GV branding revamped, additional changes expected
When students arrived on campus for the Fall 2025 semester, they might have noticed things looked a bit different than they did in April.
Over the summer, Grand Valley State University Marketing rolled out a school-wide rebrand, updating logos and expanding color palettes, changing campus names and unveiling a new tagline.
The Allendale and Pew Campuses have been renamed the “Valley” and “City” Campuses, respectively. This change was made in an attempt to clear the Allendale Campus’s supposed reputation as the “college in the cornfield,” while reflecting features of GVSU as a whole and reaching wider audiences, according to the University Communicator Network, an initiative launched by GVSU Communications in 2024.
To read Kelsie Manor’s full story about the University rebrand, click here.
Study finds more food insecurity at GV than other schools
While food insecurity has been a prolonged issue in the United States, many may not realize the impact it has on a significant portion of college students.
As the country’s wealth gap increases alongside the cost of living and education, many students find themselves unable to afford sufficient meals. A 2024 study from Feeding America West Michigan and Aquinas College examined food insecurity at GVSU, and compared to students surveyed at Grand Rapids Community College and Aquinas, GVSU scored the highest in student food insecurity.
To read more from Max Bufkin about the impact of food insecurity at GVSU, click here.
GVPD cracks down amid crime wave, drawing ire
Grand Valley State University’s Department of Public Safety enacted extensive new policies Thursday, Sept. 4 amid an unprecedented level of on-campus crime, including a stabbing and vehicle thefts. While students have expressed concern over campus safety, the guidelines have also drawn confusion from members of the GVSU community.
Most of the car thefts, as well as the stabbing, stem from non-students coming to campus. The suspect in the stabbing, while still not located, was not a student. Concerned over visitors staying past the established two-night limit and becoming involved in such incidents, GVPD cracked down with updated guidelines.
To read more from Joseph Poulos on the full policy changes, click here.
GV leaves consortium monitoring branded apparel factory conditions
Grand Valley State University silently left an independent labor organization earlier this year, raising concerns over the sourcing of university merchandise.
The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) conducts independent investigations into working conditions in factories worldwide. The organization partners with 154 colleges and universities to ensure labor standards behind university-branded merchandise. GVSU joined the consortium in 2001, shortly after the organization was founded. The University left the organization in January, and is the first higher-education institution in 15 years to do so. While some have speculated GVSU left the consortium in order to sell Nike products, a company notorious for sweatshop-labor allegations, administrators cited the cost of membership in why the University left.
To read Olivia Mulka’s full coverage of GVSU’s decision, click here.
ICE looks to expand operations in Grand Rapids
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is looking to expand operations in Grand Rapids and 18 other cities, according to the General Services Administration. ICE’s expansion would include additional office space and hiring thousands of new lawyers and immigration enforcement officers nationally.
ICE’s increased presence across the United States is a result of President Donald Trump’s $350 billion budget allocated for border enforcement and national security. The agency’s quota has been raised to 3,000 arrests per day, raising concerns in larger cities including Grand Rapids. If ICE were to increase presence in Grand Rapids, residents would witness more workplace and neighborhood arrests, more jail-to-ICE transfers and faster movement from arrest to detention. ICE is now able to enter what have previously been deemed sensitive places, such as schools, churches and courthouses.
To read more from Max Bufkin about the potential expansion and concerns at GVSU, click here.
Study abroad group evacuated from Ecuador
What began as an opportunity for 12 occupational therapy students to practice their skills and gain experience in a foreign country ended in a helicopter evacuation amid political turmoil.
Second-year occupational therapy students at Grand Valley State University had the opportunity to replace their traditional fieldwork course with an eight day trip to Ibarra, Ecuador. The students worked with the non-profit Centro de Rehabilitación, Educación, Capacitación, Estudios y Recursos (CRECER), offering occupational therapy services in nursing homes, an adult day program and CRECER outpatient center. The 12 students and two faculty members, Professors Gina Caruso and Leana Tank, departed Sept. 19. Originally intending to return Sept. 27, they realized they needed to evacuate early, yet still didn’t get home until Sept. 29.
To read Lillian Reiner’s full story about the evacuation, click here.
SNAP funding conflict raises national concern
A lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits nationwide has caused concern for millions of Americans struggling with food insecurity.
A federal judge ruled Nov. 6 that the Trump administration must use emergency funds to pay Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the government shutdown. Despite the ruling, Trump believes the government can’t legally fund SNAP during the shutdown, and asked for further clarification from the court system. SNAP benefits were supposed to be paid Saturday, leaving many Americans, including students, feeling affected by the pause.
To read more from Max Bufkin about the SNAP crisis and local impacts, click here.
Man sentenced for accidental shooting that killed GV student
Monday, Oct. 27, a Jenison man was sentenced to a minimum of five years, 10 months and maximum of 25 years in prison.
Westen Meulenberg, 20, was sentenced for the accidental killing of 19-year-old Grand Valley State University student Connor Lotterman at a Tallmadge Township party in May.
Meulenberg pled guilty in September to the charge of causing death by discharging a firearm in a building.
To read Alexander Mulder’s full coverage of the sentencing, click here.
GV students among 4 killed, 2 injured in fatal crash
Two Grand Valley State University freshmen were involved in a car accident Sunday, Nov. 2 that resulted in four deaths and left two others injured.
An email sent to residents of Kirkpatrick Living Center Monday, Nov. 3, which was obtained by the Lanthorn, notified that two of the building’s residents were involved in the accident, resulting in the death of freshman Marcell Oliver. His roommate, Amir Hicks, is currently recovering from surgery.
To read Lillian Reiner’s full coverage, click here and here.
State budget dispute results in teachers’ delayed stipends
Although the State of Michigan avoided a full shutdown in October, many students at Grand Valley State University are still reeling from the effects of the budget standoff. Due to delays in disbursement, student teachers across the state had to go for some time without a stipend that was owed to them.
Student teachers associated with various universities across the state have relied on the MI Future Educator Fellowship, of which GVSU is a premier benefactor. The stipend, which offers $10,000 to students in teaching programs, is a major source of income for student teachers. In addition, $5,000 per semester is also available for those willing to commit to teaching in Michigan. When student teachers were forced to go without funds while state legislators argued over the budget, chaos ensued.
To read Joseph Poulos’ full story about the delay, click here.
Rec center renovations expected to continue into 2026
Grand Valley State University is continuing to renovate the Recreation Center, with updates to equipment and functional training expected into 2026.
The coming renovations, part of a longstanding project, are expected to start in 2026, and will include indoor turf zones, more plate-loaded strength options, portable benches and multi-use cable systems. GVSU is also experimenting with the idea of adding more collaborative exercise opportunities, such as group cycling, and may include additional student lounge spaces.
The changes are in direct response to results from a 2024 facilities survey, in addition to a study conducted earlier this year. Both captured feedback from students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members about the types of equipment and experiences they value most at the center.
To read more from Max Bufkin and Olivia Mulka about the ongoing renovations, click here.
