University Councils and Committees
Committee work that is overseen by the Office of the Provost
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There are many committees overseen by the provost that relate to academic oversight and progress at the University of Rochester. These groups are charged with advising University leadership on institutional priorities and resource allocation. In addition, the provost also serves ex officio on several standing committees and councils.
On this page, you’ll learn more about these groups and committees, including the work they support and membership lists.
Committees and councils
Explore a comprehensive list of committees and councils chaired or co-chaired by offices of the provost in the drop-downs and links below.
University Committee on Academic Policies and Administration
The University Committee on Academic Policies and Administration (UCAPA) serves to review, assess, and improve policies and procedures affecting academic practices at the University of Rochester. The committee will consider the impact on academic personnel University-wide as well as implications for accreditation and verification of compliance.
Committee responsibilities
Faculty career development, standards for letters of appointments, promotions issues, conflicts of commitment, conflicts of interest, retirement, academic calendar, distance education, transfer and articulation agreements, Title IV responsibilities, institutional records, central resource/clearing house for new programs, standing with accrediting bodies (institutional and specialized), verification of compliance (state and federal), assignment of credit hours, academic honesty, leave of absence, and legal matters.
Committee members
This list was last updated in Feb 2024.
- Jennifer Mathews – Chair, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness, Office of the Provost
- Rob Alexander – Vice Provost and University Dean for Enrollment Management, Office of the Provost
- Judith Baumhauer – Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, School of Medicine & Dentistry-MD
- John Blackshear – Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Office of the Provost
- Cindy Callard – Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Warner School of Education and Human Development
- Peter Christensen – Associate Dean, School of Arts and Sciences
- Alan Czaplicki – Associate Vice Provost for Academic Data & Planning, Office of the Provost
- Charlie DeSouza – Director of Academic Information Systems, University IT
- Eli Eliav – Director and Vice Dean for Oral Health, Eastman Institute for Oral Health
- Paul Funkenbusch – Associate Dean, Education & New Initiatives, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- Maggie Graham – Associate Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives, Office of the Provost
- John Hain – Senior Associate Dean, Academic & Student Affairs, Eastman School of Music
- David Lambert – Senior Associate Dean for Medical Student Education, School of Medicine & Dentistry-MD
- Rick Libby – Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Student Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, School of Medicine & Dentistry-Grad
- Mitch Lovett – Senior Associate Dean, Education & Innovation, Simon Business School
- Kevin McFarland – Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Office of the Provost
- Lydia Rotondo – Associate Dean for Education and Student Affairs, School of Nursing
- Ravi Shankar – Assistant Vice Provost and Director of the International Services Office , International Services Office
- Melissa Sturge-Apple (designee Gretchen Briscoe) – Vice Provost and University Dean for Grad Education, Office of the Provost
- Tina Sturgis – University Registrar, Office of the Provost
Operational Excellence Committee
Convened by the provost and chief financial officer, the Operational Excellence Committee prioritizes macro-level business operations within the University to ensure the effective and efficient use of resources across the enterprise.
See committee members
- Elizabeth Milavec – Co-chair, Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer
- David C. Linehan, M.D – Co-chair, Sr. VP for Health Sciences, CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center, Dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry
- Adam Anolik – Chief Financial Officer and Associate Vice President, University of Rochester Medical Center
- Steve Dewhurst – Vice President for Research
- Jim Forrester – Chief Technology Officer and Associate Vice President Information Technology, University of Rochester Medical Center
- Kathy Gallucci – Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
- Julie Myers – Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer for the University
- Tony Green – Executive Vice Provost for Academic Finance and Planning
- Nicole Sampson – Provost, Chief Academic Officer, and University Professor of Chemistry
University Standing Committee for Promotions
The University Standing Committee for Promotions is appointed by the provost in consultation with the president from a list of names submitted by the school deans based upon recommendations of department chairs.
Work of the committee
Fifteen tenured faculty serve on three subcommittees: Arts & Humanities; Physical & Biological Sciences; Social Sciences. The committees are used in cases of promotion from assistant to associate professor without tenure as stipulated in the Faculty Handbook.
The committees receive the materials submitted by candidates for promotion–detailed description of their research, teaching, and service activities, and letters of evaluation—which have been forwarded to the provost with the support of their dean. Based on its review, the promotion committee makes recommendations to the president and provost, who review the recommendation and subsequently make their own recommendation (when positive) to the Board of Trustees, whose decision is final.
Committee members
This list was last updated in February 2025.
Nicole Sampson is the Convener, Provost and Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics and Education. See additional committee members below.
Arts and Humanities
- Paul Audi – Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy
- Matthew BaileyShea – Associate Professor, Department of Music
- Jonathan Baldo – Professor, Department of Humanities
- Joanne Bernardi – Professor, Department of Modern Languages & Cultures
- Jennifer Creech – Associate Professor, Department of Modern Languages & Cultures
Physical and Biological Sciences
- Riccardo Bett – Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Nicholas Bigelow – Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy
- Allan Greenleaf – Professor, Department of Mathematics
- John Kessler – Associate Professor, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Andrei Seluanov – Professor, Department of Biology
Social Sciences
- Narayana Kocherlakota – Professor, Department of Economics
- Andre Marqui – Associate Professor, Counseling & Human Development
- Joan Rubin – Professor, Department of History
- Melissa Sturge-Apple – Associate Professor, Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology
- Jerold Warner – Professor, Business Administration
Student Health Insurance Plan Oversight Committee
The Student Health Insurance Plan Oversight Committee is comprised of the senior leaders in the offices of University Health Services, Finance, Council, and Benefits with undergraduate and graduate student representatives. Convened by the director of University Health Services, the committee meets for the purpose of reviewing and advising on the Student Health Insurance Plan.
See committee members
This list was last updated in November 2021.
- Ralph Manchester, MD – Chair, Vice Provost, Director of UHS
- Caroline Ballou – Assistant Controller, Financial Reporting
- Caroline Burnicki – Interim University Controller
- Rachel Carmen – Assoc. Director of University Benefits
- Alyssa Merrill, MS – Graduate Student Representative
- Elizabeth Milavec – Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer
- Rob Rich – Graduate Student Representative
Other committees: Ex Officio representation and related initiatives
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Contact us
If you have questions about these committees, our Contact page has ways to contact the Office of the Provost directly.