The Daily Bruin

Along with your Jan. 30 direct deposit statement (or paycheck), please watch for your 2008 W-2 in your mail Friday, Jan. 30. Most of the information on these forms is easy to understand or explained in the fine print on the reverse, but we thought it would be helpful to provide a little extra information.

Items in Boxes 12a through 12d are required by IRS. The amount (if any) in Box 12a labeled “C” is the taxable cost of your group term life insurance paid by the university in 2008. (This amount was also included in your pay as taxable income in 2008.) The amount (if any) in 12b labeled “E” is the contribution you made to a supplemental retirement plan beyond the 3 percent that the university matches.

Box 14 shows the amount of your contribution to the university-sponsored retirement plan and is labeled “403B,” which is the IRS code/section assigned to our plan. This represents 3 percent of your pay from the time you began participation.

Employees (and their tax preparers) often ask why the amount in Box 1 is different than the amount listed in Box 3 and 5. Because any contributions you made to the retirement plan(s) are not subject to income taxes, those amounts (shown in 12b and 14) are not included in Box 1. However, those contributions are still subject to Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes, so they are included in the amount shown in both Box 3 and 5. If you add the amount in Box 1 to any amounts in Boxes 12b and 14, the total will equal the amount in Box 3 and 5.

You may find this information boring and/or confusing, but we recommend you save and keep it in a safe place, along with your W-2, so you will have both when you (or your tax preparer) files your tax return.

Finally, big kudos and many thanks to Brooke McGillivray, Melodee Powers and Tory Cole for their extra efforts to get these 2,300 W-2s out ahead of the legal deadline. Processing these for the first time in PeopleSoft created some extra challenges and extra work.

Oregon income tax booklets and forms are available in the hallway at Mail Services. The orange booklet is for part-year resident/nonresident and the blue booklet is for full-year resident. There are no federal forms or booklets available at Mail Services. They are only provided online.

Where did racism take place in the 1940-’70s? Was it just in the South? Have you ever heard the stories from Portland? Expand your knowledge with an exciting film and discussion with the producer and filmmaker.

The university is hosting another showing of the film “Grandma Zula’s Legacy” at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2, in Stevens 208. A documentary about racism, community service and activism, the film includes anecdotes from those who actually lived the struggle and arose triumphant.

According to a Chronicle Review article by Tim Clydesdale, “Today’s students know full well that authorities can be found for every position and any knowledge claim, and consequently the students are dubious (privately, that is) about anything we claim to be true or important.” Given our students’ unprecedented access to information, often accompanied by ambivalence toward authority, what changes might faculty and administrators make to better engage our students?

This will be the topic of a Faculty Teaching Forum, “Wake up and Smell the New Epistemology,”  from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Hoover 104 (Hoover-Hatfield Library). You are welcome to join in this discussion facilitated by Patrick Allen (Provost). If you would like to read the article “Wake up and Smell the New Epistemology” ahead of time, visit this FoxTrax site.

To reserve a lunch, e-mail Jere Witherspoon (jwithers@georgefox.edu) by 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 2. 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.

Marketing Communications is hosting two studio photo shoots for faculty and staff on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 11-12, in Cap and Gown Room A. Wednesday’s session is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursday’s studio time is set from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

These high-quality studio portraits will be used on the university website and will be available for professional promotional use. To sign up, call Marcom’s main number at ext. 2139 or e-mail news@georgefox.edu. Drop-ins are welcome, but appointments will be given priority.

Volunteers are needed to help set up and run the first home track meet of the season on Saturday, Feb. 28. Please contact head coach John Smith (jsmith@georgefox.edu) if you are interested in helping out.

This is a reminder to pick up your free ticket for the play “Portraits of Courage: African Americans You Wish You Had Known,” scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, in Bauman Auditorium.

The presentation portrays six African Americans — Ida B. Wells, Lewis Latimer, Colonel Young, C.J. Walker, Bass Reeves and Fannie Lou Hamer — who were influential to the development of America but are typically overlooked in the history books. There will be a discussion afterwards.

Students and employees may pick up their complimentary ticket at the University Store. Outside community members may purchase tickets at a rate of $8 for adults, $6 for seniors/alumni, and $5 for students with ID. Tickets may be purchased in person at the bookstore or by calling 503-554-3844. The play features reserved seating starting at 6:30 p.m.

More information about the play is available at willandcompany.com/poc/index.shtml.

Various students and alumni will be hosting a workshop for those interested or who have questions about pursuing a career in theatre beyond George Fox. It is scheduled from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, in Ross 208. Admission is free, and snacks will be provided.

Join Alpha Psi Omega Saturday, Jan. 31, for the culmination of its 24-Play Festival. In a period of 24 hours, George Fox students will write, direct, act, and produce three plays. Come celebrate our theatre students’ work at 7 p.m. in the Wood-Mar Auditorium. Admission is free.

Faculty members, please encourage your students to attend an APA style workshop from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, in Hoover 102. The workshop will cover the basics of APA style for citations and references. Students need only bring a writing utensil and an engaged mind to this hands-on workshop.

The e-nnouncement posted Jan. 26 had the wrong hire date range for the 10-year awards. It should have read: To receive a 10-year award, your hire date is between Sept. 2, 1998, and Sept. 1, 1999.

Employees slated to receive a 10-year award on May 4 are: Lionel Johnson, Margaret Fuller, John Smith, Blair Cash, Nancy Thurston, Mary Olson, Susan Newell, Mark McLeod-Harrison, Dave Hansen, Jeff Duerr, Mike Campadore, Wayne Adams, Missy Terry, Peg Hutton, Denise DeCicco, Robin Baker, Brad Weldon, Mark Carlton, Claudia Hirsch, Karlyn Fleming, Sean McKay.

Based on the corrected date range, please contact Peggy Kilburg (Human Resources) by e-mail if you believe your name should be on the list for 10-year awards; or, conversely, if you believe your name should not be on the list.

Friday, Jan. 30, 6 p.m. – Women’s basketball vs. Whitworth, Wheeler Sports Center
Friday, Jan. 30, 8 p.m. – Men’s basketball vs. Whitworth, Wheeler Sports Center
Saturday, Jan. 31, 4 p.m. – Women’s basketball vs. Whitman, Wheeler Sports Center
Saturday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m. – Men’s basketball vs. Whitman, Wheeler Sports Center

Please note that Saturday games are two hours earlier than usual to allow for Whitman travel time that night. All four games will have KFOX radio, live video streaming, and LiveStats available online. Visit the Bruin athletics home page or basketball teams’ home pages for links to each.

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

This is a final reminder of Department of Performing Arts events scheduled for this week. On Friday, the first Students in Recital of the spring semester is scheduled from 12:40 to 1:30 p.m. Also on Friday, a senior recital by flautist Emily Blanshan is scheduled at 7:30 p.m.  A second recital will be presented by flautist and mezzo-soprano Rachael Swafford  on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. All events are in Bauman Auditorium and admission is free.

Looking for information on what resources are available to university students and employees? The newly revamped Resources webpage has the most popular links used by students and employees — Bruindata, E-nnouncements, Employee Directories, and many other commonly used locations. Visit georgefox.edu/resources_for/index.html.

Volunteers are needed for Kaleo, scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. All volunteers receive $10 off their registration price and a free Kaleo T-shirt from American apparel. Volunteer duties are light and allow you to attend the conference. If interested, please contact Amy Lorenz (University Relations) at alorenz@georgefox.edu or ext. 2134

This is a reminder to the university community that you are invited to the first Students in Recital of the spring semester on Friday, Jan. 30, from 12:40 to 1:30 p.m. in Bauman Auditorium. Please join the Department of Performing Arts in supporting our music students as they present their work.

Daniel Lennen, a PsyD doctoral candidate, is conducting research on multicultural issues and is seeking feedback through a survey. Last year, several George Fox employees participated in the study, and it is hoped faculty and staff will respond again this year.

Lennen is asking for input on how multicultural issues typically inform your interactions with students

. Your participation is voluntary, and there are no foreseeable risks associated with the project. However, if you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, you can withdraw from the survey at any point.

Questions? Contact Kathleen Gathercoal (Psychology) at kgatherc@georgefox.edu or Lennen at either 503-708-6041 or dlennen05@georgefox.edu.

To participate in the survey, visit surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=iOcmFcQPJ5uOcLVJn7FUXA_3d_3d.

Thank you in advance for you willingness to help again.

– Kathleen Gathercoal

Dr. Nancy Mills, a professor of chemistry at Trinity University in San Antonio, will conduct a seminar in EHS 102 at 4 p.m. this Wednesday, Jan. 28. She will be speaking on “Understanding aromaticity through antiaromaticity: the role of serendipity in research.”

The university community is welcome to a benefit concert for a teen homeless shelter in Medford. The event, featuring the groups Just Lions and Deepest Darkness, runs from 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, in the Foxhole. Admission is $3, with all proceeds going toward shelter building costs.

The university welcomes Gary Burge, a professor of New Testament in the Department of Biblical & Theological Studies at Wheaton College and Graduate School, for the Spring Theological Conference on the Newberg campus this week.

Burge will discuss the conflict between Israel and Palestine in two chapels and take part in talkback and dialogue sessions. Burge specializes in the Middle East, its churches and its history through the modern period. His book on the Palestinian/Israeli struggle, Whose Land? Whose Promise? (2003), received a number of awards from national journals.

“Thinking Christianly About Israel and Palestine” is the event’s theme. The conference begins in Monday’s chapel, when Burge will discuss “The Crisis in the Middle East – An Overview.” Immediately following, he will host a talkback lunch and book-signing from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cap and Gown Room.

Monday night, Burge will present “The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – The History of the Problem” from 7:30 to 8:50 p.m. in Calder Lecture Hall. Refreshments will be provided, and Corey Beals (Religious Studies) will serve as host.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, Burge and Paul Anderson (Religious Studies) will host “A Dialogue on Jesus and the Gospel of John” from 1:20 to 2:35 p.m. in Room 209 of the Hoover Academic Building. That afternoon, a panel will discuss the topic “The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – What is Jesus Doing” from 4 to 5 p.m. in Hoover 250.

The conference closes with Burge’s chapel presentation “The Crisis in the Middle East – An Evangelical Approach” in chapel Wednesday, Jan. 28.

For more information, contact Paul Anderson.