The Daily Bruin

Join us for the second part of “How to Build Trust and Leadership with AI,” an educational interactive webinar that will take place via Zoom at noon Wednesday, Jan. 28. 

Generative AI is transforming the workplace, and new research from George Fox University highlights the critical role of social influence in shaping trust around AI adoption. Social influence can both discourage and strengthen trust between people when the use of artificial intelligence is involved. We all have a unique opportunity to shape this environment.

Tune in to explore these key findings and learn actionable techniques for building confident, capable and trusting employee relationships as we continue to adopt and integrate AI in the world of work.

Click here to register. For more information, contact Sean Aker at saker@georgefox.edu.

We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Portland Seminary Spring Conference, featuring renowned theologian and author Dr. Andrew Root.

We would be honored to have you join our students, alumni, university leaders and church partners for this vital conversation on leadership, discipleship and ministry in a secular age. The conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Grace Chapel, which is located at 27501 S.W. Parkway Ave. in Wilsonville.

The theme of this year’s conference is “The Church in a Secular Age.” In a time of institutional strain and declining engagement, pastors and congregations are facing a profound identity crisis. Many find it challenging to even imagine God within the “immanent frame” of our modern era. Dr. Root will peer beneath the symptoms of decline, offering critical examination and powerful theological insights for leaders seeking to establish new footing when belief in transcendence is no longer an assumed reality.

The cost is $15 for in-person attendance (this includes lunch). You may also attend online via Zoom. There is no cost for online participation.

Click here to register. If you have any questions, contact Mollie Henkelman at mhenkelman@georgefox.edu.

Students often have a hard time knowing when and how they may use AI in their academic activities. Consider using this AI usage policy guide to provide students with guidelines on the use of AI tools for assignments.

The guide can be used on a case-by-case basis, adjusting expectations based on the goals of an assignment. After making a copy of the Google Doc, faculty members can add, remove or edit the options to fit their course or assignment.

If you allow AI use, this document provides examples of AI usage acknowledgement statements that could serve as examples for students. Some educators believe acknowledgement of AI use could help reduce inappropriate use by normalizing communication about how one is utilizing AI tools.

Contact Rick Muthiah (rmuthiah@georgefox.edu) if you have questions about or suggestions for either of these documents.

Join the annual Newberg Game Con in George Fox University’s Canyon Commons. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1.

Weekend passes are just $14, and single-day passes are $8. George Fox undergraduate students get in free (contact Paul Otto at potto@georgefox.edu for your discount code).

Features include:

• A massive board game library
• Scheduled RPG and board game sessions
• Open gaming tables
• All-day gaming from morning till night
• Exclusive local dining discounts
• A board game giveaway

For more information, click here or contact Paul Otto at potto@georgefox.edu.

Take a creative break and build community at a Fiber Friends meeting. Whether you crochet, knit, tat, or have another fiber art passion, this is a chance to relax and connect.

Fiber Friends meetings take place the second Monday of each month from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Klages Center community space. The meetings are open to all employees, whether you are skilled, a learner, or eager to learn.

Participants should bring their current project, or use the supplies provided to learn or start something new. We can provide instruction and materials for a basic project.

For more information, contact Teresa Arnold at tarnold@georgefox.edu.

Do you have endometriosis and/or adenomyosis, or do you know someone who does? Please participate in Doctor of Physical Therapy research by completing a one-time, 10- to 15-minute survey.

The survey will remain open until March 1. To fill it out, click here.

Questions? Contact principal investigator Tess Swake at tswake@georgefox.edu or (503)-554-2454 with any questions. Thank you for your time!

Disclaimer: These surveys are student generated and are not to be associated with any official research conducted by faculty and staff at George Fox University. Any views or opinions presented in these surveys are solely those of the students and do not represent those of George Fox University. The distribution of these surveys is a service provided to George Fox University students as they prepare their research required by the curriculum. Students are required to have department approval. Any questions about these surveys should be directed to the students associated with the survey in question.

The start of a new year often brings pressure to change, but we prefer to think of it as an opportunity to grow. To help you build a stronger, more resilient mindset, our Canopy Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers support that fits into your daily routine.

From one-on-one coaching to help you hit your personal goals to digital tools and self-guided resources for managing stress and finding focus, everything you need is right at your fingertips. By using the Canopy app for on-demand access, you’re not just checking a box – you’re giving yourself the space to feel more balanced and capable every day. You’ve got this, and we’re here to support you.

Find out more here.

Questions? Contact Aga Kasprzyk (akasprzyk@georgefox.edu).

All are invited to the 2026 Martin Luther King Day event at the Chehalem Cultural Center (415 E. Sheridan St., in Newberg) on Monday, Jan. 19. The event is being co-sponsored by the center and the George Fox Office of Inclusive Excellence.

The program centers around Dr. King’s “The Other America” speech, given at Stanford University in 1967, and includes music from George Fox students and a performance by a local dance troupe.

After the program, attendees will be invited to participate in:

• A community art activity led by Marvin Eans, assistant professor of art and design
• Singing of “Freedom Songs”
• A station for writing letters to state and national elected officials
• Conversation with representatives from local nonprofits that are making a difference in our community

The free program will begin at 6 p.m., with the activities scheduled to begin around 7 p.m.

Contact Rick Muthiah at rmuthiah@georgefox.edu for more information.

The annual Camp Fair is happening this week, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, in Canyon Commons!

Summer camps from across Oregon and California will be in attendance. If you know of students eager to find summer work, or have a passion for serving in a camp environment, this is their chance to meet camp employers and secure some fun, paid work over the summer.

Please encourage students to swing by Canyon Commons anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. this Thursday.

The Office of Spiritual Life is looking for staff and faculty members to participate in the SpiL Mentoring Program this spring.

This program provides an opportunity for students to have meaningful conversations about faith and life while receiving encouragement and support from a George Fox staff or faculty member. Students in the program will be matched with a dedicated mentor, with whom they will have weekly meetings lasting approximately one hour, spanning a duration of eight weeks within the semester.

The program begins the week of Jan. 26 and ends the week of March 16.

To support you in your mentoring role, we will provide a booklet with weekly suggested spiritual formation practices for you to engage in with your mentee. Additionally, there will be a training session prior to the start of the program to ensure you feel prepared and equipped.

We are looking for staff and faculty who would like to serve as mentors. If you are interested, please fill out this application by Friday, Jan. 16. Your involvement will make a meaningful impact on our students’ lives!

Richter Scholars proposals are due Monday, Jan. 26. The program distributes funds to support student research activities that are devised, initiated and carried out by individual student researchers, with mentorship, guidance and expertise provided by a faculty mentor.

The purpose of these funds is to support educational research opportunities that encourage the practices of independent thought, leading to independent achievement and personal responsibility.

For the purpose of this program, research is defined as a knowledge-generating activity that is designed to provide new information on a topic, tool or process, and that proceeds according to established and accepted research methods.

Before advising on a proposal, please read through the full proposal guidelines, eligibility requirements, and review criteria at this link.

All applications must be submitted through our Google Form link on the website.

For more information, contact Hannah Greene at hgreene@georgefox.edu.

If severe weather makes travel to or from campus unsafe this winter, the provost will make the decision to announce a shift to remote classes and work. In nearly all cases, classes will continue to be offered online and employees will work remotely.

In the case of a delayed in-person start, university offices will not open until an announced time in the day, most often 10 a.m. or noon. Students, faculty and staff are not required to report to campus prior to the announced start time, but are expected to attend class online or work remotely before the start time. If in-person classes are not held that day, students, faculty and staff are expected to attend class online or work remotely.

Those who cannot perform their duties at home should report to campus if they can arrive safely. If an employee cannot arrive safely or must remain home for any other reason, they may use a sick or vacation day to cover the absence. If no vacation time is available, the employee can make up hours during the same week or record the time off without pay.

The following is our process for announcing when there is a delayed in-person start or a shift to remote classes and work. The provost will make the decision by 6:30 a.m. for the Newberg campus and Portland Center for daytime classes or 2:15 p.m. for evening classes. Decisions on weekend classes and at the Redmond site will be made by the professor.

Stay notified: Here’s how to find out if a decision has been made when severe weather occurs:

• Visit the George Fox flashalert.net page. This is the first site updated. Enter your email address to create an account and receive notifications from FlashAlert Messenger.
• If you wish to receive a notification on your mobile device, download the FlashAlert smartphone app for iOS or Android. Either log in or create an account if you haven’t already.
• Listen to local radio and television stations or visit their websites (this info comes via FlashAlert).
• Call the George Fox University switchboard at (503) 538-8383.

More information on this change in procedure can be found on our winter weather policy page.

All faculty: Register for the May Deep Dive Retreat, one of the best ways to conclude the academic year. The Deep Dive offers the opportunity to work on a project, delve into research, or dedicate time to a course in a serene and inspiring environment.

In addition to solo work, you can collaborate, rest, and play with your colleagues. For a more reflective experience, a self-guided spiritual retreat is available. Lodging, meals and camp activities costs are covered by the university.

Dates: Monday, May 11 (4 p.m. check-in) – Thursday, May 14 (9 a.m. check-out)
Location: Twin Rocks Friends Camp (Rockaway Beach, Oregon)
Rooms: Lodging assignments are dependent on tracks. Most people will be sharing a room with one person.

Offered Tracks:

• Track 1: Guided intensive to work collaboratively on your first Faculty Growth Plan
• Track 2: Guided intensive to work collaboratively on your Third-Year Review Portfolio
• Track 2.1: Guided intensive to work collaboratively on your Fifth-Year Promotion
• Self-guided: Open to all faculty to work on a professional project

Registration deadline: April 17, 2026
Questions? Email facultydevelopment@georgefox.edu

Students and employees are invited to reflect and serve in Portland on MLK Day! On the first day of our “Serve With Passion” re-emphasis week (Jan. 19-23), the spiritual life office would like to invite students and employees to join together for a day of reflection and service alongside SOLVE in Portland.

The event is set for MLK Day on Monday, Jan. 19. Please complete this form to register.

The day plan will be as follows:

• 9 a.m.: Continental breakfast and departure from SpiL House
• 9:45 a.m.: Meet at Irving Park in Portland for service and learning orientation
• 10 a.m.: Join SOLVE for MLK Day service project
• Noon: Lunch and discussion on houselessness and litter/garbage service
• 1-2 p.m.: “Walkabout” (prayer walk, distributing hot cocoa and socks, practicing presence and humanity with our unhoused neighbors)
• 2 p.m.: Debrief and drive back
• 3 p.m.: Arrive back at SpiL/Newberg campus

Undergraduate students who participate will be eligible for five SpiL/chapel elective attendance credits.

Contact Rusty St. Cyr at rstcyr@georgefox.edu for more information.

What better way to celebrate your return to campus than a giant open gym! Come to Hadlock this Sunday, Jan. 11, for a night of open-gym activities, tournaments and top-rope climbing between 5 and 8 p.m.

The courts will be set up for volleyball, basketball, Spikeball and cornhole, while the climbing wall will feature new routes for you to try out.

Please note the schedule change in the Hadlock Student Center for this weekend. We will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m.

We return to regular Hadlock hours this Monday.

Start off your spring semester with a time of worship this Sunday, Jan. 11, at 11 a.m. in the chapel. Everyone is welcome! Chapel credit will be offered for those who attend. See you there!

University Recreation is super excited to have all of you back. We want to inform you about the awesome GroupX fitness classes we are offering this spring semester. Take a look …

• Employee-Only Functional Fitness: Mondays and Wednesdays at noon
• Pilates: Mondays at 11 a.m., Tuesdays at 5 p.m., Wednesdays at 11 a.m., and Thursdays at 6 p.m.
• Yoga: Mondays at 4 p.m., Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m., Thursdays at 11 a.m., and Fridays at 3 p.m.
• Power Cycle: Wednesdays at 3 p.m.
• Full Body Burn: Saturdays at 10 a.m.
• Circuit Training: Wednesdays at 6 p.m., and Fridays at 8 a.m.

Use this link to find all of these classes and more on IMLeagues.

We can’t wait to see you in Hadlock this semester!

Did you miss the Resonate Conference this fall? Catch the speakers on George Fox Talks! You can find episodes featuring special guests Tyler Stanton, Meghan Sullivan and Andy Crouch on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music.

• Tyler Stanton: You’re Addicted to Noise (and Don’t Even Know It)
• Resonate Conference Panel with Tyler Stanton, Meghan Sullivan and Andy Crouch
• Meghan Sullivan: A New Way to Read the Good Samaritan Parable and The Chatbot That Thinks It’s God
• Andy Crouch: Faith or Trend? The Problem with Modern Christianity

The library is pleased to deliver library materials for faculty with offices on the Newberg campus. Library materials must be signed for by the faculty member or persons authorized to sign. Fill out the request form here.

If you have questions, contact Sarah Willhite at lwillhite@georgefox.edu.