The Daily Bruin

We hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend! Today’s Wellness Wednesday edition is about gratitude. Read this interesting article about how gratitude changes you and your brain.

A quick reminder for participants in the November 30-Day challenge: Please submit your calendar entries online or directly to Aga Luptak at aluptak@georgefox.edu by this Friday, Dec. 4. We will draw prizes early next week!

Just a reminder: Please continue to use the CampusClear app daily, and be sure to report any symptoms, close contacts or positive COVID-19 tests through the COVID Reporting Form.

Thank you!
– HR

The IT Department is currently selling a variety of used computers. We have Mac laptops, iMacs, and PC laptops available, ranging in price from $25 to $325. The computers have all been reset to factory settings.

Please note that these computers are sold as is. We do not provide support or maintenance on these machines or perform updates of any kind, and cannot guarantee the manufacturers will have parts available. The iMacs come with a power supply, keyboard, and mouse, and the laptops come with a power supply. 

If you would like information on the specifications of these computers or have any questions, please contact the Service Desk at servicedesk@georgefox.edu.

The university’s theatre program invites you to join us for a special online production of Charles Dickins’ classic A Christmas Carol, an audio show presented like an old-time radio drama, later this month.

This delightful digital file for your ears (there is no visual component to it) will be available at your convenience between Friday, Dec. 18, and Sunday, Dec. 27.

Students and employees of the university are entitled to one complimentary ticket, available by contacting Kathy Harris at kharris@georgefox.edu.

Here are ticket instructions:

• Once you purchase your ticket at this link, you will be sent an access code and a link to the online audio file. Watch for the link in your email from ShowTix4U.
• Your access code can be used for a 48-hour “listening window” anytime between Dec. 18 and Dec. 27. The app allows you to rewind at any time and to listen to it as often as you’d like during your 48-hour window. Note: You will have 48 hours to listen to the production once you open the link.

For more information about the show, visit the theatre department’s website.

Faculty advisors, coaches and program directors: George Fox has generous policies that recognize and award credit for students’ skills in languages other than English.

If you have a student who grew up speaking another language or lived abroad, encourage him or her to contact Debbie Berhó at dberho@georgefox.edu to learn more; these credits are sometimes just the nudge needed to fulfill all credits for their degree!

The Staff Development Committee would like to invite all employees to a mini virtual Fall Staff Conference on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. We will spend an hour of restorative time after a long, stressful semester and give thanks to our God for bringing us through it. 

During this time, we’ll hear from:

• Celeste Jones, PsyD, associate professor/director of clinical training in our Graduate School of Clinical Psychology, who will share on stress management in a talk titled, “Psychologist’s Tips for Surviving and Thriving with Record-Breaking Stress Levels”
• Jamie Johnson, associate university pastor, who will share a devotional

This event is open to all employess! To access the Zoom link for your calendar, please complete this RSVP form and the link will be provided in the confirmation message.

Questions? Contact the Staff Development Committee at sdc@georgefox.edu.

Hey everyone! I am inviting you all to participate in my “Dressember” team this December!

“Dressember” is a fundraiser to help prevent, intervene and protect the lives of trafficking victims and survivors worldwide. Ladies, by wearing a dress every day of the month of December, you create awareness and the opportunity for conversation in your community. Men, you can participate, too, either by simply spreading the word or wearing a dress shirt and tie every day in the month of December.

Not all of us will be in Newberg this month, but that makes for even more widespread conversation. To participate, please go to Dressember.com and create your personal page, then look for the team “GFU for change” and join the team!

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email Carissa Bixler (cbixler18@georgefox.edu) Also, if you want to be part of a Facebook group, please fill out this Google survey.

The Office for Spiritual Life invites the George Fox community to observe the Advent season with our 2020 Advent Reader.

This year’s reader includes Bible passages along with music selections created by students in the George Fox music program. We pray you have a blessed Advent season as your prepare your hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

The Richter Committee is pleased to let you know that a series of video presentations from our 2020-21 Richter Scholars is available for viewing on YouTube. In lieu of a poster symposium during fall semester, we asked each participant to record a five- to eight-minute presentation of their research.

You are encouraged to view the videos and send your thanks, encouragement and questions to the individual scholars. Their work is outstanding, and we would like to celebrate this achievement with them. You can access the videos at this link.

Be on the lookout for a second cohort of scholars to present later in spring semester.

Every Sunday of the Advent season a new Advent devotional video will be released by the Office for Spiritual Life. There will be five total videos, with devotionals offered by the George Fox pastoral team and President Robin Baker. 

This week’s devotional is on “Hope” and is given by University Pastor Jamie Noling-Auth. Watch it here.

The Office for Spiritual Life invites the George Fox community to observe the Advent season with our 2020 Advent Reader.

This year’s reader includes Bible passages along with music selections created by students in the George Fox music program. We pray you have a blessed Advent season as your prepare your hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. 

Please join us for our last chapel of the fall this morning (Tuesday). It will go live at 11 a.m., but you can watch it on demand whenever your schedule allows at this link.

You can also watch any chapel and Monday Morning Devotional (MoMoDeVo) from the semester at the above link, including our final MoMoDeVo of the semester with Pastor Gaby Viesca.

Questions? Contact the Office of Spiritual Life (spirituallife@georgefox.edu).

All university offices and libraries on the Newberg campus and at the Portland Center will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27, for the Thanksgiving holiday. In addition, the Bruin Store will be closed Thursday through Sunday.

The 24/7 space in the Murdock Library will be open during the closure.

The Portland Center Library will be closed from Nov. 23, 2020, through Jan. 10, 2021. However, the 24/7 book drop will remain accessible. 

Contact Patty Vanier (pvanier@georgefox.edu) with any questions.

All are invited to join Paul Anderson, Erin Johnson and others from around the nation tomorrow (Tuesday) from 4 to 5:30 p.m. to discuss Volume 7 of the Quakers and the Disciplines Series (of which Paul is the founding editor).

The authors of the essays in this volume share will about their contributions regarding Quakers, social work, and justice concerns. Register online here.

Questions? Contact Paul Anderson (panderso@georgefox.edu).

Recent government decisions regarding travel and its impact on large gatherings have forced us to change the midyear commencement celebration from a hybrid format to a virtual-only event.

We understand and share in the disappointment that this causes for those planning to participate in the ceremony. However, keeping our students, families, faculty, and staff safe, especially during this time, is paramount.

We invite graduating students, along with friends, families, faculty and staff to watch the ceremony and hear a message from the president, graduates’ names read and degrees conferred virtually. The link to view this prerecorded event will be posted on this webpage by 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Questions? Please contact Janelle Freitag (jfreitag@georgefox.edu).

The Finance department would like to bring to your attention the schedule for processing check requests to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday this week:

• For check requests received today (Monday) through Wednesday, Nov. 25, checks will be ready on Friday, Dec. 4.

Thank you!

Questions? Contact Accounts Payable (accountspayable@georgefox.edu).

Recent government decisions regarding travel and its impact on large gatherings have forced us to change the midyear commencement celebration from a hybrid format to a virtual-only event.

We understand and share in the disappointment that this causes for those planning to participate in the ceremony. However, keeping our students, families, faculty, and staff safe, especially during this time, is paramount.

We invite graduating students, along with friends, families, faculty, and staff, to watch the ceremony and hear a message from the president, graduates’ names read, and degrees conferred virtually. The link to view this prerecorded event will be posted on this webpage by 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Questions? Please contact Janelle Freitag (jfreitag@georgefox.edu).

All are invited to join Paul Anderson, Erin Johnson, and others from around the nation Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. to discuss Volume 7 of the Quakers and the Disciplines Series (of which Paul is the founding editor).

The authors of the essays in this volume will share about their contributions regarding Quakers, social work, and justice concerns. Register online here.

Questions? Contact Paul Anderson (panderso@georgefox.edu).

You are invited to attend the Exercise Science Research Symposium! Come and learn about the research our seniors have been working on all semester.

The presentations will take place today (Friday) at noon over Zoom.

Questions? Contact Mary Imboden (mimboden@georgefox.edu).