Faculty Handbook: John Jay College Governance

The College Council is the primary governing body of the College. It establishes College policy on all matters except those reserved to other entities (for more details on the body, see https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/about-us/governance-leadership/college-council/charter-governance). It is a representative body that includes members of the faculty (30), higher education officers (4), students (10) and members of the administration (6). Each representative serves for a term of one (1) year (typically starting June 1 annually). The College President presides at College Council. Each Department elects one representative to serve on College Council annually, who concurrently serves as the Department’s representative to the Faculty Senate (see below). The College Council is governed by the Council bylaws (https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/about/governance-senior-leadership/college-council/college-council-bylaws).

Standing committees of the College Council, many of which offer robust service opportunities, are listed in brief below. (See the Charter of Governance and College Council Bylaws for more details on committee functions and membership.)

-   Executive Committee sets the Council agenda.

-   Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Standards (UCASC) considers matters related to the undergraduate curriculum and standards. Department Chairs serve on this committee, or an elected Department representative who serves a two-year term.

-   Committee on Student Interests addresses matters of student life (e.g., student organizations and extracurriculars, etc.) and includes two members of the faculty.

-   Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee addresses matters of student discipline that are not handled administratively. A panel of faculty members is elected annually by the Faculty Senate to be available for cases, as needed.

-   Committee on Faculty Personnel (FPC) reviews all Departmental (P&B) recommendations for appointment, reappointment, tenure/CCE and promotion to/in instructional ranks, and appeals of prior decisions, and makes recommendations to the President. Department Chairs and Deans are members, as is the Provost and President. Three at-large members and three alternate members are elected from among the full-time faculty.

-   Budget and Planning Committee (BPC) is responsible for reviewing budget information, making financial and budgetary recommendations and providing guidance on comprehensive and strategic planning for the College. It includes all department chairs, HEO and administration representatives, and two members chosen by the Faculty Senate. It has two subcommittees: the Financial Planning Subcommittee (includes one representative chosen by Faculty Senate) and the Strategic Planning Subcommittee (includes two representatives chosen by Faculty Senate).

-   Committee on Graduate Studies (CGS) sets policy for graduate programs, subject to College Council review, including admission, curriculum, degree requirements, program evaluation, and student honors, prizes, scholarships and awards.

-   Committee on Student Evaluation of the Faculty reviews and evaluates the instrument and procedures used for students to evaluate the faculty. Four (4) full-time faculty members serve two (2) year terms.

-   Provost Advisory Council (PAC) is a formal body for the Provost (and Associate Dean for Academic Operations & Financial Affairs) to consult with faculty leadership (Department Chairs; President and Vice President of Faculty Senate) on matters of joint concern.

-   Council of Undergraduate Program Coordinators represents concerns of those responsible for undergraduate majors and includes major coordinators, chaired by the Dean of Academic Programs.

-   Committee on Honors, Prizes and Awards makes recommendations to College Council for undergraduate award recipients and can be a rewarding service commitment for three (3) full-time members of the faculty.

The College includes 22 academic Departments. The Chairperson of each Department is its chief executive officer. Each Department has its own bylaws. However, the following committees are established in the CUNY bylaws and/or the College charter for all Departments and represent opportunities to do important Departmental service. Departments are instructed to provide for systematic student input on curricular and personnel matters.

The Departmental Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget (P&B)

Each Department elects members to a Personnel & Budget committee (P&B), chaired by the Department Chairperson, and consisting of four full-time, tenured faculty members to serve one-year terms. The P&B reviews and votes on faculty appointments, reappointments, tenure/CCE and promotion within a Department. These votes are advisory to the College’s Faculty Personnel Committee (with FPC votes advisory to the President). The P&B may also make policy and/or decisions regarding hiring and Departmental budgets. This is important Departmental service for tenured faculty. It can be informative for those considering promotion to Full Professor and/or considering becoming a Department Chairperson to learn more about how the personnel evaluation process occurs in a Department.

Departmental Committee on Student Grade Appeals

Each Department elects members to a Committee on Student Grade Appeals that consists of full-time faculty members who evaluate students’ appeals of their course grades within the Department. This is Departmental service that tends to be limited in time commitment and in time frame (i.e., around the time grades are assigned).

Departmental Curriculum Committee

Each Department elects members to a Curriculum Committee consisting of full-time faculty members to evaluate, update, refine and otherwise monitor and manage the Departments’ curricula (e.g., majors, minors, programs). This Departmental service, shaping the curriculum, tends to be collaborative, can be creative, and can have broad impact on the students and faculty teaching in your Department. It can often be a good service commitment for junior faculty.

Graduate Programs establish their own bylaws that include requirements for faculty members to join the program’s faculty. Bylaws are approved by program faculty and reviewed by the Committee on Graduate Studies and the Executive Committee. Program Directors, elected by full-time members of the program’s faculty, manage the individual graduate programs and are reviewed annually by the Dean of Academic Programs (or designee). Many tenured faculty members choose to serve in these graduate leadership positions.

The Faculty Senate consists of elected representatives of the faculty, including one representative elected by each Department and full-time and adjunct faculty members elected as at-large members from the entire faculty. The Faculty Senate represents faculty concerns to the College and CUNY administration, and provides a forum for faculty to deliberate about academic, educational policies and other matters. The Faculty Senate manages election and/or nomination of faculty representatives to many of the committees noted above. Elected Departmental representatives represent their Departments at both Faculty Senate and College Council. Members serve one-year terms.

The Council of Chairs consists of the Chairpersons of all academic Departments. The Council represents Departmental faculty concerns to the administration, as well as student concerns in many cases, provides a forum for deliberation and interdepartmental collaboration and cooperation. The Council meets once per semester with the Provost and President.

The Student Council consists of the elected representatives of the student body. Its purpose is to broaden educational opportunities for students; facilitate voluntary activities on campus; and represent student interests at the College.

The Higher Education Officers’ (HEO) Council consists of all those employed in the higher education officer series at the College. This includes many of the College’s full-time staff members, such as colleagues in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and academic Department Administrators, for example. The HEO Council seeks to improve the quality of work life for its members, to strengthen the institution, to advance quality education, and to enhance the delivery of services.

The College is led by the following individuals in senior leadership positions:

President: Karol V. Mason

Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs: Allison Pease

Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Finance and Administration: Mark Flower

Vice President of Institutional Advancement: Ketura Parker

Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategy: Christopher Shults

Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs: Daniel Matos

Interim Vice President and General Counsel in the Office of Legal Counsel: Myrna Forney

Chief Communications Officer: Kira Poplowski

The Division of Academic Affairs is led by the Provost and includes:

Associate Provost for Strategy and Operations: Kinya Chandler

Associate Provost & Dean of Research: Anthony Carpi

Interim Assistant Dean of Professional Advancement: Charles Davidson

Assistant Provost for Student Academic Engagement: Sumaya Villanueva

Interim Dean of Student Engagement and Retention: Janice Johnson-Dias

Interim Assistant Dean of Student Success and Retention: Katalin Szur

Interim Dean of Academic Programs: Andrew Sidman

Associate Dean of Academic Programs: Katherine Killoran

Assistant Dean of Academic Programs:  TBD

Interim Dean of Faculty: Angela Crossman

Confidential Executive Associate: Maribel Perez

The John Jay College Foundation, Inc., is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board includes an Executive Director, President of the College, President of the College Alumni Association, two additional employees and a faculty representative nominated by the President of the College for election by the Board, which is Chaired by Jules B. Kroll. Remaining Trustees are elected at large by the existing Trustees. See here for current Board members. The Foundation promotes, sponsors and carries out activities for the benefit of the College and broader community; assists in developing, improving and increasing resources and facilities to enhance and strengthen the College; and raises and solicits funds to support the College (e.g., via scholarships and awards; sponsorships) in its academic mission.