Joy Speas has been with Michigan State University for almost 30 years.
Speas is a university curriculum administrator and has been with University Curriculum and Catalog for most of her tenure at MSU.
The position of university curriculum administrator was restructured in 1999. Prior to the restructuring, University Curriculum and Catalog reported to the Office of the Provost. But because of its curricular ties with students, scheduling and records reporting, University Curriculum and Catalog became a unit in the Office of the Registrar.
In her position, Speas manages and oversees the curricular and catalog functions for the university. She facilitates movement of the curriculum through the governance system and maintains the published version of course descriptions. She also sits on the University Committee on Curriculum where she aids the committee in making decisions on the future of curriculum at MSU, which includes the deletion and addition of courses.
"We sometimes have a joke that curriculum is either feast or famine," Speas said. "Spring semester is usually feast as more faculty members are on campus and offering courses. The load is lighter during fall semester and usually much lighter during the summer break.
"I just really enjoy talking and working with people, and helping them figure out what they are grappling with curricular-related," Speas said, "It's exciting to offer my experience from over the years with them."
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