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Faculty Leadership

The Academic Senate

The Academic Senate is Pratt’s faculty/administration governance body, which represents faculty, chairs, and staff who teach at the Institute. The Senate acts as an advisory body to the Board of Trustees and the administration, making direct recommendations to the President and Provost without review by any intermediary.

The responsibilities of the Senate include reviewing academic policies and procedures; reviewing curricula and academic programs and structures; reviewing course additions and changes when those additions and changes impact the requirements of existing or proposed programs; providing support and advice for department- and school-level curriculum committees on curriculum development and review; reviewing academic services; establishing committees on appropriate subjects; assisting with the formulation of the structure and procedures of search committees for deans, vice-presidents, the provost, and the president; nominating faculty and chair membership of those committees; and interviewing finalists for those positions; nominating, along with other Institute bodies, faculty and chair members of Board non-standing committees; nominating, along with other Institute bodies, faculty and chair candidates for faculty trustee positions; and electing faculty and chair members of Institute committees.

The Faculty Handbook provides faculty members with policies and information governing academic life, faculty governance, and faculty rights and responsibilities.

Executive Committee

Uzma Z. Rizvi, President (Full-Time Faculty, Social Science & Cultural Studies, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences)

Maria Sieira, Finance Officer (Adjunct Associate Professor CCE School of Architecture)

Nancy Smith, Information Officer (Full-Time Faculty, School of Information)

Jason Vigneri-Beane, Outreach Officer (Associate Professor Undergraduate Architecture)Amy Ballmer, Parliamentarian (Chair, Library Teaching, Learning & Collection Development, School of Information/Libraries)

Senators

Each department has representation on the Senate, in addition to at-large representatives for full-time faculty, part-time faculty, chairs category, and staff who teach. Senators and alternates are elected every three years according to procedures described in Senate Bylaws. The current roster of senators is available at prattsenate.org/roster.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee consists of Senate officers, committee chairs, and other delegates elected by the Senate, as well as one non-voting member selected by the Provost in consultation with the Senate President. Delegates need not be senators to be elected.

Members

  • Uzma Z. Rizvi, President, ex-officio (Full-Time Faculty, Social Science & Cultural Studies)
  • Maria Sieira, Finance Officer (Adjunct Associate Professor CCE School of Architecture)
  • Nancy Smith, Information Officer, ex-officio (Full-Time Faculty, School of Information)
  • Jason Vigneri-Beane, Outreach Officer (Associate Professor Undergraduate Architecture)
  • Amy Ballmer, Parliamentarian, ex-officio (Chair of Library Teaching, Library)
  • Nicholas Dease, Institute Curriculum Committee Chair, ex-officio (Digital Learning Librarian, Library)
  • Sean Sullivan, Academic Policy Committee Chair, ex-officio (Part-Time Faculty, Foundation Art & Design)
  • Dean Sidaway, Distinguished Teacher Award Committee Chair, ex-officio (Full-Time Faculty, Fashion Design, School of Design)
  • Irene Lopatovska, Faculty Development Fund Committee Chair, ex-officio (Full-Time Faculty, School of Information)
  • Saul Anton, Research Recognition Award Committee Chair, ex-officio (Full-Time Faculty, Fine Arts, School of Art)
  • Courtney Knapp, Academic Service Award Chair, ex-officio (Full-Time Faculty, School of Architecture)
  • Amanda Huynh (Full-Time Faculty, Industrial Design, School of Design)
  • James Lipovac, (Part-Time Faculty, Foundation Art & Design)
  • Russ Abell, Director of Libraries (non-voting)

Institute Curriculum Committee

Members

  • Nick Dease, Chair (Digital Learning Librarian, Library)
  • Joelle Danant (Staff Who Teach, School of Continuing & Professional Studies)
  • Ted Ehrhardt (Adjunct Assistant Professor, Creative Arts Therapy, School of Art)
  • Amit Kalra (Visiting Assistant Professor, Graduate Communications/Package Design, School of Design)
  • Sheryl Kasak (Adjunct Associate Professor, Interior Design, School of Design)
  • Pamela Pavliscak (Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Information)
  • Natalie Moore (Assistant Chairperson, Foundation Art & Design)
  • Alexandra Barker (Assistant Chairperson, Graduate Architecture & Urban Design)
  • Layla Zami (Visiting Assistant Professor, Humanities & Media Studies, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences)
  • Chris Sula (Interim Associate Provost for Academic Programs, Assessment and Accreditation)
  • Peg Fox, Assistant Provost (non-voting)
  • Luke Phillips, Registrar (non-voting)
  • Juliet Lee, Office of the Registrar (non-voting)

Academic Policy Committee (APC)

The Academic Policy Committee (APC) facilitates the Senate’s responsibility for reviewing academic policies and procedures, making its recommendations to the Senate.

Members

  • Sean Sullivan, Chair (Part-Time Faculty, Foundation Art and Design)
  • Amy Ballmer (Chairperson of Library, Teaching, Learning & Collection Development, Library)
  • Emily Beall (Acting Assistant Chairperson, Humanities & Media Studies, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences)
  • Ane Gonzalez Lara (Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Architecture, School of Architecture)
  • Gaia Scagnetti Hwang (Associate Professor, Graduate Communications/Package Design, School of Design)
  • Craig MacDonald (Associate Professor, School of Information)
  • Dan Wright (Associate Professor, Mathematics and Science, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences)
  • Susan Young (Chairperson, Associate Degree Programs, School of Art)
  • Carl Zimring (Professor, Social Science & Cultural Studies, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences)
  • Donna Heiland, Provost (non-voting, appointed by and from the Office of the Provost)

Faculty Trustees 

Maria Sieira, Adjunct Associate Professor — CCE, Graduate Architecture & Urban Design

Farzam Yazdanseta, Acting Associate Chairperson, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Undergraduate Architecture, Continuing and Professional Studies 

Board Committee Faculty Appointments

Academic Affairs

Voting Members

Peter Macapia, Adjunct Associate Professor –CCE, Graduate Architecture & Urban Design, Continuing and Professional Studies

Caitlin Cahill, Associate Professor, Social Science & Cultural Studies

Observers

Agnes Moscy, Professor, Math and Science

Katherine Huala, Assistant Professor, Art and Design Education

Buildings and Grounds

Voting Members

David Burney, Academic Coordinator of Urban Placemaking Management, Visiting Associate Professor, Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment

Richard Leigh, Visiting Professor, Math and Science

Observers

Radhi Majmudar, Adjunct Associate Professor, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design

Yutaka Takiura, Visiting Associate Professor

DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Voting Members

Stephen Hilger, Associate Professor, Photography

Theoharis David, Professor, Undergraduate Architecture

Observers

Adam Elstein, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Architecture

Karen Bausman, Adjunct Associate Professor, Undergraduate Architecture 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Voting Members

Jack Travis, Adjunct Professor, Interior Design

Jennifer Miller, Professor, Humanities & Media Studies

Observers

Kent Hikida, Associate Professor, Construction/Facilities Management

Wendy Fok, Visiting Professor, Undergraduate Architecture

Student Affairs

Voting Members

Sebastian Kaupert, Adjunct Associate Professor, UG Communications Design

Joan Wittig, Director of Graduate Dance/Movement Therapy Program. 

Observers

Karyn Zieve, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Lecturer, History of Art and Design, Continuing and Professional Studies

Gene Lakin, Adjunct Associate Professor, Fashion Department.