The Daily Bruin

As you rest and recover from the fall semester over winter break, make sure you save time to complete some important financial aid applications for the 2025-26 school year. Review the following resources to start building your 2025-26 financial aid package.

FAFSA
The 2025-26 FAFSA  is now available online for all students and should be submitted by Jan. 31, 2025. If you get stuck or need help, you can attend our FAFSA workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Canyon Commons 101. No registration is required; just grab some dinner and drop in!

OSAC
The OSAC State Scholarship application is open for students who are residents of Oregon. The early bird deadline to be entered into a drawing for an additional $1,000 scholarship is Feb. 18, 2025. The final deadline to apply is March 3.

Donor-Funded Scholarships
The application is now open for our George Fox donor-funded scholarships. Apply by the early bird deadline of Feb. 15 to be entered into a drawing for an additional $500 scholarship! The final deadline to apply is March 3.

The ARC will be hosting a donor-funded scholarship workshop during the second week of the spring semester. All ARC appointment times from Jan. 20-24 will be available except for Jan. 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. and Jan. 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. When scheduling on TracCloud for an appointment to have your donor-funded scholarship application reviewed, make sure to mark “scholarship essay” as the reason for your visit.

Contact the financial aid office with any additional questions about scholarships or the FAFSA.

Would you like to see our local community rebuild trust and community connections across political divides? Do you want to get an update on what’s happening in our area to accomplish this? Would you like to be part of an active community-building project?

Come to the Reclaiming Our Friendly Community event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 11, in Roberts Center Room 117 (on the south side of the building). People involved with ongoing civility-building projects in the Newberg/Dundee area will describe their plans for 2025.

We’ll also hear from people with ideas for new or expanded civility projects in our area, and we all will share ideas about what can be done. You will have a chance to connect with others who share your vision for building a healthier community that welcomes all and comes to the aid of those in need.

For more information, including a link to a short video explaining the event, go to the Civility Project webpage or contact Ron Mock at civility@georgefox.edu.

If severe winter weather makes travel to or from campus unsafe, 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 will not be held, 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. 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.

Volunteers are needed at the Bruin Community Pantry food bank starting Monday, Jan. 13. We welcome George Fox students and employees to volunteer. This opportunity allows great connections with students and others in our community, and the new space in the Lewis 1 apartment is warm and inviting.

Some faculty members set up office hours during their shifts. If you’re a student and need community service hours for a class, volunteering at the food bank is a great way to fill those hours.

Volunteer requirements:

• Must be able to serve at the time slot that they choose for the entire semester. We do have substitutes available when something unexpected arises.
• Must be able to attend an orientation that lasts about 30 minutes.
• Required to complete two training presentations (a total of 20 minutes).

If you are interested in volunteering at the food bank, please complete this form.

If you have any questions, please contact Jere Witherspoon at 503-554-2316.

The hours for the Murdock Library through Jan. 12 are as follows:

• Dec. 17-20: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 24-hour space open
• Dec. 21-22: Closed; 24-hour space open
• Dec. 23: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 24-hour space open
• Dec. 24-Jan. 1: Closed, including 24-hour space
• Jan. 2-3: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 24-hour space open
• Jan. 4-5: Closed; 24-hour space open
• Jan. 6-10: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 24-hour space open
• Jan. 11-12: Closed; 24-hour space open

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

Members of the campus community will have limited access to Hadlock Student Center on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The courts and studios will be closed today due to a private event. However, the fitness center and climbing wall will remain open as usual from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kelsey Cantrall at kcantrall@georgefox.edu.

Are you interested in serving as a student leader for the 2025-26 school year? Now is the perfect time to apply! The Office of Student Life offers a variety of leadership opportunities in Spiritual Life, Intercultural Life, Student Leadership Council, Parent and Family Programs, Student Activities, Commuter Life, and Residence Life.

To learn more about these opportunities, visit our Student Life Leadership and Employment page. Applications are open now and due by Wednesday, Jan. 15. Apply today at this link!

Please join the Department of Social Work for our human rights poster presentation today (Thursday) from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the EHS Atrium. You can join any time during that period.

Enjoy light refreshments while browsing posters on various human rights issues affecting some of the most vulnerable communities in the world. Please come and support your students and peers!

Questions? Please contact Young-Il Kim at ykim@georgefox.edu.

Get ready for Winter Welcome Jan. 10-12! For residential students, the residence halls will be reopening on Friday, Jan. 10, at noon. We hope you’ll join us for a host of events over the weekend before the start of the spring semester.

Winter Welcome is a time for you to get re-acclimated to campus and reconnect before the start of classes on Monday, Jan. 13. Check out the Winter Welcome schedule here. Rest up this Christmas break, and we’ll see you in January for a fun-filled weekend!

Following are the Hadlock Student Center’s winter break hours (please note the updated times and dates from yesterday’s announcement):

• Dec. 23 – Jan. 2: Closed
• Dec. 14-22 and Jan. 3-11: Winter hours (6 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
• Jan. 12: Normal hours resume (open until 11 p.m.)

Are you leaving your bike on campus over break? The safest place to leave your bike is in your dorm room. Call Campus Public Safety at 503-554-2090 or email us at campussafety@georgefox.edu for any questions regarding your bike or vehicle.

Christmas break is almost here! If you plan to leave your vehicle on campus over break, please do the following:

• Fill out the Vehicles Left On Campus Policy Form (this form can also be filled out in person at the Campus Public Safety office)
• Remove any personal belongings from your vehicle
• Park in a lot designated by Campus Public Safety personnel
• Leave a vehicle key at the CPS office located at 212 Carlton Way

Questions? Contact Karen Toohey at 503-554-2090 or email us at campussafety@georgefox.edu

Spring 2025 textbooks are now live online at the Bruin Bookstore. Visit our website to get ahead of the spring rush. Select “in store pick-up” and we will have your books ready for your return to campus!

Have a great finals week and happy holidays! See you in 2025!

The Bruin Bookstore will have adjusted hours for winter break:

• Dec. 14 (winter commencement): 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Dec. 16-20: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Dec. 23: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Dec. 24: Jan. 1 – Closed
• Jan. 2-3: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Spring term hours (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday) begin on Monday, Jan. 6.

There is a new exhibition in the library’s display cases: “Happy 400th Birthday, George Fox!” Come learn more about George Fox the person and about how our institution became known as George Fox University. This project was led by senior students Lydia Engel (English) and Gabrielle Simantel (history), and it will be displayed through the spring semester.

If you have any questions, contact archives@georgefox.edu.

Please join the Department of Social Work for our human rights poster presentation on Thursday, Dec. 12, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the EHS Atrium. You can join any time during that period.

Enjoy light refreshments while browsing posters on various human rights issues affecting some of the most vulnerable communities in the world. Please come and support your students and peers!

Questions? Please contact Young-Il Kim at ykim@georgefox.edu.

Take a well-deserved study break and join UREC for some energizing and stress-relieving fitness classes during finals week – all for free!

Class Schedule:

• Yoga – 6:30 a.m. today (Tuesday)
• Cycling – 6 p.m. today (Tuesday)
• Zumba – 4 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday)
• Circuit Training – 3:30 p.m. Thursday
• Power Barre – 5 p.m. Thursday
• Ballet Barre – 6:30 p.m. Thursday

These classes are the perfect way to refresh your mind, energize your body, and crush your finals with confidence. Sign up here.

Contact fitness@georgefox.edu if you have questions.

The Department of Education has officially opened the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2025–26 academic year. The 2025–26 FAFSA will cover fall 2025, spring 2026, and summer 2026, and the application is required to be eligible for certain types of financial aid, including federal and state grants, student employment, and Stafford loans.

The financial aid office will be hosting several events in the coming weeks to assist you and your contributor(s) with the FAFSA and other financial aid questions. Look through our schedule below and save the dates!

Continuing Student Webinar
Registration is now open for our continuing student webinar taking place from 4 to 5 p.m. today (Monday), Dec. 9. We will cover important information about the FAFSA, financial aid timelines, scholarships, loans, professional judgments, anticipated charges, and more.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions of our financial aid team throughout the presentation, and our slides will be emailed to registrants afterward. Follow the link below to sign up: Bruins Beyond Year One: Financial Aid for Returning Students.

FAFSA Workshop
If you need help completing your FAFSA, you can attend one of our upcoming workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Bring your laptop to Canyon Commons 101 from 5 to 7 p.m., grab some dinner, and get your questions answered by a financial aid counselor! Walk-ins are welcome, and registration is not required.

If you can’t make it, you can schedule an appointment with a counselor at this link or visit our office on the second floor of the Stevens Center during drop-in hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

This is a reminder that the George Fox Mobile application will cease functioning at the end of this month. After this date, the mobile app will no longer be available or supported. Please note that you can find the same information that is available in the app on the George Fox website and MyGeorgeFox.

Come enjoy the final showcase of this semester’s Musical Theatre Performance class! From classics to contemporary musicals, there is something for everyone at this fun and inspiring performance. Curtains open at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Monday) in Wood-Mar Auditorium!