| Grand Valley State University |
 |
| Motto |
Educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies.[1] |
| Established |
1960[1] |
| Type |
Public university |
| Endowment |
$63.8 million[1] |
| President |
Thomas J. Haas |
| Faculty |
749 full-time[1] |
| Students |
24,408[1] |
| Undergraduates |
20,850[1] |
| Postgraduates |
3,558[1] |
| Location |
Allendale, Michigan, United States |
| Campus |
1,237 acres (5.01 km²)[1] |
| Sports |
Lakers. 9 men's varsity teams, 10 women's.[1] |
| Colors |
Blue, Black, White [1] |
| Mascot |
Lakers (Louie the Laker)[1] |
| Website |
www.gvsu.edu |
Grand Valley State University (GVSU) is a public American liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan. The university was established in 1960 and is situated on 1,237 acres (5.01 km2) 12 miles (19 km) west of Grand Rapids.[1] Classes are also offered at the university's growing Pew Campus in Downtown Grand Rapids, Meijer Campus in Holland, and through centers at Muskegon and Traverse City established in cooperation with local community colleges.
GVSU is a comprehensive coeducational university serving more than 24,400 students as of fall 2009, from all 83 Michigan counties and dozens of other states and foreign countries.[2] It employs more than 1,700 people with about 749 being full-time faculty. [1]
History
The Michigan Legislature chartered Grand Valley State University in 1960. At the time, no public, four-year college was present in the Grand Rapids area, Michigan's second largest metropolitan region.[3] The push for the university was spearheaded mainly by local businessman Bill Seidman, and some think GVSU would probably not exist today without his dedicated effort.[4][5] Originally founded as Grand Valley State College, the college accepted its first class of 250 students in 1963.[6][7] With considerable growth over the years, the college changed to university status in 1987 and was renamed Grand Valley State University, as it is still referred to today.[8]
Presidents
Campuses
Grand Valley has three campuses; the main campus in Allendale and two satellite campuses in the surrounding area, as well as centers throughout the state of Michigan.[1]
Interurban Transit Partnership operates several The Rapid bus routes under contract with the university. The public can ride these buses by paying the fare, but rides are free to Grand Valley students, faculty and staff on all Rapid routes while classes are in session.
Allendale campus
This is the University's main campus, opened in 1963, and is the location of most of the university's programs. The Allendale campus is divided into two areas, north and south campus, divided in the middle by West Campus Drive. M-45 links the campus in suburban Allendale to US 31/Lake Michigan to the west and Grand Rapids, Michigan to the east. Lubbers Stadium, the GVSU Fieldhouse and all other athletic facilities for the school's 19 varsity sports are also located on the Allendale camps. The campus is dotted with many sculptures including Dale Eldred, Joseph Kinnebrew and James Clover.
Cook Carillon Tower at Grand Valley State University Allendale campus
Pew Grand Rapids campus
The Pew Grand Rapids Campus is located in downtown Grand Rapids. It includes the Richard DeVos Center, L.V. Eberhard Center, Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, The Depot (houses the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development headquarters), Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, Keller Engineering Laboratories, John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering, Peter F. Secchia Hall (housing), Winter Hall (housing), and the Van Andel Global Trade Center.
Meijer campus in Holland
The Meijer Campus, located just outside downtown Holland, was opened in 1998 and was named for the Meijer Family for their generous donation of land. The campus houses continuing education programs in 30,693 square feet of building space and contains 12 classrooms, 2 conference rooms, 3 labs and 11 offices.[9]
Muskegon center
GVSU has three locations in Muskegon:
- Stevenson Center for Higher Education at Muskegon Community College, which offers several graduate and undergraduate programs.
- Lake Michigan Center, which houses the Annis Water Resources Institute.
- Michigan Alternative Renewable Energy Center.
Lake Michigan Center and Michigan Alternative Renewal Energy Center are located along Shoreline Drive in downtown Muskegon.
Traverse City center
The Traverse City Regional Center is located at the NMC University Center in a partnership with Northwestern Michigan College and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, social work, and liberal studies. [10]
Academics
Grand Valley State University offers degrees and programs at the certificate, bachelor's, post-bachelor's, master's, post-master's, and doctoral levels.[11]
Grand Valley offers over 200 areas of study, including 77 undergraduate majors and 28 graduate programs.[12]
GVSU Cook-Devos Center for Health Sciences
Colleges
The university consists of eight degree-granting colleges:
- Seidman College of Business
- College of Community and Public Services
- College of Education
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Padnos College of Engineering and Computing
- College of Health Professions
- Kirkhof College of Nursing
- College of Interdisciplinary Studies
GVSU also is home to the Frederik Meijer Honors College, which is non-degree-granting, but is to provide a more challenging interdisciplinary education in a learning-living environment. The honors college is located in Glenn A. Niemeyer Learning and Living Center on the south side of campus.[13].
During the 1970s, Grand Valley used a multiple college concept: "College of Arts and Sciences", "Thomas Jefferson College", "William James College", "Seidman College of Business," and "College IV". The academic programs were placed in divisions from 1982 to 2004. The modern incarnation of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences came from the merger of the Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities and Science & Mathematics Divisions.
Rankings
Grand Valley is the second most selective public university in Michigan, admitting 69% of applicants for the 2008-2009 school year, only behind The University of Michigan and The University of Michigan–Dearborn.[14] U.S. News and World Report ranked Grand Valley 37th in the Universities-Master's (Midwest) category for 2009[15]. Grand Valley is also ranked a Best Midwestern College by The Princeton Review[16]. Grand Valley is ranked 10th among U.S. master's degree-granting institutions for total number of study abroad students, according to the Institute of International Education in New York.[17] According to U.S. News and World Report, Grand Valley is also the number one most up-and-coming masters university in the Midwest.[18] As of fall 2009, GVSU had the third highest freshman to sophomore retention rate among Michigan's 15 public universities at 84 percent.[19]
Accreditation
Grand Valley as an institution is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.[20] Grand Valley also has baccalaureate program accreditation with AACSB, ABET, APTA, CSWE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE, and NLN.
University libraries
University libraries mission
The Grand Valley State University Libraries serve as the information gateway for our community. Dedicated to providing quality service, fostering an informed citizenry, and supporting liberal education, the Libraries promote intellectual discovery, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.
Library services
The University Libraries offer dynamic and diverse opportunities for research, collaboration, and individual study. From three unique locations (Zumberge Library in Allendale and the Steelcase Library and Frey Foundation Learning Center in Grand Rapids), the Libraries serve the entire Grand Valley community. Each library’s collection is tailored to its location and the programs it serves, with daily deliveries between sites.
Collectively, the libraries subscribe to over 70,000 journals and more than 250 online databases; they house 844,025 volumes, including 150,000 electronic books. The GVSU Library is also a United States Government Depository.
The libraries provide a number of free services that support student research and increase student efficiency, including desktop delivery of journal articles across campuses, an interlibrary loan service that borrows materials from other institutions for our students’ use, and electronic course reserves for required class readings. Research help is available through email or chat, by phone, or in person at any of our three locations.
Collections
Government Resources Grand Valley State University is depository for both United States and Michigan government documents. The library has been a selective depository in the Federal Depository Library Program since 1963 and currently receives approximately 44% of the documents distributed by the program. Curriculum Materials Library (CML) There are two Curriculum Materials Libraries—one in the DeVos Center downtown and another in Zumberge Library in Allendale. The two centers house current, high-quality instructional materials for preschool through grade twelve and provide spaces where education majors can preview resources, develop lesson plans, create media for the classroom, and try out teaching aides.
Special Collections Seidman House on the Allendale Campus houses the University Archives, which include extensive collections of rare books and Michigan novels, the Harvey Lemmen Collection on Lincoln and the Civil War, the Dorothy A. Johnson Philanthropy Center Special Collections, and the papers of acclaimed Michigan author Jim Harrison. Overlooking the ravine, Seidman House also offers quiet study during business hours.
Digital Collections Grand Valley State University Digital Collections database contains a selection of photographs, correspondence, diaries, interviews, and publications from the holdings of the Libraries’ Special Collections & University Archives, and other University entities. This resource makes unique or rare materials from GVSU collections available electronically to students, faculty, administrators, researchers, and the general public. This project is a work-in-progress. Collections are added as they become available.
Athletics
Grand Valley State supports 19 varsity teams in the following sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track, and women's volleyball.[21]
Grand Valley's varsity athletic teams have won seven national championships in four sports and have been national runners-up twelve times in nine sports. GVSU has also won the prestigious National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Directors' Cup for NCAA Division II schools in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 after finishing second in 2002 and 2003.[22] The cup is awarded to the top athletic programs based on overall team national finishes. Grand Valley is the first college east of the Mississippi River to win the Director's Cup for NCAA Division II.
Mascot
The official mascot of Grand Valley State is Louie the Laker.[1]
Fight song
"GVSU Victory!" which is sometimes referred to as "Grand Valley Victory" is the fight song for the Grand Valley State University Lakers.
Arts
Fine Arts
GVSU has a NASAD accredited art program, including emphases in illustration, graphic design, ceramics, printmaking, painting, visual studies, and sculpture. Art students attend classes at the Calder Art Center, named for contemporary artist Alexander Calder. The building includes exhibition space under the name of the Stuart & Barbara Padnos Art Gallery.
Admission into the GVSU art program requires an initial review of the potential student's work. Admitted students then undergo a series of foundation classes that properly introduce them to the formal basics of art. Passing the foundation review allows access to higher level art studies, and a choice of approaching an emphasis. Subsequent reviews may take place depending upon emphases, including both junior and senior level reviews.
Music
New Music Ensemble
The New Music Ensemble, directed by Dr. Bill Ryan, has released two critically acclaimed CD's, the first a recording of Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians, which appeared on the Billboard Classical Crossover chart, and the second entitled In C Remixed, an remix project of Terry Riley's In C, which featured the work of some of the top electronic composers and DJ's in the world, including Todd Reynolds, Michael Lowenstern, Dennis DeSantis, and Pulitzer prize winner David Lang, to name a few. The NME performed at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on November 2nd, 2009 and previously at the 2007 Bang on a Can festival. Several members of the GVSU NME also appeared at Carnegie Hall in 2009 for a performance of Terry Riley's In C.[citation needed]
Trumpet Ensemble
Directed by Prof. Richard Stoelzel, Grand Valley's trumpet ensemble has been a top competitor in the National Trumpet Competition for nearly a decade, placing 1st in the ensemble division in 2006 and 2008. The ensemble has commissioned 4 pieces by composer Erik Morales since 2005, two of which went on to become the winning pieces, and one of which is still currently unpremiered. The trumpet ensemble has performed twice during the International Trumpet Guild's summer conferences in 2007 and 2009, and has traveled around the world in various tours to Athens, Greece, and Ankara, Turkey.[citation needed]
Administration
Public safety
The Department of Public Safety provides law enforcement services for the Allendale Campus. While the department is self-empowered to enforce its jurisdiction, officers are also deputized by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department. Because Allendale doesn't have its own police department, the Grand Valley State University Police can handle cases anywhere in Ottawa County, mainly in Allendale and the area surrounding the campus. The Department of Public Safety also employs several students who assist the department by performing a variety of clerical and security based duties and services.
The department handles other security issues, such as parking and driving violations, community policing, and lost and found. Allendale's volunteer fire department serves the campus.
The Department of Security handles security and public safety issues for the Grand Rapids Pew Campus and all Regional Centers including the Holland (MI) Meijer Campus, the Muskegon (MI) campus and the Traverse City (MI) campus. The department is not sworn or certified and relies on Grand Rapids Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies for official law enforcement when necessary. Security Officers are employed as university staff and, quite often, are graduates of GVSU. These officers are supplemented by a large contingency of student employees who assist with parking enforcement and dispatch.
The Department of Security, maintains a wide variety of positions necessary for the maintenance of safety and security of the surrounding community. In addition to a 24-hour staff of officers, the department currently employs a full time investigator to follow up on matters that require attention beyond an initial report as well as two Field Training Officers (FTO) who are charged with training newly hired officers and implementing new procedures.
Student life
Fraternity and Sorority Life
Consisting of approximately 1,000 members, the GVSU Fraternity and Sorority Community accounts for less than five percent of the undergraduate student population.
Fraternities:
Interfraternity Council (IFC)
Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)
Sororities:
National Panhellenic Council (NPC)
Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)
Honorary & Professional Organizations
- Order of Omega - National Fraternity and Sorority Life Leadership Honorary
- Gamma Sigma Alpha - National Fraternity and Sorority Life Academic Honorary
- Rho Lambda - National Panhellenic Council Honorary
- Omicron Delta Kappa - National Collegiate Leadership Honorary
- Alpha Phi Omega - National Service Honorary Fraternity
- Kappa Kappa Psi - National Honorary Bands Fraternity
- Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia - National Music Fraternity
Media
The Grand Valley Lanthorn is the student-run newspaper, published on Mondays and Thursdays. Until the fall of 2006, the paper was only published once per week.
WCKS "The Whale" is the student-run radio station, broadcasting over the internet and on a soon-to-be announced FM channel.
GVBN is the student-run television station on channel 10 on the university cable system.
Grand Valley Comic Association is another outlet for creativity. Publishing twice a year and frequently on its website, the association produces a pulp comic of collective stories. All artwork, writing, editing, inking and lettering is collaborated by Grand Valley students.
Student organizations
GVSU currently has 270+ student-run organizations.[1]
Residence life
Grand Valley State University is home to 26 living centers (residence halls) and three on-campus apartment complexes on its main Allendale campus, and two residence halls on its Pew Grand Rapids campus, totaling 5,464 beds.[1] This number is soon to be expanded as GVSU currently builds three new living centers as well as a learning-dining hall in south campus to be completed by fall of 2010.[23]
Special programs at Grand Valley include:
Gerald Ford Foundation
GVSU hosts the Gerald Ford Foundation website [24], which includes the Ford Memorial website. [25]
Regional events
The university hosts several high-school level regional events throughout the year, including FIRST Robotics and Science Olympiad. Its Science Olympiad regional is the largest in the country.
Media
The university owns and operates a PBS station, WGVU, and AM and FM radio stations with the same call letters, which feature a mixture of jazz, blues, and news, including local and NPR programming.
Controversies
In 1969, the Grand Valley Lanthorn, the student-run newspaper on campus, printed an issue containing several vulgarities and obscenities. After complaints from some at Grand Valley State College and the surrounding communities, the Ottawa County, Michigan, sheriff arrested the editor, and the prosecutor closed down the newspaper office. The university—then a college—sued the sheriff and prosecutor for closing the Lanthorn offices. Eventually, Michigan's Attorney General settled the case out of court, ruling in favor of Grand Valley State College.
In 1970, shortly after the shootings at Kent State University, Ohio, Vietnam War protests intensified on campus. In response, President Lubbers closed the college for three days to have discussions on what the college should do. A public forum was held in the college's fieldhouse, which was attended by a vast majority of the Grand Valley community. Everyone was granted five minutes to speak, but by the end of the day, only the most radical of students remained, who demanded that the college be shut down for the rest of the year in protest. President Lubbers refused to discuss that option, which brought chants of "Power to the People". The situation was ended by President Lubbers when he met with the leaders of the radical students, and explained to them that the power over the university does not rest with students, but with the administration and board, and both of those bodies refused to close the college for the rest of the year.
In 1994, a student organization founded early that academic year, The Harpoon, publishing the eponymous and self-described humor rag, printed an ersatz letter from GVSU President Arend Lubbers to the president of Western Michigan University declaring war on WMU. Despite being an obvious hoax, Student Senate suspended The Harpoon's funding citing unauthorized use of the university logo. The Harpoon's members spearheaded a political takeover of Student Senate that year in an effort to have their funding reinstated. After three years, the HARPOON ceased publication.
In 2001, the reversal of then-president Arend Lubbers' stated intention to offer benefits to same-sex partners of GVSU employees was met with protest from some faculty and students, and accusations of homophobia and undue influence by major donors to the college. The point was made moot shortly thereafter by a state law lobbied for by those same donors, outlawing such benefits from any governmental subsidiary or institution receiving tax dollar support.
In 2005, College Republicans group sponsored an affirmative action bake sale by charging different prices based on the person's race and gender (with lower prices for members of disadvantaged classes). This prompted criticism and even accusations of racism from many students and faculty, and resulted in the Student Senate voting to cut off funding for the organization for the remainder of the semester, and the organization voting to remove from office their president (Kyle Rausch) and vice president, who were responsible for the activity.
In 2006, Michigan voters adopted Proposal 06-2 ("Prop 2") which adopted an amendment to the Constitution of Michigan that effectively banned race- and gender-based Affirmative Action programs with 57.96% of the vote. Even though both candidates for governor in the 2006 election opposed Proposal 2's adoption, the voters passed Prop 2 with a margin that was larger than the governor's race itself. Immediately following its passage, President Thomas J. Haas issued an e-mail letter to the Grand Valley State University community, saying that the passage of Prop 2 was a mistake, and that it should and would be challenged in court - creating a minor controversy in his first official month in office. The school's website; however, currently states that "GVSU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution."
In 2009, a GVSU student named Derek Copp was shot in the chest by an Ottawa County deputy in his off-campus apartment during a warranted drug search. Copp survived and police quickly admitted that Copp was not armed and posed no threat, sparking large protests on campus and around the community. University President Thomas J. Haas sent an email to the University denouncing the shooting. The deputy that fired the weapon was later charged with unlawful discharge of a weapon and was placed on probation and Copp received probation.[26][27][28][29][30]
Notable alumni
In popular culture
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Quick Facts About Grand Valley". Grand Valley State University web site. Grand Valley State University. http://www.gvsu.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.aboutgvsu. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
- ^ "Administration" Grand Valley State University, Accessed January 6, 2010
- ^ History http://www.gvsu.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.aboutgvsu
- ^ Seidman http://www.gvsu.edu/gvhistory/index.cfm?id=953162C5-A133-D84C-971D502472BA53A5
- ^ "Bill Seidman remembered as man who embraced family, education, banking and his Grand Rapids roots". Grand Rapids, MI: The Grand Rapids Press. May 14, 2009. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/05/bill_seidman_remembered_as_man.html. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- ^ "Grand Valley State University". http://www.gvsu.edu/gvhistory/index.cfm?id=3F60D700-F73F-030B-10294F785DE6FD30. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
- ^ GVSC http://www.gvsu.edu/campaign/index.cfm?id=E48D548C-B804-40A4-3BE57132D709E789
- ^ University Status http://www.gvsu.edu/campaign/index.cfm?id=E48D548C-B804-40A4-3BE57132D709E789
- ^ Meijer Campus in Holland
- ^ Traverse City Regional Center Grand Valley State University, Accessed, October 7, 2009
- ^ "Grand Valley State University" The Princeton Review, Accessed September 4, 2009
- ^ Over 200 Areas of Study http://www.gvsu.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=acad.programs
- ^ "Frederik Meijer Honors College" "Grand Valley State University", Accessed September 6, 2009
- ^ "Grand Valley State University Scholarships" MeritAid.com, Accessed September 18, 2009
- ^ [1]U.S. News and World Report GVSU Ranking
- ^ [2]The Princeton Review GVSU Ranking
- ^ Study Abroad 10th http://www.gvsu.edu/successstory/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.story&id=17D0CA43-BBB5-B430-5A5CD58DAE9A5512
- ^ Number One Most Up-and-Coming http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/masters-midwest-uc-rank
- ^ "Grand Valley has record enrollment" Grand Valley State University Accessed September 10, 2009
- ^ "Some Facts about Grand Valley" Grand Valley State University, Accessed September 6, 2009
- ^ Athletics http://www.gvsulakers.com/
- ^ "NACDA Directors Cup". CBS Interactive. http://www.nacda.com/directorscup/nacda-directorscup-previous-scoring.html. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
- ^ "New Grand Valley projects create jobs, meet housing trends" GV Now, Accessed September 12, 2009
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ John Barnes (April 7, 2009). "Arrest warrant: Deputy Ryan Huizenga had finger on trigger instead of trigger guard before he shot GVSU student Derek Copp". The Grand Rapids Press. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/04/arrestwarrant_transcript_provi.html. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ "Derek Copp is name of Grand Valley student shot, injured by police during drug raid". The Grand Rapids Press. March 12, 2009. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/03/derek_copp_is_name_of_grand_va.html. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ "Derek Copp back in the hospital". Wood TV. 27 Mar 2009. http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/Derek_Copp_back_in_the_hospital. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ chycho (March 18, 2009). "GVSU student, Derek Copp, shot in chest by police for smoking marijuana: Executing children for the War on Drugs". thepeoplesvoice.org. http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2009/03/18/gvsu-student-derek-copp-shot-in-chest-by. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ "Derek Copp's friend who organized protests after GVSU student was shot says charges against deputy are justified". The Grand Rapids Press. April 6, 2009. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/04/derek_copps_friend_who_organiz.html. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ [5]
External links
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Coordinates: 42°57′48″N 85°53′17″W / 42.96327°N 85.88811°W / 42.96327; -85.88811
