The Chocolate Model of Change. While not my all-time favorite book about change leadership, the CACAO model provides guidance on the process of change, including attention to ongoing communication (see also Kezar or Buller on the topic of academic change leadership). Let me start with what is not changing: the mission, vision, and values of the Pew FTLC. As a reminder: We are here to support all faculty. Our purpose is to cultivate and sustain a culture of continuous learning and student-centered teaching. We inspire and equip educators with evidence-based and innovative teaching practices. I recognize that your work isn’t getting any easier, so we are continually striving to find ways to better support your efforts. I am really looking forward to the possibilities that will unfold as a result of the reorganization currently underway. Know that your feedback and ideas are always welcome. While we are still working on our full summer programming schedule, I am delighted to share that we are again offering the Strong Start Teaching Institute, geared towards faculty working with first-year students, and the International Virtual Exchange Workshop. Details and RSVP links can be found in the blocks below.  

Position announcements for the new Director of General Education and Director of Curricular Initiatives can be found on our homepage. Application review begins later this week. At the same time, we honor and celebrate the work of C. “Griff” Griffin, current Director of General Education, as she retires next month. Among her many contributions to GVSU, Griff has been a local and national leader in the general education space, a tireless advocate for faculty, staff and students, and a stellar collaborative partner. I wish her well in her new adventures; she will be missed.  

In addition to the organizational and staffing changes that are underway, I wanted to let folks know that Jenna Weatherwax, our intrepid Project Coordinator, is leaving Grand Valley for an exciting opportunity at another university across the pond (okay, Lake Michigan). We are grateful for all that they have contributed to GVSU and to the Pew FTLC. I will certainly miss their presence on our team. Given the wide range of projects in Jenna’s portfolio, please extend a bit of grace (and chocolate!!) as we navigate this transition and launch a search for their replacement. The best place to direct your inquiries is this email: pewftlc@gvsu.edu.  

Slow, Deliberate, and Grounded. The idea of slowing down in the context of teaching and learning is on my mind, likely due to time spent with Sam Illingsworth’s substantive Substack, Slow AI, as well as a brand new book, Teaching Towards Slow Hope. Critical thinking, problem-solving, ethical reasoning, and writing–all of these take time, intentionality, and significant effort on the part of instructor and student. While it isn’t easy to do so, I encourage us to find ways to make more space for learning to unfold. Worth a close read is a recent blog post along these same lines: Creating AI-Free Learning Spaces. I have been reflecting on the extent to which our student learning outcomes and institutional values are not foregrounded in some conversations about digital literacy and artificial intelligence. I am stunned, to be honest. I am attending the AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success later this week, presenting on our digital literacy initiative, and I look forward to learning how other folks are sitting with similar tensions. In the meantime, here are several new-ish Pew FTLC resources that invite you to pause, consider carefully, and actively listen–to yourself and your students.  

Take good care - 

Christine

How can we ensure that students begin their GV career with a strong start? The Strong Start Teaching Institute focuses faculty attention on best practices for engaging students in first-year undergraduate courses.

Where: DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health (DCIH) 445
When: Monday, May 11 (8:30AM - 5:00PM) and Tuesday, May 12 (8:30AM - Noon)

Together, we'll explore key themes:

Whether you are teaching a course for the first time or are looking to strengthen a course to best engage students, we invite you to participate. The in-person and asynchronous components of this Institute will apply to a range of instructor experience levels and disciplines. See the Strong Start page for more details.

Limited to 40 participants. Preference given to adjunct, affiliate, and visiting faculty, and first-time attendees. 

Are you interested in bringing high impact, global learning to one of your 2026-27 courses? Join us for a one-day workshop on May 7th from 9AM - 3PM in JHZ 3068, for International Virtual Exchange, an innovative pedagogy in which GVSU faculty and students partner with peers at international universities on sustained, online collaborations.

Experienced GVSU faculty will describe models for using virtual exchange, share examples, discuss strategies for finding teaching partners, and help participants design and plan projects. No experience is necessary, and faculty in all disciplines are encouraged to attend.

Feel free to contact Ellen Shupe at shupee@gvsu.edu if you have questions or would like more information.

Do you want your summer to be filled with community building, deep learning, and personal reflection? Consider joining a Summer 2026 Learning Community!

Learning Communities (LCs) bring faculty together for a 1-2 semester-long conversation on a topic of mutual interest and encourage an application of the knowledge gained. Past participants report this experience to be supportive, fun, and restorative! New Summer LCs are being added daily, but below are just a few of the Learning Communities that are currently open and accepting new members. You can view the complete list of open LCs by visiting our Current Learning Communities webpage.

It's not too late to propose your own, either! If you’ve got an idea—or just the start of one—we invite you to propose a Summer 2026 LC. Submit a Letter of Intent using our online form. If you're wondering what’s possible, browse our Past LCs webpage for inspiration from years past.

Ready to join? Check out these two amazing offerings:

CREATING CULTURES OF GROWTH IN THE CLASSROOM

The Pew FTLC is offering a special Learning Community (LC) opportunity through our Strong Start Initiative. We are looking for faculty and staff to lead several sections of a special-topic Learning Community on Creating Cultures of Growth in the Classroom. The best part? In addition to being paid a stipend to facilitate, the curriculum is already designed, so you don’t have to worry about planning! That’s right: our friends at the Equity Accelerator prepared a 6-week facilitation plan including learning objectives, shared resources, and discussion prompts. The LC will follow our traditional 6-week hour long meeting format with the following themes:

For a full description and info on how to submit a letter of intent, check out the Strong Start Initiative page or our Learning Community homepage.

As faculty, you play a key role in shaping the digital experience for GVSU students. All sessions will take place from 11am to 12pm on Fridays. The table below provides schedule details and registration links for each session. As the schedule continues to be built, additional details will be added to the Digital Literacy Fridays website, so keep an eye out for more information soon!

Session materials are being shared via a Blackboard Organization–Digital Literacy-Faculty Professional Development–open to all faculty and staff. This organization is open for self-enrollment. Contact us at PewFTLC@gvsu.edu for access support, if needed. 

Did you guess correctly?

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Tracie Marcella Addy, a renowned leader in higher education, to be our keynote speaker for this year’s 32nd Annual Fall Conference on Teaching and Learning.

Dr. Addy will share her research-based expertise in instructional practices that support student success. 

For more information on this can’t-miss event, see our Fall Conference page.

Fix-Your-Content-Day!
May 5, 2026 | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 
Pere Marquette Room 2204, Kirkhof Center, Valley Campus
Register in advance to help us plan for staffing and light refreshments. 

Join us in person on Tuesday, May 5 for a drop-in Fix-Your-Content Day in support of our WCAG 2.1 accessibility initiative. Stop by anytime between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on 5/5/26 and work alongside experts from Student Accessibility Resources, eLearning Technologies, Blackboard, University Libraries, and University Marketing. Bring your laptop to: 

Whether you stay for 10 minutes or two hours, you’ll leave with practical updates and greater confidence that your materials are accessible to all learners.  Can't make this session, we have several other accessibility training options available.