Advisory Committee for Graduate Education

Background

With full recognition that graduate degree programs are offered through colleges and schools of the University where the Graduate Faculty reside and where graduate courses are offered, the organizational structure of graduate education at Penn State is that all graduate degree programs (excluding medical and law education and their affiliated degree programs, e.g., the M.D., M.P.A.S., J.D., L.L.M., S.J.D.) report to a central graduate academic unit (college or school); for Penn State this unit is the Graduate School.

Academic policies related to graduate education (admissions and academic standards, degree requirements, etc.) are the purview of the Graduate Council as the governing body of Graduate Faculty of the University. Administrative policies to support those academic policies or other matters related to graduate education (requirements for receiving a graduate assistantship, World Campus course registration for resident students receiving an assistantship) are the purview of the Graduate School.

However, the colleges/schools that offer graduate programs are critical partners with the Graduate School in delivering graduate education across the University, and a mechanism to facilitate discussion, feedback and collaboration among the colleges/schools and the Graduate School is critical.

Consequently, in approximately academic year 2000, the Advisory Committee for Graduate Education (ACGE) was formed by then vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School, Eva Pell. This group has served an invaluable role ever since.

This important committee serves in an advisory role to the vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School to discuss important issues facing graduate education internally and externally. It provides opportunity to share best practices; inform decisions regarding policies and procedures for graduate education, work collaboratively with the Graduate School to implement University-wide initiatives (e.g., implementation of a new student information system; internal and external program review and assessment) and policies (e.g., establishment of learning objectives and outcomes across graduate curriculum); and in other ways advance graduate education at Penn State.

The membership of ACGE is comprised of administrators for graduate education (senior associate, associate, or assistant deans or DAAs) in each college/school with graduate degree programs; the senior associate dean, associate deans, assistant dean and directors of the Graduate School offices; the associate vice provost for online programs (ex officio); and the University registrar (ex officio). ACGE is chaired by the vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School.

Members of ACGE who are college/school administrators for graduate education representing a college or school with graduate degree programs (including the senior associate dean of the Graduate School representing those Intercollege Graduate Degree Programs (IGDPs) housed in the Graduate School) are polled at the end of each academic year to nominate and vote for a chair of the college/school administrator group who will meet with the dean prior to each ACGE meeting to recommend agenda items for inclusion in upcoming meetings. The chair must hold a regular appointment regarding their respective college/school administrator role (versus serving in an interim or acting capacity) and be a continuing member who has served on ACGE for at least one prior academic year.

Membership List, 2024-25

Chair: Beth Gugino, Assistant Dean for Graduate Education and Associate Director of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agricultural Sciences
Scott Bennett, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of the Liberal Arts
Mallika Bose, Associate Dean for Research, Creative Activity and Graduate Studies, College of Arts and Architecture
Richard Brazier, Interim Dean, University College, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses
Brian Cameron, Associate Dean for Professional Graduate Programs and Executive Education, Smeal College of Business
Eric Donnell, Associate Dean for Research, College of Engineering
Kathryn Drager, Associate Dean for Graduate Education, College of Health and Human Development
Levon T. Esters, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School
Steven Huddart, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Faculty, Smeal College of Business
Peter Idowu, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies, Penn State Harrisburg
Zuleima Karpyn, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Carleen Maitland, Interim Associate Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs, College of Information Sciences and Technology
Colin Neill, Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, Penn State Great Valley
Anthony Olorunnisola, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
Vinciya Pandian, Associate Dean for Graduate Education, Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing4
Robert Rabb, Associate Dean for Education, College of Engineering
Alicyn Rhoades, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Penn State Erie
Scott Showalter, Assistant Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, Eberly College of Science
Blair Siegfried, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education and Director of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agricultural Sciences
Mitchell Smith, Director, School of International Affairs
Rayne Sperling, Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, College of Education
Michael Verderame, Senior Associate Dean, Graduate School
Daniela Zarnescu, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training, College of Medicine

Ex-Officio

Robert Bannon, Director, Graduate Council Administration, Graduate School
Erika Bowser, Director, Graduate Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions, Graduate School
William Clark, Associate Dean, Graduate School
Michelle Corby, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services, Graduate School
Lorraine Donahue, Executive Director of Graduate Education Operations and Administration, Graduate School
Jon Hartzler, Financial Officer, Graduate School
Lori Anne Hawn, Director, Graduate Admissions, Graduate School
Fawn Hosterman, Director, Graduate Records, Graduate School
Liam Jackson, Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications, Graduate School
Robert Kubat, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and University Registrar
Karen Pollack, Associate Vice Provost for Online Education, World Campus
Stephanie Danette Preston, Associate Dean for Graduate Educational Equity and Chief Diversity Officer, Graduate School
Jan Reimann, Past Chair, Graduate Council
Mary Shenk, Chair, Graduate Council
Mike Shanafelt, Director, Graduate Enterprise Technology Systems, Graduate School
Brooke Snider, Director, Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration, Graduate School
Jennifer Theiss, Director, Alumni and External Relations, Graduate School
David Vanness, Chair-Elect, Graduate Council

Administrative Support for ACGE and Contacts for the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School

Cathy Murgas, Executive Assistant, Office of Vice Provost and Dean, Graduate School

ACGE meets seven times throughout the academic year; the agenda is set by the Chair working in conjunction with the Vice-Chair. The Vice-chair typically polls the college/school administrator members of the committee two to three weeks before each meeting to see if there are any issues the members would like to discuss. Occasionally the chair schedules additional meetings to address substantive issues that require additional time and attention.

Upcoming meetings

The 2024-25 meeting schedule will be announced at a later date.

Advisory Committee for Graduate Education

Background

Legal Statements