A Note from Dean Drake

As we have the end of this term in sight, I want to extend a big thank you for making the first “back to campus” semester a success.  This was difficult and tiring, without a doubt, but also appreciated by the students.  The CLAS Student Advisory Committee always acknowledges your hard work.

One of the best gifts faculty can give to staff and students is on-time grades.  Taking a few extra minutes to check that every last grade has been entered correctly will save the PSS many phone calls and after-hours work and can also save a student’s financial aid situation.  I appreciate your attention to making the 11:59 p.m., Monday, December 20 College deadline.
 

As we hold each other up, there has been copious sharing of resilience memes.  Myriad quotations about bouncing back or holding firm fall around us like snow. Mandela, Angelou, Duckworth and others all share insights about their phenomenal strength, but as December approaches I thought I’d offer this very West Michigan quotation by Kansas writer Greg Kincaid: “No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That’s the only way to keep the roads clear.”

May you find that the road is clear to the end of this term and into the next.

With gratitude,

Jen

Jennifer Drake, Dean
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Winter Course Syllabi

The Instructional Policies section of the Faculty Handbook  provides a list of information to be given to students at the beginning of the semester in section C.  This list is useful for preparing your course syllabus.  Two GVSU requirements on the syllabus may not be familiar.  First, all course syllabi need to include the learning objectives from the updated Syllabi of Record (SOR).   A collection of syllabi of record for GVSU courses is available on Blackboard, under the “My Organizations” header. Second, syllabi are expected to include a link to the University's list of policies that apply to all courses. The recommended language is "This course is subject to the GVSU policies listed at www.gvsu.edu/course policies.”  

Grand Valley maintains a Religious Inclusion Policy (SLT 9.6) that commits the University to accommodate religious and faith observances and holidays for students, faculty, and staff members. Please review the interfaith calendar before scheduling exams or similar course events. 

The most troublesome grade appeals are those where course information is incomplete or absent on the syllabus.  Syllabi that follow the guidelines from the Faculty Handbook provide a straightforward basis for resolving grade appeals. The absence of course information makes it difficult to support faculty grading decisions when students are concerned about faculty clarity in grading.  
 
A complete syllabus not only prevents problems but is a proactive tool to support student success throughout the course.  The Pew FTLC website is an excellent resource for syllabus construction. Setting students’ expectations this year is more complex than usual because of the pandemic, and careful syllabus design can help with that task. 

DUO Multifactor Authentication

Duo for Multifactor Authentication (MFA) is required for all faculty and staff to access Banner beginning on 10/20/2021 and Blackboard on 10/26/2021.  

The why:  GVSU’s cyber-insurance provider, which covers GVSU in the event of Malware or other malicious cyber-attacks, required that MFA be implemented for us to retain our insurance coverage.  This was a requirement made to all higher education institutions.  In addition, the FBI has released several publications on Malware protections where the second most recommended action, behind backing up your data, is to implement MFA (1) - FBI Ransomware Fact Sheet. 

What to do:  If you do not already have a Duo account or you are experiencing issues with your Duo account there are many options to seek assistance: 

Self Service options: 

• GVSU IT Services portal 

• GVSU IT website FAQ and signup 

• GVSU IT website (Off campus or non-VPN) 

• Note:  this option can take up to 36 hours to process.  

Guided help:   

• Email IT Services at [email protected] 

• Call IT services at (616) 331-2101  

• In Person at 010 Mary Idema Pew Library 

• Video guide on how to request and install Duo 

If you have any questions or need further clarification, contact Luke DeMott at [email protected]. 

Student Advising and Tutoring Resources

Tutoring

Individual and drop-in tutoring are both available to students for many courses and disciplines. Both in-person and virtual tutoring options will be available for Winter 2022. Students can make individual 50-minute tutoring appointments with qualified peer tutors for many 100 and 200 level courses, or they can visit an in-person or virtual drop-in center for a quick question. To schedule an appointment with a tutor or to access drop-in center information, please visit the Tutoring Center website (www.gvsu.edu/tc).  

Several departments, including Math, Statistics, Chemistry, Biology/BMS, Physics, CIS and Business have dedicated drop-in tutoring centers.

 

Academic Advising

As a complement to faculty academic advising, the CLAS Academic Advising Center will provide virtual professional academic advising services for all CLAS majors and Exploratory (Undecided) Study students. The Center is open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. every day and students can schedule individual appointments online or over the phone at (616) 331-8585. The advisors in the Center are skilled in serving the needs of all students pursuing a major and/or minor in CLAS. In addition, the Center provides information for students pursuing teacher certification, professional programs such as medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary studies, prelaw studies and offers a wide range of student success services.

Students in your courses that are pursuing majors and/or minors outside CLAS also have access to critical academic advising services in their own colleges.

The GVSU Academic Advising website provides a list of these Centers as well as their locations and contact information.

The CLAS Faculty Advising Repository is available for all faculty in CLAS and provides a wealth of information to support your students, including policies and procedures, important forms and quick links, and critical referral information in support of student success.

The Navigate Student Success Platform provides faculty advisors with easy access to information about students and an easy way to connect with students in their classes and as well as assigned advisees. The platform provides faculty with the ability to more easily find and access student information and share information with advisors and other student support offices across campus.

Additional Academic Support is available for all students

Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors – the Center aids all students with any writing project throughout their academic careers. Scheduled appointments and drop-in hours are available.

University Libraries – a variety of services, resources, study and presentation spaces are available for students, faculty and staff.

The Knowledge Market – The Knowledge Market is a collaborative partnership between the Speech Lab, Writing Center, and University Libraries. Students can make a virtual appointment to meet with consultants from the Library Research Center, the Writing Center, the Speech Lab or the Data Inquiry Lab. Consultants work one-on-one or in small groups to develop research strategies, analyze data, improve writing, and polish presentation.

Student Conduct, Intervention and Support

Academic Integrity – The Student Code provides clear information on the principles of academic honesty and integrity. When incidents occur, faculty are encouraged to file a report to request additional action. This keeps a record of all incidents and allows the full University Conduct Process to be initiated.  Information on processes for preventing or handling academic misconduct incidents is available at the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.

Students of Concern Care Form – Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to refer a student who may be struggling with academic, personal, and/or emotional difficulties and may be exhibiting concerning behavior.  Questions on this process should be directed to Emily First, Student Support Manager, at (616) 331-3585 or [email protected].

Course Registration Changes

Through the first week of classes, students are able to make changes to their course schedules without penalty and faculty will see fluctuations in their enrollment during this first week. After the first week, if students wish to make changes to their schedules, there are additional steps to follow:

The Late Add process requires permission of the instructor, unit head and the CLAS Deans Office before the course can be added by the student. This will likely impact tuition charges and there could be additional late fees. Students should check with the Registrar’s Office to determine the additional costs associated with adding courses late.

Students who drop courses after the first week can do so on Banner and will be subject to the published tuition refund schedule. Students should always consult with the Financial Aid Office located in 100 STU to assess the impact on their financial aid eligibility if the course is dropped. The student will be issued a “W” on their transcript for any dropped course.

Winter 2022 final drop deadline is set for  March 11 by 5 p.m. Students who wish to drop courses after this final deadline should be referred to the Late Drop process. 

Questions regarding course registration and the late drop and add procedures should be referred to AD Betty Schaner at schanerb@gvsu.edu or 331-2403. 

Affiliate Committee Elections

Affiliate faculty elections will be held during the Winter 2022 semester. Please nominate yourself or a colleague for a position, and be sure to vote when the ballot opens.  

Nominations will open Monday, January 24, and will remain open until Monday, February 7. Following the nominations period, the election ballot will be open Friday, February 11, through Friday, February 18. 

We appreciate your participation in the election process!

Current rosters are posted on the CLAS Affiliate faculty elections webpage.

Please note that CLAS elections use approval voting.  When the ballot opens, you may, and are encouraged to, vote for all candidates you believe are qualified for the positions.  Positions will be assigned to the candidate with the highest number of votes. Candidates with the next highest number of votes will form an important alternate pool for vacancies that open during the year.

Questions may be directed to Len O’Kelly, Chair of CLAS Faculty Council at:  [email protected]

Additional Resources

Teaching-Related Grants for GVSU Faculty https://www.gvsu.edu/ftlc/grants-47.htm 
 
The Faculty Teaching and Learning Center (FTLC) has an overview (online orientation) for part-time faculty
 
Affiliate Faculty Advisory Committee (University) 

CLAS Affiliate Faculty Advisory Committee 

Digital Print Shop in the Visual and Media Arts Department (large format and specialty printing not covered by the Copy Center).  Very competitive pricing. 
 
E-learning resources assistance at the Digital Studio and Instructional Design for eLearning 

Campus Bus System 

Sprout (www.gvsu.edu/sprout) to sign up for workshops on campus 
 
GVSU Alerts direct to your phone  

Acronym Decoder  

 

Icy spot on campus?  Report it by calling (616) 331-SNOW. 

Repair Clinic 

Free repair clinics for all GVSU students take place once per term.  Volunteers repair clothing, broken glasses, backpacks, and more. Details will be posted on @CLAScomm on Twitter and @GVSUCLAS on Facebook, and on the CLAS website.  The next clinic will be in mid-February in Holton Hooker Multipurpose Room. 

For more info:  [email protected].