Committees
Professional Track (PTK) faculty representatives hold a total of 55 seats across various departmental committees. For a full view of committee service, please review the list of all department committees for AY 2024-2025.
Committee elections are held in the spring of each year, and final appointments to elected and appointed positions are determined by the PTK Committee on Committees. All faculty are eligible for election to committee roles. Committee assignments are shared in May for the following academic year.
Below are the current PTK representatives serving on departmental committees for AY 2024-2025.
AEP Committee
The AEP Committee is co-chaired by the Associate Chair and Vice Associate Chair and also includes as elected voting members two Senior Lecturers and two Principal Lecturers, and as ex-officio voting members the Director of Academic Writing and the Director of Professional Writing. The Committee meets in late fall to review applications for promotion to Adjunct II, Senior Lecturer, and Principal Lecturer.
- Caroline Wilkins, Co-Chair, Vice Associate Chair (standing)
- Pamela Gerhardt, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Lyra Hilliard, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Sarah Dammeyer, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Ruth Anne Phillips, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Catherine Bayly, Acting AWP Director, ex-officio
CAARES Committee
This committee serves as a conduit for communication between various departmental constituencies and administrators, develops strategies for creating a culturally responsive community, and fosters connections between members of our department and faculty, staff, and students beyond the department who are also working to create an equitable, just, and inclusive campus. The committee meets at least once a semester.
- Chip Crane, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Melvette Davis, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Anna Szczepanic-Bialas, Lecturer (2024-2026)
Coordinating Committee
The Coordinating Committee is the executive committee of the department. The Committee advises the Chair on matters of concern related to the department, including academic matters, personnel actions, and resource allocation. The Committee generally meets two times per semester on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:00 a.m.
- Rebecca Holden, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Paul Cote, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Caroline Wilkins, Vice Associate Chair, ex-officio
CLCS Steering Committee
The committee approves policies and annual programming for the Center and advises the Directors on any other matters relevant to the Center’s programming and budget.
- Peter Grybauskas, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Eric Thiel, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Michelle Moncrieffe, Lecturer (2024-2026)
Creative Writing Committee
The committee sets standards for admission, financial aid, the curriculum, advising, and learning outcomes for the MFA Program in Creative Writing. All PTK faculty teaching creative writing during a given year are voting members of the committee.
- Jesse Brooks, Lecturer (2024-2025)
- Nicole Cuffy, Lecturer (2024-2025)
- Sabrina Islam, Lecturer (2024-2025)
- Lara Payne, Senior Lecturer (2024-2025)
Department Assembly
The Department Assembly is the voice of the department on matters of general policy. Proposals of substantive importance in regard to programs and policies of the department suggested by the Chair, or other standing committees, are submitted to the Assembly for review. The decisions of the Assembly generally become department policy. The Assembly generally meets two times per semester on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:00 a.m.
- All Principal Lecturers
- Kathleen Orr, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Daniel Saalfeld, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Nahid Ahmadian, Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Kara Pleasants, Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Lyra Hilliard, Online Learning Coordinator, ex-officio
- Scott Moses, Online Learning Coordinator, ex-officio
- Dennis Winston, Mentoring Coordinator, ex-officio
PTK Executive Committee
The PEC serves as a conduit between Professional-track (PTK) faculty and departmental and college administrators. The PEC advises the chair and other administrators on matters of concern to PTK faculty, and considers matters brought forward by the department chair or other departmental committees. The PEC also serves as the PTK Committee on Committees and the PTK Salary Committee. The PEC meets at least once each semester.
- Kisa Lape, Co-chair (2024-2026)
- Caroline Wilkins, Co-Chair, ex-officio
- Mark Forrester, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Justin Lohr, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Scott Moses, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Daune O'Brien, Senior Lecturer, (2024-2026)
- Michelle Von Euw, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Adam Lloyd, Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Richard Reynnells, Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Lyra Hilliard, Online Learning Coordinator, ex-officio
- Dennis Winston, Mentoring Coordinator, ex-officio
Undergraduate Studies Committee
The Undergraduate Studies Committee reviews matters related to undergraduate education, including curricular and course changes and learning outcomes assessment. The UGST Committee generally meets four to five times a year.
- Pam Orel, Principal Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Katherine Joshi, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Radford Skurdrna, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
Writing Committee
The Writing Committee reviews all aspects of the writing programs and their coordination, including the curricula, the use of instructional methods, and staffing. It participates in assessment within the Writing Programs. It consults on issues brought up by the Directors. It advises on new course offerings, programs of study, and research. It promotes outreach on issues related to writing to the campus as a whole. The committee meets at least once a semester.
- Nia Crawford, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- John Kim, Senior Lecturer (2024-2026)
- Sarah Goodson, Lecturer (2024-2026)