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Invitation: Q&A sessions with associate provost of student affairs candidates

Staff and faculty are encouraged to attend Q&A sessions with candidates for the associate provost of student affairs next week. The livestreams will be set to private so a GRCC login will be required to access them. The first session will be on October 22, at 11 a.m. in the Science Center Auditorium (SCIE 348). Live stream link for Oct 22:  https://youtube.com/live/7s8EvCFLFu0?feature=share   The second session will be on October 25 at 11 a.m. in the Science Center Auditorium (SCIE 348). Live stream link for Oct 25:  https://youtube.com/live/IwuAiBLx2z8?feature=share   The third session will be on October 31 at 11 a.m. in the Science Center Auditorium (SCIE 348). Live stream link for Oct 31:  https://youtube.com/live/_4SnWl-a3ug?feature=share

GRCC celebrates early voting with Party at the Polls

10/17/2024 As early voting season kicks off in Michigan, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) is excited to announce its participation in the nationwide Party at the Polls initiative, organized by When We All Vote, a nonpartisan voting initiative led by Michelle Obama. This event aims to transform the voting experience into a festive community celebration while boosting voter turnout. Join us for a celebration of democracy On Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, from 5-8 p.m., GRCC will host its own Party at the Polls event at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse, Hunsberger Arena. Everyone is welcome to join in the festivities, which will include free food, music, games and activities for all ages. Costumes are encouraged at this family-friendly event, but they must be in good taste — no realistic weapons or excessive skin showing. A nationwide movement This year, Party at the Polls is expanding significantly with over 500 events planned across the country. Throughout October and into November, partners and volunteers will gather near early voting locations to create a vibrant atmosphere that encourages community engagement and participation in the electoral process. Beth Lynk, Executive Director of When We All Vote, emphasizes the importance of these gatherings: "At When We All Vote, we believe that voting and using our voices at the polls is truly something to celebrate. That’s why we’re bringing the Party to the Polls at more than 500 events to ensure our communities are voting early and celebrating their power together." Focus on engagement and inclusion The Party at the Polls initiative is designed to be accessible and fun, featuring music, food and cultural activities that engage voters and reinforce the importance of participation. Research shows that this approach effectively increases voter turnout, particularly among young voters and communities of color. In addition to GRCC’s event, several flagship celebrations will take place across the nation, including block parties, community college events and music festivals, all aimed at bringing people together to celebrate their civic duty. Get involved Grand Rapids Community College invites the entire community to participate in this exciting event. It's a fantastic opportunity not just to vote early, but to celebrate democracy together. Bring your friends and family, enjoy the festivities and make your voice heard! Join us in making this election season a memorable one—let’s celebrate democracy together!  

Retirement party for Cheryl Cole

Cheryl Cole's retirement party is October 17, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Leslie E. Tassell MTEC building.  Cheryl  has been at GRCC since 1994, when she began as a student in the nursing program and worked as a student employee. She then changed her major to business (although she completed her degree at another school) and took a permanent job here.   This officially puts her at 30 years working at GRCC.  I believe her retirement date is the same as her original hire date as a student employee. Cheryl has held many roles at GRCC, starting in the business office (accounting) and then moving to the Occupational training department - the old CCOT location on Leonard and Ball - and then to the MTEC when it opened in 2002. She is currently the MTEC building manager/operations support where she does everything from accounting, to facilities management, to managing the assessment center, scheduling and much more.  She is a quiet behind the scenes worker but extremely reliable and consistent. Her hobbies are knitting, shopping, spending time with her dog Ella and enjoying tacos with her work bestie.  Family is very important to her, she spends a lot of time with her sister, and loves spending time with her grandkids.  She is a fantastic friend and will go the extra mile for those she cares deeply about.   She has even held the informal "knitting" and "crocheting" lunch and learns at the MTEC for those of us that were brave enough to try the hobby. Come help us say goodbye to a wonderful co-worker and friend!  

GRCC awarded $254,326 for student emergency fund

October 16, 2024 Grand Rapids Community College has been awarded $254,326 to increase its student emergency fund. The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP) awarded the funds through the state’s Student Success Grant Program. GRCC will distribute the funds as emergency grants using its already existing process to assist students who are at risk of not continuing their education due to unexpected financial challenges.  The Student Success Grant program is part of a new  $45 million student success effort , which marks the state’s first ever grant program aimed at increasing student success rates at Michigan community and tribal colleges and universities.  “Being awarded this grant underscores our commitment to student success and helps ensure that our students have access to the support and resources they need so they can focus on their education,” said David Lovell, interim dean of students. “Together, we are not just investing in our students’ education; we are empowering their future.”  GRCC’s initiative to remove financial and logistical barriers for students aligns with Michigan’s ambitious Sixty by 30 goal to have 60% of working-age adults obtain a college degree or skill certificate by 2030. “MiLEAP is proud to partner with our state’s institutions of higher education to support innovative programs that improve student success and postsecondary credential attainment, as we work together to meet Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “Grant recipients demonstrated through a competitive process that they are committed to supporting their students on their path to prosperity, and we are eager to see the impact on campuses across the state for years to come.” The Student Success Grants are part of a broader state strategy to fund opportunities for public colleges and universities to change institutional practices that will dramatically increase student graduation rates. GRCC is one of several institutions across the state receiving funding to implement innovative programs that empower student success. This story was reported by Amy Soper.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month panel discussion with the YWCA West Central Michigan

This Thursday, the Center for Student Life & Leadership will be hosting a panel discussion with the YWCA West Central Michigan to bring awareness to domestic violence and provide the community with valuable information and resources.  Thursday, Oct. 17 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Student Center, Room 234 (behind the Quiet Café) The lunch & learn panel is available for students and staff with boxed lunches for the first 40 guests who arrive. 

October Provost Update

Dear Colleagues, I hope that all of you are having a great week so far.  If you’re like me, you might be finding it hard to believe that we are at the midpoint of the fall semester.  This is always a busy time on campus and now is no different.  Please read below for a few updates and opportunities. From Information Technology: Summary of the Blackboard Course Content Issue As a follow-up to the Blackboard Course Content Issue we experienced at the start of the fall semester, I requested a summary from the Information Technology (IT) department.  You can read the summary on the  Summary of the Blackboard Course Content Issue document.  If you have questions or need additional information, please let me know and I will work with our colleagues in IT accordingly.  Please know that I remain grateful to all faculty and staff as well as everyone in IT and Teaching, Learning, and Distance Education (TLDE) who worked to address course content issues given this unanticipated circumstance.  Additionally, please know that I will continue to work with the President and IT leadership to ensure we continue to examine and improve communication practices and support for faculty, staff, and students when issues arise. Faculty Special Assignment Roles At this time, there are a few faculty special assignment roles that are available.  Please see the  Fall 2024 Available Special Assignments document  for the title and duties for each assignment.  If you are interested in being considered to serve in any of these roles, please complete the  Fall 2024 Faculty Special Assignment Interest Form  by the end of the day on Tuesday, October 22nd.  Reminder: GRCC Cares Network and Basic Needs Referrals In case you missed it, I wanted to share the  September GRCC Cares newsletter with you again . Specifically, please see the section about basic needs referrals.  Additionally, visit the  GRCC Cares website  for details about making a referral.  We know our students greatly benefit from the resources we have available and that helping to meet their basic needs contributes to their success in their classes and in accomplishing their academic goals.  GRCC has also been awarded additional funding from a state grant to provide more basic needs resources to students at this time.  The grant, Barrier Removal - Direct to Student, included $250,000 in funding to our existing emergency grants program.  David Lovell, our Interim Dean of Students, is available if you have any questions about these efforts.  David can be reached via email at  davidlovell@grcc.edu  or by phone at 616-234-3090. Real College Survey This is our final week with the Real College Survey.  Students have through this weekend to complete the survey.   Please share the QR code below with students in your classes.  This information will be used to inform how GRCC can best support student basic needs programming and resources.  Students have received two emails in their GRCC inboxes inviting them to complete the survey and flyers are posted around campus buildings. A third promotion of the survey is going out this week through Navigate.  If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Valerie Butterfield, Director of Student Life and Leadership,  valeriebutterfield@grcc.edu .  Party at the Polls GRCC is one of five community colleges to win the opportunity to host a  Party at the Polls  event sponsored by When We All Vote, MTV, and Showtime.  The event will be held in the Ford Fieldhouse, Gordon Hunsberger Arena, on October 29th from 5pm to 8pm and will be a partner event to the Student Government's Trick or Vote earlier that day.  Both events are focused on promoting early voting–October 29th is Early Voting Day!  To make these events a success, the Center for Student Life and Leadership is looking for volunteers.  If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up  on the Voter Early Day Volunteers form.  If you have any questions about these events, please contact Ashley Fox, Assistant Director of Student Life and Leadership,  ashleyfox1@grcc.edu .  In closing, there are a lot of events happening on campus this month.  The  GRCC Events page  has details about even more activities.  I hope you’ll join me at a performance, game, or lecture soon.  I’m grateful for colleagues such as all of you who continue to provide learning spaces for our students–inside and outside of the classroom–to create such a vibrant community here at GRCC.  Now and always, I hope you find our campus to be a space for learning, reflection, and care for each other. Have a great week and talk to you soon, Sheila    

GRCC Policies reviewed/updated September 2024

The new/revised policies have been added to the College Policies  webpage. 14.17 Emergency Communication  Update the reason of the policy Updated related documents Updated Policy owner due to role change Grammatical changes Added Clery Act crimes Added additional language to procedures for Emergency Notifications Updated Rave info Added additional language to when Timely Warnings should be issued Updated Methods of dissemination for Timely Warnings Updated Public Safety Advisory dissemination. Emergency Guiding Document Replaced with a user-friendly document Guide to use for reference when key stakeholders are absent       Equity Lens Presentation (NEW) Applying an equity lens to policy review 6.2 EEO & Non-Discrimination Interim policy - no substantive changes 6.5 Title IX Interim policy - no substantive changes  

Announcing the launch of the AI Incubator website and upcoming events

We are excited to announce the launch of our official AI Incubator website! Visit us at  AI Incubator at GRCC  to explore how we’re transforming the future of learning, research, and innovation in artificial intelligence. Join us at one of our upcoming events to dive deeper into the exciting world of AI. Whether you’re a student, faculty, or community member, we have something for you! Events: Top 3 Custom GPTs for College Students + Build Your Own Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 Noon-1 p.m. AI Incubator (CSC 133) All GRCC students RSVP on our GRCC Incubator - Open to all Students Google form Top 3 Custom GPTs for Faculty + Build Your Own Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 10-11 a.m. AI Incubator (CSC 133) All GRCC faculty RSVP on our GRCC Incubator - All Faculty Google form Top 3 Custom GPTs for Everyday Life + Build Your Own Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 Noon-1 p.m. AI Incubator (CSC 133) Open to the public RSVP on our GRCC Incubator - Open to the Public Google form    

Volunteers needed for GRCC Votes tabling events

We are reaching out to rally some volunteers to assist with GRCC Votes and their ongoing voter registration drive! We need volunteers to help with tabling efforts at both the Downtown (Main) and Lakeshore (LK) campuses from now through Election Day on November 5. Being a GRCC Votes volunteer is an excellent opportunity to engage with the campus community and encourage civic participation. Here’s how you can get involved: Tabling shifts are available on both campuses until Election Day. We are especially looking to fill all stations on November 4th and 5th. If you’re interested, please be ready to request space through R25 Live or coordinate with Bayard Brooks for Downtown or Kerry Hayward for Lakeshore. Your participation would make a big difference in supporting voter engagement on campus!  Fill any empty spots on the  GRCC Votes Voter Education & Registration Opportunities  or reach out to Ashley Fox ( ashleyfox1@grcc.edu ) for more information.
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