The Daily Bruin

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. In nearly all cases, classes will continue to be offered online.

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 are not required to report to campus prior to the announced start time, but are expected to attend class online before the start time. If in-person classes are not held that day, students are expected to attend class online. You should expect to receive information from your professors on how to access remote learning.

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.

The Virtual Learning Center opens in week two of the semester. To schedule an appointment via Zoom or asynchronous, please click on the TracCloud icon on your Canvas dashboard or go to traccloud.georgefox.edu.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at vlc@georgefox.edu or call 503-554-2449 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

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.

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

Following are the spring semester hours for the Bruin Community Pantry.

Grab & Go Only:

• Mondays: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesdays: 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Thursdays: 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Fridays: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Pantry Hours:

• Mondays: 1 to 4 p.m.
• Tuesdays: 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Thursdays: 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Fridays: 1 to 3:30 p.m.

For more information, check out the website!

This May, unplug and experience the monastic life.

The Monastic Life Retreat offers George Fox students a rare chance to immerse themselves in contemplative Christian traditions through direct participation in the daily rhythm of Western monasticism at Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey.

Over two weeks in May, students will join monks in prayer, work and study, practicing lectio divina and contemplative prayer, attending conferences led by different monks, and observing periods of communal silence.

Participants will also experience singing chants in the choir, community meals, and service activities, all while disconnecting from personal technology to deepen their spiritual journey in a monastic environment.

Here are some more details:

• Info & Application
• Apply by Sunday, Jan. 18
• Retreat dates are May 11-24
• Credit: 0-3 credits of THEO 485 Special Topics: Monastic Life Retreat
• Cost: $1,375 covers tuition and two weeks’ room and board
• Enrollment is limited due to abbey capacity, so apply soon!

For more information, contact retreat facilitator Bryan Boyd at bboyd@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.

Did you know about FOX Fridays at the Friendsview Resale Store? Swing by Friendsview Manor (1301 E. Fulton St.) to find some great deals.

The store is open Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m. George Fox students receive 50% off all purchases (must present their ID to receive the discount). You can get directions to the store at the front desk.

Contact Jere Witherspoon at jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu with any questions.

For the spring semester, the Bruin Community Pantry is looking for volunteers during the following days and times:

• Mondays from noon to 1 p.m. (Pantry and Grab & Go)
• Mondays from 4 to 5 p.m. (Pantry and Grab & Go)
• Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m. (food delivery)
• Thursdays from 2:30 to 3 p.m. (Pantry and Grab & Go
• Fridays from 3 to 3:30 p.m. (Pantry and Grab & Go)

If you are interested and available during any of these times, please complete this volunteer form.

Then, please make an appointment with Jere Witherspoon for volunteer orientation using this link.

Please contact Jere if you have any questions, at jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu or 503-554-2316.

This May, unplug and experience the monastic life.

The Monastic Life Retreat offers George Fox students a rare chance to immerse themselves in contemplative Christian traditions through direct participation in the daily rhythm of Western monasticism at Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey.

Over two weeks in May, students will join monks in prayer, work and study, practicing lectio divina and contemplative prayer, attending conferences led by different monks, and observing periods of communal silence.

Participants will also experience singing chants in the choir, community meals, and service activities, all while disconnecting from personal technology to deepen their spiritual journey in a monastic environment.

Here are some more details:

• Info & Application
• Apply by Sunday, Jan. 18
• Retreat dates are May 11-24
• Credit: 0-3 credits of THEO 485 Special Topics: Monastic Life Retreat
• Cost: $1,375 covers tuition and two weeks’ room and board
• Enrollment is limited due to abbey capacity, so apply soon!

For more information, contact retreat facilitator Bryan Boyd at bboyd@georgefox.edu.

The Office of Spiritual Life would like to invite students and employees to join together for a day of service, learning and reflection. The event is set for MLK Day on Monday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Fill out this form to register. Undergraduate students who participate will be eligible for elective chapel credit.

Contact spirituallife@georgefox.edu with any follow-up questions.

Unwrapping a new phone this holiday season? Make sure you update your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings to avoid getting locked out of your George Fox accounts.

How to Prepare Multi-Factor Authentication for a New Phone

If you have any issues setting this up, you will need to call the Service Desk at 503-554-2569 for assistance.

Please plan accordingly, as the Service Desk will be closed for the break:

• Closed: Dec. 24 through Jan. 4
• Regular Hours Resume: Jan. 5, 2026

You are invited to an Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) Forum at George Fox on Friday, Feb. 13.

Join us as we explore the profound connection between attention, skilled craft, and genuine freedom, drawing from philosopher-mechanic Matthew Crawford’s seminal work The World Beyond Your Head. We will examine the practices of skilled craftsmen to uncover a philosophy of attention that pushes back against a disembodied culture.

A Day of Discussion & Doing
This forum will be a mixture of seminar-style discussion and practical activities on a working farm and vineyard. Please be sure to wear work clothes!

All participants receive:

• A free copy of Crawford’s book The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction
• A free dinner at Lady Hill Farm

Space is limited, so sign up today! To learn more and/or to reserve your spot, email Travis Pickell at tpickell@georgefox.edu.

Workspace Studio

Gemini as a collaborator is great, but when will it actually do things? This answer is…now! Get a taste of agentic AI as a co-worker that can act on your behalf.

• Let Gemini highlight the most important emails from your unread backlog and send you a chat message with the details.
• Let Gemini check your documents and send you notes to prepare you for that important conversation on today’s calendar.
• Not sure how to get started? Just tell Gemini what you’d like to automate and it will build a starter flow for you. Examples are also provided.

Workspace Studio is available to everyone in the George Fox community!

AI Studio

Have you heard of “Vibe Coding?” With just a prompt, you can create your own app and include advanced AI tools!

Unlike our other Google Workspace AI tools, use of AI Studio is not automatically covered under our data protection agreement with Google, so its availability is initially limited. If you’d like to make an AI Studio app, please reach out to IT to get started! Learn more here.

Contact the IT Service Desk at servicedesk@georgefox.edu with any questions, or check the IT: AI website.

Bon Appétit’s locations will have shorter hours today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) as the semester concludes.

Today 

• Canyon Commons
  • Breakfast: 7 to 10 a.m.
  • Lunch: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Dinner: 5 to 6 p.m.
• Bridge Cafe
  • 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Maker’s Market
  • 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tomorrow 

• Brunch in Canyon Commons (final meal service of the semester): 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

All locations will be closed after tomorrow’s brunch and will reopen at the start of the spring semester. Canyon Commons will resume service on Friday, Jan. 9, with dinner from 5 to 6 p.m.

If you have questions, contact Katie Anderson at andersonk@georgefox.edu. For updated hours, please check the Bon Appétit website or their Instagram (@bonappetitgfu).

Spiritual Life welcomes you to swing by Barclay House before you head off for break to pick up a copy of the liturgy book we’ve been using in chapel this fall semester. They are free for students, faculty and staff. Feel free to pick up one for yourself and another for your family and friends!

While plates, cups and silverware should not be leaving Canyon Commons, we know that sometimes they make their way out. Before you head home for Christmas break, please return any items you’ve borrowed so we can keep the dining hall running smoothly. And don’t forget to bring back your green containers to swap for a carabiner!