Visit the Student Scholars Day website to learn more about the presentations,
related events and keynote speaker.

Lakers Ready

Division of Academic Affairs

March 30, 2026

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: 

Thank you to the faculty and staff who have taken the time to share thoughtful questions and comments regarding the Academic Affairs restructuring. I appreciate the care, engagement, and commitment reflected in your responses. 

The Office of the Provost has created a form to provide faculty and staff with a place to ask questions and share comments related to the restructuring. We will respond individually to those who include their contact information, and we will continue to address overarching themes and frequently asked questions in Lakers Ready. 

This week, I want to begin by addressing a question we have heard from colleagues: why are we aligning student-centered academic support services within University Libraries? 

We will continue to address common questions in the weeks ahead. I am grateful for your engagement, your candor, and the care you bring to this work as we move forward together. 

Best, 

Jen 

Advancing Academic Affairs: Updates and Answers 

Question: There is much talk about taking a holistic approach through the restructuring of student-centered academic support services. Can you explain why aligning these services within University Libraries is considered more holistic than the current model? 

Answer: In our current structure, key student support services are distributed across four different areas: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Tutoring and Reading Center), the School of Communications (Speech Lab), the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies (Writing Center), and University Libraries (Digital Creator Lab and Library Research Center). Each operates with different structures, processes, funding, and points of access for students. 

This change is about better aligning our resources to support students. By bringing these services together through University Libraries and the Knowledge Market, we are strengthening our capacity to coordinate and creating a more connected, easier-to-navigate system for students. Further, staff will be cross trained to assist students to more easily access the services they need. 

University Libraries are already well positioned to serve as this kind of hub. At its core, this change is about making it easier for all students to access the support they need, in a more equitable and connected way. 

Updates

Background:

The Shared Leadership Steering Committee (SLSC) has been working since August 2025 to implement the recommended changes from the work of the COACHE 2.0 committee. This work was founded in the work and analysis of the COACHE 2.0 Committee and the summer 2025 workshops between GVSU Senior Leadership Team  (SLT), the COACHE 2.0 Steering Committee, and selected faculty representatives from both the University Academic Senate (UAS) and additional representatives. After this meeting, SLSC recommended to UAS that they establish task forces two areas of concern noted on the COACHE survey on Nature of Work: Teaching and Nature of Work: Service. These were established by UAS in 2025-2026.

Updates:

In 2025-2026, the SLSC developed action recommendations through dedicated subcommittees who focused on, respectively: budget transparency and literacy, communications strategy, shared governance, and leadership development. SLSC met monthly during the academic year, along with subcommittee meetings to craft recommendations informed by the summer 2025 workshops. Many of the recommendations are adapted from two UAS task forces from a year ago: Enhancing Shared Governance and Leadership (ESGL) and Shared Governance Review (SHGR).  The SLSC greatly appreciates their hard work last winter!

A high-level view of the recommendations from the SLSC have been presented to UAS and Provost Cabinet. They were also the focus of an SLSC-Senior Leadership Team workshop held on March 20. Feedback from these spaces is being collated, and recommendations for action coming from SLSC will be informed by these interactions. Follow the green button link on the SLSC page to read the recommendations.

We are committed to action. The recommendations will have impact on governance, Academic Affairs, and divisions outside of Academic Affairs.

For more information, please contact Senior Associate Vice President Ed Aboufadel.

Student Awards Convocation will be held April 13, 6:00 p.m., L.V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus. All faculty and staff are invited to attend this special event to recognize our outstanding students. Faculty and staff are not required to RSVP. To view the list of this year's recipients, please visit the Office of the Provost website.

The Women's Commission is opening three leadership positions this May and would love your voice at the table. Opportunities include vice chair and treasurer, events and volunteer chair, and advocacy co-chair and faculty institutional representative. Each position is filled for a two-year term and offers a meaningful way to support and advocate for gender equity in our community, build professional and leadership skills, and network across campus. Learn more and apply at the Women's Commission website.

Ongoing updates and resources related to new executive orders, federal memos, and other important federal actions are available on Division of People, Equity, and Culture website. Updates on executive orders impacting federally-funded projects can be found on the Office of Sponsored Programs website.

Engaged Scholarship

Congratulations to Lindsay Corneal, Catherine Molloseau, Phillip Hittepole, and Nicholas Baine from the Padnos College of Engineering for being selected to join several engineering departments across the country in assessing the curriculum of Engineering for US All (e4usa). This is part of a larger, National Science Foundation-funded project. GVSU will review e4usa's high school curriculum and its alignment with GVSU's first-year engineering requirements to identify credit pathways for students.

Congratulations to Amanda Buday, Associate Professor of Sociology, on two awards from the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR): $8,000 for "Water Science in Agriscience" from the Engagement, Career Training, and Outreach (ECO) program, and $20,000 for "Advancing Great Lakes Social Science for Protection, Restoration, and Ecosystem Services." CIGLR works in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Events

The Graduate School invites you to one of the largest three minute thesis competitions to date! Students from more than 10 graduate programs will share their research in three minutes with one slide. All audience members are invited to cast their vote for the People's Choice award. The competition will be held on March 31, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, Pew Grand Rapids Campus. 

Feeling hopeful about environmental sustainability can feel overwhelming. Yet the need to translate climate data into climate action is pressing. This conversation on March 31, 6:00-7:00 p.m., 2204 Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus, offers the campus a space to talk about ways to navigate eco-grief, the emotional distress around climate change. Goals of the conversation include increased awareness, mutual understanding, and connections for sustaining critical hope. This conversation is INT 100/201 approved. Classes are welcome. More information can be found on the Civil Discourse website.

Join an artist talk with Maria Gambino, the current Padnos Distinguished Artist in Residence, within the Department of Visual and Media Arts. This free event will take place in the Grand Rapids Art Museum's auditorium on April 2, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn more on the GRAM website.

Faculty play an important role in supporting student mental health and well-being. RSVP for the University Counseling Center's Faculty Mental Health Ambassador Training on May 15, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., 2270 Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus. This interactive workshop, facilitated by mental health clinicians, will help you recognize student discomfort, distress, and crisis, respond with empathy, and connect students to resources. Leave the day certified, and equipped to make a real difference for students!

In Case You Missed It

3/23: Retiree Medical Plan Transition Updates
3/24: Stewardship Across Time - A Conversation with Grand Valley Presidents
3/24: Reach Higher Explainer & Insight Sessions – March 31 & April 1

Important Dates and Links

Previously Shared Events
4/7 - SSD Keynote Address - 4:00 p.m., Pere Marquette Room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
4/8 - Student Scholars Day
4/12 - Champions of the Heart: Bystander Hands-Only CPR Training - Kelly Family Sports Center, Allendale Campus
5/12 & 5/13 - Developing External Partnerships Workshop - 9:00 - 4:30 p.m. (5/12), 9:00 - 12:00 p.m. (5/13), GVSU Bike Factory, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
5/15 - Faculty Mental Health Ambassador Training - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., 2270 Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
6/17 - GVSU CommCon - All day, DeVos Center for Interdisciplinary Health, Health Campus

Dates
4/25-5/2 - Examination Week
5/1 & 5/2 - 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
Laker Weekly - repository of the weekly e-newsletter sent by the Division of Student Affairs to current GVSU students
Inclusion and Equity Institute Workshops - Inclusion and Equity Institute offers free, dynamic, and helpful workshops on a variety of topics.

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