The Daily Bruin

Students have the opportunity to help a local new company, GiftDrop, test its new app in Newberg and surrounding areas. GiftDrop COO Robert Johnson recently visited campus to explain the app and how students would help test it. A number of George Fox students from a couple of departments are already involved, and you are invited to join.

Following is the invitation letter from Johnson …

George Fox Students:

We want you to help us with our initial test launch of a new app. Our first launch is by invitation only, as we are inviting only students of George Fox to be the initial testers. GiftDrop is a company in Beaverton that is finalizing a fun new app and website. As we are still in stealth mode, there are limited details available about the app. We can say that it should be a lot of fun to use.

We are collecting emails from those interested in participating in the test. To verify that you are a student at George Fox, please send emails from your .edu account. In the near future, we will use email to provide more details for those who want to participate in the test.

We encourage sharing this information with other students at George Fox so they can share in the fun and we can have a robust test. To let us know of your interest, please send an email to: invitationonly@giftdrop.com with “Test” in the subject line. Please include your name in the body of the email.

We will not share your email information with anyone outside of GiftDrop. We look forward to the test. Stay tuned …
Robert Johnson, COO

Contact Jekabs Bikis (jbikis@georgefox.edu) for more information.

The library is pleased to deliver library material for participating faculty to their offices on the Newberg campus. All library material must be signed for by the faculty member or persons authorized to sign.

If you have used this service in the past or if you are signing up for the first time, please click on this link and fill out the form.

Questions? Contact Patty Vanier at pvanier@georgefox.edu or ext. 2425.

Faculty, please submit requests for spring semester course reserves as soon as possible. Materials are processed in the order received and can take up to five days to complete.

Please fill out and submit the form located at this link. If you have any questions, please contact Patty Vanier at pvanier@georgefox.edu or ext. 2425.

George Fox is once again partnering with Hillsboro Airporter to provide shuttle service to Portland International Airport for Christmas break. Students will be expected to work directly with Hillsboro Airporter to reserve their spot.

Here are the details:

• Each shuttle can fit five to six passengers. The cost per student is based on the total number of passengers during the scheduled times, so if you can fill one shuttle, the cost per student could be as low as $15 (if you have a total of six passengers). Cost for one student is $65.
• Make your reservations more than 24 hours in advance and Hillsboro Airporter can group you together. To reserve your spot, go online to Hillsboro Airporter & Car Service LLC.
• Hillsboro Airporter accepts cash or credit card for payment. Parents can call Hillsboro Airporter with a credit card to pay for their student’s fare.
• Hillsboro Airporter has 24/7 service. It will work with students and their families, putting students together to lower the cost of the fare.

Questions? Contact the Office of Student Life (jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu or 503-554-2316).

Faculty, please let your students know about this resource.

Are you wondering about the timing of a refund this spring? Assuming your financial aid disburses to your account on Monday, Jan. 1, and assuming none of the top-five concerns are present (see “Info on Spring Semester Refunds” Daily Bruin post), we anticipate initiating direct deposit refunds in the bank system on Thursday, Jan. 4.

You will know when a refund has been initiated in the banking system when you get an email notification from Student Accounts. How fast your bank moves compared to another varies. Most are very quick, but we always tell students to check online with their bank to see the status before they start to spend. If your aid disburses later than Jan. 1, the timing will be pushed out.

We anticipate initiating paper checks on Jan. 10.

Questions? Contact Jenny Getsinger (jgetsing@georgefox.edu).

The new housing and meal plan intent form are now live. If you are eligible to change your meal plan, please log in to your Housing & Meal Plan Intent Form to make this change. Please note: This information is for current students who have completed their housing intent form.

Keep in mind that students living on campus are eligible for meal plans based on the number of completed credits earned.

If you are expecting to change your meal plan for the spring semester and you don’t have the options you were hoping to find, you may need to wait until all your grades have been entered to complete this change. Grades are generally due by Dec. 24. Changes made after Jan. 8, 2018, may be subject to our refund policy. The final deadline for all declining meal plan changes will be Friday, Jan. 22.

Please refer to our policies and procedures on the Meal Plan Policies & Procedure page. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Jere Witherspoon (jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu or 503-554-2316) in the student life office. When inquiring about your meal plan via email, please include your student ID number.

If you are expecting a refund of financial aid or payments that are overpaying your account, please be aware that there are five common and mostly preventable reasons why your refund could be delayed.

1. You are not signed up for student accounts direct deposit.
2. You owe a balance that your aid has not been authorized to cover.
3. Due to recent activity or waitlisted classes, your credit balance appears to be in flux.
4. The credit is not due to a financial aid overpayment. (We don’t refund personal payments unless you let us know you want the funds AND the payment cannot be recent.)
5. We have reason to believe your financial aid is changing.

Please help us help you get your funds quickly this spring!

• No. 1 and No. 2 can be resolved through your To-Do List links.
• No. 3: Please get fully registered today.
• No. 4: Email studentaccounts@georgefox.edu if you are expecting a refund that is from a personal payment someone made on your account.
• No. 5: If you are making a change to your financial aid, typically a loan reduction, please email the amount of the change to studentaccounts@georgefox.edu so we can refund the funds not impacted by the change.

Contact Jenny Getsinger (jgetsing@georgefox.edu) if you have questions.

Marketing Communications will be processing the next business card order on Monday, Jan. 8. Place your order directly with B&B Print Source before Friday, Jan. 5.

Questions? Contact Danette Newkirk at dnewkirk@georgefox.edu.

Every semester, registered students are asked to confirm their enrollment in MyGFU prior to the semester’s start. If students fail to confirm their enrollment it can negatively affect their financial aid, their housing, and their class registration.

As you interact with students between now and the beginning of spring semester, please ask if they’ve confirmed their enrollment and, if not, point them to their checklist items in MyGFU to do so.

Thank you!
– Melissa Thomas (mthomas@georgefox.edu)

Are you wondering about the timing of a refund this spring? Assuming your financial aid disburses to your account on Monday, Jan. 1, and assuming none of the top-five concerns are present (see “Info on Spring Semester Refunds” Daily Bruin post), we anticipate initiating direct deposit refunds in the bank system on Thursday, Jan. 4.

You will know when a refund has been initiated in the banking system when you get an email notification from Student Accounts. How fast your bank moves compared to another varies. Most are very quick, but we always tell students to check online with their bank to see the status before they start to spend. If your aid disburses later than Jan. 1, the timing will be pushed out.

We anticipate initiating paper checks on Jan. 10.

Questions? Contact Jenny Getsinger (jgetsing@georgefox.edu).

If you are expecting a refund of financial aid or payments that are overpaying your account, please be aware that there are five common and mostly preventable reasons why your refund could be delayed.

1. You are not signed up for student accounts direct deposit.
2. You owe a balance that your aid has not been authorized to cover.
3. Due to recent activity or waitlisted classes, your credit balance appears to be in flux.
4. The credit is not due to a financial aid overpayment. (We don’t refund personal payments unless you let us know you want the funds AND the payment cannot be recent.)
5. We have reason to believe your financial aid is changing.

Please help us help you get your funds quickly this spring!

• No. 1 and No. 2 can be resolved through your To-Do List links.
• No. 3: Please get fully registered today.
• No. 4: Email studentaccounts@georgefox.edu if you are expecting a refund that is from a personal payment someone made on your account.
• No. 5: If you are making a change to your financial aid, typically a loan reduction, please email the amount of the change to studentaccounts@georgefox.edu so we can refund the funds not impacted by the change.

Contact Jenny Getsinger (jgetsing@georgefox.edu) if you have questions.

The Office for Spiritual and Intercultural Life is looking for post-college Life Group leaders for our six-week spring Life Groups (running the week of Feb. 12 through the week of March 20). Life Groups are small groups of undergraduate students who meet together for prayer, Bible study and fellowship.

Groups meet weekly for 60 to 90 minutes at the time and location of your choosing. Participants will select the group they wish to participate in based on the details that leaders provide. Groups are encouraged to use one of three curriculum options recommended by the Office for Spiritual and Intercultural Life that parallel other themes that are being explored in chapel.

We welcome our employees, alumni, family members of George Fox employees and students, and members of our wonderful local churches to consider leading a group. Our spring leader meeting will take place on Thursday, Jan. 25, from noon to 1:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided.

For more information and to sign up, visit this webpage.

Just a reminder that the Newberg-to-Portland Center courier is only going to deliver today (Thursday) and will resume a normal delivery schedule next week.

Every semester, registered students are asked to confirm their enrollment in MyGFU prior to the semester’s start. If students fail to confirm their enrollment it can negatively affect their financial aid, their housing, and their class registration.

As you interact with students between now and the beginning of spring semester, please ask if they’ve confirmed their enrollment and, if not, point them to their checklist items in MyGFU to do so.

Thank you!
– Melissa Thomas (mthomas@georgefox.edu)

FoxTALE will be upgraded on Thursday, Dec. 28, and be unavailable from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time). We apologize for any inconvenience.

Questions? Contact servicedesk@georgefox.edu or call 503-554-2569.

In an effort to increase overall security and the stability of FoxTALE, we will introduce a late-December upgrade to our maintenance schedule, which currently includes our August upgrade and bi-monthly updates.

A December upgrade will bring our security to the highest level and resolve issues. In addition, December upgrades will make the introduction of new features a bit more incremental.

Our December 2017 upgrade is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 28, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. FoxTALE will be unavailable during this time.

See the new features here: FoxTALE New Features for Spring 2018.

Top new features …

• New Course Overview and Course End Dates Video
• New FoxTALE Archive Site
• Fix: Assignment Grading Page Reboot

The Schedule of Development Events has been updated for Spring 2018, with offerings starting on Jan. 2. See the schedule here.

Questions? Contact the Service Desk at servicedesk@georgefox.edu or call 503-554-2569.

– Your Education Technology Team

Check one more thing off the list before Christmas! Rent or purchase your spring textbooks today at georgefoxshop.com. Choose in-store pick-up and simply pick them up when you get back in January. It’s that simple.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your Bruin Store!

Check one more thing off the list before Christmas! Rent or purchase your spring textbooks today at georgefoxshop.com. Choose in-store pick-up and simply pick them up when you get back in January. It’s that simple.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your Bruin Store!

The Office for Spiritual and Intercultural Life is looking for post-college Life Group leaders for our six-week spring Life Groups (running the week of Feb. 12 through the week of March 20). Life Groups are small groups of undergraduate students who meet together for prayer, Bible study and fellowship.

Groups meet weekly for 60 to 90 minutes at the time and location of your choosing. Participants will select the group they wish to participate in based on the details that leaders provide. Groups are encouraged to use one of three curriculum options recommended by the Office for Spiritual and Intercultural Life that parallel other themes that are being explored in chapel.

We welcome our employees, alumni, family members of George Fox employees and students, and members of our wonderful local churches to consider leading a group. Our spring leader meeting will take place on Thursday, Jan. 25, from noon to 1:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided.

For more information and to sign up, visit this webpage.

Check one more thing off the list before Christmas! Rent or purchase your spring textbooks today at georgefoxshop.com. Choose in-store pick-up and simply pick them up when you get back in January. It’s that simple.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your Bruin Store!