Middle States Self-Study Working Groups

V. Organizational Structure of the Steering Committee and Working Groups

A. Self-Study Steering Committee: The Steering Committee shall consist of: the Executive Committee, Working Group Co-Chairs, the Design Team, the Editing Team, the Senior Leadership Advisory Team, and the Logistics team.   

1. Executive Committee:  The Executive Committee is responsible for leading all stages of the process from charges and self-study design to submission. Each member works to coordinate and support the efforts of 2-3 working groups. The Executive Committee will collectively compile the final study and ensure its timely submission to MSCHE. Members:  Sue Bousquet, Former Vice President, Academic Affairs; Fran Stavola Daly, Professor and Assistant Chair, School of Health and Human Performance; Felice Vazquez, Senior Vice President & Special Counsel; Donald Marks, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Psy.D. Program, Department of Advanced Studies in Psychology, Nathan Weiss Graduate College; David Birdsell, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
2. Design Team:  The Design Team will assist the Executive Committee in designing templates, feedback and input forms, and other tools as needed for a coordinated development of the Self-Study. The Design Team will also take the final, edited submissions from the Executive Committee and develop a visually organized and cohesive format. Members:  Craig Coughlin, Special Events Communication Specialist, University Relations; Joey Moran, Creative Director, University Relations
3. Editing Team:  The Editing Team assists the Executive Committee in ensuring that the Self-Study is finalized in accordance with requirements of MSCHE, and assists in creating a Self-Study that is coherent, organized and reads in a consistent voice. They will also serve as proofreaders of the Self-Study. Members: Margaret McCorry, Associate Vice President, University Relations; John Wooten, Director of Arts Programming; Lauretta Farrell, Director, Human Rights Institute
4. Logistics Team:  The Logistics Team will assist the Executive Committee with document gathering, scheduling, coordination and other general logistics required for a successful effort.  Members: Neva Lozada, Assistant Vice President, Administration; Mukul Archarya, Acting Director, Office of Accreditation & Assessment; Jeremy Gusset, Graduate Student in the Michael Graves College and Graduate Assistant for Campus Planning; Charles Lartey, Director, Accreditation & Assessment, Wenzhou-Kean University; Tiffany Johnson, Executive Assistant, Office of the Senior Vice President & Special Counsel
5. Senior Leadership Advisory Team: The Senior Leadership Advisory Team will engage with working group co-chairs and members as they address aspects of Standards and associated lines of inquiry relative to individuals’ areas of expertise. Members: Karen Smith, Vice President, University Relations; Andrew Brannen, Senior Vice President for Finance; Matt Caruso, Vice President, Student Affairs; Maximina Rivera, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs; Marsha McCarthy, Vice President, Enrollment Services; Audrey Kelly, Chief of Staff & Executive Director, Board of Trustees; Michael Salvatore, Senior Vice President of Administration
6. MSCHE Standards & Criterion Working Groups

In the interest of engaging in common areas of inquiry and avoiding redundancy, the Steering Committee is comprised of the co-chairs of each of the working groups. The Steering Committee will schedule standing meetings throughout the Self-Study process, and encourage the working groups to interact with one another. In these meetings, the members will update one another on the work, direction, progress and pitfalls of their individual working groups to promote intergroup support for common areas of inquiry and enhance efficiency.  

In addition, Kean created a Requirements of Affiliation and an Evidence Inventory working group. These two groups will review all chapters of the Self-Study and will periodically engage with each of the working groups. They will thus have awareness of the bigger picture to support and advise the working groups, Steering Committee and the Executive Committee.  Along with the Steering Committee and the Executive Committee, these groups will ensure that working groups receive appropriate oversight and support for evaluation and assessment of MSCHE Standards and the priorities selected for analysis in the Self-Study.

Finally, the members of the Executive Committee will each serve as a designated liaison to two or three working groups and will regularly meet to support a holistic and coordinated effort. Members of each working group are as follows:

1. Working Group for MSCHE Standard I: Mission and Goals 

Co-Chairs: Pat Ippolito, Associate Professor, College of Education; Maryam Raja, Director, High School Partnership Office

Members:  Joe Amorino, Program Coordinator, Fine Arts; Conseula Bonillas, Professor, College of Education; Lauretta Farrell, Director, Human Rights Institute; Elvis Gyan, Associate Director, Center for Advising, Persistence and Success; David Joiner, Associate Professor, STEM:  Jennifer Lerner, Associate Professor, School of Psychology; Jane O’Brien, Lecturer and Coordinator, School of Psychology, Kean Ocean; Christina Vazquez, Acting Associate Director, Kean Ocean Admissions; Bridget White, Managing Assistant Director, General Education, Math; Sharon McKenzie, Assistant Professor, College of Education; Lindsey Gonzalez, Undergraduate Business Management Major and Student Organization President

2. Working Group for MSCHE Standard II: Ethics and Integrity 

Co-Chairs: Claire Mulry, Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Entry Level Doctorate Programs; Christine Thorpe, Dean, Nathan Weiss Graduate College

Members:  Laura Haelig, OPRA Custodian, Office of University Counsel; Kristin Ganley, Legal Counsel, Office of University Counsel; Adara Goldberg, Director, Holocaust Resource Center; Adrienne Garro, Professor, Department of Advanced Studies in Psychology; Chelsey Jaipersaud, Undergraduate Communications Major and Intern, Kean University Ethics Office; Xurong Kong, Assistant Professor, Department of History; Joy Moskovitz, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs; Kelly Nemeth, Managing Assistant Director, University Counsel; Jennifer Peters, Director, Human Resources; Catricia Shaw, Managing Assistant Director and Deputy Title IX Coordinator; Tamika Quick, Executive Director, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Ashley Bautista Vasquez, Intern 

3. Working Group for MSCHE Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience 

Co-Chairs: Richard Conti, Coordinator, Forensic Psychology Programs and Associate Professor, School of Psychology; Jeremiah Sullivan, Executive Director, School of Communication, Media & Journalism

Members: Bridie Chapman, Executive Director, School of General Studies; Jennifer Crupi, Professor, School of Fine & Performing Arts; Gilda Del Risco, Professor, College of Education, School of Curriculum & Teaching; David Mohney, Dean, Michael Graves College, Architecture & Design; Susan Polirstok, Professor, College of Education, School of Special Education & Literacy; Barbara Ridener, Dean, College of Education; Brian Teasdale, Associate Dean and Executive Director, College of Natural, Applied, and Health Sciences; Wenli Yuan, Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, School of Communication, Media & Journalism; Casey Iorio, Undergraduate Criminal Justice Major and Kean Ocean Vice President for Student Organization; Susan Ahern, Lecturer, School of General Studies

4. Working Group for MSCHE Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience 

Co-Chairs: Juneau Gary, Professor, Counselor Education Department/Ocean Program Coordinator; Gillian Scott, Managing Assistant Director, Institutional Effectiveness

Members:  Matthew Kreider, Football Defensive Line Coach, Athletics; Linda Lashley, Managing Assistant Director, EEO Program; Kerrin Lyles, Director, Miron Student Center; Jonathan Mercantini, Acting Dean, College of Liberal Arts; Scott Snowden, Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs; Karen Struthers, Associate Director, Financial Aid; Bala Subramanian, Adjunct Faculty, College of Business & Public Management; Rongsun Pu, Associate Professor, Biology; Brianna Alicchio, Coordinator, Supplemental Instruction; Maria Briffa, Academic Specialist, Institutional Effectiveness

5. Working Group for MSCHE Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment 

Co-Chairs: Feng Qi, Associate Professor, College of Science, Math, & Technology; Craig Konyk, Associate Professor, School of Public Architecture, Michael Graves College

Members: Keith Bostian, Dean, New Jersey Center for Science, Technology & Mathematics; Ray Divirgilio, Lecturer, College of Education; Kim-Le Downes, Lecturer, School of General Studies; Jessica Goldsmith-Barzilay, Acting Director, Career Services & International Studies; Rose Gonnella, Associate Dean, Michael Graves College; Roxie James, Executive Director, School of Natural Sciences; Jean Brown, Retention Coordinator; Laurie Knis, Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy; Pat Morreale, Professor, School of Computer Science & Technology; Heaven Vergara, Education Major and Intern for Career Services College of Education Partnership

6. Working Group for MSCHE Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement 

Co-Chairs: Bok Gyo Jeong, Assistant Professor and Non-Profit Coordinator, School of Public Administration; Orley Wainberg, Director, Financial Planning and Analysis

Members: Jessica Adams, Acting Associate Dean, Kean Ocean; Louis Beaugris, Executive Director, School of Mathematical Sciences; Shuli Xu, Vice Chancellor, Wenzhou-Kean University; Rafael Inoa, Assistant Professor, Nathan Weiss Graduate College, Educational Leadership; Dan Mercado, Professional Services Specialist, Facilities; Fahad Mughal, Technician, OCIS-AVT; Robyn Roebuck, Director of Operations, Kean Skylands; Jin Wang, Dean, College of Business & Public Management; Mariann Moran, Assistant Professor, Nathan Weiss Graduate College, Department of Occupational Therapy; Shanice Allen, Student Representative to the Wenzhou-Kean University Board of Directors

7. Working Group for MSCHE Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration 

Co-Chairs: Ed Johnston, Associate Professor, Robert Busch School of Design, Michael Graves College; Valerie Winslow, Director, Conference & Events Services

Members: George Chang, Dean, Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics & Technology; Dave Farrokh, Assistant Dean, College of Business & Public Management; Jennifer Gardner, Assistant Professor, Nathan Weiss Graduate College, Occupational Therapy; Robert Kitzinger, Assistant Professor, Nathan Weiss Graduate College, Counselor Education; Holly Logue, Professor, College of Liberal Arts, School of Fine & Performing Arts; Jason Pleitez, Student Trustee, Kean University Board of Trustees; Lauren Mastrobuono, Lecturer, School of Psychology; Eric Yixin Yang, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Acting Vice Chancellor for Wenzhou-Kean University; Veysel Yucetepe, Director, MBA Program, Global Business School; Alyssa Carbone, Managing Assistant Director, Conference & Events Services

8. Working Group for MSCHE Requirements of Affiliation 

Co-Chairs: Gail Verdi, Associate Professor and Executive Director, College of Education, School of Curriculum & Teaching; Jane Webber, Assistant Professor and Doctoral Program Coordinator, Nathan Weiss Graduate College, Department of Counselor Education

Members: Joe Antonowicz, Director, General Accounting; Faruque Chowdhury, Associate Vice President, University Procurement & Business Services; Katsumi Kashida, Managing Assistant Director, Center for International Studies; Joe Marinello, Assistant Vice President, Computer & Information Systems; John Raue, Assistant Vice President, Strategic Initiatives; Nicole Rodriguez, Director, Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct; Daniela Shebitz, Executive Director, College of Environmental & Sustainability Sciences; Dongyan Mu, Assistant Professor, School of Environmental & Sustainability Sciences; Gabriella Lapointe, Graduate Special Education Major and Graduate & Part-Time Student Council President

9. Working Group for Evidence Inventory

Co-Chairs:  Franklin Turner, Executive Director, School of Psychology; Muhammad Hassan, Executive Director, Nancy Thompson Library and Learning Commons

Members: Jeff Toney, Senior Vice President for Research; Hong Gao, Director, Office of Institutional Research; Linda Cifelli, Librarian