AY 26-27 Standing Committee Service

• Chris Smith, ex officio Department Head, Chair
• Sara Freeman, ex officio Associate Department Head
• Erin Bobeck, ex officio Co-Director Graduate Programs
• Noelle Beckman, ex officio Co-Director Graduate Programs
• Thayne Sweeten, ex officio Director Undergraduate Studies
• Mike Long, ex officio Business Services
• Terry Dial, Elected Faculty
• Moria Robinson, Elected Faculty
• Justin Jones, Elected Faculty

The Executive Committee advises the Department Head on all facets of departmental operations, including strategic planning, curriculum oversight, faculty affairs, committee structure, and finance. The Committee also works to engage with, and broadly consult, department members on issues facing the department.

• Sara Freeman, ex officio Associate Department Head, Chair
• Mitzi Christensen, ex officio Lab Coordinator
• Carl Farley, PUBH Representative
• Tyson Chappel, Faculty Representative
• Emilie Demard, Faculty Representative
• Anthony Sterenchak, Staff Representative
• Thad Allen, Student Representative

The Safety Committee develops emergency action plans, organizes and shares safety resources, and maintains up-to-date safety documentation submitted by department labs. It communicates with USU Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and proactively coordinates with state-wide campuses on Biology safety practices. The Safety Committee drives safety initiatives, provides and facilitates safety training, and ensures safety compliance by all faculty, staff and students.

• Sara Freeman, ex officio Associate Department Head
• Cathy Rushworth, Faculty Representative, Chair
• Al Savitzky, Faculty Representative
• Graham Goodman, Faculty Representative (Statewide)
• Srijan Seal, Post Doc Representative
• Ashwante Russell, Student Representative
• MJ Hurtado Morales, Student Representative
• Jessie Larsen, Staff Representative
• Ernane Viera-Neto, Research Staff Representative

The Community Excellence Committee develops policy and practice to ensure that the department is equitably supporting all of its members including undergraduate, graduate, postdoc, staff, and faculty. This includes assessing department culture, and developing strategies for department member recruitment and retention including issues of welfare, community, and respect. 

• Thayne Sweeten, ex officio Director of Undergraduate Studies, Chair
• Jen Burbank, Faculty Representative
• Wayne Hatch, Statewide Faculty Representative
• Lauren Lucas, Logan Campus and Assessment Representative
• Carl Farley, Public Health Representative
• Levi Pearson, Advising Office Representative
• Kendall Christensen, Administration Representative

The Curriculum and Assessment Committee provides oversight of the undergraduate curriculum in Biology. This includes all courses and programs at all campuses at which Biology coursework is taught, and where Biology Department faculty teach. The committee is responsible for establishing the educational outcomes, assessing performance to those outcomes, reviewing results, and providing data-based decisions for curriculum improvements to the Department. The Committee also: Evaluates new course proposals, evaluates significant course changes connected to the Course Catalog, evaluates course requirements for the various Biology majors, minors, and emphases, and consults the Department on articulations.

• Fabiane Mundim, Chair
• Nick Pardikes, Past-Chair
• Jennyfer Mitchell, Chair-Elect
• Ryan Stuart, Student Representative
• Sarah Kovalaskis, Post Doc Representative
• Mike Long, Business Services

The Seminar Committee plans the Biology Department seminar series. The committee is expected to consult broadly and plan a series that is inclusive, diverse, interesting, and accessible for all populations in the biology community (including Statewide campuses). The committee is expected to oversee the scheduling process, the publicity process, and to ensure that the inviting group is organizing a successful visit (including scheduled meetings with faculty and students, meals, transportation, and lodging arrangements, etc.) The committee will also consult with other departmental seminar organizers and the Ecology Center in order to avoid conflicts, increase advertising/attendance, and maximize impact. 

• Erin Bobeck, Co-Director Graduate Programs, Co-chair
• Noelle Beckman, Co-Director Graduate Programs, Co-chair
• Norah Saarman, Faculty Representative
• Carl Rothfels, Faculty Representative
• Emily Sadler-Pitts, Faculty Representative
• Gavin Munson, Student Representative
• Bea Olivera Trisao, Student Representative
• Anthony Sterenchak, ex officio Graduate Programs Coordinator
• Mike Long, ex officio Business Services

The Graduate Programs Committee (GPC) oversees all aspects of graduate programs in the Biology Department. In particular, the GPC is concerned with recruitment and retention of graduate students, policy development and implementation, assessment, financial and logistical support of graduate students in research and teaching, and the development and implementation of mentorship, advocacy, and well-being initiatives.

Scholarship and Awards Committee Membership (staggered 3 year terms)

• John Flores, Public Health Faculty Representative
• Andy Anderson, Biology Faculty Representative for Undergraduate Awards/Scholarships
• Wei Wei, Biology Faculty Representative for Graduate Awards/Scholarships
• Anthony Sterenchak, Graduate Program Coordinator, ex officio
• Levi Pearson, Representative from Biology Advising

The Scholarship and Awards Committee solicits nominations and makes recommendations for departmental awards and nominations for college/university awards (Fall process). The Committee also reviews scholarship account balances to recommend the number and size of awards in a year, reviews applications, and recommends scholarship recipients (Spring process).