The Daily Bruin

Thank you to all who participated in marketing communications’ annual Deck the Halls Christmas Decorating Contest. We were so moved by the Christmas spirit throughout campus! This year brought in 18 participating departments.

Congratulations to our winners! The top three placers were:

• First place: Advancement (The “Rootin’ Tootin’ Best in the West” Award)
• Second place: Finance (The “Internationally Acclaimed Christmas” Award)
• Third place: Financial Aid (The “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Financial Aid Secrets” Award)

There were several honorable mentions across campus, including the Department of Education (The “Jim Henson Would Be Proud” Award), the Department of Social Work (The “Cozy Christmas” Award), the Maker Hub (The “Santa’s Workshop” Award), and many more.

And a huge shoutout to plant services for keeping all of campus merry and bright!

Be sure to swing by the various departments to get a look at all the work that went into making their spaces so festive.

Thank you!

Amanda Howard, Marketing, and the Christmas Committee

Today (Tuesday) from 5 to 9 p.m., the Chipotle in Newberg will be hosting a fundraiser to support George Fox’s physical therapy service trip to Uganda!

There are a couple of ways you can support us. If you tell the person at the register you are there for the George Fox DPT trip to Uganda, your order will contribute. Another way is to order for pick-up online using the code EXC4LTL.

If you use one of these avenues, then Chipotle will donate 25% of your sale to our trip! Please tell people you know that every order helps!

Contact Evan Robinson at evanr24@georgefox.edu with any questions.

The Crescent’s fifth issue is here! Check out the latest news from your George Fox student-run newspaper at gfucrescent.com.

Sneak peek:

• Does Anybody (Timely)Care?
• Give Us a Break
• Barli the BrED Dog

Visit our site today!

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 ARC is open today (Monday) through Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 1 to 9 p.m. to help you with your final papers. Don’t wait until it’s too late to get help with your paper. The ARC will not be open on Thursday or Friday, Dec. 11-12.

To schedule an appointment, go to the TracCloud icon on your Canvas dashboard. If you have any questions, please email Heather Harney at hharney@georgefox.edu.

Want to get involved and feel connected this spring? Join a vital part of our campus community by volunteering with the Bruin Community Pantry!

We are welcoming new volunteers for the upcoming semester. There are a variety of meaningful opportunities that you can choose from to match your interests. If you are interested in lending a hand and becoming part of our supportive pantry family, we invite you to take a look at the available roles:

• Food bank: Volunteer for shifts at the food bank!
• Food bank substitute: Sign up to substitute at the food bank when the regular volunteer is unable to make their shift.
• Food drive organizer: Work with Jere Witherspoon to find ways to implement food drives across campus (flexible hours).
• Fundraising: Work with Jere to find ways to raise money for the pantry (flexible hours).
• Social media: Work with Jere to create informative messaging for the community on Instagram and Facebook (flexible hours).
• Leftovers pick up and distribution: As needed, work with Jere when leftover food is available from Bon Appetit or Friendsview (flexible hours).
• Weekly cleaning: Flexible hours
• Restocking and facing products on shelves: Flexible hours

If you’re interested in volunteering with the Bruin Community Pantry, please fill out this form. More information can be found on the website.

You are welcome to contact Jere at jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu if you have any questions.

Struggling to focus and get through finals week? Start the week off right with a hearty and delicious Late Night Breakfast tonight (Monday) at 9:30 p.m. in Canyon Commons. It’s one of several events we have planned this week (see below).

Also, one of Fox’s most entertaining traditions is coming up on Friday, Feb. 6. You won’t want to miss out on Lip Sync. Auditions are starting very soon, so get your friends together and sign up for this amazing tradition, which includes a chance to win $500. You won’t regret it!

Finals week events:

• Late Night Breakfast: Monday, Dec. 8, at 9:30 p.m. in Canyon Commons
• Taco truck: Tuesday, Dec. 9, at noon in front of Edwards
• Cookie decorating in student life: Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 11 a.m.
• Churros in front of Edwards: Thursday, Dec. 11, at noon
• Hot cocoa and donuts in the quad: Friday, Dec. 12, at 10 a.m.

Contact activities@georgefox.edu with any questions.

The Maker’s Market and Bridge Cafe will be opening late on Monday, Dec. 8, at 8 a.m. The dining room will have normal hours until Friday, Dec. 12.

Please see Bon Appetit’s hours at georgefox.cafebonappetit.com or on our Instagram (@bonappetitgfu).

Get ready for Winter Welcome, Jan. 9-11! For residential students, the residence halls will be reopening on Friday, Jan. 9, 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. 12. Check out the Winter Welcome schedule here. Rest up this Christmas break, and we’ll see you in January for a fun-filled weekend!

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
• 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

The policy agreement form can also be filled out at the Campus Public Safety office.

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

The holiday season represents one of the highest-risk periods of the year for cybersecurity, and new AI-generated attacks can be expected. With the increase in online shopping and package tracking, attackers are actively disguising malicious links as shipping notifications and invoices.

Your diligence remains our first and strongest line of defense. Taking a moment to verify a sender or an unusual request can prevent a major security incident for our community.

Email Safety Do’s: Verify and Protect

• Do hover your mouse over the sender’s name/address to see the full, actual email address. Watch for subtle misspellings (e.g. acme.co instead of acme.com).
• Do inspect links before clicking. Hover your mouse over the link to see the destination URL displayed, usually in the corner of your browser. If it looks suspicious, don’t click.
• Do verify any unexpected or urgent requests for confidential data, password changes or fund transfers by using a different method of communication (e.g., call the sender on a known phone number or message them on an internal chat system).
• Do treat any email requesting your password or sensitive personal/company information with maximum suspicion.
• Do report all suspicious emails immediately by using the “Report Phishing” button in the three-dot stack menu within the email, or contact servicedesk@georgefox.edu.
• Do check the time and tone of the email. Is it demanding, overly urgent or coming at a strange hour? This is a common tactic used by scammers.

Email Safety Don’ts: Avoid Risk and Reactivity

• Don’t click on links or download attachments from senders you do not recognize or from emails that seem “off,” even if they appear to come from a known colleague.
• Don’t reply to an email asking for sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers or internal account details.
• Don’t assume an email is legitimate just because it uses company logos or appears to come from an executive (CEO, CFO, etc.). This is known as “spoofing.”
• Don’t be pressured by threats or urgency (e.g. “Your account will be suspended in five minutes!”). Scammers use fear to make you act without thinking.
• Don’t forward suspicious emails without first checking with servicedesk@georgefox.edu. We need to be able to investigate and take action.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our community secure. Your vigilance makes all the difference.

Talk with first-year engineering students today (Friday) from 5 to 6 p.m. as they display their oscillating air engine designs in the Maker Hub. Following the display, the students will compete with their air engines for maximum speed, coast, air efficiency, power and craftsmanship in the “Wobble-Off” from 6 to 8 p.m. All are welcome!

If you have questions, contact Jennifer McCollum at jmccollum@georgefox.edu.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the honors program will be hosting Fellowship Day and Friday @ Fox on campus today (Friday).

With over 300 visitors expected on campus, we are asking George Fox students and employees to consider parking in alternative parking lots to ensure parking for visitors in the Stevens, Hoover and Bauman lots. Alternate parking can be found in the 99W lot (Steve’s Auto), Morse lot by Plant Services, or street parking.

If you have questions, email mdowns@georgefox.edu or call Missy Downs at 503-554-2247.

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 and view the tentative schedule! Undergraduate students who participate will be eligible for elective chapel credit.

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

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Honors Program will be hosting Fellowship Day and Friday at Fox on campus tomorrow (Friday).

With over 300 visitors expected on campus, we are asking George Fox students and employees to consider parking in alternative parking lots to ensure parking for visitors in the Stevens, Hoover and Bauman lots. Alternate parking can be found in the 99W lot (Steve’s Auto), Morse lot by Plant Services or street parking.

If you have questions, email mdowns@georgefox.edu or call Missy Downs at 503-554-2247.

Take a break from finals and join us for an evening of hilarious and poignant 10-minute plays at 9:10 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 9-10!

The final project for students in the Directing and Theatre Lit class, “Ten! Ten! Ten!” features 17 short plays spread across two nights. This free event is the perfect study break!

On Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 5 to 9 p.m., Chipotle will be hosting a fundraiser to support our Doctor of Physical Therapy’s service trip to Uganda! There are multiple ways to get your order to support the cause:

• Tell the person at the register you are there to support the George Fox DPT trip to Uganda
• Order for pickup online using the code EXC4LTL.

If you use one of these avenues, Chipotle will donate 25% of your sale to our trip! Please tell people in the area that you know, because every order helps!

Consider giving some of your time this Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 to 11 a.m. to be in community and serve alongside your peers for the last wood ministry opportunity of the semester!

This veteran-run ministry supports local families by delivering firewood to keep warm through the winter. Students are needed to run splitters and stack firewood at Fernwood Pioneer Cemetery. No registration is needed.

Please join us on site or contact Chloe Lucas at clucas22@georgefox.edu if you need a ride. We hope to see you there!

Are you interested in the idea of connecting with students who have lived overseas? Have you also lived overseas? Please fill out this survey! It will take less than a minute.

Several students in the Intercultural Resource Center and beyond have sparked interest in the idea of a club or programming that would host internationally minded students at Fox, and we would love your input to possibly start something next spring! 

Thank you for your input!

A George Fox student author has released a short self-help devotional as part of a psychology writing project. He is looking for 10 students willing to read it and provide optional feedback. Free digital copies are available.

If you’re interested, please fill out this short form. Responses needed by Monday, Dec. 8, at 11:59 p.m.