2022-2023 Committee List

Executive Committee
Election Committee

Standing Committees (see Appendix A):

Academic Affairs Committee
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Faculty Affairs Committee
Library Committee
Scholarly Activities Committee
Student Affairs Committee

Special Committees:

Promotion and Tenure Committee
Promotion Committee for Teaching-Line Faculty

Ad-Hoc Committees:

(none at this time)

Executive Committee

Authority: Article IV, Section 4, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate Constitution

Membership: The Executive Committee consists of the chairperson, immediate past chairperson, vice-chairperson (chair elect), two members at large elected by the Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate from its membership, and the senior representative to the University College Council and the senior University Faculty Senator from Penn State Wilkes-Barre. The Chancellor is an ex officio member.

Duties:

  1. (Article IV, Section 4, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate Constitution): This committee acts as an advisory and consultative group to the Chancellor. It also advises the chairperson and vice-chairperson on the composition of standing committees of the Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate.
  2. (Article II, Section 6, Bylaws of the Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate): The Executive Committee schedules regular meetings with the administration to discuss faculty business. It conducts routine and executive functions such as preparing agendas, referring correspondence, scheduling meetings, and selecting faculty representative for search and screen committees for campus administrative positions.

Members:

Chair: Dimitrios Bolkas
Past Chair: Jeffrey Chiampi
Chair Elect (Vice Chair):  Luciana Caporaletti
Member-at-Large:  Jeremy Olson, Violet Mager
Parliamentarian: Stephanie Gresh
Secretary: Anson Carter
Senior University College Council Rep: Timothy Sichler
Senior University Senator: Wei-Fan Chen
Chancellor (ex officio): Lynda Goldstein

Election Committee

Authority: Article I, Elections, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: Members appointed (within the first 12 days of spring semester) by the Senate chairperson in consultation with the Executive Committee. At least three senate members including the chairperson.

Term of Service: One year (to end of next fall semester; calendar year)

Duties: This committee conducts elections as follows:

  • Spring semester election (completed at least one week prior to last class day)
    • The chairperson-elect
    • Two at-large members of the Executive Committee
    • One ombudsperson and an alternate
    • Core member of the Promotion and Tenure Committee (2-year term; one elected every year)
  • Fall semester election (by the end of the semester)
    • Senator to the University Faculty Senate (4-year term; one elected every other year)
    • Representatives to the University College Faculty Council (2-year term; one elected every year)

Members:

Stephanie Gresh
Jeremy Olson

Academic Affairs Committee

Authority: Article IV, Section 1, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: One of the ex-officio members described in Article III Section 4 of the Constitution; at least three faculty members; and one student from the list of students members described in Article III Section 3 of the Constitution.

Duties: This committee advises the Office of Academic Affairs on scheduling, proposed new courses and evaluation of present courses, academic standards, academic advising, admission, and other matters related to academic affairs, including policy.

Members:

Melisa Littleton (chair)
Lori Dunn
Lynda Goldstein (ex officio)
Brian Reese
Natalya Vodopyanova

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Authority: Article V, Section 3, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership:

Duties: Investigate and develop strategies regarding diversity, inclusion and equity on our campus.

Members:

Terry Clemente (co-chair)
Wei-Fan Chen (co-chair)
Henrique Candido de Oliveira
Adriana Dinescu

Faculty Affairs Committee

Authority: Article IV, Section 5, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: At least three faculty members, one of which must be the chairperson of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate. The chairperson of the committee must be a tenured faculty member.

Duties: This committee recommends the composition of search and screen committees for new faculty members, staff and administrators. This committee will discuss, review and recommend on matters concerning the rights and responsibilities of faculty members. It is empowered to study any situation or grievance brought to it by any member of the campus faculty or administration and make appropriate recommendations..

Members:

Willie Ofosu (chair)
Christyne Berzsenyi
Dan Blessner
Dimitrios Bolkas (Faculty Senate chair)
Jeffrey Chiampi
Violet Mager
Jeremy Olson

Library Committee

Authority: Article IV, Section 3, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: The Head Librarian, at least three faculty members, and one student from the list of student members described in Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution.

Duties: This committee is consultative and advisory to the campus librarian and the campus administration. It serves as a liaison between the campus library and the faculty at large through the Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate. Additionally, this committee is charged with developing, promoting and executing the annual Celebration of Scholarship event in collaboration with the Scholarly Academic Committee.

Members:

Timothy Sichler (chair)
Anson Carter
Jennie Knies
Deyu Pan
Rebecca Sarver

Scholarly Activities Committee

Authority: Article IV, Section 4, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: One of the ex-officio members described in Article III Section 4 of the Constitution and at least three faculty members.

Duties: This committee advises the Office of Academic Affairs on means to encourage scholarly activities and disseminate information about research and other scholarly activities to and among the faculty. The committee also distributes research funds specifically earmarked for this committee. Additionally, this committee is charged developing, promoting and executing the annual Celebration of Scholarship event in collaboration with the Library Committee.

Members:

Luciana Caporaletti (chair)
Ann Brennan
Anatoli Ivanov
Salvatore Marsico
Irina Navrotskaya

Student Affairs Committee

Authority: Article IV, Section 2, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes‑Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: One of the ex-officio members described in Article III Section 4 of the Constitution, at least three faculty members; and two student from the list of students members described in Article III Section 3 of the Constitution.

Duties: This committee advises the Office of Student Affairs on extracurricular activities and student senates, scholarships and awards, and other matters related to student affairs.

Members:

Justin Goldston (chair)
Erin Brennan
Stephanie Gresh
Jonathan Pineno
Janine Becker (ex-officio)
Nikolia Feduchak (student member)
Charlie Li (student member)

Promotion and Tenure Committee

Authority: Article V, Section 1, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: Faculty of high rank and tenure, as directed by AC-23, composed of:

i) Second-, fourth-, and sixth-year reviews and promotion to associate professor: Two members, hereinafter referred to as the core, elected by the tenure-line faculty from the campus, plus three ad hoc members. Of these five, a minimum of three members will be within the candidate’s disciplinary area.

ii) Promotion: Professor review committee: Three professors, two of whom will be within the disciplinary area of the candidate.

For both i) and ii): In the event that the committee cannot be constituted entirely from the campus faculty, the ad hoc members will be chosen by the appropriate administration from the lists of elected members from each discipline within the University College.

Terms of Service:

  1. Core members: Two years; terms start on consecutive years.
  2. Ad-hoc members: One year.

Duties: This committee reviews dossiers of candidates and provides the campus administration with recommendations.

Core Members:

Christyne Berzsenyi  (term expires May 2024)
Dimitrios Bolkas (term expires May 2023)

Promotion Committee for Teaching-Line Faculty

Authority: Article V, Section 2, Bylaws of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate

Membership: i) For promotions to second level: Two members, hereinafter referred to as the core, elected by the eligible faculty from the campus plus three ad hoc members selected by the administration. Of these five, at least three members will be within the candidate’s disciplinary area.

ii) For promotions to the third level: Three members elected by the eligible faculty from the campus. Of these three members at least two will be within the candidate’s disciplinary area.

For i) and ii), in the event that the committee cannot be constituted entirely from the campus faculty, the ad hoc members will be chosen by the appropriate administration from the lists resulting from the elections carried out by the different disciplines in the University College.

Core Members:

Melisa Littleton (term expires May 2023)
Jeffrey Chiampi (term expires May 2023)

APPENDIX A: Standing Committee Structure and Formation

Formation: (Article III, Section I). The Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate may, by a two-thirds vote, create or terminate standing committees.

Membership: (Article III, Section 2). The membership of standing committees is determined by the chairperson and and chair-elect, with advice from the Executive Committee, from the names submitted to them by those faculty who wish to serve on a standing committee and who have stated their committee preferences.

Term of membership: (Article III, Section 3). The term of office for faculty members on standing and ad hoc committees is one academic year. A faculty member may succeed himself/herself on a committee.

Committee chairperson: (Article III, Section 4). Elected by the committee. The chairpersons of committees are elected by their respective committees. Ex-officio and student members may not be chairpersons but have voting privileges. The committee determines its own procedure for the conduct of its meetings.

Committee reports: (Article III, Section 5). Every committee reports its activities and deliberations to the Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate at each meeting. Recommendations from standing committees to the administration require approval by the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Faculty Senate prior to being transmitted to the administration.