Graduate Studies Council

Purpose

The purpose of the Graduate Studies Council (GSC) is to:

Serve as an advisory and consultative group to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Discuss issues of interest and concern to graduate programs across the University and, where appropriate, propose policies to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Assist the Academic Senate with the review of graduate curricular proposals.

Representation

GSC is comprised of representatives from each graduate program. Participants may also include:

Representatives from prospective graduate programs.
The Office of Graduate Studies and Research staff liaison.
Representative from the Graduate Representatives Council

2026-2027 GSC Members

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Fall 2026 Voting Members
- Dr. Elinne Becket - Biological Sciences
- Dr. Betsy Read - Biotechnology
- Dr. Mohammad Oskoorouchi - Business Adminstration
- Dr. Nima Zaerpour - Business Analytics
- Dr. Afra Panahi - Chemistry
- Dr. Allison Jobin - Clinical Counseling Psychology
- Dr. Sreedevi Gutta - Computer Science
- Dr. Mengjie Jia/Dr.Teresa Macklin -Cybersecurity
- Dr. Anthony Matranga - Curriculum and Instruction
- Dr. Brooke Soles - Educational Administration and
- Dr. Alan Malfavon - History
- Dr. Deanna Schmidt - Kinesiology
- Dr. Oliver Berghof - Literature & Writing
- Dr. Amber Puha - Mathematics
- Dr. Annette Daoud - Multicultural and Multilingual
- Dr. Susan Andera/Dr. Catherine Baker - Nursing
- Dr. Nancy Caine - Psychological Sciences
- Dr. AsherLev Santos - Public Health
- Dr. Christiane Wood - Reading, Language and Literacy
- Dr. Blake Beecher - Social Work
- Dr. Sheri-Lynn Kurisu - Sociological Practice
- Dr. María Gómez Martín - Spanish
- Dr. Jodi Robledo - Special Education
- Dr. Kristen Nahrstedt - Speech Language Pathology
- Dr. Robert Aboolian - Supply Chain Analytics
- Dr. Carmen Mitchell - University Library
Spring 2027 Voting Members
- Dr. Elinne Becket - Biological Sciences
- Dr. Betsy Read - Biotechnology
- Dr. Mohammad Oskoorouchi - Business Adminstration
- Dr. Nima Zaerpour - Business Analytics
- Dr. Afra Panahi - Chemistry
- Dr. Allison Jobin - Clinical Counseling Psychology
- Dr. Sreedevi Gutta - Computer Science
- Dr. Mengjie Jia/Dr. Teresa Macklin -Cybersecurity
- Dr. Anthony Matranga - Curriculum and Instruction
- Dr. Brooke Soles - Educational Administration and
- Dr. Alan Malfavon - History
- Dr. Deborah Feairheller - Kinesiology
- Dr. Oliver Berghof - Literature & Writing
- Dr. Amber Puha - Mathematics
- Dr. Annette Daoud - Multicultural and Multilingual
- Dr. Susan Andera/Dr. Catherine Baker - Nursing
- Dr. Alex Huynh - Psychological Sciences
- Dr. AsherLev Santos - Public Health
- Dr. Christiane Wood - Reading, Language and Literacy
- Dr. Blake Beecher - Social Work
- Dr. Sheri-Lynn Kurisu - Sociological Practice
- Dr. María Gómez Martín - Spanish
- Dr. Jodi Robledo - Special Education
- Dr. Kristen Nahrstedt - Speech Language Pathology
- Dr. Robert Aboolian - Supply Chain Analytics
- Dr. Carmen Mitchell - University Library
Non-Voting Members
- Dr. Charles De Leone - Graduate Studies and Research
- Nam Nguyen - Graduate Studies and Research
- Nessa Jamalian - Graduate Representatives Council
- Brooke Judkins - Extended Learning
- Brian Childs - Global Programs
- Dr. Carrick Williams - College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences
- Shelby Euler - College of Education, Health, and Human Services
- Stephen Vandereb - MBA Office

Co-Chairs

The Co-Chairs of GSC are a faculty member of GSC and the Dean of Graduate Studies.The faculty co-chair is elected by GSC members to serve a one-year tem and can be re-elected. The co-chairs meet to set the GSC agenda and review the minutes of the previous meeting.

2026-2027 GSC Co-Chairs

Dr. Charles De Leone
Dean, Graduate Studies and Research

Dean

Dr. AsherLev Santos
Associate Professor, Public Health
(Interim Fall 2026)

Dr Santos

Meetings

Meetings are held monthly or as convened by the Dean of Graduate Studies.
The faculty co-chair leads the meetings.
Meetings are open unless an executive session is called by a simple majority vote of the graduate programs represented at the meeting, in which case only the graduate program representatives will remain in the room to conduct business.

2026-2027 Meeting Schedule

Meetings take place via Zoom from 12:30pm-2pm

Friday, September 11th
Friday, October 9th
Friday, November 13th
Friday, December 11th
Friday, February 12th
Friday, March 12th
Friday, April 9th
Friday, May 14th

Quorum/Voting

A majority of the graduate programs must be represented at a meeting in order to conduct business.
GSC generally operates by consensus. If a formal vote is requested by a graduate program representative, each graduate program represented at the meeting will have one vote. A simple majority vote prevails.