School Committees

Committees play an important role in School function and governance. In addition to the School’s full-time faculty, the following committees and teams offer guidance to the School’s leadership and perform activities to implement policies and procedures.

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  • SPCS Academic Council 2023-24

    The SPCS Academic Council governs approval of additions and changes to the School’s academic programs.

    Kristen Ball*
    University Registrar

    Kristin Bezio* (Jepson)
    Associate Professor of Leadership Studies

    Allison Brenning* (Arts & Sciences)
    Director of Instruction & Education Practice

    Kate Cassada
    Assistant Chair, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, SPCS

    Lester Caudill* (Arts & Sciences)
    Professor, Mathematics

    Gretchen Flynn Morris
    Director, Strategic Management for Academic & Student Services, SPCS

    Ann Hodges
    Chair, Paralegal Studies, SPCS

    Dana Jackson
    Director of Clinical Practice, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, SPCS

    Melanie Jenkins*
    Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

    David Kitchen
    Associate Dean, Professional Education & Special Programs, SPCS

    Laura Kuti
    Assistant Chair, Teacher Education, SPCS

    Rob McAdams
    Director, Partners in the Arts

    Lionel Mew
    Chair, Information Systems, SPCS

    Tracy Nicholson
    Chair, Human Resource Management, SPCS

    Erik Nielson
    Assistant Chair, Liberal Arts & Chair, MLA, SPCS

    Randy Romich*
    Assessment Specialist, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

    Joan Saab
    Executive Vice President & Provost

    Andrew Schoeneman
    Chair, Nonprofit Studies, SPCS

    Tom Shields
    Associate Dean, Academic & Student Affairs & Chair, Graduate Education, SPCS

    Joyce van der Laan Smith* (Business, spring 2024 only)
    Associate Professor, Accounting

    Bob Spires
    Assistant Professor, Education, SPCS

    Shital Thekdi* (Business, fall 2023 only)
    Associate Professor, Analytics & Operations & Acting Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs

    Jamelle Wilson
    Dean, SPCS

    * Ex-Officio Member (has no voting rights)

    Attend as Observers

    • Erica Jackson, Senior Associate Registrar

    Membership

    Membership can vary from year to year. Voting members are as follows:

    • SPCS full-time faculty (traditional and clinical) members, including those with administrative roles
    • SPCS staff with faculty status
    • SPCS Accreditation and Assessment Specialist

    Non-voting members may include the following, among whom are tenured representatives from the four other schools of the University:

    • Up to 3 representatives from the School of Arts and Sciences
    • 1 representative from the E. Claiborne Robins School of Business
    • 1 representative from the Jepson School of Leadership Studies
    • 1 representative from the Richmond School of Law
    • 1 representative from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness
    • 1 representative from the Registrar’s Office
    • EVP & Provost

    Meetings

    One meeting per semester is generally scheduled unless 1) no meeting is required in a given semester or 2) more than one meeting is required to address ongoing academic program changes. The Assistant to the Dean schedules meetings and coordinates agenda items in collaboration with Council members.

    Minutes

    Minutes of Academic Council meetings are made available to School faculty and staff upon request. Changes to academic programs and policies that are approved during Academic Council meetings are published in the upcoming academic year’s School catalog unless otherwise indicated.

  • SPCS Adjunct Faculty Advisory Committee (AFAC) 2023-24

    The SPCS Adjunct Faculty Advisory Committee (AFAC) serves as a liaison between the School and the adjunct faculty. Membership is distributed across the School’s degree program areas as noted below. 

    Education: Patricia Abrams

    Human Resource Management: Lyle Evans

    Information Systems: Lee Meeks

    Liberal Arts: Bill Roberts

    Nonprofit Studies: Jennifer Smith-Slabaugh

    Paralegal Studies: Jana Leonard

    SPCS Liaison: Tom Shields, Associate Dean, Academic & Student Affairs