The Daily Bruin

Tomorrow (Thursday, Dec. 18), George Fox University libraries will transition to a new library system. We are in the fourth and final group as the 37-member Orbis Cascade Alliance transitions from stand-alone library systems to one shared library system.

The new system will improve the research experience for our students and faculty and allow us to better manage our resources. However, please be aware that there will be some bumps along the way as we make this migration. As one example, Summit Borrowing will be routed through interlibrary loan (a slower process) until Jan. 20. More information can be found at this link.

After dealing with bipolar disorder and experiencing severe depression for a very long time, Frank Engle’s youngest son, Aaron, took his life on Friday evening, Dec. 12. Our hearts are broken. He was a tenderhearted, gifted and beautiful young man who was adored.

There will be a service to celebrate Aaron’s life in mid-January. We will communicate details as soon as plans are finalized. Thank you for praying for the family. Steve Fawver, one of our pastors, is a resource for our family and can be reached at steve@newbergfriends.org.

Found by the police department: a woman’s Schwinn Cruiser 6 bicycle. It is black and tan. It has a wire basket attached to the handle bars.

If someone thinks it is theirs, they can call 503-538-8321. Any officer can help them identify and recover it.

Just a reminder: The Bruin Den is open this week from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop by for breakfast, a holiday coffee drink (10 percent off peppermint hot chocolate or gingerbread latte) or lunch. We are featuring a daily lunch special in addition to our full grill menu and assorted grab-and-go items.

Bon Appetit wishes you all a joyous holiday season!

Please remember to follow the procedures outlined on the Expense Reimbursement Request form. Once you open up the form, please go to the “Procedure” tab for detailed instructions.

Following these steps helps ensure we are compliant with George Fox University policies and procedures and IRS guidelines for reimbursable plans.

Questions? Contact Matt Hammar at mhammar@georgefox.edu.

Ed Higgins’ (English) published his ghazal, “Momentary Snake,” in the December issue of the online ezine The Ghazal Page. A ghazal is a traditional Persian-Arabic poetic form composed of couplets, five or more, following a strict rhyme and rhythm pattern. He also published a flash fiction story, “Mom’s Blue-Green Eyes,” in a recent issue of Crab Fat Literary Magazine, a site dedicated to flash fiction, short stories and poetry.

Andrea Byerley (Registrar’s Office) was honored as the university’s November Employee of the Month.

Dec. 17            Gary Buhler, Viki Defferding, Joe Thouvenel
Dec. 18            Carol Huchinson, Katy Turpen
Dec. 19            Anderson Campbell, Kimberley Hergert, Phil Smith
Dec. 20            Jennifer Hanks
Dec. 22            Robin Ashford, Jenny Getsinger
Dec. 23            Rodger Bufford
Dec. 24            Jeong Ahn, Greg Allen
Dec. 25            Abby Burgess, Debby O’Kelley
Dec. 26            Jill Beals, Michelle Engblom-Deglmann
Dec. 28            Robert Simpson
Dec. 30            Cris Banton, Lori DeKruyf, Paul L’Esperance
Dec. 31            Sherrie Frost
Jan. 1              Bob Harder
Jan. 3              Julie Green, Sarah Marvin, Brianna Provoast
Jan. 4              Brenda Graf, Chris Koch, Dan van der Water
Jan. 6              Merrill Johnson
Jan. 9              Mary Cameron
Jan. 10            Grant Burns, George Byrtek, John Regier, Keith Schneider
Jan. 11            Ginny Birky
Jan. 12            Jeff Cameron, Tim Rahschulte, Shannon Scott

Are you interested in joining Concert Choir? You can audition in January! During the first week of the spring semester (Jan. 12-16), choir audition sign-ups will be on the door to Ross 201.

Choir auditions will take place in Ross 202 (Loren Wenz’s office) that Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. You can pick up an audition packet on the wall to the left of the music office doors.

Questions? Contact the music department at ext. 2620 or Loren Wenz at lwenz@georgefox.edu.

Are you planning to study abroad during the 2015-16 academic year? If so, applications are due by Friday, Jan. 16, at 5 p.m. Please go to the online application to start this process, and follow instructions on turning in the application.

Questions? Please email Lynn Scott at lscott@georgefox.edu or stop by the Center for Study Abroad in Lemmons 9.

The Fitness Center will close today (Friday) at 5 p.m. and will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13-14. During the Christmas break, it will be open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days the university is open and closed on all Saturdays, Sundays and university holidays. See the schedule below.

Open:

• Dec. 15-19, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Dec. 22-23, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Dec. 29-31, 6 a.m. 5 p.m.
• Jan. 5-9, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Due to limited staffing, the center will, and always should be, your responsibility to clean up when you’re done. Please re-rack your weights, wipe up your sweat, and turn off the TVs. Thank you!

The center will reopen with normal hours on Jan. 12.

Two staff and administrator positions are currently open. Listed in order of recency, they are:

• Budget Manager
• Graduate Program Coordinator- MBA, Portland

The link to each of these position announcements can be found at jobs.georgefox.edu. If you know of someone you believe might provide a good fit for any of these jobs, please refer the person to the website for information about the job and instructions about applying.

Today (Friday) is the last day to sell your textbooks at the Textbook Annex for the highest price available. Buyback ends at 4 p.m. After that time, you may sell your books using our website, and ship them to Neebo directly. You will receive a check in the mail once they are received at the warehouse.

Rented textbooks are also due today. These may be taken to the Textbook Annex or the BlueZone Store.

Questions? Contact Sandy Gidding at sgidding@georgefox.edu.

On Monday, Jan. 19, George Fox students, staff and faculty will, for the sixth straight year, join with more than 1,000 students from Portland-area colleges and universities to commemorate the life, ideals and ministry of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a “day on” of voluntary service and reflection.

The MLK Day of Service is a collaborative effort of Portland-area universities and colleges facilitated by the Oregon Campus Compact, and we are always proud of how well George Fox is represented each year at this event. Annually, it is the largest mobilization of college students in the country to serve on MLK Day!

Volunteers will gather at Concordia University and serve in the Cully neighborhood of northeast Portland. Transportation from George Fox will be provided.

This year’s theme is “Healthy Schools, Thriving Communities.” In order to receive a free T-shirt and participate in this day of serving activities you must register at this link before Jan. 9, 2015.

Questions? Contact Rusty St. Cyr at rstcyr@georgefox.edu.

The library’s intra-campus faculty courier service will be suspended during Christmas break. The service will resume on Jan. 12, 2015.

Merry Christmas from the Office of Spiritual and Intercultural Life! As you know, we are in the midst of Advent, which marks the beginning of the church year. It starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. It’s a time of celebrating the birth of the Messiah and anticipating Christ’s second coming.

For this season, we offer you a series of Advent readings. They are separated into the five weeks of Advent and can be read aloud or in groups. We realize a couple of these dates have passed, but we encourage you to take the time to read these passages as we approach Christmas day.

• Sunday, Nov. 30 (Hope): Luke 3:1-18
• Sunday, Dec. 7 (Peace): Luke 1:5-25
• Sunday, Dec. 14 (Joy): Luke 1:26-56
• Sunday, Dec. 21 (Love): Luke 1:57-80
• Thursday, Dec. 25 (Christ): Luke 2:1-40

For undergraduate students from Oregon, it is especially important that you file your 2015-16 FAFSA in January. Each year funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant runs short for students that would otherwise qualify.  The Oregon office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) oversees this program and must limit funding to early eligible FAFSA filers .  When you submit in January, it is not necessary to have your federal taxes filed.  Simply estimate your 2014 income for you and (if dependent) your parents.  Those that file in February will most likely not be considered for the grant which for a full time student is $2000.

Please don’t miss the potential help for your college costs! Click here to go to the FAFSA page.

Questions? Please email Terri Crawford at tcrawfor@georgefox.edu.

Just a reminder to all of you who will be on campus next week that the Bruin Den will be open Monday through Friday, Dec. 15-19, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. We will be featuring a holiday beverage special in the Bruin Den all week in addition to our daily lunch special.

The Bruin Bites and Villa Café will be closed until classes resume on Jan. 12, 2015.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Bon Appetit!

Don’t forget to join us for an all-employee meeting today (Thursday) from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Hoover 105. At the Portland Center, we will have a live video feed and also serve snacks in Room 160.

Interested in learning a stringed instrument? Or playing in a small ensemble? Beginning and intermediate string classes are available during spring semester, meeting Mondays and Wednesdays at noon.

These classes will be set up as chamber groups focusing on technique, while learning classical and fiddle music. We will do both solo and duet/trio music so that everyone gets both solo and group experience.

Email Rebekah Hanson with any questions at rhanson@georgefox.edu.

Before you leave for Christmas break, please consider taking your bike home if you aren’t using it, and then bringing it back during spring break when the weather improves. If you do indeed use your bike, please put it in your dorm room/apartment before leaving for break so you don’t tempt a potential thief.

Security also recommends students and employees (those who commute by bike) use the biggest U-lock you can find when locking up your bike – and to always be sure it is securely locked up!