Faculty Committees
The faculty committees are under the auspices of the Faculty Senate. Membership and means of appointment are given in the USC Columbia Faculty Manual. Faculty Committees are governed by the faulty of the university with membership of these committees listed on the Office of the Faculty Senate webpage.
Special Advisory Committees
Special advisory committees, convened by or primarily supported by the Office of the Provost, the president, or other administrative offices, oversee campus operations with the involvement of faculty, staff, and students. If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, please contact the appropriate chair or designated contact person.
Purpose
This committee serves in an advisory role to the Provost on issues related to the undergraduate interdisciplinary certificates. In addition, the committee is responsible for accreditation and assessment as they relate to these certificates.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs | Office of the Provost |
| Angela Baum, Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair) | Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor | College of Education |
| Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Ph.D. | Senior Associate Dean for College Initiatives, Interdisciplinary Programs Distinguished Professor | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Julie Sease, Pharm.D. | Director, Interprofessional Education Clinical, Associate Professor | College of Pharmacy |
| Sonya Brown | Interim Assistant Dean for Curriculum | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Alexandria Carrico, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor | School of Music |
| Ron Cox, Ph.D. | Dean | Palmetto College |
| Robin Dawson, Ph.D. | Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Accreditation, Professor | College of Nursing |
| Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. (Committe Co-Chair) | Assistant Provost for Graduation and Retention | GARNET |
| Karen Edwards, J.D. | Interim Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Senior Instructor | College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management |
| Aaron Marterer, Ed.D. | Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and University System Registrar | University Registrar |
| Bridget Miller, Ph.D | Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, Clinical Associate Professor | Arnold School of Public Health |
| Melissa Moss, Ph.D. | Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs | Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing |
| Claire Robinson, Ph.D. | Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Advisement | University Advising Center |
| Ben Roth, Ph.D. | Associate Dean for Curriculum, Professor | College of Social Work |
| Andrea Tanner | Assistant Dean | Honors College |
| Kim Thompson, Ph.D. | Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor | College of Information and Communication |
| Marc Van Essen | Interim Associate Dean | Undergraduate Programs |
Meetings
The committee meets each semester to review courses that have been requested for addition or deletion.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to co-chairs Dr. Shelley Dempsey and Dr. Angela Baum.
The Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) is comprised of representatives of the administrative divisions, Palmetto College and Comprehensive Universities, Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, and General Counsel and includes a student representative. This committee, chaired by the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs on behalf of the Provost, is charged to consult with university offices on proposals for new, revised and repealed policies to consider whether they are necessary and aligned with institutional mission, goals and priorities; that policies are concise, consistent in format and scope, and easy to understand; to identify constituencies and other policies that may be affected; and to make recommendations to appropriate offices. The PAC also assists with dissemination and sharing feedback regarding policies.
A list of responsible officers and policy liaisons for university policies is published with the Policies and Procedures Manual.
Purpose
This committee is responsible for reviewing the information gathered from faculty and staff working in Academic Affairs during the Imagine Carolina retreat during the Spring 2023 semester and proposing/facilitating solutions and innovations to address issues that were discussed during the event.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost | Office of the Provost |
| Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Graduation and Retention | Graduation and Retention Network |
| Brian Chen, JD, Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Ph.D. Program Director | Molinari College of Engineering and Computing |
| Kent Germany, Ph.D. | Professor | Department of History, African American Studies Program |
| Stephanie Milling, Ph.D. | Head of Dance Education, Chair of Department of Theatre and Dance | Department of Theatre and Dance |
| Charlie Pierce, Ph.D. | Director of CIEL | Center for Integrative Learning |
| Cheri Shapiro, Ph.D. | Director of Institute for Families in Society, Research Associate Professor | College of Social Work |
| Jay Potts | Professor of Cell Biology & Anatomy | School of Medicine Columbia |
| Christy Friend, Ph.D. | Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies | Department of English Language and Literature |
| Matt Thatcher, Ph.D. | Director for Center for Teaching Excellence | Center for Teaching Excellence |
Meetings
Meetings take place twice a semester.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to co-chairs Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson and Dr. Shelley Dempsey.
Purpose
The committee bases its work on the research of the Student Experience Project with an interest in transforming instruction to best serve all students in their goal of timely graduation.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost | Office of the Provost |
| Michelle Bryan, Ph.D. | Associate Vice President, Associate Professor College of Education | Office of Access and Opportunities |
| Juan Caicedo, Ph.D. | Department Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor | Molinari College of Engineering and Computing |
| Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Graduation and Retention | Graduation and Retention Network |
| Danny Jenkins, Ph.D. | Professor, Music Theory Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Studies | School of Music |
| Charlie Pierce, Ph.D. | Director of CIEL | Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning |
| Tammi Richardson, Ph.D. | Professor, Chair of Biological Science Dept. | Department of Biological Sciences |
| Silvia-Patricia Rios-Husein, Ph.D. | Associate Vice President for Student Success | Student Affairs and Academic Support |
| Matt Thatcher, Ph.D. | Director for Center for Teaching Excellence | Center for Teaching Excellence |
| Mitchell Dallas Herring, Ed.D. | Instructional Designer | Center for Teaching Excellence |
Meetings
The Working Group meets twice a semester.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson or Dr. Shelley Dempsey.
Purpose
The Committee for Defining Quality Teaching in Undergraduate and Graduate Education at USC is charged with developing a comprehensive definition of quality teaching that will draw upon existing research, best practices, and institutional values to inform recommendations.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost (Chair) | Office of the Provost |
| Melissa Moss, Ph.D. | Professor (Co-Chair) | College of Engineering and Computing |
| Lauren Sklaroff, Ph.D. | Chair | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Sheryl Mitchell, Ph.D. | Chair | College of Nursing |
| Sarah Carroll, Ph.D. | Faculty IT Chair | Darla Moore School of Business |
| Stephanie Armstrong, Ph.D. | InDev Chair | College of Nursing |
| Karen Edwards, J.D. | Faculty | College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management |
| Douglas Meade, Ph.D. | Faculty | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Danny Jenkins, Ph.D. | Faculty | School of Music |
| Katherine Ryker, Ph.D. | Faculty | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Ozgur Ince, Ph.D. | Faculty | Darla Moore School of Business |
| Hodges | Chair/Dean | College of Education |
| Jan Bass, Ph.D. | Chair/Dean | Darla Moore School of Business |
| Juan Caicedo, Ph.D. | Chair/Dean | College of Engineering and Computing |
| Julie Sease, Pharm.D. | Chair/Dean | College of Pharmacy |
| Jeff Hostillo | Administrator | Office of the Provost |
| Matt Thatcher, Ph.D. | Administrator | Center for Teaching Excellence |
| Courtney Tkacs | Student Body Vice President | Undergraduate Student |
| Taylor Bryant Berrier | Doctoral Student | Public Health |
| Jaiden Etheredge | Junior | Finance |
| Kinnedy Kitt | Sophomore | Public Health |
| Rebecca Cazarin | Student | Undergraduate Student |
Meetings
The Committee met monthly during the fall 2024 semester.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson or Dr. Melissa Moss.
Purpose
This group is responsible for addressing the post-covid gap in math preparation for our students that serves as a hurdle to timely degree progression and graduation.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost | Office of the Provost |
| Matthew Boylan, Ph.D. | Professor | Department of Mathematics |
| Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Graduation and Retention | Graduation and Retention Network |
| Lydia Frass, Ph.D. | Director, Assessment and Distributed Learning | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Christy Friend, Ph.D. | Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies | Department of English Language and Literature |
| Odell Glenn, Ph.D. | Instructor | Molinari College of Engineering and Computing |
| Trena Houp, Ph.D. | Director of Academic Programs | Office of the Provost |
| Doug Meade, Ph.D. | Professor | Department of Mathematics |
| Ruthie Patterson, Ph.D. | Assistant Dean for Student Services | Molinari College of Engineering and Computing |
| Jonathan Poon | Director of Institutional Analytics | Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics |
| Claire Robinson, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Advisement | Academic Advising |
| Daniel Savu, Ph.D. | Senior Instructor | Department of Mathematics |
| Dana Talbert | Director | Student Success Center |
| Scott Verzyl | Vice President for Enrollment Management, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions | Office of the Provost |
| Adela Vraciu, Ph.D. | Professor | Department of Mathematics |
| Dana Yow | Executive Director | SC Education Oversight Committee |
| John Gordanier, Ph.D. | Clinical Professor of Economics | Darla Moore School of Business |
| La Trice Ratcliff-Small, Ph.D. | Director of Institutional Assessment | Office of Institutional Research, Assessment and Analytics |
| Marla Mamrick | Enrollment Data Analytics |
Meetings
The Working Group meets monthly.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson.
Purpose
The Task Force is charged with developing comprehensive, research-based guidelines for faculty on the use of AI tools in teaching and learning. Key considerations will include academic integrity, privacy, accessibility, and the potential impact on teaching, learning, and research.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Pierce, Ph.D. (Chair) | Director of CIEL | Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning |
| Aisha Haynes, Ph.D. (Co-Chair) | Associate Director of CTE, Director of Distributed Learning | Center for Teaching Excellence |
| Adrian Anderson | Coordinator for Academic Integrity | Student Conduct and Academic Integrity |
| Hayes Hampton, Ph.D. | Director of Advisement | USC Sumter, English |
| Caroline Hulett | Director of Policy and Special Projects | Office of the Provost |
| Ozgur Ince, Ph.D. | Clinical Associate Professor | Darla Moore School of Business (Finance) |
| Meena Khalili | Associate Professor | School of Visual Art and Design |
| Emily Manetta, Ph.D. | Professor and Director of Linguistics Program | Department of English Language and Literature |
| Drew Martin, Ph.D. | Interim Faculty Director of AI Research and Education Professor | College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sports Management |
| Wolfgang Messner, Ph.D. | Clinical Professor | Darla Moore School of Business (International Business) |
| Alamir Novin, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor | College of Information and Communications |
| Helen Powers | Director | Career Center |
| Marsha Purday | Instructor | College of Information and Communications |
| Michael Stoeltzner, Ph.D. | Professor, Chair of the Faculty Appellate Panel | Department of Philosophy |
| Dana Talbert | Director | Student Success Center |
| Hengtao Tang, Ph.D. | Associate Professor | Leadership, Learning Design, and Inquiry; College of Education |
| Mark Uline, Ph.D. | Interim Chair, Biomedical Engineering; Professor, Chemical Engineering | Molinari College of Engineering and Computing |
Meetings
The Task Force meets every three weeks.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to Dr. Charlie Pierce.
Purpose
This task force will lead the way in the development of a policy and review process for priority registration moving forward to ensure that the priority registration population is reduced; thus, allowing students have fair access to academic courses.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost | Office of the Provost |
| Aaron Marterer, Ed.D. | Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and University System Registrar | University Registrar |
| Matthew Boylan, Ph.D. | Professor | Department of Mathematics |
| Christy Friend, Ph.D. | Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies | Department of English Language and Literature |
| Maura Hamilton | Student | Undergraduate Student |
| Marc Shook, Ph.D. | Associate Vice President for Student Affairs | Division of Student Affairs |
| Courtney Tkacs | Student Body Vice President | Undergraduate Student |
| Jacob Vaught | Student | Undergraduate Student |
| Joshua Weakland | Advising Coordinator | Advising Department |
| Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Graduation and Retention | Graduation and Retention Network |
Meetings
The Task Force meets as needed.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to co-chairs Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson or Dr. Aaron Marterer.
Purpose
The Course Needs Committee meets monthly to discuss key topics related to undergraduate course needs projection and course/section/seat enrollment management.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost | Office of the Provost |
| Christy Friend, Ph.D. | Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Dawn Hiller | Director of Undergraduate Student Services | College of Arts and Sciences |
| Aaron Marterer, Ed.D. | Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and University System Registrar | University Registrar |
| Claire Robinson, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Advisement | University Advising Center |
| Therese Skrzyniarz | Schedule and Curriculum Coordinator | South Carolina Honors College |
| Mike Dial | Associate Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising | Academic Advising |
| Josh Weakland | Assistant Director, Exploratory Advising | Academic Advising |
| Catherine Studemeyer, Ph.D. | Director, Office of Exploratory Advising and Academic Coaching | Academic Advising |
Meetings
The Committee meets monthly.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson or Dr. Claire Robinson.
Purpose
This group was given the charge by the Provost and the VP for Student Affairs and Academic Support to inventory all student success programs at the University and assess where there are existing gaps and duplications as well as opportunities for collaboration. Membership includes key faculty and administrators from across the university’s academic and administrative units.
Membership
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Lomicka Anderson, Ph.D. | Vice Provost | Office of the Provost |
| Jan Bass, Ph.D. | Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Professor of Economics | Darla Moore School of Business |
| Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Graduation and Retention | Graduation and Retention Network |
| Donald Miles | Executive Director / SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison | Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics |
| Silvia Patricia Rios-Husein, Ph.D. | Associate Vice President for Student Success | Student Affairs |
| Claire Robinson, Ph.D. | Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Advisement | University Advising Center |
| Scott Verzyl | Vice President for Enrollment Management | Office of Enrollment Management |
| Stacy Fritz, Ph.D. | Chief Health Officer / AVP | Student Health and Well-Being, Student Affairs |
| Karen Edwards, J.D. | Associate Dean | Academic Programs and Student Affairs, HRSM |
| Christy Friend, Ph.D. | Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies | Department of English Language and Literature |
Meetings
The Task Force meets monthly.
Contact Information
Questions can be directed to Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson.