Lakers Ready

Division of Academic Affairs

March 25, 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

Dear Colleagues,

I hope you are enjoying the diversity of voices in the Laker to Laker feature; I know I am. 

These past two weeks we have hosted a total of six candidates, three for the Dean of the Padnos College of Engineering and three for the College of Computing. The pools were very strong, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the search committees:

We are now in the process of getting external references for the candidates. Running a Dean search is a very important undertaking, and I am very grateful for how well the search committees executed on it and the campus community’s engagement. Each candidate spent a day and a half on campus. Their visits included a public presentation about their vision, an open reception for the whole community, and tours of the college and campus. Dean Plotkowski was a tour guide to each of the six candidates; and they all expressed admiration for the outstanding legacy he leaves.  

I had the pleasure of spending part of Saturday on campus for the First Robotics and the 40th Science Olympiad events. Dean Plotkowski has been hosting First Robotics here for 21 years, one of his many initiatives sharing the joys of STEM fields with learners from across the state. The Regional Math and Science Center in CLAS hosted the regional Olympiad competition, celebrating their 40th year of hosting the event at GVSU. Thank you to Dean Drake, and to the past and current leadership and staff for the excellent work and sustained efforts.

Last week was also a week of reflection and listening. As you may know, on Monday a group of concerned students and allies held a march on the Allendale campus. They delivered a letter to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in which they articulated a set of demands and expectations around their experience and educational outcomes. Their concerns focused on the success of students of color, and in particular African American students at GVSU. We (SLT) thanked them for their initiative and their offer to engage with us directly. We are planning a face-to-face meeting so that we can redouble and accelerate work supporting every student’s experience and success. We will also attend the Town Hall they are organizing on April 2, 6:00 p.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus. They are also holding a listening session this week March 28, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Mary Idema Pew Library Multipurpose room, Allendale Campus.

Also, last week, as construction started to add Chick-Fil-A as an optional dining venue in the Kirkhof Center, several members of the GVSU community shared their distress at this decision given Chick-Fil-A’s history, and social positions. In response to these concerns, the university halted the construction. Plans are being made to engage the community, including important and impacted groups and organizations on campus including the LGBT+ FSA, the LGBT Center, the AP committee, the Student Senate, and the Laker Food company food/dining committee, to decide next steps.

Thank you everyone for your voices and for all you do. Have a great week.

Fatma

As recently announced to regular faculty, the Office of the Provost is inviting applications for two leadership roles: Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (mainly focused on areas surrounding curriculum) and the Vice Provost for Research Administration and Executive Director, Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence. Qualifications for these positions include tenured status, preferably at the professor rank; administrative or other significant academic leadership experience, preferably at the unit head level or above; strong organization skills, a flexible and collegial work and communication style; and comfort with high levels of responsibility and accountability. If you are interested in exploring either of these administrative opportunities in the Division of Academic Affairs, please send to Mary Albrecht (albrechm@gvsu.edu) a detailed letter of interest which includes areas in which you have a particular inter, a current CV, and contact information for three references who can speak to your work in university service and/or administration. Applications for the positions will be accepted until Friday, April 5, 2024.

If you have questions, please contact Mary Albrecht by email at albrechm@gvsu.edu. Also, feel free to contact me or any of the other AVPs to learn more about working in the Office of the Provost.

Faculty Voices and Recognitions

The Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence and the Office of the Provost will showcase faculty and staff books during the upcoming Reach Higher Showcase and your assistance is needed! We appreciate the commitment of GVSU authors who invest significant time, effort, and rigorous research into their publications. We want to recognize not only individual contributions but also underscore the collective impact our intellectual endeavors have on academia and society. Authors who have already submitted information for inclusion in Lakers Ready will be featured and need to do nothing more! However, if you would like to have your book included at the Showcase, complete the form at this link by Friday, March 29, and we’ll be happy to include it. For questions about this opportunity, please contact Robert Smart, Vice Provost for Research Administration.

Empowered Education

During the 2024 Student Scholars Day event, the Department of Visual and Media Arts will showcase almost 40 pieces of work that highlight the high standards of student scholarship in the department. Check out the Exhibition of Art, April 10-28, with an artist reception on April 11, 5:00-6:00 p.m., Calder Art Center, Allendale Campus.

Engaged Scholarship

Kay Losey, Professor of Writing, published Plurilingual Pedagogies for Multilingual Writing Classrooms: Engaging the Rich Communicative Repertoires of U.S. Students. This book counters the dominant English-only approach found in composition classrooms by identifying pedagogies that support multilingual students. It offers research-based practices that allow students to build on their complete linguistic repertoires in order to develop their writing abilities. Click here to learn more about this book.

Elena Lioubimtseva, Professor of Geography and Sustainable Planning, and her team have received $30,000 from the U-M Great Lakes Regional Integrated Science and Assessment for her project, "Elevating Youth Leadership and Peer-Learning to Support Climate Adaptation in West Michigan Lakeshore Frontline Communities (ELF)." They will develop a climate change curriculum to empower high school and college students, integrating climate data and geospatial technologies, through community-based research and experiential learning.

Events

The University Counseling Center will be hosting another campus-wide mental health screening on March 28 on the Allendale, Pew and Health Campuses. There is now even a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person. Learn more about the specific times and locations by visiting the website. 

Jordan Christian LeVan, a disability advocate and author, will share his journey to self-discovery and empowerment. As an individual born with Verbal Apraxia, Jordan will inspire attendees to embrace their own uniqueness and "reclaim their voices in a world that often seeks to silence them." Jordan will provide a sneak peek of his upcoming biography discussing his struggles and triumphs shaping his journey. This event will take place on April 15, 10:00-11:00 a.m., Cook-DeWitt Center Auditorium, Allendale Campus. 

Important Dates and Links

Previously Shared Events 
3/25 - Phi Kappa Phi Induction Ceremony - 4:00 p.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
3/29 - Philosophical Perspectives on Mental Illness and Mental Health - 3:00 p.m., BLL-110 Mackinac Hall, Allendale Campus
4/8 - Student Awards Convocation - 6:00 p.m., L.V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
4/9 - Student Scholars Day Keynote Speaker - 4:00 p.m., 2204 Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
4/10 - Student Scholars Day
4/10 - Climate Change Student Symposium - Virtual
4/11 - Student Scholars Day: Exhibitions of Art - 5:00 p.m., Calder Art Center, Allendale Campus
4/12 - Reach Higher Showcase - 4:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
4/15 - Jordan Christian LeVan, Fighting for my Voice - 10:00 a.m., Cook-DeWitt Center Auditorium, Allendale Campus. 
4/17 - Toast to the Class of 2024 - 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., L.V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
4/19 - The Graduate School Citation Awards - 5:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

Dates
3/28 - Final Mental Health Screening Day
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