Lakers Ready

Division of Academic Affairs

January 29, 2024

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

Laker to Laker: Message from the Provost

Dear Colleagues,

Last week I commented on the ethos of GVSU faculty and staff as deeply caring, passionate about the potential of every Laker, committed to their well-being, and to realization of their potential. This level of care was again on display this past week at the two townhalls we held around the topic of student success. I am very grateful to the more than 100 of you who attended and shared your experiences and insights. We have one more session this week on January 30th at 3:00 PM in the Loosemore Auditorium on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Vice Presidents Hall-Jones, Truss, and I hope to see many of you there. After this third session, we plan to reflect on everything we heard and learned and then to communicate back with the GVSU community.  

This week, I want to comment on another core facet of our work. What makes us a university; what gives us license for the work that we do; what gives us the credibility amongst our peers; what makes our communities trust us and look up to us: the expertise of our faculty and the scholarly vibrancy of their work. It is this intellectual asset and inquisitive predisposition that give us claim to have a credible voice on things that matter. To borrow Robert Sapolsky’s schematic characterization of the frontal cortex as what “makes you do the harder thing when it’s the right thing to do," higher education institutions are the voices we (should) consult when we are discerning the right thing to do; higher education institutions are the credible intellectual leaders who (should) compel us to do those harder things. Our faculty from all disciplines are very active and prolific scholars. It manifests in many ways. Here in Lakers Ready, we have recently started featuring books authored by our faculty in the current year. I hope you are all enjoying this section and taking the time to read some of these books. Having just completed the review of sabbatical requests for 2025, I cannot be prouder of the richness, thoughtfulness, and timeliness of the scholarly and creative activities of GVSU faculty.  

Sixty-seven sabbatical proposals were submitted this year. Sixty-one will receive approval; the others needed additional work or adjustments to their project. Each of the approved proposals represents a significant scholarly endeavor with concrete outcomes in the form of books, refereed articles, software systems, equipment, and artistic creations. Collectively, they ask and dive into some of the most critical questions of importance to our societies and bring to bear the unique tools and perspectives of their discipline to them. At a time when the place and necessity of some disciplines in education is being scrutinized, I could not help but marvel at the richness of the tapestry created because we have each one of these disciplines; I could not help but reflect on the necessity of each of these perspectives in creating thoughtful comprehensive frames for complex human issues; I could not help but imagine how impoverished we would be without any one them. The very essence of GVSU, a university rooted in liberal education is a statement of commitment to a human centered and thoughtful education.

With my best wishes for an intellectually and emotionally rewarding week,

Fatma

Townhalls

The last Townhall meeting hosted by Provost Fatma Mili and Vice Presidents Jenny Hall-Jones and B. Donta Truss is scheduled this week and will focus on the topics of student access and student success. We appreciate the many faculty and staff who attended and shared their views and experiences over the current academic year. We had the opportunity to share the many initiatives planned and underway to adapt to the changing student populations and assets.

Please see messages about student success that were shared in previous Laker to Laker columns. In addition, the Winter 2024 Census Reports were issued last week including the Fall-to-Winter Retention report.

The last session is scheduled for:

Join us in honoring the outstanding contributions of our faculty at the Faculty Awards Convocation scheduled February 15, 4:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

University awards recognize outstanding achievements in teaching excellence, scholarly contributions that advance the professions and benefit society, mentorship that guides students successfully on their academic journey, and dedication to service to our University and the broader community.

Below are those that will be honored with Pew Awards for Excellence. 

Burch, Jacobs, and Moore Diversity Teaching Excellence Award

Pew Teaching Excellence Award for Adjunct Faculty

Pew Teaching with Technology Award

Pew Teaching Excellence Awards

Pew Excellence Award for Teaching and Learning Enrichment

For the complete list of Faculty Award recipients, please visit the Faculty Awards Convocation website.

Updates

Dr. Amy Manderscheid Appointed KCON Acting Dean

At the conclusion of the Fall 2023 semester, Dr. Tricia Thomas stepped down from her position as Dean of the Kirkhof College of Nursing and transitioned into a faculty role. The move reflects what she believes is a better fit for her personal and professional passions and goals. Dr. Thomas is commended for her dedication and accomplishments during her tenure in this position.

Dr. Amy Manderscheid assumed the position of Acting Dean at the beginning of the Winter 2024 semester. Dr. Manderscheid currently serves as an Associate Professor of Nursing and brings experience in teaching across the undergraduate and graduate programs within clinical, simulation and classroom settings. An external search for the permanent Dean has already begun.

Search Committees are leading three Dean searches this semester with assistance from executive search firms and supported by the Office of the Provost. Websites have been established for each for the searches with links included below. Faculty and staff are encouraged to share search information broadly on social media, within networks, with contacts, and at conferences. In addition, if you have nominations for any of these positions or would like the search consultants to reach out to specific individuals, please follow instructions on the websites.

Nominations are open for two student awards to be presented at the Student Awards Convocation on April 8, 6:00 p.m., L.V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

All nominations are due by February 9. Click on the links above to learn more about the awards and to nominate an outstanding student.

A GVSU Quest Series event on the topic of academic freedom and teaching controversial topics will be held in February. Watch your inbox for more information; in the meantime, check out previous events on the Quest Series webpage. 

Calling all presenters. The second annual Reach Higher Showcase will take place on April 12, 4:00-7:00 p.m., Richard M. DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus. If you would like to share your work at the 2024 showcase, please submit your project by February 1. Click here to learn more.

The Beacons of Change project seeks to create a notable alumni of color exhibit which reflects our commitment to and helps foster inclusion and belonging on campus. Nominate notable Grand Valley State University alumni who are Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) that have had an impact. Current students will be commissioned to create a portrait of selected alumni. Portraits will be paired with an oral history of their path to being a Beacon of Change and their impact.

Engaged Scholarship

Corey Anton, Professor of Communications, wrote How Non-being Haunts Being. This book explores the many different modes of absence and non-being that pervade life, language, thought, and culture. A highly readable book of great interest to a wide audience, it ensures that readers will never think of life, death, or themselves, the same way again. Click here to learn more about this book.

Health Sciences Librarians Sarah Joseph, Emily Metcalf, and Anna White were awarded a grant to participate in the All of Us Data Training & Engagement Program for Academic Libraries through the NIH/NLM. The program builds the research capacity of libraries at institutions with a commitment to educating underrepresented students. The librarians will use the diverse and longitudinal All of Us dataset to enhance skills in biomedical and public health data research.

Events

Two Community Conversations on the redesign of academic advising will introduce recommendations on how GVSU can strategically implement academic advising to support student success. All are welcome.

Are you a faculty member interested in the latest opportunities for teaching and learning innovations? Then you're invited to attend an Innovation Open House, on February 6, 2:00-5:00 p.m., futureEDlab, 3015 Zumberge, Allendale Campus. You'll learn about programs like Laker Learning Futures, and have hands-on opportunities with new and useful technologies for teaching. Come join your colleagues for an informal time to connect and share ideas. For more information, please email Robert Talbert.

Hans Van Sumeren, Director of Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, Northwestern Michigan College will present "Successful Approaches Toward Building a Workforce for the Blue Economy." This event takes place on February 9, 2:00 p.m., Multipurpose Room, AWRI Lake Michigan Center, Muskegon Campus. To participate via Zoom email feldpauh@gvsu.edu for Zoom link.

The GVSU Career Center is excited to announce that the Winter Career and Internship Fair, will be held on February 22, 1:00-5:00 p.m., DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids. 230 employers will be in attendance hiring across majors and industries. All students and alumni are invited to attend. Please direct your students to our preparation website to learn more, and encourage them to attend this important event.

Important Dates and Links

Previously Shared Events 
1/29 - Academic Advising Community Conversation - 3:30 p.m., 2266 Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
1/30 - Academic Advising Community Conversation - 12:30 p.m., 128 E DeVos, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
1/30 - Townhall - 3:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
2/1 - Laker Club Talk: Dean Jennifer Drake - 4:00 p.m., Laker Club, Allendale Campus
2/2 - President's Ball - 6:00 p.m., DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Michigan
2/6 - Innovation Open House for Faculty - 2:00 p.m., futureEDlab, 3015 Zumberge, Allendale Campus
2/9 - Successful Approaches Toward Building a Workforce for the Blue Economy - 2:00 p.m., Multipurpose Room, AWRI Lake Michigan Center, Muskegon Campus
2/15 - Faculty Awards Convocation - 4:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
2/22 - Career and Internship Fair - 1:00 p.m., DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids
4/8 - Student Awards Convocation - 6:00 p.m., L.V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
4/12 - Reach Higher Showcase - 4:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

Dates
2/1 - Reach Higher Showcase Project Submissions Due
2/9 - Student Award Nominations Due
2/16 - AP Award Call for Nominations Due
3/3-3/10 - Spring Break
4/20-4/27 - Exam Week
4/26-4/27 - Commencement Ceremonies 

Links
Lakers Ready - repository of this weekly 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