Membership

The Committee shall consist of:

• at least nine elected faculty members, one of whom serves as chair of the committee;
• one Graduate Faculty representative from each academic college and school of the University that offers graduate programs, appointed by the dean or unit executive, one of whom serves as vice chair of the committee. The appointed representatives also serve as consultative resources for curricular proposal development within their unit.
• one graduate student member of Graduate Council; and
• a non-voting faculty librarian from the University Libraries appointed by the Dean of the University Libraries. The University Libraries representative will a) review all graduate curricular changes and advise on the current availability and suitability of Libraries’ resources for the study of those subjects and b) proactively work with graduate programs to ensure that appropriate resources and services are available to support the ongoing evolution of the curriculum.

The Dean, Senior Associate Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services, and Director of Graduate Council Administration of the Graduate School shall be ex officio members of this committee.

The vice chair of the committee will be nominated by the Chair of Graduate Council, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee on Programs and Courses, and elected by the committee. The chair and vice chair of the committee will alternate presiding at committee meetings, on a schedule to be determined by themselves.

Duties

 It shall be responsible for and is authorized to select Subcommittees as needed for the following activities:

1. Suggest policy related to programs and courses.
2. Review, evaluate, and approve or reject all graduate program and course proposals that have been submitted for curricular review.
3. Review all requests for extended degree programs submitted through the established protocols of the University.
4. Develop criteria for evaluating program and course proposals and recommend procedures for handling these proposals.
5. Review and comment, in consultation with the Dean of the Graduate School, on other issues that have impact on the quality of graduate education.

2023-2024 Membership

• Nasim Alem, Norris B. McFarlane Faculty Career Development Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (College of Earth and Mineral Sciences)
• Adrian Barb, Associate Professor of Information Science (Penn State Great Valley)
• Aaron Bonsu, Graduate Student (Graduate and Professional Student Association)
• Brian Boscaljon, Associate Professor of Finance (Penn State Behrend)
• Anthony Buccitelli, Associate Professor of American Studies (Penn State Harrisburg)
• Matthew Carlson, Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics (College of the Liberal Arts)
• Andrew Cole, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture (College of Arts and Architecture)
• Kelley Cotter, Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Technology (College of Information Sciences and Technology)
• Kevin Curry, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Extension Education (College of Agricultural Sciences)
• Joanna DeFranco, Associate Professor of Software Engineering (Penn State Great Valley)
• Janet Duck, Clinical Professor of Management and Organization (Smeal College of Business)
• John Flanagan, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (College of Medicine)
• Renee Flasher, Assistant Professor of Accounting (Penn State Harrisburg)
• Angela Hissong, Teaching Professor (University College)
• Allen Kimel, Associate Teaching Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (College of Earth and Mineral Sciences)
• Hong Ma, Professor of Biology (Eberly College of Science)
• Anne Martin, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering (College of Engineering)
• Sheri Matter, Assistant Teaching Professor of Nursing (College of Nursing)
• Heather Moberly, Librarian (University Libraries)
• Gabriele Monshausen, Associate Professor of Biology (Eberly College of Sciences)
• Elizabeth Ransom, Associate Professor of International Affairs (School of International Affairs)
• Michael Rutter, Associate Professor of Statistics (Penn State Behrend) - Vice Chair
• Priya Sharma, Associate Professor of Education (College of Education)
• Yunfeng Shi, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Administration (College of Health and Human Development)
• Scott Showalter, Professor of Chemistry and of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Eberly College of Science)
• Douglas Stairs, Associate Professor in Pathology (College of Medicine)
• Susan Stewart, Associate Teaching Professor of Aerospace Engineering (College of Engineering)
• David Vanness, Professor of Health Policy and Administration (College of Health and Human Development) - Chair
• Sarah Watts, Assistant Professor of Music Education (College of Arts and Architecture)
• John Yen, Professor of Information Sciences and Technology (College of Information Sciences and Technology)
• Jan Reimann, Chair of Graduate Council, Ex Officio
• Levon Esters, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School, Ex Officio
• Michael Verderame, Senior Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Ex Officio
• William Clark, Associate Dean, Ex Officio
• Michelle Corby, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services, Ex Officio
• Robert Bannon, Director of Graduate Council Administration, Ex Officio