Dear Colleagues,

With the fall semester underway, and the anticipated upcoming census data revealed, we will be in the enviable position to celebrate the fact that a GVSU education is a valued asset sought by many students and many families.

This position gives us the privilege to be deliberate and intentional as we examine questions around our growth.

The genesis of GVSU emerged from the lack of affordable and accessible high-quality education in West Michigan. Our mission is to fill that gap, or at least contribute to it in a significant way. Progressively, our reach has expanded beyond our geographic region and GVSU has continued to serve other areas and populations that have not been served in Michigan, especially as some of our sister institutions are consolidating their services. Growth is consistent with our mission.

We are in an enviable position with many exciting possibilities. I am grateful to have such invested faculty and staff as we navigate growth and our future for our learners.

Fatma

Screencast of Personnel processes for Regular Faculty
Tenure-track and tenured faculty may be interested in a short screencast that is sent to all new regular faculty. It has an overview of the personnel process at GVSU – from annual review to tenure and promotion.

Fall 2023 GVSU Curriculum Roadshow
Want to learn more about GVSU's curriculum review process? Join colleagues on Monday, September 18, 10:00-11:00 a.m. for a virtual, one-hour, curriculum roadshow via Zoom. Representatives from the four university curriculum committees (GEC, OEMC, UCC, and Grad Council) will share the work they do related to the curriculum review/approval process and answer questions. All are welcome! Please RSVP your attendance plans to receive the link.

School of Engineering Marks Major Accreditation Milestone
The School of Engineering achieved reaccreditation of its baccalaureate programs in Computer, Electrical, Interdisciplinary, Mechanical, and Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering and initial accreditation for the Biomedical Engineering program. The decision received by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) grants accreditation until September 2029 and retroactive accreditation until October 2020 for Biomedical Engineering, coinciding with the first graduate cohort.

Faculty Awards Nominations
Each February During the Faculty Awards Convocation, excellent faculty are honored for a range of accomplishments: teaching, scholarship, service to the institution and community, and mentoring students. The nomination deadline for these awards is November 1. See the Office of the Provost website to learn more about the criteria and nomination processes. 

Climate Meme Contest hosted by Mekik Climatology Lab (MCL)
Please invite students to compete in MCL's Climate Meme Contest. All GVSU undergraduates are eligible to submit entries by October 1 to Figen Mekik. Memes must be limited to 140 characters and be accompanied by brief text outlining scientific foundation (with reputable links) and justification for sharing on social media. Each contestant may submit multiple memes. A diverse panel of judges have formed to award prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. For more details, please visit the MCL website.

Lakers supporting Lakers in SASC Accountability Groups
Accountability Groups are an opportunity for students to connect with peers, sustain motivation, and be held accountable throughout the semester. Over a 6-week period small group members will hold each other accountable to individual academic goals that will be developed at the first meeting and revisited weekly. A Success Coach will facilitate conversations. We will be hosting a transfer student group as well as a general group. More details can be found on the Student Academic Success Center website. 

9:00-10:30 a.m.: Research and Best Practices in BIPOC Faculty Retention
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Promotion and Tenure Simulation 

National Security Agency Grant Received
Congratulations to Sara Sutton, Assistant Professor of Computing, for her $136,000 award from the National Security Agency to host a GenCyber teacher camp. This hands-on program provides a comprehensive learning experience in cyber ethics, cybersecurity, and online safety. The program will help high school teachers prepare lesson plans they can incorporate into their classroom coursework to ignite students interest in a career in cybersecurity.

Chalk Art Symposium Features Student Research
The Chalk Art Symposium features the work of student researchers, scholars, and musicians through non-traditional means. GVSU Alum and chalk artist, Emily Miller, works with students to translate research from traditional posters and oral talks to the sidewalk. Check out the students work on Thursday, September 21, 4:00-6:30 p.m., Mary Idema Pew Library, Northeast Plaza, Allendale Campus. 

Undergraduate Research Fair: Registration Open
The 14th annual Undergraduate Research Fair will take place Tuesday, October 3, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus. At the event, students have the opportunity to get information about participating in research and creative projects directly from faculty and staff. Departments can register for a table until September 24.

Kate Levy Artist Talk and Reception
Kate Levy, filmmaker and multimedia artist, will hold give an artist talk on Wednesday, September 13, 1:00-2:30 p.m., Pere Marquette Room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus. Her films, installations, sculptures, and photography interrogate power structures, cultural narratives, and the relationship between the everyday and the catastrophic. Beginning in August 2023, she will be the Padnos Distinguished Artist-In-Residence.

Arts Celebration Opening Reception
Please join the Art Gallery in celebrating the life and work of local artist, Stephen Duren, Thursday, September 14, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Art Gallery, Allendale Campus. Sixty years have passed since Duren first took up a paintbrush. During this time, his work has experienced a push and pull between realism and abstraction, resulting in an evolving stylistic approach. "Stephen Duren: A Life of Painting," explores this evolution, his extensive career, and his deep connection to the landscape in California, Michigan, and abroad. 

GVSU Arts Celebration: Sinta Quartet
Sinta Quartet will perform on Monday, September 18, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Louis Armstrong Theatre, Haas Center for the Performing Arts, Allendale Campus. The Sinta Quartet is on a mission to bring the versatility, homogeneity, and excitement of the saxophone to audiences everywhere. Strengthening an already palpable connection with its audience by performing entirely from memory, the quartet provides a fresh take on chamber music that is at once beautiful, virtuosic, and a completely interactive experience.