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Leadership and Governance

Liz Goodnick reelected as Faculty Senate president

Michele Clark, MPA, J.D., and Bill Carnes, DM, to serve as vice president and secretary, respectively.

Liz Goodnick

The Metropolitan State University of Denver Faculty Senate convened for the final time of the 2022-23 academic year May 3, with the meeting led by President Liz Goodnick, Ph.D., associate professor of Philosophy. After announcements, updates and votes, the 2023-24 body convened to vote on new leadership and nominate for committee seats. 

Announcements and updates 

Votes 

Academic Policy Committee changes  

Sen. Jenny Allert, DNP, MSN, R.N., associate professor of Nursing, held a second read on changes to the graduate catalog to correct some inaccuracies involving simultaneous enrollment and interinstitutional registration. The motion on the simultaneous-enrollment change passed with 62 in favor, one in opposition and four abstaining, while the interinstitutional-registration change is a nonvoting APC change. 

Curriculum changes  

Klimek held a second read on curriculum manual changes at the graduate and undergraduate levels. These changes have already been unanimously approved by the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee.

The undergraduate level changes passed with 68 in favor, one in opposition and one abstaining. The graduate level changes passed with 69 in favor, four in opposition and one abstaining. 

IRC and Rules Committees bylaws  

Sens. Micah Battson, Ph.D., assistant professor of Nutrition, and Kelly Evans, Ph.D., assistant professor of Sport Management, proposed changes to the Rules Committee and Instructional Resources Committee bylaws. The motion passed with 64 in favor, three in opposition and one abstaining.  

Handbook changes  

Vice President Jessica Weiss, Ph.D., professor of Art History, held a second read on several handbook changes.  

  • Uncompensated overload teaching
    • The motion passed with 63 in favor, five in opposition and five abstaining. 
  • Chair sabbaticals
    • The motion passed with 68 in favor and six in opposition. 
  • Distinguished professorship
    • There was a motion to amend the motion to include a one-year stipend of $15,000.
      • The amendment passed with 47 in favor, 19 in opposition and 11 abstaining. 
    • The new motion passed with 44 in favor, 24 in opposition and nine abstaining. 

The meeting then adjourned at 4:15 p.m. for the 2022-23 senators, leaving the incoming 2023-24 senators to convene at 4:17 p.m. for elections. 

Election results 

  • Goodnick was reelected to serve as Faculty Senate president. 
  • Michele Clark, MPA, J.D., associate professor of Management, was elected to serve as vice president. 
  • Bill Carnes, DM, professor of Management, was elected to serve as secretary. 
  • Meredith Jeffers, Ph.D., was reelected to serve as the faculty trustee. 

Standing committee at-large nominations 

  • Academic Policy Committee
    • Brenden Kendall, Ph.D., associate professor and associate chair of Communication Studies 
    • Elisa Varela, Ph.D., assistant professor of Communication Studies 
  • General Studies Committee
    • Chris Meloche, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology 
  • Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion Committee
    • Summer Trentin, associate professor of Art History 

There are still other committee positions open. Senators who are interested in filling any committee seats should contact Goodnick.  

Incoming senators

Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D., associate professor of Early Childhood Education 

Pamela Ansburg, Ph.D., professor of Psychological Sciences 

Karina Benabe, MSW, Clinical Field faculty 

Meg Bertoni, Ph.D., affiliate professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology 

Michael Botyarov, MBA, lecturer of Aviation and Aerospace Science 

Brooke Evans, Ph.D., professor of Mathematics 

Philip Fiscor, assistant professor of Music 

David Fontenot, Ph.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology 

Mingli He, Ph.D., professor of Engineering and Engineering Technology 

Brenden Kendall, Ph.D., associate professor and associate chair of Communication Studies 

Jason Kolts, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology 

Cynthia Kuhn, Ph.D., professor of English 

Brian Lambert, Ph.D., assistant professor of Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics 

Melissa Masters, Ph.D., RDN, professor of Nutrition and director of Nutrition Graduate Program 

David Merriam, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biology 

Jason Miller, Ph.D., professor of English 

Daniel Moore, Ph.D., assistant professor of Secondary Education 

Laura Montero, MSW, lecturer of Social Work 

Sam Ng, Ph.D., professor of Meteorology 

Lisa Ortiz, professor of Journalism and Media Production 

Dan Pittman, Ph.D., assistant professor and faculty advisor of Computer Science 

Maria Quijada, Ph.D., assistant professor of Management 

Sanaa Riaz, Ph.D., associate professor of Anthropology 

Anna Ropp, Ph.D., professor of Psychological Sciences 

Hayden Swisher, Ph.D., Non-Majors Chemistry Laboratory supervisor 

Garvita Thareja, Ph.D., MBA, assistant professor of Health Administration 

Summer Trentin, associate professor of Art History

Renee Trombley, Ph.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Mohammad Valipour, Ph.D., assistant professor of Engineering and Engineering Technology 

Richard Wagner, Ph.D., professor of Meteorology 

Outgoing senators

Darcy Beery, M.A., associate professor of Journalism and Media Production 

Laura Braunschmidt, lecturer in Aviation and Aerospace Science 

Jacob Cho, assistant professor of Management 

Carrie Colton, MFA, associate professor and faculty advisor in Performance and Movement 

Barbara Decker, MSW, BSSW, program director and senior lecturer in Social Work 

Matt Drake, MSW, LCSW, Ph.D., senior lecturer in Social Work 

Barb Echohawk, Ph.D., associate professor of Geology 

Andy Evans, Ph.D., professor of Environmental Science 

Jennifer Gagliardi-Seeley, Ph.D., professor of Biology 

Elmer Harris, Ed.D., assistant professor of Early Childhood Education 

Jovan Hernandez, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychological Sciences 

Michael Jacobs, Ph.D., professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry 

Di Jia, Ph.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology 

Viktor Kiss, Ph.D., assistant professor of Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics 

Vida Melvin, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology 

Thyago Mota, Ph.D., assistant professor and faculty advisor of Computer Science 

Robert Niemeyer, Ph.D., assistant professor of Mathematics 

Julie Rada, adjunct faculty of Theatre 

Prabhdeep Sandha, Ph.D., RDN, assistant professor of Nutrition 

Richard Sandoval, Ph.D., assistant professor of Anthropology 

Michala Stock, Ph.D., assistant professor of Anthropology and director of the Human Identification Laboratory 

Pamela Troyer, Ph.D., professor of English 

Jessica Weiss, Ph.D., professor of Art History 

Jennifer Zakotnik-Gutierrez, Ph.D., lecturer of Mathematics