The Daily Bruin

The Tilikum Center for Retreats and Outdoor Ministries is hosting its annual 10K Run and 5K Walk/Run at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at Champoeg State Park in St. Paul.

The theme is “Go the Distance … To Get Kids to Camp.” The event is a fund-raiser to bring underprivileged kids to Tilikum for summer camp. Participants receive a T-shirt, a chance for door prizes, and awards. The entry fee/minimum donation is $35 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and younger. For more information, call 503-538-2763 or visit camptilikum.org.

Portland Center faculty will participate in the Friday, March 14, faculty business meeting via Polycom in Room 296. The meeting is scheduled from 10:40 to 11:30 a.m. Look for the agenda and proposals in your e-mail.

A reminder to benefit-eligible employees: There are 332 yellow benefit election forms still out there. The deadline to turn them in is this Friday, March 14. Lisa Burton (Human Resources) needs a yellow form back from everyone, especially if you want to continue with the flex plan (please attach a completed flex enrollment for this year) or if you want to change anything about your other benefits (attach change forms as instructed).

If you have medical or dental insurance with the Pioneer plan, you will receive a letter by mail to your home requesting verification of other insurance. Please return that information promptly (whether you have other insurance or not) either by mail or by phone so there will be no delay on your claims.

Please note: The dental plan is not on a different cycle than the medical plans. Even though the university enrolled last July, now is the time to add or drop this plan, not July 2008.

There are new forms and updated information on the HR benefits web pages:
georgefox.edu/offices/hr/EmployeeBenefits.index/beneforms.html.

Usher volunteers are needed for the Oregon Symphony performance in Bauman Auditorium Friday, April 11. Ushers will meet in the auditorium’s lobby by 6:45 p.m.; doors open to the public at 7 p.m.

Please contact Danya Ochsner (University Relations) at dochsner@georgefox.edu or by calling ext. 2121 if you are interested in assisting.

Religious Studies is hosting an Intellectual Feast, “The Many Ways God Is: Toward an Ontological Pluralism for Traditional Christianity,” from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in Hoover 250.

Many these days suggest that what is true is relative to human conceptual schemes. Can a traditional Christian consistently believe this? The answer is, “yes.” Come hear Mark McLeod-Harrison (Religious Studies) explain how to be a traditional, orthodox Christian and yet hold that God is many different and conflicting ways across conceptual schemes.

If you have not already done so, please complete the LibQUAL+â„¢ Library Web Survey. If you have already filled out the survey, thank you. If not, we ask you to take 10 minutes and help us by taking the survey. Only you can tell us how well we are serving your library needs.

Survey URL: http://survey.libqual.org/index.cfm?ID=629358

The Tilikum Center for Retreats and Outdoor Ministries is hosting its annual 10K Run and 5K Walk/Run at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at Champoeg State Park in St. Paul.

The theme is “Go the Distance … To Get Kids to Camp.” The event is a fund-raiser to bring underprivileged kids to Tilikum for summer camp. Participants receive a T-shirt, a chance for door prizes, and awards. The entry fee/minimum donation is $35 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and younger. For more information, call 503-538-2763 or visit camptilikum.org.

Religious Studies is hosting “The Many Ways God Is: Toward an Ontological Pluralism for Traditional Christianity” from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in the Hoover Lounge.

So many these days suggest that what is true is relative to human conceptual schemes. Can a traditional Christian consistently believe this? The answer is, “yes.” Come and see how to be a traditional, orthodox Christian and yet hold that God works in many different and conflicting ways across conceptual schemes.

Just a reminder: Daylight saving time begins this weekend. Officially, it begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, so don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour.

The Richter Scholars program is accepting applications for a second round of research grants. Please check georgefox.edu/academics/richter for details. Applications are due on Wednesday, March 19, in Hoover 110 for the Newberg campus or by campus mail to Box 6127.  For more information, e-mail Carol Jaquith at cjaquith@georgefox.edu Awards will be announced by April 4.

The inauguration of Robin Baker as the 12th president of George Fox University is this Thursday and Friday, March 6-7. This event marks a significant milestone in the life of the university and a tremendous opportunity for the entire community to come together in celebration. We hope that you will participate in the events of Robin’s inauguration, as they are designed for the entire George Fox family, particularly students and employees.

Schedule of Events
Thursday, March 6
1 p.m. – Student art exhibit opening reception
Roger and Mildred Minthorne Gallery & Donald H. Lindgren Gallery

4 p.m. – Installation ceremony
William and Mary Bauman Auditorium
Doors open at 3:30 p.m.

5:45 p.m. – Celebration dinner
Student Union Building; Ron Gregory Atrium in EHS; Stevens Center Atrium; Hoover Atrium

Each building will have the same menu, musical performances, and special inaugural activities. All students and employees are invited to attend. Employees may bring one guest with them to the dinner. (For additional guests, please contact University Relations at ext. 2131.)

Friday, March 7
10:40 a.m. – Inaugural worship
William and Mary Bauman Auditorium
Students will receive spiritual formation credit for attending this service.

11:40 a.m. – Symposium
Kershner Lecture Hall, Hoover Academic Building

6:30 p.m. – Inaugural banquet for President Robin Baker featuring a showcase of George Fox students
Rolling Hills Community Church, Tualatin
Registration for this event is now closed.

Processional Information (for faculty)
All faculty, unless communicated with appropriate dean, will be processing in full academic regalia at the start of the installation ceremony at 4 p.m. on March 6. Faculty will gather in the Bauman Auditorium Greenroom starting at 3:30 p.m. and should be in regalia and ready to begin the processional at 3:45 p.m. The faculty processional will proceed down both center aisles. Faculty will be seated in the floor seats of the auditorium, not on stage. Mark Weinert will serve as faculty marshal.

Class Cancellations
All traditional undergraduate classes (including athletics) on the Newberg campus starting between 3:40 and 6 p.m. will be cancelled on Thursday, March 6, in order to allow students to attend and faculty to participate in the installation ceremony processional. Evening classes will resume at 7 p.m.

Changes to the class schedules for graduate and degree-completion classes in Newberg, Portland, and Salem are at the discretion of the individual departments. Faculty: please speak with your department head if you are uncertain of your situation and communicate appropriate class cancellations to your students.

Office Closures
All offices on the Newberg campus may choose to close at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, in order for employees to attend the installation ceremony and at 10:40 a.m. on Friday, March 7, in order for employees to attend the inaugural worship service. Offices should be open regular business hours during the rest of the inaugural schedule.

Webcast
The URL for the live streaming of the inauguration events is http://stream.georgefox.edu/live/inauguration.sdp. Three events will be webcast: the installation ceremony, the inaugural worship service, and the symposium.

Questions may be directed to Robby Larson, inauguration co-chair, at rlarson@georgefox.edu.

Paul Marshall, author of more than 20 books on religion and politics, will give a lecture titled “Understanding Radical Islam” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in Hoover 105 on the Newberg campus.

Marshall is considered an expert on religious freedom and international politics, religion and politics, the Christian understanding of politics, and Islam and human rights.

In addition to the public lecture, Marshall will speak on “The Worldwide Church in the New Millennium” in Monday’s 10:40 a.m. chapel service in Bauman Auditorium. He also will speak that afternoon at 4:40 and 7 p.m. in a senior capstone class in Hoover 105 as part of a class lecture series titled “Liberal Arts: Critical Issues.”

Marshall is the author of more than 20 books on religion and politics, including Radical Islam’s Rules: The Worldwide Spread of Extreme Sharia Law (2005), The Rise of Hindu Extremism (2003), God and the Constitution (2002), The Talibanization of Nigeria (2002), Massacre at the Millennium (2001), and the best-selling, award-winning survey of religious persecution worldwide Their Blood Cries Out (1997).

The university community is invited to Chuck Conniry’s (Seminary) book-signing event from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 10, at the Portland Center Library.  Chuck will be signing copies of his new book, Soaring in the Spirit, which discusses experiencing the presence of Jesus Christ in the moment-by-moment “nows” of daily life.

If you cannot attend the signing but would like a signed copy, contact Dee Small (Seminary) to make arrangements.

The Apple Store that is accessible via Bruindata’s menu bar now has recommended computer bundles with an additional George Fox discounted price. This is a good option for George Fox friends and family. The Computers Across the Curriculum laptop bundle that IT offers to students will include an additional discount.

The Portland Center front office will close early (3 p.m.) on Thursday, March 6, so that all front office employees can attend the George Fox presidential inauguration ceremony and dinner that follows.

Following are the 12 paid holidays employees will receive in 2008-09:

Independence Day: Friday, July 4, 2008

Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 1, 2008
(Portland, Salem, Boise, Redmond only)

Mid-Semester Holiday: Monday, Oct. 13, 2008
(except Portland, Salem, Boise, Redmond)

Thanksgiving: Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008
Friday, Nov. 28, 2008

Christmas: Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008
Thursday, Dec. 25, 2008
Friday, Dec. 26, 2008

New Year’s Day: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009
Friday, Jan. 2, 2009*

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday: Monday, Jan. 19, 2009

Good Friday: Friday, April 10, 2009

Memorial Day: Monday, May 25, 2009

*This additional holiday for New Year’s would be in lieu of the spring break holiday that would have fallen on Friday, March 27.

With only four months left in the fiscal year, it is a good idea to keep track of the vacation balance information in the “Excess Leave” box in the lower left section of your pay statement. Any amount in the “Excess” column must be used by June 30, or it will be forfeited.

If you have excess vacation, be sure to work with your supervisor to schedule vacation time this spring. Note: Your February pay statement does not include time off taken (if any) in Feburary, so take that into account when reviewing your information.

If you have not already done so, please submit your February time sheet (support staff) or time-off report (administrators) this week. Please be sure it is complete, accurate, and signed by both you and your supervisor before sending it to HR at Box 6108.

The link on the HR website for these documents is: georgefox.edu/offices/hr/forms.html. If your supervisor is not available to sign it this week, please send a copy to HR and keep the original until it has been signed.

Check-in with Lisa Burton from Human Resources and Cindy Wray from Pioneer Educators Health Trust at the  enrollment benefits table in the upstairs atrium by the elevator between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to update your enrollment status or ask questions.

Your Online HR Connection! Follow this link to the HR / Benefits web page to download forms and to get more information.

Lisa Schirch, professor of peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University and author of five books on peace, is the featured speaker at the university’s annual John Woolman Peacemaking Forum Monday and Tuesday, March 3-4. The theme for the forum is “Frontiers in Peacebuilding.”

Schirch’s keynote address will be given at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Hoover Academic Building’s Room 105. Her topic will be “Reframing Security with Conflict Prevention.”

She also will speak at a 10:40 a.m. Monday chapel service in Bauman Auditorium on the topic “Dancing in the Lion’s Jaws: A Pacifist Among the Security Policy Makers.” After the chapel service, a talkback session will be held in the Cap and Gown Room where attendees can engage in discussion with Schirch.

Schirch is the program director of 3D Security Initiative, an organization that aims to make links between community-level peacebuilding work with members of Congress, the State Department, the Department of Defense, USAID, and others that shape U.S. foreign policy.

The Woolman Peacemaking Forum, named for 18th-century American Quaker John Woolman, is sponsored by the the university’s Center for Peace and Justice. Established in 1986, the event is designed to bring leading peacemakers to George Fox University to encourage people to invest their lives and energies in the pursuit of peace.