Lakers Ready
Division of Academic Affairs
October 25, 2023
Lakers Ready is sent by the Office of the Provost
to faculty and staff within the Division of Academic Affairs
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In this issue of Lakers Ready
- Laker to Laker: Message from the Provost
- GVSU Quest Series
- Educational Equity
- Engaged Scholarship
- Events
- Important Dates and Links
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Laker to Laker: Message from the Provost
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Dear Colleagues,
I have been at a loss for words in the last few weeks as the conflict in the Middle East is weighing on our minds.
I too have been pondering what else we can do when we struggle with comprehending and making sense of the state of affairs. We can offer our full presence and undivided attention. We can stand by each other's struggle; we can offer listening and perspectives with humility and care.
What do we do when discussing this conflict is impossibly hard to do in a constructive way? We can offer opportunities to make sense of why it is so. We can offer opportunities to discuss what makes this conflict so hard.
What do we do when the emotions are overwhelming? To everyone around us, we offer our compassionate presence and quiet companionship. To ourselves, we make room for grace, and seek support. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
Fatma
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Resources Available to Faculty and Staff
- The Employee Assistance Program, Encompass, is available to help with confidential and professional mental health resources for employees and family members.
- The Kaufman Interfaith Institute is available to connect you to communities of support and interfaith resources both on- and off-campus. For more information, please contact interfaith@gvsu.edu.
- The Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center's Teaching Resource page, Responding to Critical Incidents, offers guidance on how to talk with students about emergent and ongoing tragedies.
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Climate Resilience at GVSU: Scholarship, Stewardship, Leadership
This in-person Quest Series event is scheduled October 26, 1-2:00 p.m., Cook-DeWitt Center, on the Allendale Campus. Panelists will inform and educate participants about the efforts and commitments at Grand Valley to ensuring a flourishing community in the face of changes. As climate resilience necessitates engagement of our entire campus community, this session will center on student learning opportunities, innovative research, campus operations and planning, and community engagement. Panelists for this Quest Series include:
- Bopi Biddanda, Professor of Water Resources
- Bob Hollister, Professor Biology
- Yumiko Jakobcic, Director, Office of Sustainability Practices
- Rence Meredith, Assistant Vice President for Facilities Services, Allendale Campus
- Christine Rener, Vice Provost for Instructional Development and Innovation
- Becky Williams, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies
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The 2023 Teach-In is happening soon. Informative and engaging sessions on various aspects of social justice will be presented by teams of faculty, staff, and students on November 8 (Pew Grand Rapids Campus) and November 9 (Allendale Campus), with hybrid/online options on both dates. Teach-In is a unique educational experience; everyone is welcome to drop-in on sessions. The complete 2023 schedule will be posted by November 1. Please email teachin@gvsu.edu for questions or more information.
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Congratulations to Dr. Sookkyung Cho, Associate Professor of Music, Theatre, and Dance, for her $12,000 award from the Michigan Arts & Culture Council. The Grand Valley Piano Chamber Series will present "The Musical Leipzig," a variety of piano chamber works by composers who had significant ties with Leipzig, an important classical musical city in Europe since the Baroque Period. Featured composers will be showcased during 13 concerts at ten locations.
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Learning Engineering: The Art of Applying the Sciences of Learning to Education
Join President Mantella, Provost Fatma Mili, and Vice Provost Kara Van Dam for a conversation with Bror Saxberg, Founder, LearningForge LLC. The event is scheduled October 25, 2-3 p.m., Alumni House, Allendale Campus. The conversation will dig into wha we know about learning and motivation from decades of research and share how insights can guide new learning approaches. To learn more about this event or to RSVP attendance plans, see Office of the President website.
Honors Faculty Seminar Series
Join the Fall 2023 seminar series where Honors faculty share their scholarly projects. Seminar presentations last approximately 35-40 minutes followed by an open conversation. Cookies and coffee provided. Next seminar will be held October 26, 12 p.m., when Coeli Fitzpatrick of the Honors College presents "Affinity, Expropriation, and Denial: Changing Christian Attitudes toward Reason and Islam: 11th-14th centuries." Click here to learn more.
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Important Dates and Links
Previously Shared Events
10/25 - President's Forum - Learning Engineering: The Art of Applying the Sciences of Learning to Education with Bror Saxberg- 2:00 p.m., Alumni House, Allendale Campus
10/26 - Honors Faculty Seminar Series - 12 p.m., Niemeyer Multipurpose Room, Frederik Meijer Honors College, Allendale Campus
10/26 - GVSU Quest Series: Climate Resilience at GVSU - 1:00 p.m., Cook-DeWitt Center, Allendale Campus
11/3 - Philosophical Reflections on ChatGPT - 3:00 p.m., BLL-110 Mackinac Hall, Allendale Campus
11/4 - Energizing Our Weekend Family Fun Event - 10:00 a.m., Allendale Campus
11/8 - Author Robin Wall Kimmerer - 11:15 a.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
11/8 - Teach-In - Pew Grand Rapids Campus
11/9 - Teach-In - Allendale Campus
11/9 - Climate Change Colloquium - 4:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
11/9-11/11 - Place-Based Education Conference - Pew Grand Rapids Campus
11/16 - Calm the Chaos: Honoring all Voices in Public Education - 6:00 p.m., Seidman Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
12/15 - Graduate School Citation Awards - 5:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
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
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