Earth to GV: students collaborate with NASA on prototype device

A group of Grand Valley State University students traveled to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas over the summer to test their design of a flag-deploying device that successfully withstands the pressures of space. The project originated from a competition created by NASA called the Micro-g NExT Challenge.

“Astro Anchors,” a team of twelve students from the GVSU’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) organization, were chosen to collaborate with NASA through the special project last winter. The Astro Anchors were selected to move forward with their design and worked alongside a NASA mentor and engineer over the summer to develop and test prototypes of their design. Students involved in the challenge worked together to design a lunar flag, flagpole and anchoring system that can be easily deployed by a fully-suited astronaut while on the surface of the moon.

The goal of the contest is to inspire college undergraduates to design a device that could assist astronauts in space. Astro Anchors were the only team to complete each of NASA’s initiatives for the challenge. Their prototype and comprehensive report is now under review by NASA, with the possibility of being used in future Moon landing missions after more strenuous testing.

To read more about GVSU students’ collaboration with NASA, click here. 

GV to sell Laker-themed alcoholic beverage at athletic events

Grand Valley State University’s Athletics Department has teamed up with Long Road Distillers to release the ready-to-drink cocktail, Lake + Valley Lemonade, which will be sold at Lubbers Stadium and the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena during athletic events. The beverage, created by the alumni-owned company, is the first GVSU-affiliated alcoholic beverage to be sold on campus.

Owners of Long Road Distillers, Jon O’Conner and Kyle Van Strien, have a personal history with GVSU. As alumni, the pair bonded “over a shared commitment for the neighborhood they both call home,” according to the Long Road Distillers website.

The cocktail was officially released Monday, June 24, and is now available for purchase throughout the state of Michigan. Long Road Distillers sell Lake + Valley Lemonade in stores, bars and restaurants across the state. To see where Lake + Valley Lemonade is distributed, visit the Long Road website under the Spirit Finder.

To read Mallory Burt’s full story about alcohol sales at the University, click here.

GV hikes tuition, room and board costs for tenth consecutive year

With the 2024-2025 academic year approaching, universities across Michigan, including Grand Valley State University have set higher tuition costs for the tenth consecutive year. On April 26, GVSU’s Board of Trustees (BOT) approved an increase in tuition, including room and board.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the cost of in-state and out-of-state tuition at GVSU rose 3.5%, while the cost of housing and dining rose 5.2%. GVSU students will have to pay an estimated additional $524 per year in tuition fees, according to MLive. The $524 doesn’t include the estimated $185 increase in campus living costs or the $100 increase in meal plan costs.

During GVSU’s 1995-1996 academic year, the cost of tuition per semester was only $1,390, and has steadily risen ever since. In 2020, the average cost at GVSU for a 12-15 credit semester was $6,622 for an in-state resident. The current semester’s price rate has risen to $7,570, marking the tenth consecutive year the university has increased the cost of attendance.

To learn more about the BOT’s decision to increase campus living costs, read the rest of the story. 

GV leads Michigan universities for in-state alumni retention

The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research published a study revealing Grand Valley State University as the most effective Michigan higher education institution for retaining alumni in the state’s job market after graduation.

The study, published by Washington Monthly, compared the amount of state-funded money spent on schools to the amount of alumni that remained in Michigan after graduation. The Upjohn Institute’s study concluded that students from GVSU continue to stay in Michigan for their careers after graduation at a much higher rate than that of other state universities. For every $100,000 spent, GVSU produces about 5 graduates that stay in Michigan. Not only does GVSU lead the ranking in Michigan and retain double the average amount in the state, but GVSU’s success rate is over three times the average of colleges across the United States.

“When I was a student here, I loved Grand Valley because it gave me the opportunity to get practical experience, so I I tried to get involved in everything I could,” said G. Bradley Back, a GVSU alumni and professor in the School of Communications. “It benefited me, and it was easier to get an internship, and it definitely helped me get a job, (having) that practical experience.”

For more information about GVSU’s alumni retention, click here.  

Advisory groups convene to address GV faculty concerns about Omni learning program

High FOIA cost contributes to dropping of GV student’s Title IX case

A student at Grand Valley State University was recently quoted over $84,000 to retrieve information requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The student had previously filed two Title IX complaints against a University administrator, and by submitting FOIA requests, they aimed to gather supportive evidence for their case.

The complaints were filed through the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX against a member of administration in Student Accessibility Resources. The University’s investigation into the student’s claims began in November 2023, and unfortunately, the student couldn’t obtain the information they were looking for before the Title IX office dropped the cases.

The second claim alleged “unprofessional conduct, harassment, bullying and coercion” took place between the student and faculty member. Due to the sensitivity of the issue, the student has asked to remain anonymous.

To see the rest of Emma Armijo and Olivia Mulka’s coverage of this case, click here.

GV community grieves student death, questions arise surrounding lack of University statement

The recent death of a freshman student at Grand Valley State University has left the campus community mourning and sparked conversation surrounding the University’s role in communicating health and safety issues. The student’s cause of death has not yet been determined, but is currently being investigated by the GVSU Department of Public Safety. Out of respect for the student’s family, and as advised by GVPD, the student will not be identified in this article.

On Sept. 30, GVPD received a medical emergency call from the Robinson Living Center on the Allendale campus. An 18-year-old female student was found on the ground, unresponsive and not breathing by a resident of Robinson Living Center. The resident called GVPD, then proceeded to perform CPR on the student.  GVPD arrived at the scene with an AED a few minutes later, but no shock was administered. Following these unsuccessful attempts, the student’s death was declared by a medical examiner (ME) about one hour after the student had been found.

To read the rest of Max Bufkin’s coverage of the student death, click here. 

 GV faculty, students process conservative sway in election results

Former President Donald Trump is slated to return to the Oval Office in what many are recognizing as one of the greatest political comebacks in history. Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race has roused public opinion at Grand Valley State University and across the nation.

Although the winner of the presidential race wasn’t announced until the early morning hours of Wednesday, Nov. 6, it was clear hours before that a “red wave” was breaking on the shores of the U.S. political landscape. Trump’s victory came through 312 electoral votes as compared to Harris’ 226. 270 is the number of votes from the electoral college needed to win the presidency.

Trump also won the popular vote, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by a Republican since former President George W. Bush in 2004. Trump was able to win the national tally by garnering a lead of almost 4 million votes.

For the rest of the presidential election results coverage by Joseph Poulos, find the full story here.

Post-election poetry reading encourages community expression at GV

On Nov. 7, following Donald Trump being declared winner of the presidential election, Grand Valley State University senior Bran Hurst hosted an impromptu community poetry reading at the Language Resource Center (LRC). With the help of GVSU student Sophie Bytwerk and LRC staff, the poetry reading provided a space for students to express themselves together instead of feeling alone.

During the event, 15 students, faculty and staff shared their thoughts through art, poetry and songs. The turnout filled every chair in the LRC, and according to Hurst, served to uplift fellow students.

“All of my friends were being very pessimistic, and I wanted to redirect that energy into something with a little bit more agency,” Hurst said. “I wanted to help people feel like they can do things, and I wanted to remind myself that I can do things to help people.”

To see the rest of Sara Bagley’s coverage on how the election impacted students, read the full story here. 

 

GV students receive racist text messages, part of nationwide investigation

On Thursday, Nov. 7, Grand Valley State University sent out an email statement to the student body, which indicated that multiple students had been targeted by racist text messages. The messages, which have been reported nationwide, told recipients that they had been “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation,” and that a “van” would pick them up.

According to CBS News, the messages have been reported in at least 20 states. The texts have been received by many college students, including those at three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Along with other universities, GVSU forwarded the harassment reports to the FBI, as well as the State’s attorney general.

To understand how this nationwide racism campaign is affecting GVSU students, read Lee Marentette’s full story.

 

Recovery of uncounted MI ballots leads many voters to question election integrity

On Nov. 9, multiple Michigan counties discovered additional election ballots that had not been counted days. Together, the missing votes totaled over 26,000 across Kent, Kalamazoo, Calhoun and Leelanau counties.

While voting officials and political science educators maintain that complications are not unusual, this large tally of votes have changed the results of certain local races. Discrepancies in vote counts, coupled with a distrust in absentee voting systems, have led many voters in Michigan to feel State election results might not be accurate.

13,795 of the total 26,662 missing votes were discovered in Kent County. The cause for the error in Kent, Kalamazoo and Leelanau counties was reportedly due to human error, while Calhoun County identified a software issue as the cause.

To read the full story about missing ballots and post-election procedures, click here. 

 

GV receives grant to support Indigenous students, raise cultural awareness

This semester, Grand Valley State University received a $63,467 grant from the Native American Heritage Fund (NAHF). The grant will be used to support Indigenous students at GVSU and raise awareness about Anishinaabe culture. While the plans for the donation are being finalized, Native American organizations and programs at GVSU continue to provide resources and opportunities to the University’s community.

NAHF provided funding to GVSU so that the money could be used to educate students on Anishinaabe culture. The Anishinaabe are Indigenous people who live in the Great Lakes region and parts of Canada. “Anishinaabe” is a collective name for three distinct groups: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi, also known as the Council of Three Fires.

Lin Bardwell, assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), said the funds will be used to raise visibility and awareness about the Anishinaabe. The fund will also allow traditional knowledge keepers, Anishinaabe spiritual leaders that were taught by an Elder, to co-teach with faculty in certain course sections. By spreading cultural awareness and including knowledge keepers in facilitation, GVSU hopes the donation money will help Indigenous students who may feel isolated or be struggling academically.

To understand the impact of the donation from the Native American Heritage Fund, read the rest of the article.