Blue and orange Utica University banners hang outside Gordon Science Center.

Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate meets on the first Wednesday of each month during the semester beginning at 2:30 p.m.

2025-2026 Meeting Dates

September 3
October 1
November 5
December 3
February 4
March 4
April 1
May 6

Faculty Senate Bylaws

Faculty Senate 2025-2026 Officers

Stephanie R. Nesbitt - Permanent President
Rachel Wolfe - Presiding Officer
Kirstin Walker - Secretary

Faculty Senate Committees

Terms expires May 31 of the year in parenthesis.

1-Year Term for Officers, 2-Year Term for Senators

Stephanie R. Nesbitt, President of Faculty Senate (ex officio)
Rachel Wolfe, Presiding Officer (2026)
Kirstin Walker, Secretary (2026)
TBD, Parliamentarian of Faculty Senate (2026)
Sara Scanga (2027)
Kyrra Marchese (2026)
Joseph Hunter (2027)
Yvonne Monti (2026)

2-Year Term

Gary Leising (2027)
John Overing (2027)
Hava Turkakin (2026)
Stephanie Monahan (2026)
Dean Patrice Hallock, Provost's Representative (ex officio)
Nicole Cornacchia-Morgan, Registrar (ex officio)
Bethany Samuels, Dean of Student Success (ex officio)

From the Faculty Senate By-Laws

The Academic Standards Committee shall review and recommend on matters related to academic standards, including but not limited to, academic credit, grading, and academic standing of students. The Faculty Senate may establish a separate committee to review and recommend on matters related to graduate academic standards, including but not limited to, academic credit, grading, and academic standing of students.

Specific Function and Authority: shall initiate, review, and report and recommend to the Faculty Senate admissions standards and procedures, standards governing the transfer of credit from other institutions, standards for honors and probation, regulations affecting any aspect of academic standing such as, but not limited to, attendance, withdrawal, eligibility and advanced credit; review the records of, and take appropriate action on, students having academic deficiencies; review and take action on instances of academic or intellectual dishonesty; and receive, study and/or initiate action in regard to any academic or pedagogical matters that are of concern to the College.

Membership: shall consist of five (5) faculty or professional librarians elected by members of the Faculty Senate; two (2) students selected by the Student Senate; and one (1) graduate student appointed by the Graduate Studies Committee. The Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, (or a representative of the Provost), the Registrar, and the Executive Director for Student Success shall be non-voting members.

Officers: shall elect a chair and a secretary.

Academic Dishonesty

For faculty resources on defining or dealing with academic dishonesty see the academic dishonesty page.

2-Year Term

Xiaomin Bian (2027)
Melissa Lawson (2026)
Elaine Liu (2027)
Andrea Palerino (2027)
Deborah Pollack (2027)
Shandeepa Wickramasinghe (2026)

James Teliha, Provost's Representative (ex officio)

The Academic Technology Committee (ATC) considers a wide array of issues and concerns related to the academic technological needs of the faculty and students. The ATC strives to provide balanced input to decisions pertaining to the University’s academic uses of technology.

The ATC shall help guide the development and evaluation of the college’s academic uses of technology, including recommending and evaluating academic-related technologies, academic computing support, and other technologies that impact faculty, including but not limited to instructional technology for classrooms, laboratories, the library, and faculty offices, distance education and online learning technologies, web presence for academic programs, connectivity, access, and security issues impacting faculty use of technology, and administrative technology impacting teaching and advising. Responsibilities include evaluating the overall effectiveness of such technology and providing input to the chief technology officer or his or her designee.

Membership shall consist of six (6) faculty, with at least one from each school, and one professional Librarian, all elected by members of the Faculty Senate. The committee will elect a Chair and Secretary.

Policies and Procedures

Meeting Times: Members of the ATC will coordinate specific days and times to meet during each semester.
Items for consideration may be brought to any member of the committee by faculty and other members of the Utica community via e-mail or other forms of communication. The ATC will research the items and present its findings and recommendations.

2-Year Term

Laurah Klepinger (2026), chair
Sam Berry-Sullivan (2026)
Cicily Talerico (2026)
Zhoadan Huang (2026)
Jack Givens (2026)
Aida Gahan-Benson (2026)
Nicole Lawrence (2027)
Jon Gaffney (2027)
Nicole Scienza (2027)
Maxim Gorbachevsky (2027)
Joshua White (2027)
Nicole Cornacchia-Morgan, Registrar (ex officio)
Dean Sharon Wise, Provost's Representative (ex officio)

Curriculum Committee Forms

The Curriculum Committee now accepts curriculum proposals only through the Curriculum Committee Online Portal

Function and Authority

As a committee elected to represent the Utica University Faculty, Curriculum Committee’s (CC) function and responsibilities are determined by the Utica University Faculty Senate and are outlined in Faculty Senate Bylaws.

In general, CC reviews proposals to add, revise, or eliminate any credit-bearing course or degree-granting program. CC also reviews proposals for course designations (e.g., Core, Liberal Arts).

Membership

Per the Faculty Senate Bylaws, Curriculum Committee membership shall consist of:

Ten (10) faculty members and one (1) professional librarian elected by the members of the Faculty Senate.
At least two (2) elected faculty member representatives from each academic school.
The Provost (or a representative of the Provost) and a representative from the Registrar’s Office as non-voting members.

Meeting Time

Curriculum Committee meets every Monday during the Fall and Spring semesters from 2:30 - 4:00 pm.

New Program Development

The process for developing and approving a new major or program is outlined in the Curriculum Development Process web site.

Programs Under Development

Information about programs under development can be found on the programs under development web page.

Curriculum Committee Sourcebook

The Curriculum Committee Sourcebook contains the policies and procedures for revising the Utica University Curriculum.

Curriculum Approval Process

In May 2013 the Faculty Senate approved a curriculum approval process for class III changes (new programs) and for significant changes to existing programs. There is also a matrix of what is required for different kinds of curricular changes.

Additional Resources

What Should Be In A Syllabus?
A guide to Bloom's Taxonomy
Curriculum Map Template
Form for Suggesting a new Library Resource(book, database, journal, other)

General Education

If your curriculum proposal has a general education component, it will need to be submitted to the General Education Council for review and approval before submission to Curriculum Committee. The appropriate forms, and instructions, are available on the General Education website.

Liberal Arts and Sciences Courses

The list of approved Liberal Arts courses changes frequently. For the most up-to-date information go to Banner web at https://bannerweb.utica.edu; select the course catalog; select the current term; select all courses by clicking on the first subject entry, scrolling down and shift clicking on the last subject entry; and then filter by course attribute "Liberal Arts."

New York State has issued an official definition of a Liberal Arts course which can be found here:
New York State Education Department Definition

Specializations

Specializations are delineated groups of courses within an undergraduate major or graduate program that are not formal parts of the curriculum and are not approved by curriculum committee. To add, delete, or change a specialization within a program, use the specializations form.

Writing Intensive Courses

The list of approved writing-intensive courses changes frequently. For the most up-to-date information go to Banner web at https://bannerweb.utica.edu; select the class schedule; select the current term; select all courses by clicking on the first subject entry, scrolling down and shift clicking on the last subject entry; and then filter by course attribute "Writing Intensive."

Writing Intensive Guidelines(Informational PDF Document)
Form for applying for a new writing-intensive designation (MS Word Document/Application)
Form for renewing a writing-intensive designation (MS Word Document/Application)

2-Year Term

John Schwoebel (2026)
Larry Aaronson (2026)
Michelle Nunno-Evans (2026)
Helen Blouet (2027)
Xiao Xiao (2027)
Leslie Corbo (2026)
Janis Winn (2026)
Stephanie R. Nesbitt, Provost & SVPAA (ex officio)

Summary of Professional Activities

Faculty Affairs Committee Handbook

2-Year Term

Linnea Franits (2026)
Lisa Orr (2027)
Musco Millner (2027)
Hooman Sadeh (2026)
Mehmet Sencicek (2027)

Faculty Resources Committee Information

The Faculty Resources Committee recommends monetary development awards to the Provost and organizes the annual Faculty Research Day. Utica University encourages active participation in professional development and supports various opportunities for faculty. FRC asks faculty to consider the following:

Faculty members must apply for travel funding through the Faculty Resources Committee, not through their school.
Apply for travel funds as far in advance as possible, as funding is not guaranteed.
Faculty members may apply for each fund only once per academic year.
Awards must be used for their approved purpose. Unused funds are returned to FRC and may not be carried over to other projects.
All awards relating to travel will be made based on the funding formula for the fiscal year in which the travel occurs.
- Non-receipted expenses, or receipted expenses that do not follow the proper guidelines for reimbursement, will not be counted toward the final award amount. For more information on Utica University's travel expense reimbursement requirements, see the Office of General Accounting's Business Travel and Entertainment Policy on their webpage.
Use the fund-specific cover sheet as a checklist to ensure you have completed each requirement.
Applications are reviewed by a diverse committee, and the narrative should be worded as such.
Include an explanation of how the proposal fits into your professional development plan, including evidence of how earlier awards have contributed to your vision.
Your school dean's signature is required on applications for travel.
If you are requesting an advance, a Travel Authorization and Advance Form, signed by your school dean, must be submitted along with receipts to the Provost/SVPAA before travel occurs.
A Travel Expense Voucher must be submitted to your school office for reconciliation within two weeks of travel end date. All expenses, including any expenses advanced, must be accounted for and include original receipts.
Faculty are expected to share their findings with the University community, especially for sabbaticals, summer fellowships, and participation in exchanges.

Faculty Development Funds Related to Travel

Faculty Leadership Fund
Faculty presenting papers, chairing a session, serving as an officer, or serving as a formally invited discussant at a professional conference are encouraged to submit a request for travel expenses through the Faculty Leadership Fund. The award is figured at 85% of the actual, receipted expenses of a trip, up to a maximum of $1,400 for domestic travel (including Canada) and $2,300 for international travel, plus the cost of registration.

Faculty Professional Travel Fund
Faculty attending a professional conference (not presenting) are encouraged to submit a request for travel expenses through the Faculty Professional Travel Fund. The award is figured at 85% of the actual, receipted expenses of a trip, including registration, up to a maximum reimbursement of $1,100.

Faculty Travel with Students Fund

Faculty accompanying students who are presenting papers, chairing a session, serving as an officer, or serving as a formally invited discussant at a professional conference are encouraged to submit a request for travel expenses through the Faculty Travel with Students Fund. The award is figured at 85% of the actual, receipted expenses of a trip, including registration, up to a maximum reimbursement of $1,200.

Funding is available for students to travel to professional conferences through the Student Senate. Students must submit their own application (including a faculty recommendation) through PioHub.

Crisafulli Fund
The Crisafulli Fund is a competitive fund. To be eligible, faculty must have already received funds from the Faculty Leadership Fund and the Faculty Professional Travel Fund within an academic year. The fund will provide awards related to academic travel for up to two faculty members a year, with a maximum reimbursement of $2,250. Applications will be considered up to March 16.

Non-Travel Related Faculty Development Funding

Small Grants for Faculty

Faculty seeking funds to underwrite the costs of scholarly or artistic activity, and/or to support new research or teaching endeavors, are encouraged to submit a proposal for this award. Up to $600 is available per grant. Receipts are required for reimbursement. If possible, please include an invoice with your request, showing the amount you are requesting. If gift cards are used to compensate research subjects, please contact Financial Affairs to obtain the proper income reporting forms.

Small Grants for Students

Students working on scholarly research, with or under the direct supervision of faculty, leading to publication or presentation at professional meetings are encouraged to submit for this award. Up to $250 is available per student or $400 per group of students. Receipts are required for reimbursement. If possible, please include an invoice with your request, showing the amount you are requesting. If gift cards are used to compensate research subjects, please contact Financial Affairs to obtain the proper income reporting forms.

Summer Fellowships, Sabbaticals and Mini-Sabbaticals

Summer Fellowships

Summer fellowships are awards used in support of research, scholarship, and/or creative projects as well as for curriculum and instructional development. Up to six fellowships of $2,300 each are available to faculty members annually. Applications are reviewed for scholarly merit, probability of completion over the summer, and benefit to both the faculty member’s professional development and Utica University. In addition, the Provost/SVPAA may award additional funding or fellowships (see Clark Summer Fellowship/Research Grant below) for exceptional scholarly projects.

A complete application must be submitted with a letter of support from your dean to the Office of the Provost by February 15 (for the following summer). Acceptance of a summer fellowship limits summer teaching assignments to one course. A completed Award Assessment/Evaluation Report is required upon return to the University in the fall.

Clark Summer Fellowship/Research Grant
Clark Summer Fellowship/Research Grants may be awarded at the discretion of the Provost/SVPAA. The criteria will be the strength of a submitted summer fellowship proposal, any extraordinary expenses associated with the project, the level of past institutional support, and an established track-record of using past institutional resources productively.

Sabbatical Leave

Sabbaticals contribute significantly to faculty professional development and are available for travel, study, formal education, research, writing, creative activity, the acceptance of special assignments or fellowships. In order to free faculty, the University will provide at least eight (8) sabbaticals annually to tenured faculty members. Eligible faculty may apply for a sabbatical leave every seventh year. Leave may be for one semester at full pay plus full benefits, or for one academic year at half pay and full benefits.

A detailed application must be submitted to your school dean by October 1 of the previous academic year. The entire packet shall be reviewed by the Faculty Resources Committee, who will make their recommendation to the Provost/SVPAA by October 20th. Notification of approval for sabbatical shall be made no later than November 15th.

When committee responsibilities, such as those on the FAC or PDC, require continuity of service during the academic year, a single-semester sabbatical precludes participation for the entire year. It is also expected that sabbatical recipients will return to the University. Recipients of sabbaticals who do not return to the University for at least one full year shall be obligated to reimburse the University in full for all monies received from the University in support of the leave. As part of the award requirements, a completed Award Assessment/Evaluation Report with full report of sabbatical leave activities, together with any documents or publications, should be submitted upon return to the University.

Mini-Sabbatical

Tenured bargaining unit faculty members are eligible to apply for a one-half load reduction mini-sabbatical for up to two semesters without affecting their full sabbatical status. The application process and criteria shall be the same as the full sabbatical, except that the deadline for the application to the Provost (with letter of recommendation from the school dean and FRC) shall be at the mid-point of the semester preceding the affected semester (the start of D2).

Applications for leaves during the Spring semester must be submitted to your school dean by October 1. Applications for leaves during the Fall semester must be submitted to your school dean by February 28.

The University shall provide up to three (3) mini-sabbaticals to tenured faculty bargaining unit members per academic year.

Acknowledging that both tenured and as-yet untenured faculty have professional development needs, the University may grant mini-sabbaticals to untenured tenure-track faculty in the fourth, fifth, or sixth year of appointment. Mini-sabbaticals shall consist of a one-half load reduction for up to two semesters at full pay and benefits. Applications are due to your dean by April 15. A completed Award Assessment/Evaluation Report is required upon return to the University.

**Please note: Funding and eligibility for all resources listed are subject to change.**

2-Year Term

Richard Tehan (2027)
Cynthia Love-Williams (2026)
Keni Cota-Ruiz (2026)
Ann Damiano, Provost's Representative (ex officio)

The Faculty Senate Honorary Degrees Committee invites nominations for honorary degrees from the faculty and works with the Utica University Honorary Degree Committee to review nominations and select honorary degree candidates. The process for nominating, vetting, and selecting honorary degree candidates is specified in the University's Honorary Degrees policy.

Nomination Form

2-Year Term

Leonore Fleming, President of the AAUP-UC
Rachel Wolfe, Presiding Officer of Faculty Senate
TBD, Representative from Executive Council (2026)
Terri Provost (2026)
Xinyue Liu (2026)

2-Year Term

Robert Swenzowski (2026), chair
Dawn Marie Hall (2026)
Jing-Mao Ho (2027)

2-Year Term

Brad Emmons (2027)
Megan Foster (2027)
Tom Rossi (2026)
Stephanie R. Nesbitt, Provost & SVPAA (ex officio)

The Professional Development Committee reviews tenured faculty members periodically and makes summative and formative recommendations to the candidate and the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Procedures Document

Faculty to be Reviewed

The list of faculty to be reviewed by PDC is maintained by the Office of Academic Affairs. If you are in doubt about when you are next up for review, please contact the office at (315) 792-3122.

2-Year Term

Jessica Thomas (2027)

Contact Us

Office of Academic Affairs

provost@utica.edu