Lakers Ready

Division of Academic Affairs

January 13, 2025

Lakers Ready is sent by the Office of the Provost
to faculty and staff within the Division of Academic Affairs

In this issue of Lakers Ready:

A Note from the Provost

Dear Colleagues: 

As we begin this new semester, I want to thank you for the dedication and creativity you bring to our shared work. I am confident that the months ahead will bring meaningful collaboration and progress. 

Throughout the semester, my office will use Lakers Ready to keep you informed about key projects and initiatives. Today you will find updates on Workday Student, Omni/Academic Affairs, and COACHE in the next section of this newsletter.  

In addition, here is an introduction to what’s ahead for this semester: 

We look forward to sharing more about these projects and initiatives as they evolve, knowing that each represents an opportunity to shape our collective future. Together, we will continue to advance our work with purpose and innovation, guided by our shared values and unwavering commitment to excellence. Your engagement and insights will be instrumental in driving our success. We encourage you to engage when the opportunities arise. 

Wishing you a successful and inspiring semester! 

Jen 

Projects and Initiatives Updates

Hello colleagues, this is Anne Sergeant (Professor of Accounting) and Heather Gulgin (Professor of Movement Science). We serve on the Workday Student Project Team as Faculty Department Sponsors. As part of our responsibility, we attend multiple standing meetings each week to be informed throughout the implementation process and bring a faculty perspective to important discussions and decisions being made. 

GVSU is working with a new implementation partner, Alchemy, as they specialize in the implementation of Workday Student for Higher Education. They helped GVSU develop the three-year timeline and are extensively involved on a weekly basis as they facilitate and advise the activities to oversee the entire process. Our highlights from the first semester include:

Overall, we have observed a dedicated and collaborative group of competent leaders that oversee key functional areas. The Workday Student project team is keenly aware of the impact on end users, thus consistently identifies and invites appropriate individuals whose expertise is valuable for discussion and decisions. The aim is to do everything possible to make sure the implementation proceeds as smoothly as possible and that we have the functionality we need to serve students.

After the Omni Task Force's work last summer, Omni and Academic Affairs collaborated during the fall semester to define several communication channels.

The COACHE engagement process is continuing and the Steering Committee is identifying candidates for facilitators to support this critical work. The facilitators, guided by a scope of work developed by the Steering Committee and informed by faculty input last semester, will play an essential role in fostering constructive dialogue and ensuring impartial guidance throughout the engagement process. A co-design group, representing faculty and administrative perspectives, will actively participate in interviewing and selecting these facilitators this month. While we are eager to begin the active engagement process as soon as possible, we recognize the importance of taking the time to ensure the right individuals are chosen for this pivotal role. Thank you for your continued dedication to this process. Additional details to follow.

Updates

Nominations are open for two student awards to be presented at the Student Awards Convocation on April 14, 6:00 p.m., L.V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

All nominations are due by February 10. Click on the links above to learn more about the awards and to nominate an outstanding student.

Note from Senior Associate Vice President Ed Aboufadel: The Office of the Provost has been asked questions regarding the use of artificial intelligence tools during personnel meetings. Both BOT 4.2.10.7 (regarding unit meetings for personnel actions) and BOT 4.2.10.2 (regarding college personnel committee meetings) state that electronic or mechanical recording is not permitted at any time during the meeting. AI tools fall under this prohibition, and their use is not allowed during face-to-face or virtual personnel meetings, including college personnel meetings.

Thank you to all faculty and staff for your flexibility during the remote day that was called during exam week. Though the Guidelines for Course Delivery in the Event of University Cancellation/Closure/Remote Status have been in place for a while, it has not been invoked in at least three decades. The Office of the Provost will be reviewing this policy for the future. Below are some reminders as we continue through the Winter semester.

Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar when many Muslims fast from pre-dawn to sunset. This may lead some Muslim students to request religious accommodations for their course work. This year, Ramadan will begin February 28 and conclude March 30. For details about accommodations related to the month of Ramadan, see the webpage hosted by GVSU's Kaufman Interfaith Institute. 

In January, Information Technology will begin migrating university-managed computers to Microsoft Windows 11, with the transition scheduled to conclude by August 2025. This upgrade is essential to maintain secure and reliable systems as Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 in October 2025. The migration will occur in phases. View the Windows 11 Roadmap for GVSU which outlines what to expect, the phased timeline, and key features of the new system.

Engaged Scholarship

Carrie Buist, Associate Professor of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies, co-authored Class, Race, Gender, and Crime: The Social Realities of Justice in America, Sixth Edition. Inequality and injustice have long been part of the structure of our society, including law, crime, and the criminal justice system. The authors explore the continuing impact of class, race, gender, sexuality, and their intersections and how the justice system can recreate those oppressions. Click here to learn more about this book.

Congratulations to Lin Bardwell, Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs, Dawn Rutecki, Assistant Professor of Integrative Studies, and Steven Dorland, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, for a new award of $63,467 from the Native American Heritage Fund to support the Enji-maawnjiding Project through Brooks College. The aim is to increase incorporation of Anishinaabe knowledge across the curriculum and reduce prejudice against Native and Indigenous members of our GVSU community. This will support future Indigenous leaders and non-Indigenous students to engage more with Indigenous knowledge, sovereignty, and human rights.

Empowered Education

Around 1,200 GVSU graduates from 2013 and 2018 (five and ten years post-graduation) completed the National Alumni Career Mobility survey in spring 2024. Over 81% of GVSU undergraduate alumni strongly agreed/agreed that they were satisfied with their educational experience. When asked about the person at GVSU who helped them most with their career, faculty were noted at the highest percentages and notably higher than at peer institutions. The full report is available on the Institutional Analysis website and can be queried through the Institutional Analysis data request form.

Encourage your student to join 77 Idea Quest, a program sponsored by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, that helps students bring their ideas to life and solve real-world problems. It's simple: if students have an idea that can make a difference, 77 Idea Quest is here to help them build it, refine it, and even win up to $3,500 for the quality of their idea! Idea submissions can be made individually, with a partner, or in teams of up to three members. Students need a five slide PowerPoint or a two-minute video explaining their idea and how it solves a problem that affects the world.

Educational Equity

Learn more about the Oliver Wilson Scholars program at an upcoming information session on January 24, 3:00-4:00 p.m., via Zoom. RSVP on the website to attend and learn more about Oliver Wilson Scholars, how students are placed in the program, what the requirements are, and how to collaborate to support these students.

Early feedback is an important strategy for student success and progress reports are critical to our student support efforts. To avoid reports coming at different times, all reports will now be delivered on the same day. Faculty will continue to receive multiple reports as this allows your feedback to go directly to the advisor or success coach who will connect with the student. Week 4 Progress Reports for students in specific campus programs will be sent on January 27.

Events

GVSU will host a week of events designed to commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Below are the key events:

To learn more about these events and commemoration week, visit the MLK website.

Join colleagues for Apple Day @ GVSU in the futurEDlab, focusing on groundbreaking technologies and the future of education, on January 21, John G Russell Leadership Building (CEC), 120 Front Ave SW, Pew Grand Rapids Campus. There are two sessions:

Advance registration is required and participation is limited to 40 attendees. 

Discover new ways to elevate your teaching at Speed TECHing on January 24, 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Choose between two dedicated classrooms in DeVos: one offering personalized, one-on-one support and the other featuring quick, interactive technology demonstrations. You can also participate online via Zoom. This is a collaborative event with eLearning, Faculty Teaching and Learning Center, Student Accessibility Resources, and University Libraries. Registration is required. See website for details.

Have you ever wondered who is responsible for curriculum development at GVSU? Do you know how the curriculum review process at GVSU works? Are you familiar with the procedures and policies for curriculum development and review? You can find the answers to these questions by visiting this University Policies website. For more context and a deeper dive into the nuts and bolts of curriculum review at GVSU, a meeting is planned on January 27, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. via Zoom.  Representatives from five university governance committees (FSBC, GC, GEC, OEMC, and UCC) that deal with curriculum will explain their role in the curriculum review and approval process. This will be an interactive session with questions asked and answers provided. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please RSVP your attendance plans.

In alignment with our commitment to fostering continuous learning and growth, the Inclusion and Equity Institute offers opportunities designed to enhance awareness, knowledge, and skills in the realm of inclusion and equity. We strongly encourage everyone to dive into these resources and embrace this chance to learn, grow, and advance our collective journey toward greater equity and inclusion. Check out all the upcoming opportunities on the Inclusion and Equity Institute for Lakers website.

Important Dates and Links

Previously Shared Events
1/20-25 - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week
1/21 - Apple Day @ GVSU - 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - futurEDlab, John G Russell Leadership Building (CEC), 120 Front Ave SW, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
1/24 - Faculty Development Event: Speed TECHing - 9:00 a.m., Pew Campus or Online
1/24 - Oliver Wilson Scholars Faculty Information Session - 3:00 p.m., via Zoom
1/27 - Winter 2025 Nuts and Bolts of GVSU Curriculum Review - 1:00 p.m., via Zoom
2/18 - Faculty Awards Convocation - 4:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
4/8 - Student Scholars Day Keynote - 4:00 p.m., 2204 Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
4/14- Student Awards Convocation - 6:00 p.m.,  L.V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

Dates
1/20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Recess
2/17- 21 - Mid-term Evaluations
3/2-9 - Spring Break
4/19 - Classes End
4/19-26 - Examination Week
4/25-26 - Commencement

Links
Lakers Ready - repository of this newsletter and a link to submit content
Laker Family Network - repository of the monthly newsletter sent by the Division of Student Affairs to GVSU parents/supporters

Lakers Ready will be distributed on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month.