The Daily Bruin

As a key strategy for soul care of undergraduates during the pandemic, the Office of Spiritual and Intercultural Life is looking for multiple Life Group leaders for our Spring Life Groups series taking place the week of Feb. 22 through April 9.

Life Groups provide a space for students to gather for weekly prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. Groups typically meet for an hour to 90 minutes.

This spring, all of our groups will be meeting either by Zoom or hybrid.

• Hybrid groups will meet primarily via Zoom, but may occasionally meet outdoors as the weather, state and university regulations, and participants’ comfort permit.

Throughout the pandemic, Life Groups that run through the Office of Spiritual and Intercultural Life will also be eligible for SpiL credit in order to encourage students to engage in high-quality spiritual formation experiences that are participatory and offer ongoing community.

We welcome our employees, alumni, family members of George Fox employees and students, as well as members of our wonderful local churches to consider leading a group. Groups may also be co-led with an upperclassman student if the leader desires.

For more information and to sign up, click here or contact the Office of Spiritual Life (spirituallife@georgefox.edu).

Join us for a creative adult learning experience Thursday, Feb. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. over Zoom. This event will be facilitated by healthcare professionals who personally represent Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. 

Learn how to apply diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts, such as decenter whiteness/decolonize interprofessional primary care. Listen and process the experiences and perspectives of professionals from BIPOC communities. Explore what success looks like to facilitate better primary care for BIPOC communities.

This event is for healthcare professionals and learners. Register here.

Questions? Contact Tammy O’Doherty (todohert@georgefox.edu).

If severe winter weather makes travel to or from campus unsafe, George Fox will shift affected classes to online instruction. Classes will not be canceled for snow or ice in spring 2021. Because of COVID-19, faculty already have a reduced amount of class time to provide instruction, and losing additional days is not a feasible option. All classes this semester were created with the option to shift to remote learning for at least short periods of time.

If road conditions are unsafe, employees will be expected to work remotely if they have work that can be accomplished from home. If remote work is not possible, employees should contact their supervisor.

Following is our process for announcing when classes will shift to an online format. The provost will make the decision to shift classes online for the Newberg campus, Portland Center and Salem site for daytime classes by 6:30 a.m., or 2:15 p.m. for evening classes. This applies to all days of the week, including Saturday. Decisions at the Redmond site will be made by the professor.

Major considerations are road conditions, ice, utility service disruption, and how long the severe weather or emergency is likely to last. To find out if a decision has been made when severe weather occurs:

1. Check for an email to your George Fox email from Office of the Provost or Office of the CFO
2. Visit the George Fox flashalert.net page. This is the first site updated.
3. Sign up for FlashAlert Messenger. You can download their smartphone app for a mobile alert.
4. Listen to local radio and television stations. Each campus will be identified separately. (This info comes via Flashalert).
5. Call the George Fox University switchboard at 503-538-8383.

More information on campus closure policies can be found at georgefox.edu/closure.

IT is missing its yellow and red hand trucks. They are frequently used to move equipment and pick up boxes from the mailroom.

If you have a yellow or red hand truck in your department that’s labeled IT, Help Desk, or Service Desk, the IT department would appreciate it being returned. 

Please email servicedesk@georgefox.edu if they need to be picked up. Thank you.

Have a December or January birthday? We would like to wish you a very happy birthday!

Those in Newberg are invited to stop by the first floor of Stevens on Thursday, Jan. 28, to pick up your birthday treat. 

Portland employees may pick up their treat at the front desk on the first floor of the Portland Center. Please see Peg Hutton (phutton@georgefox.edu).

Questions? Contact Laurie Fair (lfair@georgefox.edu).

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) and Disability and Accessibility Services (formerly DSO) have come together under one roof! The entire Learning Support Services (LSS) team is now located on the first floor of the Murdock Library. If you’ve been to the ARC, you know where we are.

To celebrate, we’re hosting a prize drawing for all employees as part of our rolling open house. The LSS open house will be held through Friday, Jan. 29. Stop by to enter to win a thermal mug, get acquainted with the space, and say hi! We look forward to seeing you.

Please contact any of the Learning Support Services team if we can be of service to you or your students:

• Rick Muthiah, Director of Learning Support Services – rmuthiah@georgefox.edu
• Andrea Byerley, Disability and Accessibility Services (DAS) Coordinator – abyerley@georgefox.edu
• Julia James, Academic Resource Center (ARC) Coordinator – jjames@georgefox.edu

The Friends Association for Higher Education’s Quaker Leadings in Higher Education series will present a Zoom conversation this afternoon (Tuesday) from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on “Care in Times of Conflict: Cultivating Vulnerability and Resilience.”

Sign up here to register.

Questions? Contact Paul Anderson (panderso@georgefox.edu).

The Ping Pong Club is starting again! Everyone, employees included, regardless of skill level, is welcome to come and play or learn to play.

Please fill out this poll and sign up for the email list if you are interested in coming so that we can determine our weekly meeting time. Our first meeting will be a welcome event where we will explain prizes and other fun secret items.

Please email Nathan Redman-Brown at nredmanbrown20@georgefox.edu with any and all questions.

What is white supremacy? What are its roots in the church? How do we, as Christ followers, fight against it?

Join us on Zoom at 7 p.m. tonight (Monday) for a Mathetes session titled “White Supremacy in the White American Church.” We will hear from Dr. Randy Woodley, Andrea Emerson, Michael Simmons, Rory Brown, and Jeanette Barton on how to honor God by fighting white supremacy! Spiritual life credit is available for undergraduate students.

RSVP here  and email Hannah Lee at hlee17@georgefox.edu if you have any questions.

Good news! Although the Hadlock Student Center is closed for fitness and recreation, the self-defense group fitness class is back!

This popular class is a fusion of fun workouts and valuable self-defense skills and will run from 4 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting Jan. 26.

We are offering this class for FREE to students and employees, and the class is provided virtually, via Zoom. Participation in each week is not required. Participants can pick and choose which weeks and sessions work for them.

Please register by going to this link.

Here are some more details on the class:

Toughen up and shape up with Krav Maga, the most effective “street-smart” self-defense possible. Learn to defend yourself by being trained by Mason Bertrand, a certified and experienced student instructor. Gain confidence knowing that you can protect yourself and your loved ones with the official self-defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces.

Learn realistic tactics and techniques to defend yourself from an attacker, regardless of their size, strength, and fighting strategy. As an added bonus, you’ll also develop superior physical fitness while having a blast!

Since the governor’s announcement prioritizing vaccinating educators, a few of you have asked when George Fox might have vaccines for its employees.

We have received confirmation from Yamhill County that this prioritization does not include higher education. While there may be “small pockets that would work directly with school districts,” by and large our employees “are not eligible.”

When this situation changes, we’ll be sure to let you know.  However, at present, the county has only been receiving small quantities of the vaccine, limiting who can receive it.

Questions? Write cot@georgefox.edu.

To create the safest environment possible for our employees and local pedestrians, we are closing the equipment yard at the Thomas Center to pedestrian foot traffic.

This also applies to the Thomas Lane service road that connects to Fulton Street. Thomas Lane will be closed to foot traffic past the batting cages.

If you wish to walk to the Thomas Center, please use the walking path that extends between Fulton Street and the Thomas Center (by the Morse practice field), or use the Villa Road sidewalk.

Questions? Contact Dixie Downey (ddowney@georgefox.edu). Thank you.

The Ping Pong Club is starting again! Everyone, employees included, regardless of skill level, is welcome to come and play or learn to play.

Please fill out this poll and sign up for the email list if you are interested in coming so that we can determine our weekly meeting time. Our first meeting will be a welcome event where we will explain prizes and other fun secret items.

Please email Nathan Redman-Brown at nredmanbrown20@georgefox.edu with any and all questions.

What is white supremacy? What are its roots in the church? How do we, as Christ followers, fight against it?

Join us on Zoom at 7 p.m. this Monday, Jan. 25, for a Mathetes session titled “White Supremacy in the White American Church.” We will hear from Dr. Randy Woodley, Andrea Emerson, Michael Simmons, Rory Brown, and Jeanette Barton on how to honor God by fighting white supremacy! Spiritual life credit is available for undergraduate students.

RSVP here  and email Hannah Lee at hlee17@georgefox.edu if you have any questions.

The Friends Association for Higher Education’s Quaker Leadings in Higher Education series will present a Zoom conversation Tuesday, Jan. 26, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the topic “Care in Times of Conflict: Cultivating Vulnerability and Resilience.”

Sign up here to register.

Questions? Contact Paul Anderson (panderso@georgefox.edu).

George Fox has updated its face-covering policy to meet new state guidelines.

Students, faculty, staff, vendors and visitors must use face coverings when in the following locations:

• Enclosed public and common areas
• Outdoor areas where physical distancing is not easily maintained

“Face covering” means a cloth, polypropylene, paper or other face covering that covers the nose and the mouth and that rests snugly above the nose, below the mouth, and on the sides of the face. Appropriate face coverings include two-layered face masks or gaiters.

The following are not approved face coverings because they allow droplets to be released:

• Masks with valves or vents for exhalation
• Lace masks or other coverings with openings, holes, visible gaps in the design or material
• Masks with valves or vents for exhalation

“Face shield” means a clear plastic shield that covers the forehead, extends below the chin, and wraps around the sides of the face. Mini face shields that only cover the mouth are not permitted.

Face shields may be used:

• When presenting in front of a class or audience so long as you maintain six feet of distance at all times.  If you are closer or likely to be closer than six feet, you must wear a face mask.
• For employees who have work spaces that are cubicles or in common areas without a door, provided they maintain at least six feet of distance from others (they must put on a face mask when working with another individual in their workspace or if they leave their workspace).
• If you have a medical condition preventing masks
• If you are working with the hearing impaired so they can lip read

Employees and students should switch back to face masks when not in the above four circumstances.

To create the safest environment possible for our employees and local pedestrians, we are closing the equipment yard at the Thomas Center to pedestrian foot traffic.

This also applies to the Thomas Lane service road that connects to Fulton Street. Thomas Lane will be closed to foot traffic past the batting cages.

If you wish to walk to the Thomas Center, please use the walking path that extends between Fulton Street and the Thomas Center (by the Morse practice field), or use the Villa Road sidewalk.

Questions? Contact Dixie Downey (ddowney@georgefox.edu). Thank you.

Check out the ARC’s semester calendar to see if it might be of use to your students as they plan projects for their classes! This calendar prints out to one page and is a handy tool for keeping track of deadlines and scheduled holidays!

For more time management and learning resources, refer students to our Learning Tools.

Please contact Julia James (jjames@georgefox.edu) if you would like the ARC to initiate Academic Coaching consultations with any of your students.

The Bruin Community Pantry will be open during the following hours for the spring 2021 semester:

Monday: 8 a.m.-noon, 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 11 a.m.-noon, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.-noon,  1 p.m. to 3 p.m., 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Bruin Community Pantry is closed during all university holidays.

Find out more information, check out the website.

The Financial Aid Office is currently closed for in-person meetings. We are ready to serve students throughout the current COVID-19 situation and meet needs in a variety of ways:

• You may schedule a phone or video appointment
• Email or call our office or your financial aid counselor directly. If your counselor is unavailable, leave a message, and we will return your call.
• You may submit documents online or by email (finaid@georgefox.edu), fax, U.S. or campus mail.
• You can also find helpful information at fa.georgefox.edu

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions. We are here to help!