Steering Committee and Working Groups

The Steering Committee will have general oversight of the preparation of the Self-Study, oversee the process and progress of the Working Groups, facilitate the sharing of the document across the University community, moderate the University-wide discussion of the draft report, be responsible for the final Self-Study report, and host the evaluation team visit.

Four Working Groups will be charged to review the institutional priorities, a fifth Working Group will focus on compiling the Evidence Inventory, and a sixth Verification of Compliance Working Group will oversee the process of determining compliance. 

To facilitate communication with the Steering Committee, as well as across Working Groups, and to minimize the duplication of effort, one of the co-chairs of each of the priority Working Groups will be a member of the Steering Committee, while another will be a member of the Evidence Inventory Working Group. The priority Working Groups are expected to identify the critical issues for the University and to propose possible courses of action that will lead to improvement. These efforts provided the content for the draft Self-Study, which was completed in summer 2021. 

The Evidence Inventory Working Group will oversee how the standards are being documented across the Self-Study and throughout the institutional priorities. The Verification of Compliance Working Group will prepare the Institutional Federal Compliance Report. Periodic reports from the Working Groups to the entire Steering Committee will allow oversight and guidance in completing the evaluation and assessment of the relevant Commission Standards.

 

Steering Committee Membership
Name Title
Kenyon Bonner*, Co-chair Vice Provost and Dean of Students and Assistant Professor of Practice, School of Education
Joseph McCarthy*, Co-chair Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies; William Kepler Whiteford Professor, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering; and Accreditation Liaison Officer
Jeremy Berg** Associate Senior Vice Chancellor for Science Strategy and Planning, Health Sciences, Professor of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine
Rabi Chatterjee Gulf Oil Foundation Professor of Business, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration
James Earle Associate Dean for Strategic Development and Operations, and Assistant Professor of Dental Public Health, School of Dental Medicine
Eleanor Feingold Interim Chair and Professor, Human Genetics, Professor, Biostatistics, and Executive Associate Dean, Graduate School of Public Health
Janet Grady Nursing and Health Sciences Division Chair, Professor of Nursing, and Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Stephanie Hoogendoorn* Director of Academic Affairs, Office of the Provost
Valerie Kinloch Renée and Richard Goldman Dean and Professor of Education, School of Education
Kate Ledger Assistant Vice Chancellor for Marketing, Office of University Communications and Marketing
Audrey Murrell Acting Dean, University Honors College, and Professor of Business Administration, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration
Morgan Pierce**  Graduate student, History and Latin American Studies, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, and President, Graduate and Professional Student Government
Frits Pil** Professor of Organizations and Entrepreneurship and Director of Instructional Innovation and Faculty Development, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
Harshitha Ramanan** Undergraduate student, Neuroscience, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, and President, Student Government Board
Melissa Schild Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Planning and Performance, Office of the Chief Financial Officer
John Stoner Senior Lecturer, Department of History, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Executive Director for Academic Affairs, University Center for International Studies, and Co-chair, University Senate Educational Policies Committee
Belkys Torres** Executive Director of Global Engagement, University Center for International Studies
Frank Wilson Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Assistant Professor of Administration of Justice, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, and immediate past chair of the University Senate

* denotes Executive Committee membership
** denotes new to Steering Committee in 2021

Former Members of Steering Committee

Duties completed in 2021

Name Title
N. John Cooper Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Office of Research, and Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry
Malena Hirsch Graduate student, Graduate School of Public Health and Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, and President, Graduate and Professional Student Government
Catherine Koverola President, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and Titusville, and Professor of Psychology
Eric Macadangdang Undergraduate student, Urban Studies and History and Philosophy of Science, and President, Student Government Board
Nancy Tannery Assistant Provost, Office of the Provost

 

Inclusive Excellence in Education Working Group
Name Title
Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Co-chair Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, and Director, Engineering Education Research Center, Swanson School of Engineering
Audrey Murrell, Co-chair Acting Dean, University Honors College and Professor of Business Administration, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration
Crystal McCormick Ware, Deputy Chair Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, University of Pittsburgh Library System
April Belback Director of Advising, Office of the Provost
Michael Bridges Director, Teaching Commons, University Center for Teaching and Learning
Mario Browne Director of Diversity, Schools of the Health Sciences
Lori Delale-O’Connor Assistant Professor of Education, Center for Urban Education, School of Education
Breanne Donohue Interim Director, Office of New Student Programs, Student Affairs
Claire Guth Doctoral Student, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
Adam Lee Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, School of Computing and Information
Melissa Marks Associate Professor of Education, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
Megan McCarthy Undergraduate Student, College of Business Administration
Hunter McDermot Undergraduate Student, Mechanical Engineering, the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Chandralekha Singh Professor of Physics and Director of Discipline-Based Science Education Research Center, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences

Research and Innovation Working Group

Name Title
Jeremy Berg, Co-chair Associate Senior Vice Chancellor for Science Strategy and Planning, Health Sciences, Professor of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine
N. John Cooper, Co-chair* Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Office of Research, and Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry
Frits Pil, Deputy Chair Professor of Organizations and Entrepreneurship, and Director of Instructional Innovation and Faculty Development, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business; Provost Fellow for Faculty
Derek Angus Distinguished Professor and Mitchell P. Fink Endowed Chair, Department of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine
Eleanor Feingold Professor, Human Genetics, Executive Associate Dean, Graduate School of Public Health
Adam Leibovich Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Associate Dean for Faculty Recruitment and Research Development, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
David Gau Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering
Shelome Gooden Professor of Linguistics, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research in the Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Related Fields
Malena Hirsch** Graduate student, Graduate School of Public Health and Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, and President, Graduate and Professional Student Government
Steven Stern Chair, Division of Natural Sciences; Professor of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Cynthia Sweet Associate Vice Chancellor for Economic Partnerships, Office of Economic Partnerships

*Completed duties as chair before departing Steering Committee
**Completed duties as member before departing Steering Committee
Embracing Today’s World: Local to Global Working Group
Name Title
Catherine Koverola, Co-chair* President, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and Titusville, and Professor of Psychology
Belkys Torres, Co-chair Executive Director of Global Engagement, University Center for International Studies
Patricia Documet Associate Professor and Director of the Doctoral Program, Behavioral and Community Health Sciences and Director of Latinx Research and Outreach, Center for Health Equity, Graduate School of Public Health
Lina Dostilio Associate Vice Chancellor, Community Engagement, Office of Community and Governmental Relations, and Professor of Practice, Department of Educational Foundations, Organizations and Policy, School of Education
Sirish Nama Graduate Student, Health Policy and Management, Graduate School of Public Health
Clyde Wilson Pickett Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion
Summer Rothrock Director, Office of Cross Cultural and Leadership Development, Student Affairs
John Wallace Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Development; and David E. Epperson Chair and Professor, and Center on Race and Social Problems Senior Fellow for Research and Community Engagement, School of Social Work
Brett Wells Senior Lecturer and Director of French Undergraduate Studies, Department of French and Italian, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
Oliver Yao Undergraduate Student, Finance and Economics

*Completed duties as chair before departing Steering Committee
Foundational Strength: A Commitment to Sustainable Excellence Working Group
Name Title
Julie Bannister, Co-chair Assistant Vice Chancellor for Auxiliary Services, Office of Business and Auxiliary Services
James Earle, Co-chair Associate Dean for Strategic Development and Operations, and Assistant Professor of Dental Public Health, School of Dental Medicine
Jamie Ducar Director, Community Engagement, Office of Community and Government Relations
Heather Howe Director of Visitor Engagement, Office of Admissions and
Financial Aid
Maureen Lazar Director of Workforce Effectiveness, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
Sarah McMullen Director, Alumni Relations Health Sciences
Susan Mesick Department Administrator, Senior Vice Chancellor Business and Operations
Louis Passarello Director, Information Technology Support
Susan Ronczka Project Manager, Office of the Controller
Penny Semaia Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student Life
Megan Soltesz Director of Administration, School of Social Work
Christian Stumpf Vice President, Student Affairs, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
DaVaughn Vincent-Bryan Interim Associate Director, Residential Experience, Division of Student Affairs
Evidence Inventory Working Group
Name Title
Stephanie Hoogendoorn, Co-chair Director of Academic Affairs, Office of the Provost
Nancy Tannery, Co-chair* Assistant Provost, Office of the Provost
Julie Bannister Assistant Vice Chancellor for Auxiliary Services, Office of Business and Auxiliary Services, and Co-Chair of the Foundational Strength Working Group
Amanda Brodish Director of Data Analytics & Pathways for Student Success, Office of the Provost
Belkys Torres Executive Director of Global Engagement, University Center for International Studies, and Co-Chair of the Embracing Today’s World: Local to Global Working Group
Crystal McCormick Ware Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, University of Pittsburgh Library System; Deputy Chair of the Inclusive Excellence in Education Working Group
Frits Pil Professor of Organizations and Entrepreneurship, and Director of Instructional Innovation and Faculty Development, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business; Provost Fellow for Faculty; and Deputy Chair of the Research and Innovation Working Group
Shrikar Umarji Data Analyst, Office of the Provost

* Duties completed in 2021
Verification of Compliance Working Group
Name Title
Janet Grady, Co-chair Nursing and Health Sciences Division Chair, Professor of Nursing, and Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Paula Janikowski, Co-chair Academic Affairs Coordinator, Office of the Provost
James Baldwin Vice President for Enrollment Management, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
Sue Crain Director, Office of Student Records, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
Jonathan Helm University Registrar
Patti Mathay* University Registrar
Randy McCready Executive Director of Financial Aid, Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
Rob Rogers Institutional Research, Office of the Chief Financial Officer

* Duties completed in 2021