Thank you for your interest in applying to work at Grand Valley State University Libraries. Below are frequently asked questions that may arise during the application process for faculty and staff positions. For additional information, please reach out to the search committee chair for the position to which you are applying.

Salary and financial compensation

What is the starting salary?

Salaries at GVSU are competitive and calculated by a combination of position requirements, professional rank or employment class, and relevant experience. Union APSS salaries are set by the union contract. For professional faculty roles, the salary range is in the job posting.

What are the retirement benefits?

GVSU contributes to a retirement account for all faculty and staff automatically. Individuals are vested after 2 years of employment within a higher education institution. Faculty and staff can contribute additional funds. Learn more about retirement contributions.

Faculty Status

Does GVSU grant faculty status to librarians?

Librarians are full members of the faculty and shared governance model at GVSU.

What are the criteria for reappointment, tenure, and promotion for librarians?

GVSU Libraries, as a unit, sets its Personnel Guidelines for Tenure and Promotion in accordance with campus guidelines.

Interview and Moving Expenses

Will GVSU cover interview expenses?

GVSU Libraries will cover reasonable expenses for those living at a distance from the Grand Rapids area. These will include economy flight, mileage, meals, and overnight stays.

If virtual interviews are conducted, the candidate who is offered the position will have the option of visiting campus before they accept the position. Expenses would be covered as described above.

Will GVSU provide for moving expenses?

GVSU provides minimum moving expenses for faculty of $2,000. These must be based on actual receipts. Under IRS regulations, as long as (1) the new place of work is at least 50 miles farther from the taxpayer's former residence than the taxpayer's former residence was from the taxpayer's old place of work, and (2) the faculty or staff member is employed full-time for at least 39 weeks during the twelve months following the move, such amounts paid for amounts paid for the move do not constitute a taxable benefit.

Does GVSU employ a moving company?

Grand Valley State University recommends the use of Powell Moving & Storage as well as Corrigan Moving Company who have special discounts to assist you in relocating your household goods. A special rate has been established for GVSU faculty and staff to make your move both cost effective and well planned. Corrigan will provide pre-move information, cost estimates and scheduling assistance at no cost or obligation.

Does GVSU provide a relocation service?

 Austin Relocation is ready and willing to help you with both short and long distance relocation. Corrigan Moving/United Van Lines and Powell Moving and Storage provides discounts for all local moves for current faculty and staff, as well as free boxes. The qualified area for local moving is determined by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC).

Your Corrigan or Powell representative can assist you in determining eligibility based on State regulated guidelines. So, if a move is in your future, be sure to take advantage of these special services. In addition, various local banks offer the same expedited mortgage approval services to current faculty and staff as they do for new faculty and staff.

Transportation

What is the cost of parking?

Parking is free at all GVSU campuses. Employees register for a free permit through the university’s portal system. The permit can be transferred between vehicles.

What other transportation benefits?

The Rapid bus is free with a valid student, faculty, or staff I.D. Card. It can be taken anywhere throughout Grand Rapids. The Laker Line provides regular routes between the three campuses.

Health and Wellness

What health benefits are available?

GVSU offers comprehensive health benefits for individuals, couples or families using a PPO plan. There are two options: low deductible with premiums or high deductible with no premium. Both plans include yearly preventative check-ups, biannual eye exam, and routine shots at no cost. More detailed information is available at the GVSU Benefits Information Center website.

What dental benefits are available?

GVSU offers an affordable dental plan through Delta Dental. The dental plan includes yearly preventative care as well as more advanced care. Details on dental benefits are available from the GVSU Benefits Center.

What vision benefits are available?

GVSU's medical coverage includes routine preventative eye exams every two years, as well as discounts on your eye care purchases. GVSU also offers an optional, supplementary vision plan through EyeMed Vision Care. Details on vision benefits are available at the GVSU Benefits Information Center.

Is there a flexible spending account option?

GVSU offers Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options in line with IRS rules. Detailed information on flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts is available at the GVSU Benefits Information Center website.

What wellness options exist?

GVSU is committed to supporting wellness and work-life balance for faculty, staff and students. We offer information sessions, support groups, group exercise classes, care management and wellness coaching, and more throughout the year to help you meet your goals. 

• Thrive wellness portal and coaching program
• Information about Group Exercise
• Exercise Release Time

Professional Development, Research Support and Tuition Benefits

How is professional development supported?

The Provost annually allocates funding for faculty development and the Dean allocates library funding for staff development. Individual professional development plans and funding requests are processed annually to support travel and expenses for professional meetings, conferences, and workshops. Professional development programming is also brought to the Libraries to support shared learning around topics that apply across the organization.

GVSU provides each faculty member with $900 per year of professional development funding. There are many workshops and conferences offered through the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center as well as other campus partners. The Libraries provide additional funding to support faculty members attendance in general to one national and one regional conference a year.

The Faculty Teaching & Learning Center makes grants available to faculty to attend conferences and courses. A faculty member can apply every other year.

The Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence has many grants available to faculty members, including Dissemination Travel Grants. Dissemination grants can be applied for twice a year, for a maximum $1,000 per year.

Professional development funding is also available to AP and PSS staff. University Libraries are not assigned a specific amount of professional development funding each fiscal year, however if the staff member identifies a professional development or training opportunity that would aid in their growth and job performance, they may request to participate. Additional training may also be funded. The campus also offers a variety of workshops for staff.

Are there research support grants?

The Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence has many grants available to faculty members to support the development and dissemination of research. These grants include mini-grants, catalysts grants, time reassignment grants, pre-tenure supplement, collaborative research and creative activity initiative, open access publishing support and a book subvention fund.

What tuition benefits are there for faculty and staff at GVSU?

Faculty and staff get up to two courses per term for free at GVSU. Their immediate family gets a 50% discount for programs at GVSU. No benefits are available for courses from other institutions.

Inclusion, Equity, and Accessibility

Is GVSU committed to Inclusion and Equity?

Grand Valley State University is committed to inclusion and equity, and strives to establish a climate that welcomes and affirms the contributions of all students and employees. The University is guided by values for inclusiveness and community which are integral to our mission to educate students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies, and to enrich the community through excellent teaching, active scholarship, and public service. The University strives to provide all members of its community an inclusive environment and equitable opportunities for success.

Is GVSU an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution?

The University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution, consistent with its obligations as a federal contractor. It encourages diversity and provides equal opportunity in education, employment, all of its programs, and the use of its facilities. It is committed to protecting the constitutional and statutory civil rights of persons connected with the University.

What GVSU employee affinity groups are currently active?

There are many employee affinity groups on campus. These groups are supported by the Division of Inclusion and Equity and the Human Resources department

Where can I find information on support services for those who need accommodations due to injury or disability?

The Student Accessibility Resources (SAR) office is available to assist all GVSU students, faculty, and staff who need permanent or temporary accommodations. Their mission is to provide support resources and accommodations that enhance the environment for persons with disabilities and to help educate the university community on disability issues.

The GVSU Human Resources office also works very closely with employees who need accommodations for a variety of reasons to ensure a comfortable and productive work environment.

How diverse is GVSU?

The Division of Inclusion and Equity maintains a dashboard of statistics and metrics on diversity.

Are the University Libraries committed to Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility?

Grand Valley State University Libraries are committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. We strive to provide an environment in which all members of the campus community feel welcome, safe, supported, respected, and valued. All library staff and faculty are active in the ongoing work of identifying and eliminating barriers to ensure that all members of the library community are able to fully participate in library spaces and services. We work to ensure that our tools, devices, services, and environments are available and usable by as many people as possible.

As part of this effort, the Libraries have an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) committee to enable and facilitate IDEA initiatives and education. Acknowledging that education in this area is ongoing, the IDEA committee is positioned to be responsive to needs as we embrace a learner mindset.

Family and Childcare

Does GVSU have daycare facilities?

GVSU has a childcare facility on the Allendale campus. The Children’s Enrichment Center (CEC) operates as a pre-school for children ages 2.5 – 5 and also offers after school care for children up to age 12.

There are also a wide variety of childcare options available in the surrounding communities. GVSU has a list of resources that will assist you in finding the right childcare solution for your family.

How can I find out about the schools in the region?

GVSU does not offer support about local schools. However, recent hires recommend Niche.com to find information about local school rankings and highlights. The site offers to “explore the best schools in your area based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education.”

Immigration

Will GVSU consider non-U.S. citizens?

For faculty positions, non U.S. citizens who have a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science or the equivalent of one and meet all other criteria will be considered. As per the H-1B visa requirements, non U.S. citizens can only be eligible for the position if they have specialized knowledge of the occupation that exceeds the knowledge of a U.S. citizen applying for the same position. If selected, GVSU will seek on behalf of the non-U.S. citizen an H-1B visa for a three-year period, which can be renewed once.

Application Materials

What would be helpful to include in my cover letter and CV/resume? 

To reduce bias in the search process, our search committees use rubrics to evaluate candidates based on the qualifications listed in position announcements. It is helpful if your cover letter clearly describes how you meet the qualifications. 

Find Out More

Learn more about GVSU Policies.