, Daniel Bishop, and adjunct faculty member Amy Vaughn wrote a chapter titled “Teacher Professional Development and Self-efficacy Beliefs” for the book The Role of Science Teachers’ Beliefs in International Classrooms: From Teacher Actions to Student Learning. (C. M. Czerniak, R. Evans, J. Luft, C. Pea, editors. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Sense Publishers.) Read more about the book online.

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Geri Mason, assistant professor of economics, recently presented a paper at the World Finance conference in Venice, Italy. Her paper was titled "The Impact of Distance on Credit Default in Spatially Segmented (Rural) Credit Markets: An Empirical Analysis.”

The Office of Human Resources would like the SPU community to join us in welcoming the following new staff members. Contact information can be found in the SPU White Pages.

Susie Becker, area coordinator for campus residence halls, Residence Life
Deborah Burmer, accounting assistant, Finance

Professor of Psychology Les Parrott was quoted in an August 3 story in USA Today titled “Silent Treatment Speaks Volumes About a Relationship.” Les is co-director of SPU’s Center for Relationship Development in the School of Psychology, Family, and Community. Read the story online.

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From SPU Master Gardner Jeff Daley: Despite the numerous challenges that it can present, gardening in shaded areas can be a rewarding experience. The first step to success is knowing a few plants that enjoy (or at least tolerate) shaded conditions. One easy plant to grow that will stand out in your garden is Ligularia dentata.

Commonly known as summer ragwort or leopard plant, its dark green leaves have beautiful purple venation on their undersides and serrated edges all around which give it the Latin name of "dentate," meaning "toothed.” In mid-summer, the bursts of bright yellow-orange daisy-like flowers will rise up to create a fun display for your shade garden.

Although it is native to China and Japan, Ligularia is becoming very popular in Pacific Northwest gardens. When planted alongside complementary shade-loving plants such as variegated hostas, Japanese forest grass, and ferns, it can create a beautiful display without too much fuss. It is considered a herbaceous perennial, meaning it will die back to the ground in winter but return next spring.

Morning sun is OK, but hot afternoon sun will surely wilt the leaves and should be avoided. Additionally, although it is deer resistant, slugs love to feast upon it. Make sure to protect its tasty new spring foliage from slugs. 

To see Ligularia on campus, stop by the North Weter Hall courtyard in front of University Communications where it’s just starting to bloom.

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