Chris Bonneau, a faculty member in the political science department in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, has been elected to succeed Frank Wilson as president of the University Senate. Wilson, a sociology faculty member at Pitt–Greensburg, is completing his third and final term.
Robin Kear, Senate vice president, and Cindy Tananis, Senate secretary, were re-elected to their respective offices after running unopposed in Senate and Faculty Assembly elections that ended last week. Kear is a faculty librarian in the University Library System, and Tananis is a faculty member in the School of Education.
“As Pitt moves forward in the midst of major organizational changes, and challenges from outside the University, the University Senate and strong shared governance practice is crucial for our collective success,” said Wilson. “I am confident that Chris Bonneau is the right person at the right time to lead us. I know that Robin, Cindy, Lori (Molinaro, director of the Senate) and I are ready to do all we can to help Chris as he adjusts to his new role.”
Wilson also expressed his appreciation for candidates Carey Balaban and Wes Rohrer, “who I know will support Chris, and continue making significant contributions to the work of the Senate, as they have for many years.”
The officers’ one-year terms begin July 1.
“I am excited to get to work on behalf of the faculty,” said Bonneau. “I look forward to working with Chancellor Gallagher and the new provost to strengthen the University and ensure that all our faculty are being appropriately compensated and recognized for the important work they do.”
Visit the Q&A with the Senate presidential candidates in the March 22 edition of the University Times to learn more about Bonneau.
Faculty Members Elected to Vacancies on Faculty Assembly
Newly elected Senate members serve the first year of their three-year terms on the Assembly. After that, they work on both the faculty-only Assembly and on Senate Council.
The following members were voted to Faculty Assembly:
Arts and Sciences
Humanities: Jeff Aziz
Natural sciences: Jennifer Cousins, Zuzana Swigonova
Social sciences: Kristin Kanthak, Ruth Mostern
Professional Schools
Business: Jay Sukits
Education: Linda Kucan
Engineering: Pat Loughlin
Public and international affairs: Lisa Nelson
Law: Ben Bratman
Computing and information: Paul Munro
Social work: Elizabeth Mulvaney
University Library System: Leslie Poljak
Schools of the Health Sciences
Public health: Balasubramani Goundappa
Medicine: Jonathan D’Cunha, Doug Landsittel, Bill Yates
Faculty Assembly Votes for Senate Committee Members
Online voting for membership on Senate committees is currently taking place and will run through May 7.
The new faculty affairs committee has nine vacancies; the rest of the committees have three vacancies each. Because of a committee merger, the student admissions, aid and affairs committee has no vacancies.
The candidates for the Senate committees are:
Athletics
Amy Aggelou, health and rehabilitation sciences
Katelyn Allison, health and rehabilitation sciences
Jacques Bromberg, classics/arts and sciences
Willa Doswell, nursing
Benefits and Welfare
Balasubramani Goundappa, public health
Mike Modo, medicine
Christina Newhill, social work
Carma Sprowls-Repcheck, education
Budget Policies
Yolanda Covington-Ward, Africana studies/arts and sciences
Jennifer Lee, English/arts and sciences
John Mendeloff, public and international affairs
Wes Rohrer, public health
Bylaws and Procedures
Sheila Alexander, nursing
Lisa Brush, sociology/arts and sciences
Lenore Thomas, studio arts/arts and sciences
Cecelia Yates-Binder, nursing
Community Relations
Tim Coleman, nursing
Jennifer Cousins, psychology/arts and sciences
Jacob Kariuki, nursing
Jennifer White, health and rehabilitation sciences
Computer Usage
Michael Colaresi, political science/arts and sciences
Matt Lavin, English/arts and sciences
Michael Spring, computing and information
Educational Policies
Michael Beach, nursing
Doug Landsittel, medicine
Andrew Lotz, political science/arts and sciences
Michelle Schein, health and rehabilitation sciences
Kevin Shaver, economics/arts and sciences
Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Advocacy
Roxanna Benedixen, health and rehabilitation sciences
Faith Luyster, nursing
Helenmary Sheridan, Health Sciences Library System
Zuzana Swigonova, biological sciences/arts and sciences
Faculty Affairs
Yodit Betru, social work
Betty Braxter, nursing
Helen Cahalane, social work
Lorraine Denman, French and Italian languages and literatures/arts and sciences
A. Murat Kaynar, medicine
Pat Loughlin, engineering
Elizabeth (Betsy) Nagle, education
Juleen Rodakowski, health and rehabilitation sciences
Tom Songer, public health
Jay Sukits, business
Governmental Relations
Paul Adams, political science, Pitt–Greensburg
Claudia Kregg-Byers, nursing
Geoffrey Wood, sociology, Pitt–Greensburg
Library
Clark Muenzer, German/arts and sciences
Mary Rauktis, social work
Aurea Sotomayor, Hispanic languages and literatures/arts and sciences
Plant Utilization and Planning
Salah Al-Zaiti, nursing
David Beck, health and rehabilitation sciences
M. Kathleen Kelly, health and rehabilitation sciences
Research
Dilhari DeAlmeida, health and rehabilitation sciences
Amit Sethi, health and rehabilitation sciences
Patrick Smolinski, engineering
Bill Yates, medicine
Tenure and Academic Freedom
Rose Constantino, nursing
Jonathan D’Cunha, medicine
Maria Kovacs, medicine
Elizabeth Mulvaney, social work
Samara Joy Nielsen, health and rehabilitation sciences