Title: Associate Dean for Budget and Staff Affairs
Office: B-4-232 MAK
Phone: (616) 331-2263
Fax: (616) 331-3675
Email:  [email protected] 

College Budget Oversight

• Manage the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) budget.
  • Assess and monitor budgets for all CLAS departments.
  • Approve and oversee financial systems access for the college.
  • Approve invoices, transfers, expense requests and other financial transactions for the Dean’s Office
  • Approve departmental requisitions, invoices, and expenses
  • Manage and oversee the annual budget allocation process, including planning, communication, and implementation.
  • Provide training to CLAS leadership and staff related to managing departmental resources and GVSU’s accounting practices and guidelines.
  • Serve as the liaison with Business & Finance and University Budgets to resolve budget and accounting issues.
• Funding Strategy Development
  • Develop the strategic funding plans for dean’s initiatives and projects.
  • Assess staffing needs for the college and implement the annual faculty line request process.
• CLAS Budget Planning Committee
  • Oversee goals and objectives of the CLAS Budget Planning Committee
  • Facilitate the projects that the committee engages in, providing resources and support as required.
  • Facilitate college-wide budget initiatives and programming
• Other Duties
  • Monitor and evaluate endowment and spending accounts.
  • Brief the Dean on CLAS budget and financial issues.
  • Provide specialized financial analysis & reports as needed.

Staff Affairs

• Oversee the personnel processes for AP and PSS staff.
• Work with unit heads on management and supervision issues as well as any concerns related to AP and PSS staff members. 
• Liaison with HR related to University and CLAS policies and procedures that impact AP and PSS staff
• Oversee complaints and grievances by AP and PSS staff.
• Plan, facilitate and/or implement training for staff that supports the work of the unit and the college.
• Oversight for staff advisory groups

Grants & Other Projects

• Review and provide approval of grant and contract proposals in the GVSU proposal system for proposals submitted by CLAS faculty.
• Work collaboratively with CLAS faculty, departments, and the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) in regard to grant proposal submissions.
• Provide guidance and oversight for all external CLAS contracts.
• In collaboration with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Business and Finance, ensure compliance with external grantors and funding partner agreements.
• Administer the college policy for F&A recovered from CLAS faculty projects.
• Manage the Washington Center internship program
• Oversee and manage music royalties for the university.
• Financial oversight for specialized projects in CLAS
• Actively engage with the University’s Inclusion & Equity initiatives

Michelle earned her MBA and her BBA in Accounting from Davenport University. Michelle joined the GVSU family in 2006 and came to the Dean's Office after serving as the Finance Manager for the Michigan Small Business Development Center State Headquarters here at GVSU for two and a half years and almost 7 years in GVSU's Business and Finance office. Michelle also worked in finance and audit for 8 years in state government at the Michigan Department of Community Health, as well as in private industry. She is an accomplished financial professional with over 25 years of accounting and finance experience. Michelle serves the GVSU, Grand Rapids and professional communities in many ways. She currently serves on the University’s AP Committee as an executive committee member. In the community, Michelle is an elected official serving as a Kent County Commissioner representing District 13. She has also served on Kent County Officers Compensation Commission, the City of Kentwood Zoning Board of Appeals, as well as other community boards. Michelle is an avid organizer and enjoys gardening and traveling.