Below is a summary of the restructuring changes. For the full description of the changes, see the Provost’s restructuring announcement from March 23, 2026.

• Purpose and Strategic Focus: To best support student success, Academic Affairs is undergoing administrative restructuring to better align resources with strategic priorities. All changes are being made through the following lenses: strengthening student success, advancing the teacher-scholar model, expanding experiential learning, and ensuring long-term sustainability.
• Streamlined Office of the Provost: The Provost’s Office will adopt a leaner, more strategic structure with fewer leadership roles, reconfigured AVP and Vice Provost positions, leadership transitions, and elimination of the Vice Provost/Dean of the Graduate School role to improve coordination and effectiveness.
• Expanding the work of University Libraries: University Libraries will oversee several academic support centers and the Art Museum to create more coordinated, holistic learner-scholar support while maintaining current physical locations. The division will be renamed University Libraries and Art Museum to recognize the expanded scope of their work. 

Implementation and Communication: Initial changes will roll out through June 30, with impacted employees notified directly, continued communication via Lakers Ready, and a forthcoming webpage and feedback process to address questions and concerns.

Like many other universities around the country, GVSU is dealing with a changing landscape that includes a shrinking population of college-aged students, uncertain state and federal funding sources, and a quickly changing technology landscape. GVSU Academic Affairs is responding to this factors proactively and intentionally, with any and all changes being made to improve student support. 

In addition to student success, all restructuring changes are and will be carefully considered through a variety of lenses including but not limited to budgets. GVSU programs and offerings are broad and comprehensive, and any restructuring changes will be made thoughtfully to support students success across this landscape. 

The restructuring process did create some change for roles across Academic Affairs. Some faculty and staff are taking new roles within the University, while four staff positions were identified as redundant and have been eliminated. Of the four positions eliminated, three were Administrative Professional (AP) roles and one was part of the Professional Support Staff (PSS).

While we are thankful role eliminations were kept to a minimum, eliminating even one role within Academic Affairs is not something the Office of the Provost or any of our colleges takes lightly. These are difficult decisions that have a real impact on people’s lives, a reality that was at the forefront of all the conversations related to all the role changes and eliminations.

Due to overlapping systems and procedures used by the University Libraries and the Art Museum, it is anticipated that after a season of transition, that the work and services of the Art Museum will not be impacted. The Art Museum will continue to provide high levels of access to a best-in-class art portfolio. Looking forward, we would even anticipate opportunities for noticeable improvements through the streamlining of support and communications.

When all the academic support services, including the Tutoring and Reading Center, are coordinated through University Libraries, it allows services to be equitably accessed by all students, rather than being housed in a college. Further, staff will be cross trained to assist students. This will streamline and enhance educational support, making it easier to navigate and tailor services to students’ needs. We have already seen an investment by the university in support services, including moving six contract academic advisors into permanent positions and providing dedicated funding for Structured Learning Assistance (SLA).   

As part of the merger of Grand Valley State University Art Museum with University Libraries, the name will also change. Effective May 6, the unit will become “University Libraries and Art Museum.” This change will help ensure that the Art Museum retains its prominent standing, reflecting its importance to the larger Grand Rapids metropolitan community as well as to Grand Valley alumni, current faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders while also reflecting our shared work and expanded scope.  

While the name change becomes official on May 6, the work of integrating the two entities is one of shared leadership and is an ongoing process. Watch for updates and a formal announcement as we start the 2026-2027 academic year.

Originally published in the Lakers Ready newsletter on 4/27/2026.

Question: How will restructuring the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center (FTLC) and the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence (CSCE) under the same umbrella impact programming, staffing, and funding? 

Answer: The resources and support provided to faculty through the Office of the Provost will be more intentionally aligned through this change, strengthening how we connect and deliver services across the FTLC and CSCE. The goal is to provide greater clarity about the full range of support available and how faculty can access these services. By bringing these areas together, we expect to strengthen coordination, reduce duplication, and create new opportunities to better meet the needs we hear from faculty, particularly at the intersection of teaching, scholarship, and creative activity. We see this as an opportunity to build on the strong foundations of the FTLC and the CSCE, and to enhance the ways we support faculty across their careers.

Originally published in the Lakers Ready newsletter on 4/13/2026.

Question: There is much talk about taking a holistic approach through the restructuring of student-centered academic support services. Can you explain why aligning these services within University Libraries is considered more holistic than the current model? 

Answer: In our current structure, key student support services are distributed across four different areas: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Tutoring and Reading Center), the School of Communications (Speech Lab), the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies (Writing Center), and University Libraries (Digital Creator Lab and Library Research Center). Each operates with different structures, processes, funding, and points of access for students. 

This change is about better aligning our resources to support students. By bringing these services together through University Libraries and the Knowledge Market, we are strengthening our capacity to coordinate and creating a more connected, easier-to-navigate system for students. Further, staff will be cross trained to assist students to more easily access the services they need. 

University Libraries are already well positioned to serve as this kind of hub. At its core, this change is about making it easier for all students to access the support they need, in a more equitable and connected way. 

Originally published in the Lakers Ready newsletter on 3/30/2026.

The message below was emailed out to all members of GVSU Academic Affairs community by Provost Drake on 3/23/26: 

__________________________

Dear Colleagues: 

I shared in a previous message that we are beginning the process of aligning our resources with our strategic priorities, starting with the reorganization of the Office the Provost. Today, I want to provide a more complete overview of the Academic Affairs administrative restructuring, including how these changes support our long-term sustainability and strengthen support for faculty, staff, and most importantly, our students. 

My team and I have approached the administrative restructuring work holistically, guided by the Academic Affairs Strategic Framework and Reach Higher commitments. Our focus is clear:

• Strengthen support for student success 
• Advance the teacher-scholar model 
• Expand experiential learning opportunities 
• And ensure long-term sustainability 

This is about realigning resources to better support our academic mission and evolving to best meet the needs of our students.

Office of the Provost Restructuring 

The Office of the Provost will be streamlined to create a more focused, collaborative, and strategically aligned leadership structure. The Office will shift toward a simpler model, with work that is less procedural and more strategic, emphasizing partnership with colleges and units across Academic Affairs. 

As part of this transition: 

• Bonnie Bowen has announced her retirement following many years of dedicated service to Grand Valley and Academic Affairs.  
• Cathy Buyarski has announced that she will step into a different student success leadership role. 
• Sean Lancaster will return to his faculty role in the College of Education and Community Innovation and serve in a half-time faculty role as Director of Assessment and Accreditation in the Provost’s Office. 
• Felix Ngassa is exploring another leadership opportunity within the university. 

These transitions allow us to thoughtfully reconfigure leadership roles in ways that strengthen alignment across the academic portfolio. 

Key leadership updates include: 

• Erica Hamilton will serve in a reconfigured Associate Vice President role, providing leadership for the academic portfolio, including undergraduate and graduate programs across all modalities, including oversight of assessment, and accreditation. 
• Paul Isely has assumed a reconfigured Associate Vice President role for strategic budget management, with the transition of responsibilities from AVP Bowen already underway. 
• Donovan Anderson will assume a reconfigured Vice Provost for Student Success and Experiential Learning role. 
• The Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School position will be eliminated, with graduate program support integrated across the Provost’s Office to strengthen coordination and alignment.  

With these changes, the number of Provost’s Cabinet positions will be reduced by two members to support a more streamlined and effective structure. 

Updated Office of the Provost Organization Chart (effective May 6, 2026). 

Creation of the Center for Academic Innovation 

To strengthen support for teaching, research, scholarship and creative activity, we are establishing the Center for Academic Innovation. This center will serve as a central hub for faculty, bringing together key functions that advance the teacher-scholar model, including the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence (CSCE) and the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center (FTLC). 

The Center for Academic Innovation will be co-led by: 

• Ryan Otter, Interim Vice Provost for Research and Innovation 
• Christine Rener, Vice Provost for Instructional Development and Innovation 

This structure is designed to better integrate curriculum development, teaching innovation, and research support, creating a more collaborative approach to advancing faculty excellence. 

As part of this work, the General Education Program and Supplemental Writing Skills Program will move to the FTLC. An Assistant Vice Provost for Research and Innovation role will help lead the work in the CSCE. 

Searches will be opening for two part-time faculty roles: Director of General Education and Director of Curricular Innovation. Additional information about these opportunities will be shared in an upcoming Lakers Ready. 

Updated Center for Academic Innovation Organization Chart (effective May 6, 2026). 

Creation of the Center for Student Success and Experiential Learning 

We are also creating the Center for Student Success and Experiential Learning to better connect advising, student success, and experiential learning across the institution. 

Donovan Anderson will serve as Vice Provost for Student Success and Experiential Learning, providing leadership for this integrated approach. 

This center will bring together:

• Advising and student success initiatives 
• Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement 
• Graduate Student Research Support 
• CLAS Center for Experiential Learning 
• Padnos International Center  

Cathy Buyarski will transition from the Provost’s Office to serve as Executive Director of Student Success, supporting this work. 

This integration promotes collaboration within and across divisions and strengthens how we support students—connecting their academic pathways with meaningful, engaged learning experiences. 

Updated Center for Student Success and Experiential Learning Organization Chart (effective June 21, 2026). 

Restructuring of University Libraries, Art Museum, and Academic Supports 

To provide more coordinated learner-scholar support, we are aligning several support units under University Libraries, reporting to Melanie Shell-Weiss, Interim Dean of University Libraries. 

This alignment allows us to provide more holistic academic support for students. As part of this work, the following centers will administratively become part of the university’s Knowledge Market: 

• Digital Creator Lab 
• Library Research Center 
• GVSU Speech Lab 
• Tutoring and Reading Center 
• Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors 

These centers will remain in their current physical locations, and their alignment within University Libraries will strengthen coordination, collaboration, and access for all students. 

In addition, the Art Museum will transition to report to the Dean of Libraries, supporting greater integration of collections, access, and public engagement through the arts and humanities  

Updated University Libraries Organization Chart (effective May 6, 2026). 

All of the changes I’ve shared will be implemented thoughtfully between now and June 30, which is the end of the fiscal year. Any employees directly impacted have been notified, and we will continue to communicate openly as this work progresses. A webpage with additional information is in development and will be shared soon.  

In the meantime, if you have questions or feedback, I encourage you to complete this feedback form. We will address common questions and themes in Lakers Ready and on the restructuring webpage. 

I am deeply grateful for the care, professionalism, and commitment you bring to our work. At its core, Academic Affairs is a community, one grounded in collaboration, purpose, and a shared commitment to our students. 

Best, 

Jen