The Daily Bruin

George Fox will host a national pastoral leadership conference, “Spiritual Discernment As Christian Leadership,” on the Newberg campus May 31 through June 3. The event will feature a panel of leading Christian thinkers from around the country.

Sponsored by the George Fox University Congregational Discernment Project, the conference will address the issue of how Christ effectively leads the church in unity. Plenary sessions, workshops and panel discussions with pastors, teachers and authors will provide attendees with a vision for unity and the tools to practice this leadership approach.

Plenary speakers will be Lloyd Ogilvie, Graham Standish, Paul Anderson, Ruth Haley Barton, Peter Bouteneff, and Leith Anderson. All George Fox students, employees and alumni receive a $50 group discount (registering before May 1); save $100 by registering before April 1.

Be sure to pass the word on to church leaders who might be interested. For more information, visit discernment.georgefox.edu or contact Paul Anderson (Religious Studies) at panderso@georgefox.edu.

A Faculty Teaching Forum, “Technology and Learning: Digital Immigrants Teaching Digital Natives,” will be presented by Clella Jaffe (Communication Arts) from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 2, in Hoover 104 (Hoover-Hatfield Library). Note: This is a change from the original April 1 date.

Synopsis: Communication scholars argue that every new advancement in communication technology brings changes in consciousness. Today’s students inhabit a high-tech culture full of communication and information technologies that operate at “twitch-speed” rates; Marc Prensky calls them “digital natives.”

In contrast, most professors were raised in a “print” culture; they are “digital immigrants.” Prensky argues, “Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.” This session explores ways that emerging technologies influence contemporary students’ patterns of thinking and learning.

To reserve a lunch, e-mail Jere Witherspoon (jwithers@georgefox.edu) by 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1. Everyone is welcome to attend the session, whether bringing a lunch or reserving a lunch. Please have your lunch ready so we can begin the conversation at noon.

All faculty — full time, part time and adjunct — are invited to attend Faculty Teaching Forums (FTFs). Video podcasts of FTFs will be available at the “Events and Resources” link on the Center for Teaching and Learning website.

The university’s Social Work Club is hosting a presentation, “Internet Crimes Against Children,” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, in Lemmons 8. The session, presented by Special Agent Micah Persons of the Oregon Department of Justice, will focus on identifying the risks our children face while surfing the Internet, including exploitation by sexual predators. Attendees will learn techniques to keep children safe.

For the second month, employees will see their pay statements by accessing them online instead of receiving them in campus mail.

Go to mygfu.georgefox.edu to get to the PeopleSoft login screen. Use the same user ID and password that you use to log in to e-mail and Bruindata. Open “Self Service” in the menu on the left and click on “Payroll and Compensation.” You will see a list of all of your pay statements that have been processed in PeopleSoft (beginning with our first payroll on Oct. 31) with some basic information included in each of the columns. Click on the pay date in the far left column labeled “Check Date” to open your statement as a PDF file.

Also on this pay day, new premium amounts for medical and dental insurance go into effect, as well as any deduction changes as a result of any changes you made during open enrollment. If you changed to cash in lieu, that will also go into effect. You won’t see deductions for flexible spending accounts or optional life insurance until the April 30 pay day.

In following up with the undergraduate retention project, this week’s focus of retention conversations should center around:

• See how students’ spring break went
• Make sure they are registered or registering for fall semester or find out why not
• Refer them to their enrollment counselor in the registrar’s office if there are issues (Patti Odenweller or Kathy Newton)

The Portland Center Library is featuring the work of artist Kelly Williams for the months of March and April. Kelly works with watercolors and also creates pieces using a fascinating technique called “encaustic” (meaning “to burn in”), which combines molten beeswax with dry pigment and resin. Please come look at the art and meet the artist at a reception from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, at the Portland Center.

Saturday, March 28
Noon – Baseball vs. Pacific Lutheran (2), Morse Field

Sunday, March 29
11 a.m. – Women’s Tennis vs. Lewis & Clark, George Fox campus courts
Noon – Baseball vs. Pacific Lutheran (2), Morse Field
2 p.m. – Men’s Tennis vs. Green River CC (exhibition), George Fox campus courts

Tuesday, March 31
3 p.m. – Men’s Tennis vs. Linfield, George Fox campus courts

For more information, contact the sports information office at ext. 2926.

Fitness Center Hours
March 30 – May 1, 2009

Monday-Wednesday
6 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
10:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Tuesday – Thursday
6 – 7:30 a.m.
9:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
2:30-11 p.m.

Friday
6 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday
2 – 6 p.m.

Note: Varsity athletes have priority in the center from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. daily.

Everett Hackworth, a former employee, passed away on Sunday, March 22. Everett served the university as a plumber in Plant Services for the decade from 1987-1997. His memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Dayton Pioneer Church in Dayton.

Don’t forget: An American Red Cross blood drive is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in the Villa Academic Complex. You can go online to schedule a time to donate blood at givelife.org (sponsor code is GeorgeFox). Each donation potentially saves three lives.

Human Resources has free tickets to the Portland Renovation and Remodeling Show at the Memorial Coliseum March 27-29.

The home and garden show will feature displays and exhibits by kitchen and bath remodelers, window, siding and roofing companies, heating and air, flooring, home security and water conditioning specialists, interior decorators and designers, and landscaping consultants. Products include sunrooms, patios and retaining walls, countertops, cabinetry, security, satellite and home theater systems, hot tubs, saunas and spas, and more.

Newberg employees, please come by HR to pick up your free tickets (normally $4 each) beginning Tuesday morning.  Portland and Salem employees can request yours by phone or e-mail, and we will send them to you in campus mail.  Employees will be limited to two each, but requests for additional tickets will be accepted in case extras are available at Friday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Fitness Center Hours for spring break:

Saturday & Sunday, March 21-22: Closed
Monday-Thursday, March 23-26: 6 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Friday, March 27: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, March 28-29: Closed

Saturday, March 21
Noon – Softball vs. Lewis & Clark (DH), Morse Field
Noon – Baseball vs. Cal State-East Bay (DH), Morse Field
1 p.m. – Women’s Golf in Bruin Women’s Invitational, Westbrook Village Golf Course, Peoria, Ariz.

Sunday, March 22
1 p.m. – Baseball vs. Cal State-East Bay, Morse Field

Monday, March 23
Noon – Softball vs. Corban (DH), Morse Field

You are invited to experience an English choral tradition dating back to the 1400s. George Fox University is honored to host the 34 choristers of the Worcester Cathedral Choir on Monday, April 6, in Bauman Auditorium. An evensong service begins at 7:30 p.m., followed by the concert at 8:15 p.m.

George Fox employees (halftime and over) may pick up their tickets, a limit of two per employee, on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 9 a.m. Friday, March 27, at the first-floor Information Center in Stevens Center. Phone reservations will not be taken except for employees at the Portland and Salem centers.

On Thursday, April 2, beginning at 9 a.m., any remaining tickets (again, a limit of two per person) will be available, also on a first-come, first-served basis, to those who sign up on a waiting list. If you find you will not be able to attend the concert, please return your tickets for another employee to use.

Deepest appreciation is given to Andre and Gail Iseli, members of the George Fox University Board of Trustees, for their patronage of this event.

Nominations for Support Staff Member of the Year and Administrative Staff Member of the Year are due in HR on Monday, March 23.

If you have any colleagues you believe are deserving of this award, please take a few minutes to nominate them by describing that person’s unique, “above and beyond” contributions to George Fox, its students, and/or its employees in the past year. Indicate what was done, who was impacted, and how this impact was and can be observed. In short, what makes this person stand out in your mind?

Other questions to consider: How has this person encouraged or helped you, other employees, or students in the past year? What is it about this person’s job performance that impresses you? How has this person demonstrated Christian commitment, loyalty to George Fox, and leadership skills at the university and the broader community in the past year?

Nominations can be submitted via e-mail, fax or hard copy, but they must arrive in HR by 5 p.m. on Monday.

Go Bruins!

If you are on the Newberg campus Friday, March 20, come on over to Hoover 105 to cheer on our Bruins on the big screen as they play The College of New Jersey in the semifinals of the Women’s NCAA Division III national basketball tournament. The game begins at 3 p.m.

Should George Fox win, the Bruins will play in the championship game against either Washington University of St. Louis or Amherst College of Amherst, Mass., at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21. The community is invited to Hoover 105 to watch that game as well.

Mark David Hall (Political Science) will guest host the Georgene Rice show on Tuesday, March 24, on KPDQ AM/FM, KFIS & KRYP.

The segments are as follows:

• 4-4:30 p.m.: Gary L. Gregg, director of the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville, will discuss the Christian imagination and his new book, The Sporran.
• 4:30-5 p.m.: Doug Wilson, founding board member of Logos School, senior fellow of theology at New St. Andrews College, and author of Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, will explore Christian classical education.
• 5-5:30 p.m.: Robin Baker (President) will discuss why Christian higher education is more important than ever in these uncertain times.
• 5:30-6 p.m.: Hall, Herbert Hoover Distinguished Professor of Political Science, will take calls on church-state relations in America today.

The May Serve team traveling to South Africa will host the annual May Serve fundraising banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 4, in the Klages Dining Hall. Come for a time of fun and entertainment, great food, and the opportunity to meet and support the May Serve team. The event will include a silent auction, and following the banquet a variety show is scheduled in the Cap and Gown Room.

Tickets are $10 and may be purchased from any May Serve team member or by contacting Andrea Crenshaw (Spiritual Life) at ext. 2323.

We look forward to gathering together in Hoover 105 this Saturday at 10 a.m. to watch our Bruins play for a NCAA Division III national basketball championship. George Fox will play The College of New Jersey Friday for the right to advance to the title game. We will not be showing the consolation game scheduled for 7 a.m. Saturday morning.

The Internet is an option for viewing the games. Visit this NCAA.com site for a tutorial on gaining access.

We still have tickets available for the Oregon Symphony at 8 p.m. Friday, March 20, in Bauman Auditorium. You can pick up tickets at the Information Center in Stevens Center. If you have any questions about tickets, please call Barbi Doran at ext. 2099

If you find that you are not able to attend the concert, please return your tickets for another employee to use.