Dean's Message Pages are cavernous places, white at entrance, black in absorption.
--from “Whereas,” by Layli Long Soldier
Where to begin? That’s the short-term barrier for any writer facing the blank page. This is true, whether it’s a first year student intimidated into writer’s block by their first college paper assignment, or a dean wondering what to come up with—today—for their monthly message in the College newsletter. It’s likewise true for faculty colleagues struggling with so many things to cover in the next term’s syllabus or next class meeting. I doubt there’s any hesitation on the part of the AI mind of ChatGPT when it immediately spins algorithmically predictable language.
Provost Mili started the Winter semester by asking us all to consider the Buckminster Fuller question: “What is the most important thing we can be thinking about right now?” That question has been considered and discussed by Provost’s Cabinet, President’s Council, students, and faculty across a range of fora. In one of my discussions with colleagues, we ended up answering it along the lines of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Individuals and families concerned about their immediate safety and wellbeing, whether in terms of food security or being the target of racially motivated violence, answer that question quite differently from someone able to consider climate-driven extinctions. Fuller himself had the luxury to conceive and build structural answers to the problems of humanity, in developments like his Dymaxion House (that you can visit right here in Michigan).
Now that we prepare for the inception of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS) here in the College, let’s continue to ask ourselves that question: what’s the most important thing we can be thinking about right now?
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Mark Schaub
Dean of Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies
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Faculty Scholarship Showcase
The Brooks College 2023 Faculty Scholarship Showcase will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 in the Kirkhof Center, Rooms 2215/2216, from 1:30 - 2:45 pm. Several Brooks College faculty members will be presenting on their recent sabbatical work and publications. We hope to see you there to support them and enjoy hearing about the new and exciting work they have been doing!
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"For The Culture" Quiz BowlOur African/African American Studies program is hosting a “For The Culture” Quiz Bowl! The quiz bowl will focus on Africa and the Diaspora as it relates to history, language, geography, culture, music, and more. This tournament-style event brings the campus together and brings some additional excitement to the program.
Everyone is invited to participate. Teams must include 4-5 people and can be comprised of faculty, staff, and students, but each team must have at least two students (graduate or undergraduate). There will be food and prizes. Brooks College, Enrollment Development, and HR have already offered to support the event. We hope to see you in March to cheer on the participants, or join in the fun as a participant yourself!
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Talking Together Series ScheduleThe Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse, Kaufman Interfaith Institute, Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, and WGVU Public Media are pleased to partner for Talking Together: Strengthening our Communities through Conversation, a dialogue initiative aimed at interrupting polarization and investing in the principles of civil discourse and respectful conversation. Each month will feature at least one structured activity for students, staff, faculty, and community members to engage in conversation with one another across differences in perspective, identity, and life experiences.
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Meijer Honors College Seminar Series
Please join the Honors College for a series of faculty seminars this semester. Invited faculty speakers will present for 30-45 minutes on (a) the theme and arc of their scholarship, (b) an exploration of a recent scholarly product, sabbatical accomplishment, or a newly launched endeavor, or (c) some combination of the two. A discussion will follow. Join us for a relaxed, informal opportunity to learn about and contemplate the questions and discoveries made by some of the current Honors Faculty; and to grab a cookie.
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The Kutsche Office of Local History's 14th Annual Local History Roundtable
Save the date! The Kutsche Office of Local History's 14th Annual Local History Roundtable will be held on Wednesday, March 22, at the Richard M. DeVos Center on the GVSU Pew campus.
The keynote presentation will be given by Dr. Delia Fernández-Jones on migration, placemaking, and activism among Grand Rapids' Latino communities.
Panel presentations will include a look into the history and current use of County Poor Farm properties in West Michigan with Adam Oster from the Library of Michigan and local historians Marjorie Viveen, Charlie Brock, and Nancy Brock, and ongoing projects from Grandstand Pictures and the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office to document Civil Rights history in Grand Rapids and Muskegon.
There will be a light dinner served just prior to the keynote presentation. Please RSVP on the event page to attend. We hope to see you there!
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Graduate School
The Graduate School invites you to the 2023 3-Minute Thesis Contest in Loosemore Auditorium. The 3MT Contest will take place on February 16 at 3:00 PM.
The Graduate School will be providing one Virtual Project, Thesis, and Dissertation workshop in the Winter 2023 semester. Monday, February 20, 2023 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. via Zoom. The workshop is required for 695 and 795 students. Please register on The Graduate School Website.
PACES will be hosting a series of virtual professional development lunch and learn sessions throughout the winter semester. Please check out our website to see the schedule and register for the sessions.
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In Memorium
Longtime Coordinator of the program in Latin American Studies, Dr. Zulema Moret, passed away last weekend after a battle with cancer. Brooks College fondly remembers Zulema’s energy and passion for student learning about the world and various cultures and languages, and mourns her passing.
We are grateful for her years of dedicated teaching, advising, mentoring and leadership across the university and for the countless student and alumni lives she touched.
The funeral mass will be Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 10 o’clock am at the Cathedral of St. Andrew, 215 Sheldon Blvd. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. A luncheon will follow at the Cathedral. As Zulema loved vibrant colors, please consider celebrating her life by wearing vibrantly colored clothes. You may view her online obituaries on Echovita and Tribute Archive and share your memories.
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Course Updates
University Approved Curricular Actions for Brooks College (1/12/2023-2/3/2023)
Course Change: WGS 495 Capstone (Delivery Method)
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February 20-24: Mid-term Evaluations
February 28: Mid-term Grades Due from Faculty
March 5-12: Spring Break
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