A Note from the Provost

Dear Colleagues: 

As we move further into the fall semester, I want to take a moment to reflect on the heart of everything we do in Academic Affairs: teaching, supporting, and inspiring our students. 

There is a great deal of important work underway across the university. We are having conversations about our strategic priorities, our academic future, how we use our resources, and how we continue to evolve to serve our communities and meet our mission. These conversations are big—and they are ultimately about the experience that each and every student has during their time at Grand Valley as they explore their passions, encounter new perspectives, navigate challenges and opportunities, and develop a strong sense of self and purpose.

Every day, our faculty and staff make a difference in our students’ journeys. Sometimes that happens in visible ways - through facilitating meaningful classroom learning and high-impact experiences that open doors to new possibilities. Just as often, we make a difference in quieter moments. A conversation that helps a student clarify their direction. An encouraging word when a student is struggling. Taking a little extra time to help a student succeed. These moments matter, and they are part of what makes Grand Valley special. 

As we continue thinking about Grand Valley’s future, we must keep our students at the center of our decisions. The work we are doing today will shape their experiences and opportunities—and their futures—for years to come. 

With Fall Break approaching, I hope the pause in classes offers an opportunity to catch your breath. I know this has been a busy semester, and I appreciate all that you continue to give to our students and our university. Your dedication is what gives me confidence in Grand Valley's future. 

Jen 

Advancing Academic Affairs

We have recently learned that Harvard’s COACHE program is closing. Plans are now developing to create an internal survey for winter 2027 that will be tied to a new initiative from the Division of People, Equity, and Culture to establish refreshed feedback paths for faculty and staff. We will be seeking faculty and staff to support refinement and execution of the internal survey this winter semester. Watch for an invitation later this fall. 

Following up on the update on our shared leadership work that was published in the September 8, 2026 issue of Lakers Ready, this is a reminder that the Shared Leadership Executive Committee (SLXC) has been created to continue the work that started with the 2024 COACHE survey. Members of the SLXC include University Academic Senate leaders Courtney Karasinski and Anne Sergeant; Senior Associate Vice President Ed Aboufadel; Professor Krista Benson; Provost Jennifer Drake; and Vice President Robert Shorty. 

An update on the status of recommendations that emerged in the past year will be published in a future issue of Lakers Ready. Information about our shared leadership work is available on the Office of the Provost website. 

The Future Design Task Force (FDTF), created to provide proposals for future designs of the Academic Affairs division, is entering a key input phase, and invites your participation. They invite all colleagues in the Academic Affairs Division to participate in two ways:

By the end of the Fall semester, the Task Force will provide recommendations to the Provost. To learn more about this Task Force, visit the Academic Affairs Future Design Task Force website.

Updates

This semester, Fall Break is scheduled for October 25-27, which includes a Monday and Tuesday. Although Fall Break days are not university holidays, they are comparable to Spring Break in that classes are not held and other activities outside of teaching are suspended. As such, there should be no faculty meetings held during Fall Break. In terms of courses, no assignments may be due, and no quizzes, tests or exams may be administered, except for the limited programs that have received an exemption from Fall Break.

On November 11–12, GVSU will participate in a standard Multi-Location Visit conducted by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which is occurring during year eight of our ten-year accreditation cycle. HLC selected the Pew Campus and Traverse City Regional Center for review.

During the visit, the HLC reviewer will meet with current Pew and Traverse City location students and selected GVSU colleagues based on their roles and responsibilities. We appreciate their willingness to share their experiences and highlight how GVSU operates as one university across multiple locations as we serve regional educational needs.

The FYAE unites initiatives from across campus, and 67% of first-year students already participate. The focus this year: enhanced coordination, sharing learning objectives, forming a core advisory team, streamlining and scaling offerings, and designing professional development and assessment. The program aspires to offer all incoming students an impactful FYAE experience by 2030. Attend a future forum to learn more on October 14, 3:00-4:00 p.m., 123 CHS, Health Campus or October 22, 11:00-12:00 p.m., 2270 Kirkhof Center, Valley Campus. RSVP is not required.

Faculty and staff are invited to join the Fall 2026 graduates to celebrate their academic achievements by participating in the Commencement ceremony scheduled on December 12, 4:00 p.m., at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. If you plan to attend and process, complete the RSVP form on the Commencement website.

The student commencement speaker application is now open. Please encourage students graduating this semester to apply for this special honor. The online application will be open until October 25, at 11:59 p.m. To learn more, visit the Commencement website.

With the launch of Workday Student at the end of October, if you missed it, please review the latest monthly updates by scrolling down on the Workday home page. The update includes important dates; details about student profiles; links to the “What’s Changing” webpage, training sign-ups, and demo videos; and reminders about curriculum proposals.

The Johnson Center for Philanthropy is pleased to share two opportunities: 1) the application for awards from the Juan Olivarez Learning Equity Endowment, supporting relationship-building between GVSU faculty and Michigan nonprofits, is open now (due October 30). 2) Applications are open on a rolling basis for faculty-student Mawby Fellowships, producing intersectional research on philanthropy and other disciplines. More info on both programs is available on the Johnson Center’s About Us page.

Engaged Scholarship

Events

Join on October 13, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, City Campus, for a discussion exploring what midterm elections across modern American history can tell us about presidential power, public opinion, and the shifting balance of American politics. Panelists will offer an overview of key races to watch this cycle, along with a discussion of what different outcomes could mean for the current political landscape. Come away with the historical context to understand this year's midterms as the latest chapter in a much longer American story. Register for this event on the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies website.

On October 15, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Wealthy Theatre, Dr. Craig Santos Perez, an editor of nine anthologies and author of seven books of poetry will read at GVSU's annual Poetry Night. Perez is a poet, editor, essayist, critic, environmentalist, and political activist. An important voice in eco-poetics, he describes his work as a mourning and desire to protect the environment from further desecration and a longing and advocacy for a decolonized, sovereign, and indigenous future. This event is free and open to the public.

Join on October 21, 4:00-5:30 p.m., 138E DeVos, City Campus, for a special screening of Things We Imagined - Black Futurity and Academic Life, a powerful documentary that explores the journeys, aspirations, and lived experiences of Black faculty in higher education. Following the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a live conversation with the producers and a discussion moderated by Dr. Laila McCloud, Associate Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration at GVSU and an associate producer of the film.

What is our collective responsibility for how we talk to one another in this country? At a time when digital platforms increasingly shape public discourse, the need to reflect on how to foster healthy dialogue has never been more urgent. Join us for a community conversation on October 29, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m., Seidman Center, City Campus, about the civic role of digital literacy skills as an ethical practice and responsibility to foster constructive discourse. INT 100/201 approved; classes welcome; open to the public; registration required; refreshments.

Join GVSU faculty and staff at the First-Generation Student Success Conference on October 30, 9:00-3:30 p.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center. Hear from keynote speaker Dr. Sidney Childs and explore breakout sessions designed to help you build your own playbook of tools and resources to support our GVSU first-generation students. Start the day with a continental breakfast and enjoy a pasta bar lunch. Come ready to learn and add new plays to your first-generation student success playbook!

Join for an opening reception of Mutual Interests: Collaboration across the Arts and Humanities on November 5, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Calder Arts Center, Allendale Campus. This exhibition features work by the CLAS Society, Technology, and Environment Cluster, who worked in pairs, across fields of expertise, to explore the legacies of historical events, facets of lived experience, and the world around us. Mutual Interests is open from November 2 through 12, 2026 in the Padnos Student Gallery, Calder Art Center, Valley Campus. This event is free and open to the public.

The 2026 GV Technology Summit is coming up November 3 on the Valley Campus. Registration is open through October 16. The Summit is free and open to all GVSU faculty, staff and students. Attend for the full day or join for the sessions that fit your schedule. Visit the event webpage to explore the schedule and learn more.

Drop in anytime from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on October 23 to work alongside experts from Student Accessibility Resources, eLearning Technologies, and University Libraries to make your digital content more accessible. Support will be available at all three campuses, with a virtual option. City Campuses: DCIH 2260 and SCB 2005; Valley Campus: KHS 4402. Please online register ahead of time. Have questions or need specialized training? Contact accessibility@gvsu.edu.

Curious about how artificial intelligence and extended reality (XR) are transforming teaching, learning and work at GVSU? Join colleagues from across the university at the AI Collective and XR Collective, hosted by IT Innovation + Research. Both groups meet monthly at rotating campus locations. The next meetings are on October 30: AI Collective: 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. and XR Collective: 10:00-11:00 a.m., on the City Campus. Learn more and register on the IT Innovation + Research website.

In Case You Missed It

10/5 - GVSU City Campus Parking Lot Construction Reminder
10/5 - Mental Health Screening Days for Students
10/7 - Important Information about Campus Access and Guests

Important Dates and Links

Previously Shared Events
10/13 - Workday Student Launch Event, 1:00 p.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center, Valley Campus or via Zoom
10/13 - Fall Career and Internship Fair, 1:00 p.m., DeVos Place Convention Center
10/13 - Midterms 101: Historical Patterns and Contemporary Stakes, 6:00 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, City Campus 
10/14 - First-Year Academic Experience, 3:00 p.m., 123 CHS (Steelcase Foundation Lecture Hall), Health Campus 
10/14-10/15 - CCESS2026 "Ways of Knowing in Climate Change Education", Kirkhof Center, Valley Campus
10/15 - Laker Club Talk: Christopher Jones, 4:00 p.m., Thornapple Room, Kirkhof Center, Valley Campus
10/15 - Fall Curriculum Drop-In Hour, 10:00 a.m., via Zoom
10/15 - GVSU Poetry Night with Craig Santos Perez, 7:00 p.m., Wealth Theatre
10/19-10/25 - Open Access Week at GVSU
10/21 - Things We Imagined - Black Futurity and Academic Life, 4:00 p.m., 138E DeVos, City Campus
10/22 - First-Year Academic Experience, 11:00 a.m., 2207 Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus
10/23 - Fix-Your-Content Day - 11:00 a.m., various locations
10/29 - Civil Discourse Symposium: Ethics & Responsibility in Online Spaces - 6:00 p.m., Seidman Center, City Campus
10/30 - First-Generation Student Success Conference, 9:00 a.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center.
11/3 - GV Technology Summit, 8:30 a.m., Kirkhof Center, Valley Campus
11/5 - Mutual Interests: Collaboration across the Arts and Humanities, 5:00 p.m., Calder Arts Center, Allendale Campus
11/10-11/11 - GVSU Teach-In

Important Dates
10/26-10/27 - Fall Break
11/25-11/29 - Thanksgiving Recess
12/12 - Commencement
12/12-12/19 - Examination Week
12/22 - Grades Due from Faculty by 12:00 p.m.

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.