The Daily Bruin

This is a final reminder to submit your nominations for the 2026 Staff/Admin of the Year Awards! We invite you to take a few minutes to submit a nomination for a colleague who you believe is deserving based on one of the four categories listed below:

• Students First: Recognizes an employee’s exceptional commitment to student success, support, and flourishing
• Christ in Everything: Recognizes an employee’s exemplification of Christ-centered character, servant leadership, and the faithful integration of faith into work and relationships
• Innovation to Improve Outcomes: Recognizes an employee’s creativity and problem-solving that improves processes, experiences, or outcomes for the university community
• Outstanding Service: Recognizes an employee’s consistent, exceptional service, collaboration, and support to colleagues, students, or the broader community

Submit your nomination no later than Friday, July 31, via this link.

Thank you for helping us honor the exceptional work happening across our campus!

Check out the newest flash models! Google has launched Gemini 3.6 Flash, one of the three models we can choose from in addition to 3.6 Thinking and 3.1 Pro when working with Gemini.

Here is a summary of each:

• Gemini 3.6 Flash (new): A workhorse model engineered for high-speed efficiency and quality to scale agentic AI workflows. It delivers enhanced capabilities in coding, knowledge work, and multimodal performance, reducing output token usage by 17% compared to 3.5 Flash at a lower cost per token.
• Gemini 3.6 Thinking: A parallel-thinking reasoning model specifically designed for complex problem-solving
• Gemini 3.1 Pro: The optimal model choice for advanced mathematics, research, and intricate coding tasks

Learn more here.

Also …

• NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook: It has a new name but it’s the same product with additional updates coming for Pro users. Learn more here.
• New Google Meet homepage: The new homepage provides a centralized view of your meeting agenda and essential artifacts to help you stay organized and prepared throughout your entire meeting workflow. Learn more here.
• Check out Google’s Learning and Education page for tips and news for using Gemini AI tools in education.

What do you want to learn more about? Tell us by filling out this Gemini Interest Survey Form.

Finally, join us for the final AI Workshop in July, happening tomorrow (Tuesday) in Stevens 209. Bring your laptop and your questions. We’ll meet from noon to 1:30 p.m., but you are free to drop in anytime.

For more tips and resources, visit our George Fox IT: AI website or contact us at servicedesk@georgefox.edu.

Please be sure to share your appreciation for this year’s Milestone Service Award recipients by Friday, July 31. These are employees who have completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service at George Fox as of August 2026!

How to share you appreciation and gratitude:

• Submit your tribute: Please visit the 2026 Milestone Service Award Recognition overview document to see who is eligible.
• Be Personal: Share a story, express your gratitude or write a note of appreciation.
• Sign Off: Remember to include your name so the honoree knows who the kind words are from!
• Deadline: Please submit your tributes by Friday, July 31, 2026.

Thank you in advance for making this an extra-special celebration for our loyal employees celebrating a milestone service anniversary this year!

As the new school year approaches, Providence Health Plan members can take advantage of exclusive savings through the LifeBalance program. Members receive a 10% discount for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years enrolled in KinderCare or Champions.

KinderCare delivers early childhood education to build foundational skills, while Champions offers structured before- and after-school care designed to support working families’ busy schedules.

Securing reliable care ahead of time ensures a smooth transition into the upcoming academic year. For inquiries regarding this discount or to explore additional LifeBalance benefits, please refer to the contact details below.

Contact & Support

• KinderCare Offer Details: Call 888-525-2780 or email Care@KinderCare.com
• LifeBalance Member Services: Call 888-754-5433 or email info@LifeBalanceProgram.com

Navigating housing and financial goals can feel overwhelming, but your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is here to help through Canopy’s Housing Support services!

Whether you’re aiming to boost your financial health with personalized coaching on budgeting, saving and credit repair; looking for rental support through emergency housing assistance and property alert notifications; or preparing for homeownership with down payment resources and discounts on buying or refinancing, your Employee Assistance Program Canopy provides free, expert guidance every step of the way.

Take advantage of these valuable resources today by visiting my.canopywell.com, calling 800-433-2320, or texting 503-850-7721.

Are you dreaming of owning your own home, or simply wondering what it takes to get there? You and your family are invited to attend a Free Homebuyer Education Seminar this Wednesday, July 29, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Sutton Community Room at the Friendsview Retirement Community in Newberg.

Whether homeownership is a near-term goal or a down-the-road dream, this interactive evening is designed for both first-time and repeat buyers to bust common myths, explore loan options, and map out a clear path forward.

You will have the unique opportunity to connect one-on-one with trusted industry professionals – including financial planners, credit repair specialists, mortgage lenders, and realtors – to get your specific questions answered and build a personalized roadmap.

The event is completely free for our employees and their families, but an online registration is required to secure your tickets, so please click this Eventbrite link to RSVP today! 

We are still in need of volunteers for Welcome Weekend! This is our chance to welcome each and every new student as they step onto campus.

With such a large incoming class, we need all hands on deck as we each do our part to make students and their guests experience the Be Known promise. And who better to do that than our own faculty and staff?

Please complete this form if you would like to join our team to volunteer, and we will contact you with further instructions.

Questions? Contact Kara Holcombe at kholcombe@georgefox.edu.

Recent Microsoft Windows security updates have created a critical incompatibility issue affecting all university HP laptops. Left unaddressed, the update can trigger “blue screen” system crashes, rendering devices unusable.

To maintain campus cybersecurity, IT must perform a mandatory, 15-minute BIOS/firmware update on approximately 300 affected laptops. Because this specific update carries technical risks, it cannot be deployed remotely and must be completed in person.

To minimize disruption, IT technicians will be visiting campus offices building-by-building to service devices directly. If your HP laptop hasn’t been updated yet, please bring it to tomorrow’s all-employee meeting for on-site IT support.

You can also schedule a 15-minute appointment at the Service Desk using this link.

If you have feedback, questions, or need to coordinate around summer travel, please reach out to the Service Desk at servicedesk@georgefox.edu. 

We are still in need of volunteers for Welcome Weekend! This is our chance to welcome each and every new student as they step onto campus.

With such a large incoming class, we need all hands on deck as we each do our part to make students and their guests experience the Be Known promise. And who better to do that than our own faculty and staff?

Please complete this form if you would like to join our team to volunteer, and we will contact you with further instructions.

Questions? Contact Kara Holcombe at kholcombe@georgefox.edu.

Even when campus is quiet and students are away, maintaining focus through big summer projects, planning, and long workdays still takes sustained mental energy. Intentionally caring for our health and well-being matters in every season of the year.

If you want to boost your focus and mood through the afternoon, science offers a remarkably simple tool: the 15-minute sensory pause. Stepping away to a quiet, cool space to close your eyes cuts off nearly 80% of the sensory data your brain constantly processes. This swift downshift activates your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering your heart rate, releasing physical tension, and clearing away adenosine – the natural chemical compound responsible for afternoon sluggishness.

Research shows that a 10- to 15-minute rest period is the optimal “sweet spot” for mental recovery. Unlike longer naps that can leave you feeling groggy, a brief pause clears mental clutter without dipping into deep sleep cycles, giving your cognitive clarity a quick boost for the rest of the day.

Even if you don’t fall asleep, simply resting your eyes shifts your brain into restorative alpha and theta wave states. As you care for your health this week, take advantage of the quieter pace on campus and schedule a brief 15-minute reset – whether in your office, the chapel, or a shady spot outside – to sharpen your focus and refresh your afternoon.

Please be sure to share your appreciation for this year’s Milestone Service Award recipients by this Friday, July 24. These are employees who have completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service at George Fox as of August 2026!

How to share you appreciation and gratitude:

• Submit your tribute: Please visit the 2026 Milestone Service Award Recognition overview document to see who is eligible.
• Be personal: Share a story, express your gratitude or write a note of appreciation.
• Sign it: Remember to include your name so the honoree knows who the kind words are from!
• Deadline: Please submit your tributes by Friday, July 24.

Thank you in advance for making this an extra special celebration for our loyal employees celebrating a milestone service anniversary this year!

The Hadlock Student Center is selling four commercial-grade Matrix treadmills. They are in very good shape, cleaned often, and recently serviced, with plenty of mileage left.

For specs, pricing and details, contact Kelsey Cantrall at kcantrall@georgefox.edu.

The marketing communications office is producing a video this summer to highlight teachers and the vital work they do in our communities. We are looking for kids – from kindergarten all the way through high school – to help us make this video possible by acting as students in the classrooms.

The video shoots will take place at schools in the Newberg area in late July and August. We would love to have your families participate! All kids will receive a fun gift for participating.

Please sign up on this form, and we’ll be in touch with more details. 

Please note that Concur reports that were completed between July 1 and the deadline of July 10 automatically posted to FY27.

Finance will be moving those expenses (provided that they met the deadlines) back into FY26 as part of our year-end closing process. We expect those entries will be completed and visible in your VENA reports by July 23.

Thank you for your patience.

We are continuing with our AI Workshops in July. Bring your laptop and your questions, or share what is working for you.

The Gemini app, Workspace Studio, and NotebookLM continue to improve with new features and capabilities to work across all our Google apps. We’ll look at those newer features.

What do you want to learn more about? Let us know here. Please remember that using Gemini AI through your George Fox account is essential for ensuring data security and data protection.

Here are details on the sessions:

• When: Tuesdays (come and go from noon to 1:30 p.m.)
• Dates: July 21 and July 28
• Where: Stevens 209

For more tips and resources, visit our George Fox IT: AI website or contact us at servicedesk@georgefox.edu.

Several spots are still available for an upcoming Summer Development Course!

If you’ve ever felt like there aren’t enough hours in the day or are looking to renew your approach to time management, join us for a two-session virtual book group on Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor.

Together, we’ll explore practical, faith-centered principles for managing our time with greater purpose, focus and peace.

This is a virtual experience that meets on Friday, July 24, and Friday, Aug. 7, from 1 to 2 p.m.

Whether you’ve read the book before or are picking it up for the first time, we’d love to have you join the conversation as we learn how to steward our time in ways that honor God and serve others well. The book is provided at no cost to participants.

Email Joe Thouvenel directly at jthouvenel@georgefox.edu to register and reserve your spot!

Please note that CollegeNet will be conducting scheduled maintenance on their systems on Sunday, Aug. 2, starting at 10 a.m. During this maintenance period, which is expected to last eight hours, 25Live will be unavailable to users until systems are restored.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Alan Ghossein at aghossein@georgefox.edu.

Staying safe and keeping cool is our top priority as we head into a major stretch of hot weather. Beginning Monday, July 20, temperatures are forecasted to climb into the mid-90s.

To make sure we are all prepared and looking out for one another, please keep the university’s heat protocol top of mind:

• Hydrate Constantly: Drink water every 20 minutes – don’t wait until you feel thirsty!
• Time Your Tasks Wisely: If you have strenuous tasks or outdoor work, schedule them for the cooler morning hours.
• Find an AC Haven: If your workspace or building is getting too warm, head over to an air-conditioned spot like Canyon Commons, Klages or the Murdock Library.
• Look Out for Your Peers: Between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., make a habit of checking in on your coworkers and classmates every hour or two. A quick check-in goes a long way!
• Know the Warning Signs: Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the signs of heat-related illness so you can act quickly:
  • Heat Cramps (Mild): Muscle pain or spasms, usually in the legs or stomach. Action: Rest in a cool place and drink water or sports drinks.
  • Heat Exhaustion (Moderate): Heavy sweating, cold or clammy skin; nausea, dizziness, weakness, headache, or a fast, weak pulse. Action: Move to a cool place, loosen clothing, apply cool wet cloths, and sip water. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last over an hour.
  • Heat Stroke (Severe-Emergency!): Body temperature of 103°F or higher; hot, red, dry or damp skin; rapid pulse; confusion; slurred speech or unconsciousness. Action: Call 911 immediately! Move them to a cooler place and use wet cloths or a cool bath to lower their temperature while waiting for help.

For a deeper dive into staying safe, sun protection tips, and building up heat tolerance, you can view this Beat the Heat Safety Guide.

Have questions or need assistance? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Kim Knoernschild, our environmental health and safety specialist, at kknoernschild@georgefox.edu.

Stay cool, stay hydrated, and let’s look out for each other!

We are excited to announce that, on Friday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., we will be hosting our Community Fair on the quad! Please let us know if you are interested and willing to run a table for your department.

We will provide a 10 x 10 tent, one table and two chairs. You’ll provide any paperwork or other items you would like to be made available to students and family members/guests during this Welcome Weekend event.

Please complete this Google Form by Monday, Aug. 3, to reserve a spot. If you have any questions, please reach out to Daphne Simmons at dsimmons23@georgefox.edu.

Join us on Tuesday, July 28, at 6 p.m. for the inaugural, virtual information meeting for the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program.

Meet Director Dr. April Phillips via Zoom to learn about this flexible/hybrid Doctor of Nursing Practice program. The first cohort will begin in the fall of 2027. Register here and contact Ty Sohlman at tsohlman@georgefox.edu with any questions.