Lakers Ready

Division of Academic Affairs

April 22, 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

I am sure I am in great company feeling that this semester has been busy, and looking forward to a pace that makes room for the long reads, the reflective moments, the deep work, and the slow productivity. I have highly enjoyed Cal Newport’s book Deep Work when it appeared a few years ago. I am lining up his latest book Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout. If you would like to read it with me, I am happy to send a copy to the first 50 who request it.

Last week we held the last ECS and UAS sessions of the academic year and elected a new Chair and Vice Chair: Courtney Karasinski and Anne Sergeant. Congratulations Courtney and Anne; I look forward to working with you. Please join me in thanking Felix Ngassa for his long dedicated service in the Faculty Senate and for his outstanding leadership. He has been Chair of the Senate since 2017. This last year, he chaired the Senate while also serving as an ACE Fellow. This year’s UAS Newsletter has addressed the topic of shared governance in Laker readiness. I really enjoyed reading the many entries on the topic and seeing the list of this year's Senate accomplishments.

Last week, on Thursday, we held kick off meetings for each of the 7 task forces requested by the students. Each of the taskforces is led by a student with an SLT co-lead and includes students, faculty, and staff members most closely related to the work. Each taskforce identified at least one action and a meeting time to follow up on the work.

Have a great week everyone and see you all at Commencement on Friday and Saturday.

Best regards,

Fatma

Empowered Education

The 2024 Student Project Showcase is an annual event where Groundswell Stewardship Initiative and the Center for Educational Partnerships at GVSU host pK12 scholars, teachers, and environmental professionals. These local stewards come together to showcase student stewardship efforts and community problem-solving projects. Come picnic outdoors on the DeVos lawn, engage with sustainability career professionals, and learn about local student conservation efforts at this unique public event. This event will take place on May 15, 5:00-6:30 p.m., Pew Grand Rapid Campus.

Engaged Scholarship

Congratulations to Alan Steinman of the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) for receiving a $33,500 contract for the Bear Lake Improvement Project: 2024. AWRI will provide water quality monitoring, research, and reporting services for the Bear Lake - Lake Board during the 2024 sampling season.

Daisy Fredricks, Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, published Core Practices for Teaching Multilingual Students: Humanizing Pedagogies for Equity. The authors of this book share real-world examples from the classrooms of ESOL teachers, unpack the teachers' thinking about their instruction, and identify six core practices that are foundational to teaching multilingual students. Click here to learn more about this book.

Faculty Opportunity

Grand Valley State University is seeking a committed and enthusiastic tenured or tenure-track faculty member to serve as our Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR). This role is crucial in maintaining the academic integrity and ensuring the well-being of our student-athletes. The FAR acts as a liaison between the athletics program and the academic community, in support of compliance and fostering a supportive environment for student-athletes.

Responsibilities include:

This is a unique opportunity to influence the student-athlete experience and contribute to the university's commitment to excellence in athletics and academics. We invite interested faculty members to submit a brief letter of interest outlining your qualifications and vision for the role, along with your CV. More information is available here. Please send any questions and your applications to president@gvsu.edu by May 3, 2024. We look forward to your applications.

Updates

The annual reassigned time report is now posted on the Office of the Provost website. Following an agreement several years ago, a report of faculty who have alternate assignments to teaching is compiled and posted annually. This is the third year where each assignment has an associated classification (e.g. "unit head", "coordinator", "university initiatives") as determined by the deans.

Important Dates and Links

Previously Shared Events 
4/23 - Paul Plotkowski Retirement Celebration - 4:30 p.m., L. William Seidman Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
4/23 - Graduate Showcase - 3:00 p.m., Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall, Allendale Campus and Awards Ceremony, 4:30 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, Allendale Campus
5/13 - From Surviving to Thriving: Bb Ultra Half-Day Celebration - 10:00 a.m., 1008 Seidman Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
5/15 - Groundswell Stewardship Initiative Student Project Showcase - 5:00 p.m., Pew Grand Rapid Campus

Dates
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