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2020-2021 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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The Campuses

Allendale Campus

Grand Valley State University's main campus is located in the town of Allendale, midway between downtown Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan. The natural land structure of Grand Valley's 1,300-acre campus is formed by deep, wooded ravines penetrating a high bluff that overlooks the Grand River to the east and gently rolling open fields to the west. The campus is designed to take advantage of the area's scenic wooded ravines as well as its open meadowlands.

Automobile traffic is routed along a main campus drive to parking lots at the edge of the academic areas. Winding walkways between buildings connect with a series of natural trails along the riverbank.

A 230-foot-long pedestrian bridge known as "Little Mac" spans a spectacular 70-foot-deep ravine to connect the north and south sections of the campus.

Alexander Calder Fine Arts Center is named for the artist whose stabile, La Grand Vitesse, is a Grand Rapids landmark. The Calder Fine Arts Center houses the Department of Visual and Media Arts with facilities for graphic design, painting, printmaking, art education, drawing, and ceramics. The building also provides three computer graphics labs and multifunctional Macintosh labs for art and communication disciplines.

Alumni House and Visitor Center stands at the north entrance to the Allendale Campus. It houses the office of Alumni Relations, which connects with alumni through special events, benefit programs, maintenance of alumni records, and administration of the Grand Valley Alumni Association. The center includes accommodations for overnight guests. The Perry Dining Room and other facilities are available for rent or use by members of the Grand Valley community. For more information, call (800) 558-0541 or visit gvsu.edu/alumni/.

Art Gallery Support Facility provides space for university staff members and students who maintain the extensive permanent collection. Grand Valley's entire art collection currently stands at more than 17,000 pieces spread throughout seven campuses and exhibited in the public areas of more than 120 buildings.

Au Sable Hall houses the departments of Sociology, Political Science, and Psychology, and the ELS Language Center. In keeping with the tradition of selecting names associated with Michigan's famed waterways for the academic buildings, Au Sable Hall is named for one of the state's most scenic rivers. A 2014 LEED-certified addition to Au Sable Hall provides additional classrooms and offices.

Cook Carillon Tower, a 10-story brick and stone structure, is named in honor of its major donors Peter C. and Pat Cook of Grand Rapids. The 48 bronze bells were cast by the renowned Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry, tower-clock makers of the Netherlands. The bells range from 7.5 inches to 51.7 inches in diameter and are connected by cables to a keyboard in the chamber below. The keys, or levers, are configured like a piano keyboard and are played by striking the keys with the side of the hand. The carillon chimes on every quarter hour on a computerized automatic play system.

Cook-DeWitt Center overlooks a scenic, wooded ravine in the heart of the campus. The building houses the offices of the Campus Ministry and a 235-seat auditorium with a 26-rank Reuter pipe organ. The building is named for Peter C. and Pat Cook and Marvin and Jerene DeWitt, who donated funds for its construction.

Great Lakes Group: Lake Michigan Hall, Lake Superior Hall, Lake Huron Hall, and Seidman House were the first four buildings completed in 1963-1964 and were constructed on the southern portion of Grand Valley's campus. They are characterized by tall, slender concrete arches and native Michigan fieldstone. The group's fifth member, Lake Ontario Hall, was completed in Fall 2005 and is certified as LEED Silver. It is situated between Lake Michigan Hall and the Calder Fine Arts Center.

  • In addition to classrooms, Lake Michigan Hall houses the Department of Anthropology, the Advising Center for Brooks College, and the office of the Global Institute for Big History.
  • Lake Superior Hall houses the School of Communications, including labs and classrooms.
  • Lake Huron Hall houses the departments of English and Classics.
  • Special Collections and University Archives are located in Seidman House, which includes the rare book collection and the Lemmen collection on Lincoln and the Civil War. In addition, the building contains a quiet study area seating 65, with a scenic view of the nearby ravine. The building is named for the Thomas Erler Seidman Foundation of Grand Rapids, which donated the funds for its construction.
  • Lake Ontario Hall contains faculty members' offices, student study areas, and specialized classrooms, including a creative computing lab within its 50,000-square-foot space. It houses the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies; the Barbara H. Padnos International Center; the Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors; the Department of Writing; women, gender, and sexuality studies; and the intercultural training certificate program.

Islands Group: Mackinac Hall and Manitou Hall are constructed with ribbed concrete walls, bronze glass, and porcelain panels, form a natural outdoor court with the adjacent Commons building.

  • Mackinac Hall contains classrooms, faculty members' offices, and computer labs. It also contains the office of the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as well as the departments of History, Mathematics, Modern Languages and Literatures, Statistics, Philosophy, and Computer Science and Information Systems. The Seidman College of Business is also housed here. The building has an English composition computer lab, two general-purpose computer labs, an information technology lab, and a computer lab dedicated to the learning of foreign language. In August 2008, an 83,000-square-foot addition to Mackinac opened with 20 general purpose classrooms, two case-rooms, a special purpose GIS Lab, student study areas, food service, and faculty members' offices. This 2008 addition is certified as LEED Silver and a portion of the original 1968 structure has been renovated to LEED-certification standards.
  • Manitou Hall contains lecture halls and a large computer lab for students.

James H. Zumberge Hall, named for Grand Valley's first president, received several awards for its original architectural design as a library. It has been renovated to serve as a centrally located administration building. It also houses the Robert and Mary Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center. This building is certified as LEED Silver.

Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons, built to replace Grand Valley's original library, opened in June 2013. It was awarded LEED Platinum status by the U.S. Green Building Council the highest of four possible levels of certification. The 154,000-square-foot, five-story structure also won awards for its architectural design and regularly receives visitors from the U.S. and foreign countries.

There are collaborative work areas in the library for private and group work, as well as open shelving for 150,000 books and a state-of-the-art automated storage and retrieval system for 600,000 books. This "intellectual heart of the Allendale Campus" is comprised of a concourse with an atrium extending up three floors, a multipurpose auditorium, and an exhibition space. In addition, there are two bibliographic training rooms, two reading rooms, an IT Help Desk, and a café. The Knowledge Market, also within the library, offers peer coaching and mentoring in the areas of research, writing, and presenting.

Meadows Golf Course is a championship 18-hole public golf course on the western edge of the campus. Located on the course are a clubhouse and a Learning Center. The clubhouse includes a restaurant and pro shop. The Learning Center is staffed by PGA and LPGA golf professionals and includes a short game area and two practice holes. The entire operation is user-financed and open to the public. No university funds, student tuition, or taxpayer dollars are used for the operation or maintenance of the course.

P. Douglas Kindschi Hall of Science is the newest science building, which opened in 2015, and is named in honor of P. Douglas Kindschi. He served the university for more than 40 years in many different capacities, including dean of science and mathematics and is the director of Grand Valley's Sylvia and Richard Kaufman Interfaith Institute. The hall is 151,720 square feet and is certified as LEED Gold. Within its four stories are nine classrooms, 15 teaching laboratories, 16 faculty/student research laboratories, a computational research lab, study spaces, offices, and conference rooms. The building also houses the departments of Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Movement Science, and Grand Valley's Information Technology offices.

Recreation/Athletic Centers

  • Fieldhouse/Recreation Center, located in the north central portion of campus, includes playing fields, baseball and softball diamonds, tennis courts, and the Arend D. Lubbers Stadium for football and track. The 210,000-square-foot fieldhouse includes a multipurpose arena for a variety of events, including basketball, volleyball, track, and cultural events. In addition, it includes two tennis courts and four badminton courts. The arena seats up to 5,900 for concerts and 4,200 for center court athletic events. The complex includes a 26.5-foot-high rock-climbing center within the gymnastics room. This state-of-the-art facility has more than 2,100 square feet of climbing surface and includes a 25-yard x 25-meter swimming pool with 10 lanes, seating for 300 spectators, and one- and three-meter diving boards. Additionally, there are lockers and showers; racquetball, squash, and volleyball courts; a weight training room with free weight equipment; a multipurpose room; and a studio for dance and aerobics.
  • Kelly Family Sports Center, named after former Grand Valley football coach Brian Kelly and his family, opened for fall semester 2008. The building provides much-needed space for the movement science program and allows for the expansion of field use for competitive, intramural, and club sports activities with a 300- meter indoor track, long jump, triple jump, and pole vault lanes along with a 100-yard sport turf field. A concession area and public bleacher seating for 800 enhances spectator participation. The building is certified as LEED Gold.
  • Recreation Center, a 62,000-square-foot addition, can serve approximately 7,000 people per day. The wing features a two-level fitness center, elevated track, and wood playing courts. The court area includes five basketball courts, overlays for five volleyball courts, and eight badminton courts. The fitness center has more than 35 weight machines, a Gravitron 2000, free weights, and a Life Force handicapped-accessible exercise system. The second-floor balcony houses approximately 60 pieces of cardiovascular equipment, (including StairMaster, LifeFitness, Trotter, Nordic Track, and Precor). The elevated four-lane 1/9-mile fitness/walking track separates runners from the active sports on the main floor. The facility was enlarged in 2002 and now provides a free weight room, a spinning room, and additional individual workout areas. In Fall 2016, a second 50,000-square-foot addition was completed, providing additional basketball courts, a relocated weight training facility, and a new spinning room. The addition is certified as LEED Gold.

Russel H. Kirkhof Center is a multipurpose building containing student service facilities. The Lobby Shop, postal services, commuter lockers, the box office operations for campus events, and an automated teller machine (ATM) are located in Kirkhof Center. Food service is available from River Landing dining and the CRAVE food court.

Student Living Centers and Dining
Housing and Residence Life provides a variety of living options for students. There are approximately 6,400 beds on campus in traditional-style, suite-style, apartment-style, and on-campus apartments. Although Grand Valley does not require on-campus residency for any classification of student, research does consider residential living to be particularly beneficial in helping all students become oriented and adjusted to college life. Diverse selections of dining options are located close to residential communities and throughout campus. The Regional Math and Science Center is located in North C Living Center.

  • Kleiner Commons dining facility includes Java City coffee house, The Market (pizza, grill, made-to-order salads, sandwiches and wraps, sushi, soups, and more), Qdoba, and convenience store. The Tutoring Center resides on the upper level. A total building renovation and addition has resulted in LEED Silver certification.
  • The Commons houses dining facilities and offices. The upper-level main dining area, operated by the Fresh Food Company, serves students and the public. On the lower level, Fuel, featuring Bleecker Street, Freshens Smoothies and Crepes, Jump Asian Cuisine, and Papa John's Pizza adjoins an outdoor patio overlooking a wooded ravine and the Little Mac pedestrian bridge.
  • The Connection is a two-story, 24,000-square-foot learning/dining facility that opened in August 2010. It is certified as LEED Silver. The first floor houses a food-service operation with ample seating, multivenue food offerings, and a convenience store. The upper floor houses one classroom and two computer labs. Disability Support Resources also resides on the upper floor.

For more general information on housing and on-campus dining options, see Housing and Residence Life and Campus Dining in this catalog under Student Life and Services. For specific housing options, room layouts, policies, etc., visit gvsu.edu/housing/.

The Marketplace opened in April 2015 as the location for the GVSU Laker Store, campus copy center, computer store, and two food venues. This building is certified as LEED Gold.

Thescience complex consists of the Student Services Building, Henry Hall, and the Seymour and Esther Padnos Hall of Science, totaling nearly 300,000 square feet.

  • The Student Services Building combines a variety of student services under one roof. The building contains the offices of admissions, financial aid, housing, and student employment, along with the Career Center, University Counseling Center, and the Dean of Students. Also housed in the three-story building is the Student Assistance Center, which combines the services of academic records, registration, cashier, graduation audit, and the registrar. The Spring 2018 addition of 5,580 square feet provides a reception area for the student recruitment program. This addition is known as the Laker Experience Suite.
  • Henry Hall, named after former U.S. Representative Paul Henry of Grand Rapids, contains three lecture halls, the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and seven microcomputer labs. Much of the artwork in the building is the work of Grand Valley alumni and faculty and staff members.
  • Seymour and Esther Padnos Hall of Science, with its modern equipment, sophisticated instruments, and extensive map and geological collections, is a well-equipped laboratory facility for study, research, and experimentation in the sciences. The departments of Chemistry, Geology, Physics, and Biomedical Sciences are located in this building. Financed originally in part by funds from the Loutit Foundation of Grand Haven, the facility was enlarged and remodeled as part of the Life Sciences Complex. It was named in honor of Seymour and Esther Padnos for their many years of commitment to the university, particularly to its science programs

Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts houses the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance, along with the Art Gallery; faculty members' offices; and classrooms, practice rooms, and teaching studios for the performing arts and dance. Additionally, the center houses the 490-seat Louis Armstrong Theatre for presentations of plays, operas, concerts, and other programs. Also located in this building is the Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall, which seats 65 and is designed for individual and small group presentations. The newest additions to the building in Fall 2017 include the Linn Maxwell Keller theatre, aka the "black box" theatre, and six music/theatre teaching studios.

Grand Rapids Campuses

The Grand Rapids Campuses total 64-acres, including four separate sites in downtown Grand Rapids.

Health Campus

Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences is located at the top of Grand Rapids' Medical Mile and was Grand Valley's initial building on the Health Campus. This innovative facility includes an interprofessional simulation center with several high fidelity and virtual simulators, the Mr. and Mrs. Peter P. Renucci Program Laboratory for clinical laboratory sciences, The Frey Foundation Learning Center, a motion analysis biomechanics laboratory, two computer labs, multiple fully equipped science laboratories, and Hager Auditorium. The center offers students and researchers from many different disciplines the opportunity to learn, work, and collaborate with each other in an interprofessional environment designed to promote excellence in clinical practice and patient safety initiatives. Grand Valley is among a handful of institutions recognized nationally for leading and integrating an interdisciplinary approach. The center houses the Office of the Vice Provost for Health, the Kirkhof College of Nursing, several programs within the College of Health Professions (physician assistant studies, Doctor of Physical Therapy, medical dosimetry, radiation therapy, and medical laboratory science), in addition to the graduate program in cell and molecular biology, the Grand Valley Scribe Academy, and the Biomedical Technology Early College program.

Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall is the newest addition to Grand Valley's Health Campus. This 84,000-square-foot building includes a large computer lab and 17 teaching and research labs. The impressive technologies in this building include an evoked potentials research lab, a gymnasium with a high ropes course, a sound suite, a balance assessment simulator, a fully equipped eight bay sonography suite, and an integrated building wide video system designed to augment and support student learning and success. This building houses several programs within the College of Health Professions (allied health sciences, clinical dietetics, communication sciences and disorders, general diagnostic medical and cardiovascular sonography, health information management, occupational therapy, public health, and therapeutic recreation). In addition, the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute, an important Grand Valley community partner, is located within the building. The building houses a significant art collection, including the work of several local artists and students from Grand Rapids Public Schools' Coit Elementary School.

Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus

L.V. Eberhard Center is the primary site of university teleconference and conference facilities. Conference and Event Planning Services, the University Development office, the executive director of the Center for Adult and Continuing Studies, and Pew Campus Security are located in the Eberhard Center. Classes are offered in graduate and upper-level undergraduate programs in the building.

The Meijer Public Broadcasting Center is also located in Eberhard Center. It houses Grand Valley's public television stations, WGVU-TV 35/WGVUDT 11 and WGVK-TV 52/WGVK-DT 5, and radio stations WGVU-AM 1480, WGVU-FM 88.5, WGVS-AM 850, and WGVS-FM 95.3. These operations provide both local and national programs of interest to West Michigan audiences and many outreach events for the community.

Fred M. Keller Engineering Laboratories building, located adjacent to Eberhard Center, is a three-story, 34,800-square-foot facility built with its structural, mechanical and electrical systems exposed to provide students with a living laboratory. Two double-height design bays facilitate student project work and a rooftop deck allows students to conduct experiments outside. The building houses laboratories for instruction and research in electronics, instrumentation and controls, manufacturing processes and control, materials, vibrations, and fluid and thermal systems. The building includes extensive shop space for students to implement their designs.

John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering interconnects the Keller Engineering Laboratories and the Eberhard Center. This 53,000-square-foot facility opened in Fall 2007 and is home to the Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering and Computing and the School of Engineering. This facility contains state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms, and faculty members' offices to support teaching and research in many areas of electrical and computer engineering, advanced product and machine design, clean-room based activities such as silicon wafer production, and rapid prototyping of circuit board assemblies. Kennedy Hall provides facilities for extensive community interaction and support, ranging from K-12 outreach programs to professional development for practicing professionals. This is a LEED-certified building.

Innovation Design Center is located on Winter Avenue on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. This 64,000-square-foot facility opened in 2019 to support the Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering and Computing and the School of Engineering. This facility provides support for digital design, product design, power mobility, and rapid prototyping. To support the School of Engineering's project-based learning approach, the building provides flexible project space for students and industry partners. The facility also serves as a catalyst for innovative partnerships between the university, companies, and community, including the DTE Electromagnetic Compatibility Center. The facility also provides dedicated space to support area schools for K-12 STEM outreach activities.

L. William Seidman Center, named after the man credited with being "the father of Grand Valley State University," is home to the university's Seidman College of Business. This center for academics and community outreach opened in May 2013 and houses the Small Business Technology and Development Center and the Van Andel Global Trade Center. These two entities are key to the Seidman College's mission of providing business consulting, community outreach, and job creation. L. William Seidman was the founding chair of Grand Valley's Board of Trustees and former FDIC chair. The 127,000-square-foot building is certified as LEED Gold. It features a state-of-the-art financial markets trading room, a multipurpose room that accommodates 200 people for lectures and other events, and 15 break-out team rooms that are designed to enhance student interaction and development.

Leased space in the LEED-certified Bicycle Factory building, located near L. William Seidman Center, houses the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, the Charter Schools Office, and Facilities Services Grand Rapids and Regional Centers.

Residential Buildings: There are two located on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

  • Secchia Hall Apartments, located across from DeVos Center, include 81 one- to four-bedroom apartments. Each apartment includes Internet access, cable television, telephone, air conditioning, on-site parking, and laundry.
  • Winter Hall, a four-story residence hall located near L. William Seidman Center, opened in Fall 2003 and accommodates 226 students, with a combination of single and double rooms. A bathroom and kitchenette are also provided in each unit. The hall has meeting rooms, a great room on each floor, and a fitness room. The hall is computer network-equipped and air-conditioned.

Richard M. DeVos Center has 22 classrooms, one distance education classroom, four Windows computer labs, one Macintosh lab, and a student project area.

DeVos Center houses

  • the Steelcase Library;
  • the College of Education;
  • the College of Community and Public Service (including the School of Social Work, the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration, the School of Criminal Justice, and the Hospitality and Tourism Management Department);
  • the dean of The Graduate School;
  • the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies;
  • the Autism Education Center; and
  • the Student Assistance Center

Additionally, within the DeVos Center is the 234-seat Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium, two 112-seat lecture halls, an exhibition hall, and numerous conference rooms. The center provides food service, a bookstore, an ATM, and a full range of services available through Pew Student Services.

Steelcase Library, located on the first floor of the DeVos Center, has a computer-operated robotic retrieval system that holds the library's circulating collection and can accommodate 250,000 volumes. The library also includes a circulation desk, traditional reference desk, microfilm/fiche reader/printers, photocopy room, and library instruction center with computers for database access, as well as computers, staff offices, and study/workspaces. Librarians staff the reference desk.

A large reading room with a stained-glass window provides a quiet study area with comfortable seating. The tables and carrels are wired for laptop computer use. The reading room holds the expanded reference collection and current issues of 700 journal titles. Print resources available at the Steelcase Library support the disciplines of business, criminal justice, social work, public and nonprofit administration, and law. The Steelcase Library is accessible from the Fulton Street entrance to the DeVos Center or by following corridor A from inside the center. The library is attached to the Beckering Family Carillon Tower.

Regional Centers

Lake Michigan Center in Muskegon is located at 740 West Shoreline Drive, on the south shore of Muskegon Lake. This site consists of three buildings and boat piers and is home to the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute. The Annis Water Resources Institute is a leading Great Lakes water research organization. The facility provides faculty and staff members' offices, research labs, and berthing space for the W.G. Jackson research vessel.

The initial building of the Lake Michigan Center opened in 2001 and consists of lab and office space totaling 24,200 square feet. The initial construction was followed by a 3,200-square-foot equipment storage facility for watercraft.

The third building, constructed in 2013, is a two-story, 14,700-square-foot field research building. It is certified as LEED Gold and includes three research labs (field biology, mesocosm, and environmental simulation), as well as offices, graduate student areas, and a vessel operations briefing room, workshop, and conference room.

Muskegon Innovation Hub, located at 200 Viridian Drive on the south shore of Muskegon Lake, is a business innovation center that provides coaching, funding, and networking, and a synergistic work environment to help businesses and entrepreneurs maximize their growth potential. It is the home of the university's reusable and distributed generation energy center. Certified as LEED Gold, the facility was built in partnership with the City of Muskegon. It is equipped with a PV solar roof, a 30 kW microturbine, and a 1.8 kW wind turbine.

Meijer Campus in Holland, located at 515 Waverly Road, has 16 classrooms and labs, including a science lab, two computer labs, and an interactive television room. Since 2008, Grand Valley has partnered with Grand Rapids Community College and Muskegon Community College to expand program offerings in Holland.

Through the Muskegon Regional Center and the Regional Center in Traverse City, Grand Valley offers graduate and undergraduate programs and provides on-site student services. Admission and registration information, academic advising, bookstore services, tuition payment, library resources, and computer technology are all available in each of the Grand Valley centers. The Traverse City office is located at 2200 Dendrinos Drive; telephone (231) 995-1785. The Muskegon Regional Center (at the Stevenson Center for Higher Education on the campus of Muskegon Community College) is at 221 S. Quarterline Road; telephone (616) 895-7750.

The Detroit Center located at 163 Madison Street in downtown Detroit provides a central location for Grand Valley State University activities in the Detroit area. The building, located close to Comerica Park, contains classrooms, offices, and support spaces used primarily by the Charter Schools Office and the College of Education.

Visiting the Campuses

Prospective students are always welcome to visit the campus and talk with staff in admissions or financial aid. The Admissions Office is happy to make arrangements for prospective students to tour the campus and meet with an admissions counselor.

From September through April, the Admissions Office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments are available on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during Grand Valley's academic year. Summer hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Prospective students should make an appointment with the Admissions Office, especially for Saturday visits, by contacting:

Grand Valley Admissions Office
300 Student Services building
Allendale, Michigan 49401-9403

Telephone: (616) 331-2025
Toll free: (800) 748-0246 (for admissions, financial aid, housing, and records)
Email: [email protected]

Virtual Tour of Campus

For an interactive virtual tour of our campuses, visit gvsu.edu/360tour-index.htm.


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