Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Jennifer A. Drake
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400

Biography

Administrative Operations

Mary Albrecht
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Oversight of communication efforts across the Office of the Provost
• Lead the development and implementation of special projects and initiatives within the Office of the Provost
• Lead and oversee the completion of the faculty personnel review process
• Lead and administer the search, hiring, and onboarding process for senior-level leadership positions with the Division of Academic Affairs
• Lead development of agenda topics and materials for the Academic & Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees
• Ex-officio to AP Committee

Biography

Assessment, Accreditation, & Planning

Sean Lancaster
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission
• University Accreditation; College, Unit and Program support for accreditation
• University Strategic Planning; College, Division and Unit support for strategic planning
• University Assessment; College, Division and Unit support for assessment of programs, student learning outcomes, student outcomes, faculty outcomes and benchmarking
• Update and maintain strategic planning and assessment websites
• Honorary Degree Committee
• Ex-officio to University Assessment Committee
• Ex-officio to General Education Committee

Biography

Budget & Resource Management

Bonnie Bowen
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2288
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Budget and resource management
• Faculty hires and related budgetary and human resources issues
• Enrollment and course scheduling/capacity management
• Member of Budget Advisory Team
• Liaison with Business and Finance
• Oversight of Health Campus academic equipment
• Chair of Academic Technology Advisory Committee
• Ex-officio to Faculty Salary and Budget Committee

Biography

Curriculum

Felix N. Ngassa
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs 
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• University curriculum development
• Distance education initiatives
• Dual enrollment and inter-institutional MOUs
• Program review processes
• Liaison to Records Office, University Marketing, Information Technology, Assistant/Associate Deans group
• Ex-officio to University Curriculum Committee
• Ex-officio to Online Education and Microcredential Council
• Ex-officio to New Programs/New Academic Unit Council
• Ex-officio to Graduate Council’s Curriculum & Program Review Subcommittee
• Ex-officio to International Education Committee

​​​​​Biography

Data Analytics

Aaron Lowen
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility 

• Provide leadership in data analytics and communication within Academic Affairs
• Create data-informed reports for Academic Affairs leadership
• Other data-centered responsibilities and initiatives as determined by the Provost
• Liaison with Institutional Analysis
• Collaboration with the AVP for assessment and accreditation around data collection and analysis
• Ex-officio to the LIFT Management Committee (LIFT-MC)

Biography

Faculty & Facilities

Ed Aboufadel
Senior Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Faculty lifecycle matters, including personnel policies, equity, and complaints
• Liaison with the Executive Committee of the Senate/University Academic Senate
• Academic space, including space utilization, classroom improvements, and new buildings; liaison with facilities
• Liaison with Public Safety, Title IX, and GVSU General Counsel
• Development, implementation, and interpretation of policies
• Appointing officer for the GVSU Art Museum
• Ex-officio to the Faculty Personnel Policy Committee
• Ex-officio to the Faculty Facilities Planning Advisory Committee
• Ex-officio to the Affiliate Faculty Advisory Committee
• Ex-officio to the Equity and Inclusion Committee
• Ex-officio to the Native American Advisory Council
• Liaison for the Faculty Success system (a.k.a., Digital Measures)

Biography

Student Success

Cathy Buyarski
Vice Provost for Advising and Student Success
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Campus-wide academic advising initiatives and coordination
• Student success initiatives
• Student success technologies (Navigate)
• Student and parent concerns
• Liaison to enrollment development and student retention, persistence, and degree completion efforts
• Ex-officio to Academic Policies and Standards Committee

Biography

The Graduate School

Erica R. Hamilton
Interim Vice Provost for the Graduate School
310 DeVos Center (DEV)
(616) 331-6673
[email protected]

Biography

Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center

Christine Rener
Vice Provost for Instructional Development and Innovation, Director
068 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-3498
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Direct the Robert and Mary Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center
• Faculty and staff professional development related to innovation and excellence in teaching, inclusive excellence, and student success
• University-wide teaching and learning initiatives
• New Faculty Orientation
• Ex-officio to the Equity and Inclusion Committee
• Ex-officio to the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center Advisory Committee
• Ex-officio to the Online Education and Microcredential Committee
• Liaison to Information Technology (eLearning Technologies, University Technology Council

Biography

Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence

Robert Smart
Vice Provost for Research Administration and Executive Director
049 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2281
[email protected]

Phuong Vo
Assessment and Accreditation Specialist
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility 

• Faculty Qualifications Assurances
• GVAdvance support
• Student Learning Outcomes support
• Higher Learning Commission Accreditation support

Becky Beechler
Business Analyst
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-8722
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Evaluate and monitor approved budgets for operations within the Division of Academic Affairs
• Produce monthly and year-end budget reports
• Ensure budget compliance
• Completes in-depth project analysis and provides recommendations
• Serve as Workday transition lead

Krystal Vanden Bosch
Project Specialist for Provost Initiatives
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Event management for Office of the Provost
• Office of the Provost liaison for convocation and commencement committees
• Project management for provost initiatives
• Communication management for Office of the Provost newsletters, events, and initiatives
• Coordinate faculty review processes including personnel and sabbatical

Mike Eichberger
School Partnership Specialist
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility 

• Support of dual enrollment, direct credit, and other K-12 partnerships and community college pathways
• Liaison between Grand Valley, K-12 schools, area intermediate school districts, tech centers, and community college partners
• Liaison between the Office of the Provost, Records, Admissions, Academic Colleges, and GVSU Regional Centers

Biography 

Travus Burton
Director of Civic Learning and Community Engagement
3090 J. H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Provide university-wide leadership and support for civic learning and community engagement programming, initiatives and infrastructures
• Facilitate the creation of alignment, standards, definitions and promote best practices for community engagement among students, staff and faculty
• Enhance campus culture for civic learning and community engagement to, “educate students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies.”
• Connect community partners, community members, community needs and community issues with the GVSU community for mutually beneficial collaborative opportunities
  • Promote multidisciplinary approaches in teaching, research and service to have a greater impact in the community
  • Promote interdisciplinary approaches in teaching, research and service to have a greater impact on our students
• Report on civic learning and community engagement use, outcomes, challenges, opportunities and growth – work with campus faculty, staff and leadership   

Biography

Becki Visser
Executive Assistant to the Provost
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2176
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Calendar support: Acting Provost Jennifer A. Drake
• Board of Trustees materials production and communication following meetings
• Provost’s Cabinet support
• Coordination of Faculty Awards Convocation
• Coordination of Emeritus faculty tracking
• Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU) Academic Officers support for GVSU

Justine Rau Kibet
Executive Assistant - Office of the Provost
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-8058
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Assists with budget, resource management, faculty, and facilities
• Calendar support: Ed Aboufadel and Bonnie Bowen
• Coordination of faculty and staff personnel materials
• Support hiring of faculty and staff
• Review expense reports
• Oversees technology orders and inventory

Jill B. Salisbury 
Executive Assistant - Office of the Provost
3090 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2400
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Assists with assessment, accreditation, planning, curriculum, and data analytics
• Calendar support: Sean Lancaster, Aaron Lowen, and Felix N. Ngassa
• Online/Hybrid approved instructor list
• Hires and supervises student assistants
• Manages the Office of the Provost website

Lisa Surman
Executive Assistant - Office of the Provost and Faculty Governance Assistant
1000 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ)
(616) 331-2172
[email protected]

Areas of Responsibility

• Assists with student success, civic learning and community engagement
• Calendar support: Cathy Buyarski and Travus Burton
• Liaison between ECS/UAS Chair and Standing Committee Chairs
• Oversight and management of Faculty Governance website, Sail Curriculum System, and Shared Governance Policies
• Teach-In Coordinator and liaison between program sponsors
• Compilation of college election results and oversight of University Committee List