In 2000 the faculty within the Department of Mathematics and Statistics recommended the reorganization of our department into two independent academic units, and at that time we established the Department of Statistics. Our newly formed department became the home for 7 tenure-line faculty, 2 visiting faculty and 10 part-time faculty, as well as 22 declared majors. Since that time the Department of Statistics has increased to 15 tenure-line faculty, 5 affiliate faculty, 3 visiting faculty and 13 part-time faculty. In addition, our department course offerings have increased by more than 70% (both in terms of student enrollment and sections offered). We have added a graduate program in biostatistics which consists of approximately 40 students, our undergraduate major in statistics has grown from 22 students to 137 students, and our two combined undergraduate minors have increased from 21 students to 144 students.
In addition to growth, our department has also launched a number of initiatives. Some of the significant initiatives that have launched since the formation of our department include the Statistical Consulting Center, Masters program in Biostatistics, Michigan Statistics Poster Competition, Statistics Experimentation Lab, and a new minor in data science.
Mission
The Department of Statistics informs and actively engages students and colleagues in the ethical practice of modern statistical science and further contributes to our society through active scholarship and effective service.
Vision
The Department of Statistics is committed to advancing the science of statistics by maintaining an inclusive learning community that is characterized by:
faculty that are dedicated to expanding the discipline of statistics, improving the pedagogy of statistics, and broadening the application of statistics and
students that are actively engaged in enhancing their understanding of statistics and its application.
All members of our community are encouraged to utilize their statistical skills to be ethical and productive professionals, life-long learners and responsible citizens.
Value Statement
Teaching Excellence
Our highest priority is to offer outstanding teaching in all of our courses. We continually strive to maintain excellence in the classroom. In order to nurture the habits of intellectual growth, we seek to instill in our students curiosity and the love of learning. We value the vigorous engagement of students in the classroom and in other learning environments.
Active Scholarship
The Statistics Department values and encourages a wide variety of scholarly activities including writing and refereeing journal articles and textbooks; presenting at department seminars, university colloquia, and outside conferences; preparing grant proposals; conducting workshops; serving on thesis committees; and consulting on statistical matters with both internal colleagues and external professionals. All of these activities help maintain currency in ones chosen areas of interest and expand one's knowledge of statistics. In keeping with the teaching mission of the university, our students are engaged and mentored in these activities and the knowledge gained through these activities inform our courses.
Community Service
The statistics faculty values the enrichment of the lives of fellow faculty, students and members of our community. Within the university community, these values manifest as collaborative scholarship both through the Statistical Consulting Center and individual faculty consulting activities, and as participation in university sponsored programs for the surrounding communities. Our service extends further to our communities through applications of our talents to diverse volunteer activities in our communities civil, political, educational and religious organizations.
Community, Diversity and Collegiality
A diverse range of thoughtful perspectives and backgrounds is vital to a healthy community that fosters open inquiry and sound statistical practice. As such, the Statistics Department recognizes the similarities that all people share and respects the characteristics that distinguish us, including age, ethnicity, gender and all aspects of culture, be it our recreational, lifestyle, political or philosophical preferences. Professionally, the department values and maintains a community of scholars with expertise in a variety of specializations and areas of application. Realizing that a multiplicity of interests promotes the kind of synergy that will encourage a flourishing statistics community, we support the scholarship of discovery, application and pedagogy.
Ethical Practice of Statistics
Because society depends on sound statistical practice, we are committed to employing suitable study designs and applying appropriate statistical methodology without bias and without favoring a predetermined outcome. Further, we adhere to accepted professional standards regarding the ethical treatment of human and animal subjects throughout the entire research process (including the maintenance of confidentiality during the data collection, analysis and dissemination phases). We value professionalism, the importance of appropriately acknowledging colleagues, the necessity of being properly recognized, and the careful delineation of the limitations of ones scientific inquiry.
Liberal Education
We are committed to creating student-centered learning communities that integrate statistical methodologies in a multidisciplinary fashion. As such, we strive to:
locate, evaluate, and organize information,
utilize this information to discover new knowledge, and
share the conclusions with our local and global societies.
We value a community that cultivates the skills of inquiry and reflection and fosters the development of grounded ethical values. We encourage our students and faculty to explore widely throughout their lives and employ statistical science to be creative and productive citizens.
Strategic Priorities, outcomes, and key objectives
Strategic Priority Area 1: Actively engage learners at all levels.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome B: Grand Valley is diverse and inclusive.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
Outcome D: Grand Valley supports innovative teaching, learning, integrative scholarly and creative activity, and the use of new technologies.
Outcome E: Grand Valley strategically allocates its fiscal, human, and other institutional resources.
Strategic Priority Area 2: Further develop exceptional personnel.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
Outcome E: Grand Valley strategically allocates its fiscal, human, and other institutional resources.
Strategic Priority Area 3: Ensure the alignment of institutional structures and functions.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
Outcome D: Grand Valley supports innovative teaching, learning, integrative scholarly and creative activity, and the use of new technologies.
Strategic Priority Area 4: Enhance the institution's image and reputation.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
