Purpose:
We, the Grand Valley State University LGBTQ+ Faculty and Staff Association (Association), aspire by our presence and visibility to help create a safe and supportive professional environment for all two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+), and other marginalized gender, sex, and sexuality identified faculty and staff at GVSU. The Association is a professional organization that serves as a resource and advocacy group for these employees and their families.
Among the functions of the LGBTQ+ Faculty and Staff Association are the following:
- To provide a supportive forum for the discussion of and advocacy around issues important to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at GVSU.
- To foster community and engagement with the goal of contributing to a welcoming and inclusive campus environment that encourages retention of 2SLGBTQIA+ faculty and staff.
- To advocate for and represent the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ faculty and staff in broader discussions regarding University climate and policies with University administration.
Celebrating 20 Years of Advocacy and Community
Join us as we commemorate two decades of community, advocacy, and belonging at Grand Valley State University. Together, we’ll celebrate our past, recognize our present, and envision the future of the LGBTQ+ FSA. The evening will feature storytelling, community connections, and light refreshments as we honor 20 years of partnership and growth.
People, Equity, and Culture Division's The Hub
A dedicated space is designed to provide timely updates and resources related to new executive orders, federal memos, other important federal actions, or guidance, and related litigation that may impact our campus community. If you would like to receive an email notification when new content is added to the Hub, please provide your email.
Expressive Activity Report - April 2024
The Expressive Activity Report (pdf) was compiled in April 2024 by the Graduate Assistants in the Social Justice Centers and is "dedicated to understanding GVSU’s relationship with Expressive Activity (EA) in response
to concerning events on campus." This extensive report looks at GVSU policies governing expressive activity spaces on campus and highlights concerns about how these policies have been implemented, as well as the resulting harm experienced by students as a result of how the EA policy has been implemented.
Our History
In the Summer of 2006 a group of faculty and staff were brought together by Vice President Pat Oldt to explore the creation of an LGBT faculty/staff association. Recommendations were made by this initial foundation committee, which were accepted by Vice President Oldt. The next major step was the establishment of bylaws, which were composed during the 2006 - 2007 academic year, quickly followed by the first election of the Steering Committee in Winter 2007.
Following the election, the board members met to establish officers and commenced work on a number of initiatives including the development of a community website and a new faculty/staff mentoring program.