New assistant vice president for affirmative action named

A Muskegon hospital administrator with more than a decade of experience in affirmative action programs and training implementation was named Grand Valley State University's compliance officer.

Kenneth James, who worked for Mercy Health Partners as director of management and learning development for its Human Resources department, will assume duties at Grand Valley as assistant vice president for Affirmative Action on August 11. Jeanne Arnold, vice president for Inclusion and Equity, made the announcement.

James began working at Mercy Health Partners (formerly Hackley Hospital) in 2006, and was responsible for all non-clinical intercultural training and leading the organization’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Prior to that, he worked for eight years as affirmative action director for the City of Muskegon. James is also the director of Muskegon Community College’s Intercultural Community Leadership Academy.

James said that Grand Valley’s innovative efforts to create a Division of Inclusion of Equity attracted him to the position. “I’ve been following President (Thomas J.) Haas’ decision and when this opening was announced, it seemed like a marriage made in heaven for me and my experience,” he said. Grand Valley is among the first regional four-year universities to hire a vice president and establish a Division of Inclusion and Equity.

James earned a master’s degree in public administration from Grand Valley in 1996 and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Kentucky State University in 1994. An active community member, he serves as a board member of the West Michigan Strategic Alliance, Muskegon Foster Grandparents, Urban League of Muskegon, among other organizations. For the past 10 years, James has served as a board member and facilitator for the Institute of Healing Racism.