Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back and best wishes for the new year 2024. The number 2024 has many special properties. As a computer scientist, I see power. 2024 is 10 to the power 3 plus 2 to the power 10. It is also an abundant number; it is smaller than the sum of its “parts”; I’ll let you pick your own metaphor for that. May your new year 2024 be abundant with power; and may you use that power with abundance to serve your highest aspirations.

Eric Liu, CEO of Citizen University, and a two-time speaker at GVSU, speaks eloquently about power,  how abundantly we have it, and what we do with it. “[W]e see power as a gift, a gift in every sense—as an endowment to nurture, a talent to share, a resource to exchange—then we remember that as a moral matter and as a matter of fact, we are always bound up in webs of relationship, exchange, and obligation. And this is not confining. It is liberating. These are what the psychologist C. Terry Warner calls the ‘bonds that make us free.’ Relationships and obligations, by reminding us that our responses to the world are contagious, reacquaint us with our own power to create contagion.”

My best wishes to all of you as you cultivate your power and share it and circulate it in the classroom and beyond in the most liberating way.

Fatma

Provost Fatma Mili and Vice Presidents Jenny Hall-Jones and B. Donta Truss will host a series of Townhall meetings around the topics of student access and student success.

These Townhalls will be an opportunity for listening to faculty and staff views and experiences and for sharing the many initiatives planned and underway to adapt to the changing student populations and assets.

We hope to see many of you. Sessions are scheduled:

Additional details, room locations, and a Zoom link will be shared in upcoming editions of Lakers Ready.

COACHE Faculty Survey
Following up on a message last semester from Provost Mili, this is a reminder that GVSU has joined Harvard University's COACHE collaborative, and our faculty will be invited to complete a survey dedicated to faculty job satisfaction this semester. The survey will launch in February. For more information, see the COACHE webpage on the Office of the Provost website and watch your email for updates towards the end of the month.

Workday is Live at GVSU
Review and complete the Workday @GVSU Go-Live Checklist for further information on how to navigate Workday. Of immediate attention is to review your direct deposit and tax withholding information, and to have an emergency contact.  Need assistance? Visit the Workday @ GVSU Support webpage for self-service resources and to connect directly with Finance, HR, and IT.

Call for Applications - Meijer Honors College
The Meijer Honors College in the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies welcomes applications from tenured GVSU faculty with a terminal degree for a permanent position in the college. The successful candidate will transfer their faculty appointment and join other Honors College faculty at the Niemeyer Learning & Living Center in Allendale. The preferred start date is August 2024. See the Meijer Honors College webpage for additional information.

American Association of Medical Dosimetrists Grant
Congratulations to Kristen Vu, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Health and Program Director for Medical Dosimetry, for her $20,000 award from the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists (AAMD). The funding from AAMD will support the expansion of the GVSU medical dosimetry program including the addition of a faculty member and acquisition of equipment that will provide a high-quality educational experience for students entering this field.

Gene Haas Foundation Awards $12,500 for Student Scholarships
The Gene Haas Foundation awarded $12,500 as a grant to support student scholarships and student competition teams. Scholarships are to be awarded to students who are currently enrolled in a CNC machining-based engineering program. Congratulations to Abishek Balsamy Kamaraj, Assistant Professor of Engineering, for securing the grant. The $2500 will be awarded to the students who won the December 9th Robot competition for the EGR 185 course.

Emmy Bright: Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
Emmy Bright will be on campus to install the art exhibition titled, "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" featuring textiles, prints and handmade found objects. This exhibition is hosted within the Department of Visual & Media Arts. All are welcome to attend the exhibition opening which includes a gallery talk and interactive components with the artworks on display. The opening reception is scheduled January 11, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Padnos Student Gallery, Calder Art Center, Allendale Campus.

Join the Student Scholars Day (SSD) Faculty Committee and Get to know the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS)
Come learn about OURS programs on January 12, 2:00-4:00 p.m., Laker Club, Allendale Campus. Funding opportunities to support undergraduate research for all disciplines during the academic year and summer. Meet other faculty who have obtained OURS grant funding and are experienced in undergraduate research in and out of the classroom. This event is great for 1st and 2nd year faculty. RSVP by emailing ours@gvsu.edu.

Study Abroad Fair
Start your adventure at the GVSU Study Abroad Fair on January 17, 10:00 - 3:00 p.m., Henry Hall Atrium, Padnos Hall of Science, Allendale Campus. Browse study abroad programs around the world, meet GVSU students that have participated, and talk to faculty program directors. Get answers to questions about program selection, funding, academics and more. Free food and refreshments!

AWRI Seminar Series
Heather Moody, Associate Professor of Geography and Sustainable Planning, will present "A Collection of Research: Environmental Justice, Water Security, Educational Access and Student Led" as part of the Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) seminar series. This event takes place on January 26, 2:00 p.m., Multipurpose Room, AWRI Lake Michigan Center, Muskegon Campus.