Over the past few weeks, VP Greg Sanial and I have sent emails to colleagues and retirees––specifically official retirees hired before January 1, 2014––impacted by the retiree medical program change. We heard from many of you that you have not been receiving these communications, nor the information Plante Moran has sent in the mail. We sincerely apologize for this miscommunication on both ends.

Through an audit, we learned some of the contact information shared with Plante Moran was incorrect, and we are working diligently to correct it. If you are an official retiree hired before January 1, 2014, and have not received any communication regarding a retiree medical program change, please contact Plante Moran:

For further context and clarity, please refer to the messages that have been sent regarding the retiree medical program:

We understand that this change is difficult and may be impacting you in different ways. We are committed to leading with empathy to ensure a stable future for the University. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and ongoing commitment to GVSU as we navigate this change.

Sincerely,

Robert Shorty, Ph.D.
Vice President for People, Equity, and Culture
Chief People and Inclusion & Equity Officer

This space pays tribute to the people who helped shape Grand Valley.

Donald (Don) Williams Sr., retired dean emeritus of minority affairs, died March 29, 2026. Williams joined Grand Valley's staff in 1985 and retired in 2001.

A celebration of life service for Williams is scheduled for May 16, 1-3 p.m., at the DeVos Center, Exhibition Hall, on the City Campus.

Thomas Darnell Robinson, retired custodian, died on March 19, 2026.

Robinson joined the Facilities Services staff in 1991 and retired in 2018.

Thomas Yackish, professor emeritus of engineering, died March 4, 2026.

Yackish joined Grand Valley's faculty in 1985 to help establish its electrical engineering program and served as the voice for the Laker Marching Band for 23 years. He retired in 2003.

Nancy Shontz, retired professor of biology, died February 7, 2026.

Shontz joined GVSU's faculty in 1985 and retired in 2010 alongside her husband, John Shontz, professor emeritus of biology.

Barbara Gordon, philanthropist of education and arts, died February 1, 2026.

In 1998, the Gordon's donated a significant set of Mathias J. Alten paintings to the university, helping establish what would become GVSU's renowned collection of Alten’s work.

Frank Griggs, retired associate professor of finance, died January 16, 2026.

Griggs joined the faculty in 1990 and retired in 2015. 

Don Thomas, retired sports information director, died in his Florida home on January 5, 2026.

Following a career as a sports writer for the Grand Rapids Press, Thomas joined the Laker Athletics staff in 1976 and retired in 1996.

Join the GVSU community as we celebrate our 2026 graduates.

This event is recurring on Friday, May 1, 2026 and Saturday, May 2, 2026.

David Cox worked in Facilities as a Safety Manager and retired in 2020. Visit our website to see the rest of the Retiree Advisory Board.

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics named Grand Valley’s Director of Athletics Keri Becker as a recipient of its Athletics Directors of the Year award. Read the full GVNext article.

Grand Valley’s men’s and women’s basketball teams reached an historic milestone this weekend with their performances in the GLIAC Tournaments. 

For the first time in 20 seasons, both teams swept their respective GLIAC Tournaments and secured berths in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Grand Valley's Community Hearing Clinic has expanded its services, now providing comprehensive assessments for dizziness using high-tech, immersive technology, as well as advanced hearing neurodiagnostics.

Learn more online about the services at the Community Hearing Clinic. Appointments can be made by calling (616) 706-4745 or sending an email to allison@communityhearingclinic.com .

Are you an official retiree and looking to enroll in classes for Spring/Summer? Follow these three steps:

All GVSU faculty and staff members are assigned to an HR Business Partner to be their one-stop-shop for all employment needs, and that includes you! Jaime Guzior is your assigned point of contact for any HR related questions or inquiries you have regarding retirement, benefits, and more. In addition to retirees, Jaime supports several academic and non-academic areas throughout the university.

Contact Jaime: GVRetiree@gvsu.edu.

*If an inquiry is related to retiree benefits, a member of our benefits team will be included to assist.