Dear Students and Laker Families,
I understand recent reports of incidents on and around Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus may raise questions and concerns about the safety and security of our students. I want to provide an update directly to our community about our response to two recent incidents and affirm the safety of our campus.
Recent Altercation on Campus
On Tuesday evening, September 8, Grand Valley Police responded to a large physical altercation outside on the Allendale campus. Officers responded promptly and two students were arrested.
Grand Valley Police is actively investigating this fight in collaboration with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. This includes reviewing available security footage and interviewing suspects, witnesses, and others who may have information about what occurred. This altercation is believed to be an isolated incident stemming from an attempted theft of an electric scooter.
Let me be clear: Violence on our campus will not be tolerated. We will continue to pursue appropriate criminal charges as the facts and evidence support them.
For GVSU students involved in this altercation, we are coordinating with the Dean of Students Office to apply appropriate student-conduct processes in addition to any potential criminal proceedings. As of today, six students have been suspended.
Vehicle Break-Ins on Allendale Campus
In the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 9, numerous vehicles in Parking Lot D on the northeastern side of the Valley Campus were broken into. The suspects arrived in a vehicle reported stolen from a neighboring community and damaged multiple vehicles while rummaging through them. When approached by police, the suspects fled campus. We believe that this vehicle is also connected to multiple larcenies in surrounding communities. This investigation remains active, and we are working with our law enforcement partners to identify those responsible.
The Department of Public Safety is increasing surveillance and patrols of campus parking lots. We continue to review available information and security footage to develop additional investigative leads.
Campus Safety, Transparency and Clery Compliance
As a university community, we have a responsibility to keep our campus informed and a legal obligation to comply with the federal Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. When a reported incident occurs, we evaluate the information to determine if there is a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community such that a timely warning or emergency communication needs to be issued. These communications seek to ensure that members of our campus community receive timely information about potential threats to their safety.
Communication is part of our broader commitment to transparency, campus safety, and legal compliance.
Our Commitment to Campus Safety
I want to assure you that the safety and security of our students remains our highest priority.
Our officers are actively patrolling our campuses, responding to calls for service, investigating reported crimes, and working closely with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners. The university is also utilizing private security to assist with securing university housing. We continually evaluate our security measures and adjust our resources based on emerging threats and crime trends.
We ask our students to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity immediately. If students or community members see something that appears out of place or believe someone may be in danger, do not hesitate to call 911. They can also contact Grand Valley Police at (616) 331-3255 or use the Laker Guardian app to communicate with GVPD.
We also encourage students to take a few simple precautions:
