30 | FEBRUARY 20 • 2020
Jews in the D
A School’s Education
GVSU to focus on Holocaust learning
after football coach’
s Hitler comment.
G
rand Valley State
University says it will
increase its curric-
ulum around the Holocaust
and Native American history
after one of its football coaches
referenced Hitler as “a great
leader” and said he would like
to have dinner with Christopher
Columbus.
University President
Philomena V
. Mantella
announced the new efforts fol-
lowing the Jan. 23 comments
by former offensive coordinator
Morris Berger to the student
newspaper, the Grand Valley
Lanthorn. Berger, who had been
hired by the school Jan. 20,
resigned from his position 10
days later.
“We will use this moment to
work diligently toward institu-
tional systemic change that cre-
ates a healthier campus climate
for all,
” Mantella said during
the university’
s Feb. 7 Board of
Trustees meeting.
GVSU and the coach reached
a mutual agreement to part
ways. He received a payout of
$90,000, which amounts to
$80,000 for a one-year salary
and $10,000 in lost benefits.
A “personal review” of Tim
Nott, associate director of
Athletic Communications at
GVSU, was also put in place
after he called the Lanthorn’
s
sports editor, Kellen Voss, five
times after the article was pub-
lished to request the removal of
Berger’
s comments. According
to Mary Eilleen Lyon, associate
vice president of University
Communications, the review
has since ended and has been
dealt with internally by Nott’
s
supervisor.
Marlene Kowalski-Braun,
associate vice president for
Inclusion & Student Support at
GVSU, says GVSU has always
held an intersectional lens
and hopes this committee can
further educate students and
faculty.
“We’
re planning on doing
short-term programs to address
the immediate issues elevated in
the comments,
” Kowalski-Braun
said in an interview with the
Jewish News. “But we also have
a long-term view of where we
hope to be as a campus commu-
nity in a couple years. We want
to continue to deeply educate
our faculty and students who
are a part of campus and make a
more inclusive environment.
”
The curriculum expansion
plans involve a temporary com-
mittee created by Mantella and
including GVSU student lead-
ers and faculty members. The
university will also be working
alongside its Hillel and GVSU’
s
Native American Advisory
Council.
GVSU’
s Hillel chapter had
spoken out strongly against
Berger: “It is unfortunate to
see a member of our Grand
Valley community glorify the
Holocaust, a period that brought
such destruction and travesty to
the world,
” the group posted to
its Facebook page Jan. 29. “We
appreciate the university’
s swift
response, and we will continue
to partner with them to educate
our campus community.
”
CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER
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Everyone who is touched by a cancer experience
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When:
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
from 12-2pm
Where:
Adat Shalom Synagogue
29901 Middlebelt Road
Farmington Hills, MI
Kosher lunch served
This program is made possible by a grant from the
Alfred and Sandra Sherman Women’s Health Fund in conjunction
with the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit.
RSVP to Sarah Strasberger by March 18 at
248.592.2267 or sstrasberger@jfsdetroit.org
Jeffrey Forman, MD
Medical Director of Development
Karmanos Cancer Institute
Michelle Riba, MD
Director of PsychOncology
University of Michigan
Rogel Cancer Center
Melissa K. Rosen, MA
Director of Community Education
Sharsheret
NO CHARGE
Open to
the community