Hello colleagues! We hope you are staying warm during this super-sized winter. Punxsutawney Phil may be predicting six more weeks of winter, but spring will be here sooner than you think. Let us know how we can help you be prepared.

Proposal Deadlines

The third and final round deadline for the Catalyst Grant for Research and Creativity, Collaborative Research and Creative Activity Initiative, and Affiliate Faculty Support Fund will be here before you know it. There is one remaining submission cycles this year with it's deadline on March 16th.

Removing Language Barriers to Student Success and Belonging

Join Melanie Rabine-Johnson, Academic Resources and Retention Specialist, to discuss college as a foreign culture and language new to students, regardless of their background and experiences. Using the 6 Principles of TESOL as they relate to research mentoring, Melanie will help faculty participants gain transferable skills for working with diverse student populations to affirm a student's belonging regardless of background or experiences. Please register on or before Friday, February 6 (end of workday), so that we know you intend to participate in order to receive the zoom invitation.

30th Annual Student Scholar Day - Registration February 9th

All GVSU students are encouraged to present their scholarly and creative work at the 30th Annual Student Scholars Day (SSD). The Registration period is from February 9th to February 27th, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The deadline includes all presentation details, including a finished abstract. All faculty mentors and co-presenters must approve their students' presentations by this date. No late submissions or changes will be accepted.

The 30th Annual Student Scholars Day (SSD) will happen on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Please join us in recognizing the curiosity, dedication, and intellectual risk-taking that define our scholarly community.

Seeger Faculty Fellowship

A grant of up to $5000 is available annually to two individuals working in the humanities. For the Seeger Fellowship, the Humanities is defined as American Studies, Archaeology, Art History, Classics and Ancient Language, Communications, Comparative Literature, Dance, Design, English Literature, Ethnic Studies, Film Studies, History, Jurisprudence, Media Arts, Modern Languages and Literature, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Selected Interdisciplinary and Area Studies, Theater, Visual Arts, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Writing.

Grant funds may be used for travel costs related to the proposed project (i.e., travel to archives, specialized training or workshops, etc.), equipment and materials, as well as for dedicated time to advance project objectives. Grant funds may not be used to disseminate previous work (e.g., past conference presentation) or work unrelated to proposed project objectives. Learn more about the Seeger Faculty Fellowship on our website.

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Information Session - Friday, February 13, 2026

Are you preparing for an upcoming sabbatical or other form of leave? Join our Fulbright Scholar information session to hear from GVSU colleagues about the Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Specialist awards. You'll also meet our campus Fulbright liaison, Dr. Tooley.

Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
Time: 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Place: Kirkhof Center 2266 (Allendale campus)

Please register so that we have a count for our food order! Email tooleyb@gvsu.edu if you'd like to connect about the application process or brainstorm possibilities.

Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop

The ORCI, in conjunction with the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Advisory Committee, is hosting a free RCR workshop on Friday, February 27, 2026, 9 am - 2 pm, in KC 2204. Visit the workshop website to view the full agenda and to register. Can't attend the entire day? Feel free to drop into the sessions that work for your schedule.

Conflicts of Interest and Commitment (COI/COC) Disclosure Forms Reminder

As a reminder, COI/COC forms filed with the ORCI are to be updated: 1) annually for as long as you have a pending or active externally-funded submission or award with the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence (including the Office of Sponsored Programs and Technology Commercialization Office), and 2) within 30 days of the discovery or acquisition of a new or increased COI/COC.

Compliance Corner

Q: I want to make a change to my previously approved IRB study. Do I need IRB approval to do this?

A: See IRB Policy 1010. All protocol personnel changes require approval from the IRB. Any change made to a protocol originally approved under expedited or full-board review requires approval from the IRB. For studies originally approved under exempt review, it depends on the change being proposed. If the change does not increase the risk-to-benefit ratio and does not require a higher level of review, IRB approval is not required; all other changes to exempt protocols, including personnel changes, require IRB approval. If you are ever unsure if a proposed change requires IRB review, please contact the ORCI (rci@gvsu.edu; 616-331-9137).

Office of Sponsored Programs Services Survey Update

Based on your feedback through our OSP services survey, we have identified the following priority areas to focus on moving forward:

• "Expanding training on grant writing, budget management, and Workday navigation, with more beginner-friendly workshops and consultations."

• "Clarifying processes by updating routing guidance, refining templates, and creating process maps to make grant and contract administration easier to navigate."

• "Enhancing integration across the grant lifecycle by strengthening pre- and post-award coordination and piloting a centralized point-of-contact system."

We look forward to continued collaboration with GVSU faculty and staff and welcome your feedback as we update our services to better meet your needs.

Developing External Partnerships Workshop

On May 12 and 13, the Technology Commercialization Office (TCO) invites you to an interactive workshop on developing external partnerships to advance faculty research, scholarship, and student engagement. Learn how to identify shared value, explore collaboration opportunities, and engage partners and GVSU support services. Apply strategies to real partnership ideas and hear insights from panelists and guest speakers. Learn more about the workshop, the times and locations, on the TCO website.

Connecting with Opportunity Workshop

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for faculty to build community relationships that support research, scholarship, and student engagement. This workshop on March 20, 3:00 p.m., via Zoom, will explore how to increase visibility, extend reach, and grow your network. Participants receive profile feedback, practical tips, curated resources, and leave with a clear, actionable LinkedIn plan. Register on the Technology Commercialization Office website to receive the Zoom link.