In This Issue

Artist: Arthur Katrina  Photo Credit: GVSU Collection

February 2026– Interim Associate Dean’s Message 

“my work is part of a continuum of women’s work, reclaiming the earth and our power, and knowing that this work did not begin with my birth nor will it end with my death”

Audre Lorde,

The Cancer Journals

February 2026 marks the 100th Anniversary of Black History Month which feels particularly complicated this year. As a college committed to advancing social justice, we must continue to grapple with the complexities of history, power, and commemoration. For many cultures and societies February also aligns with mid-winter and is a time to pause, reflect, and lean toward hope by preparing for the end of winter. These recognitions often include food, light, and community and serve as a reminder that even in dark, cold times there is strength in working together and envisioning brighter days. Earlier this month Brooks College recognized Groundhog Day, February 2, by focusing on sustainability and the promise of spring. On February 18 we also celebrate Audre Lorde’s birthday which provides a moment for feminist reflection, reclamation, and looking toward the future.

The roots of this interdisciplinary college began long before any of us arrived on campus. Over many decades, GVSU students, staff, faculty, and community members, some whose names are known to me and many who are not, petitioned, lobbied and demanded that the university revise the curriculum, fund events, expand benefits, and create spaces to support marginalized students, faculty, and staff. This work is ongoing. There have been successes and there also have been predictable backlashes.

Lorde calls on us to recognize the importance of being in community while working toward liberation. We must honor her life and legacy by supporting each other through these challenging mid-Winter days. Only by continuing to work together we will reclaim the earth and our power.

- Julia Mason

On Monday February 2nd, The Brooks College Dean's Office, Office of Sustainability Practices, and GVSU Facilities Services hosted a Groundhog Day Celebration.

The event was meant to celebrate Campus Environmental Sustainability and allowed attendees to view aspects of the upcoming  Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) STARS report, a self-reported performance assessment by universities using the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) framework. The report helps measure university efforts in areas such as environmental curriculum, energy, waste and more.

Attendees also got to tour the Lake Ontario Hall basement "burrows" and view the tunnels that exist under the GVSU campus. 

Read More about the event Below! 

GVNext                             WGVU                                         MLive                           The Lanthorn

Posters Featuring information from the STARS report created by Office Of Sustainability Practices Grad Assistant, Aislynn Alkire

Brooks Dean's Office Staff

Event attendees  listening to remarks before the tour 

Yumiko Jakobcic
Director, Office of Sustainability Practices 

 Mark Schaub Dean, Brooks College

Rence Meredith, Associate Vice President, Facilities Services 

Attendees check out the tunnels under Lake Ontario Hall 

This Campus Conversation offered a space for the campus community to talk collectively about how people are doing. The goal was and continues to be to increase awareness, understanding, and mutual support on campus. Conversation can strengthen community.

The Conversation was facilitated by the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse and Mediation Services of Allegan, Ottawa, and Barry Counties. The next Campus Conversation event will be March 31st. 

Participants had their first meeting for  Silent Book Club where they are reading Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie. The book Club is hosted by the Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies program in collaboration with the Tutoring and Reading Center and the Social Justice Centers. 

The Silent Reading Series meetings occur on the last Wednesday of the Month from 4:30-6:00pm in CWGE 1201 KC and RRC 1161 KC

Starting this Winter semester, all Brooks faculty teaching 15-week courses will be required to submit final grades by midnight on Monday, May 4, 2026. This will allow the Dean’s office to use the time available on Tuesday morning to address any missing grade reports and meet the University deadline of Tuesday, May 5 at noon.  Please note that different deadlines apply to six- week and other parts of term courses and those will be communicated to you by the departments at the start of each semester. You will continue to receive regular email reminders before grades are due, clarifying the deadlines for submission.

If you have questions or concerns about this new deadline, please reach out to Interim Associate Dean, Julia Mason 

Friday 2/27/26, 3-4:30PM MAK B1138

David Killoren (GVSU Philosophy), “Total Deontic Folk Relationalism”

Abstract: Total deontic folk relationalism (TDFR) is a new family of comprehensive moral theories. It represents an alternative to the standard theoretical traditions in modern moral philosophy, such as utilitarianism, contractualism, and care ethics. In this presentation, I will introduce TDFR and will describe some of its main advantages and disadvantages.

Friday 3/27/26, 3-4:30PM MAK B1138

Alycia LaGuardia-LoBianco (GVSU Philosophy), “Passive-Aggression as Subversion” 

Abstract: In this talk, I will argue that passive-aggression can be a subversive strategy to help victims navigate oppressive interpersonal interactions. Passive-aggression—the indirect expression of negative emotions designed to inconvenience the target—is almost universally viewed as toxic behavior that damages relationships. However, I consider passive-aggression deployed in response to interpersonal interactions that are already hostile to marginalized agents because they evince some oppressive norm or expectation (for instance, a relative intentionally misgenders you; a coworker makes a racist joke about a colleague; the only woman student in a seminar is routinely ignored). In interactions like these, an underexplored but promising subversive strategy is to obliquely express anger through sarcasm, irony, strategic silence, recalcitrance, eye-rolling, deliberately avoiding eye contact, or overly saccharine compliance—to be passive-aggressive—and in so doing, challenge the oppressive norms and expectations in that interaction. I argue that passive-aggression can be subversive when three conditions are met: it (1) indirectly expresses the victim’s apt anger, annoyance, frustration, or other negative emotions (2) in a way that calls out, challenges, or undermines the oppressive norm, expectation, etc. in the interaction and that (3) inconveniences the target. 

Join us Feb. 18th from 1-3pm in 179 Lake Ontario Hall to celebrate the works of Audre Lorde. 

 

 

The 30th Annual Student Scholars Day (SSD) at Grand Valley State University, taking place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026!

All GVSU students (undergraduate and graduate) are encouraged to present their scholarly and creative work at the 30th Annual Student Scholars Day (SSD). The Registration period is from February 9th, 2026 to February 27th, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Applications are now being accepted for the next Padnos/Sarosik Civil Discourse Faculty Fellow. We invite Affiliate, Tenure-track, and Tenured faculty to apply for this opportunity to help foster constructive and productive dialogue on campus and beyond. Fellows serve for two-year appointments and are selected through a competitive process. See here for details. Submission deadline: March 16, 2026.

 

The 17th Annual Local History Roundtable will be held on Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 from 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. on GVSU's Pew Campus in downtown Grand Rapids. This year's theme, Local Struggles, Lasting Change, will examine challenges that local communities faced in the past and their impact on the present.

Our panel discussion will be about the first Women's Resource Center in Grand Rapids, and will run from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Dinner will follow, with the keynote address by Eric Hemenway, Director of Repatriation, Archives, and Records for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians of Waganakising The Land of the Crooked Tree, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Hemenway will be discussing how the Anishnaabek's struggle to defend their rights and homeland helped shape not only the history of the United States, but the fate of their respective nations.

View additional event details HERE

Award winning American historian and author Dr. Anna-Lisa Cox presents her recent research on America’s forgotten black pioneers and their struggle for equality.

March 30, 3:30pm 

Pere Marquette Room 

2204 Kirkhof Center 

 

View additional event details HERE

The GVSU Inclusion and Equity Institute is committed to providing learning and development for faculty and staff to further knowledge, skills, and abilities related to these core values. Each week, the I&E Institute offers FREE, dynamic, and helpful workshops on a variety of topics. 

You can review the list of workshops HERE

Summer in West Michigan provides students in ANY major the opportunity to have a rich and unique learning experience, earning 9 credits, while learning and working in West Michigan. Students learn from GVSU faculty, community leaders, and regional experts, work in worthwhile and fulfilling internships within the region, and connect with the land, history, and culture surrounding Grand Valley State University and West Michigan.

The program will also be the main focus of the Brooks College Day of Giving campaign. You can expect more details on Day of Giving and how to donate to Summer In West Michigan in next month's newsletter! 

The Kutsche office of Local History has several students interning at various local organizations to give attention to the diverse histories of West Michigan. This GVNext Story focuses on two of the interns including GSI Student Jada Dobbins and her work at the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives. 

You can support these students and local history efforts by considering donating to the Kutsche Office. 

Dawn Rutecki, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies was awarded the Pew Teaching Excellence Award.

Read more about the 2026 Faculty Awards Convocation HERE

Krista Benson, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies was awarded the Distinguished Undergraduate Mentoring Award. 

Read more about the 2026 Faculty Awards Convocation HERE

When our students graduate, they don’t just leave with a diploma, they leave with direction.

We’ll be highlighting all of the programs and centers across Brooks College over the next few months and we look forward to sharing our student and faculty successes with you.

Jada Dobbins, A senior in GSI and an Intern through the Kutsche Office of Local History reflects on how the Interdisciplinary nature of the GSI program and the hands-on nature of her internship are preparing her for graduate studies and a career that will bridge her various skills and interests. 

Our Global Studies and Social Impact major prepares students to tackle the world's most pressing challenges, everything from climate change and food security to human rights and international migration. With dedicated support from faculty and staff who guide students through research, internships, and real-world problem-solving, this degree prepares global citizens and Jada’s story is one of many.

Investing in interdisciplinary education isn’t just good for students, it’s good for the future.

February 23-27- Mid-term Evaluations

March 3 (12pm)- Mid-term Grades Due From Faculty

March 5- Mid-term Grades Available to Students

March 8 - 15- Spring Break

March 27 (5pm)- Withdraw with a "W" Grade Deadline

April 25- Classes End

April 25 - May 2- Examinations

May 1- Commencement

May 4- Grades Due From Faculty

May 7- Grades Available to Students 

Note: partial term courses have different tuition and refund deadlines. View additional deadlines in the course index. 

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