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Reaccreditation Working Groups

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Reaccreditation unites expertise, perspectives, and vision from every corner of campus. Powered by F&M community members, working groups aligned with each of MSCHE’s seven accreditation standards evaluate criteria, examine campus practices, assess outcomes, and gather evidence to paint a transparent picture of where the College is in compliance and where opportunities for growth exist.

Meet the Diplomats leading this important work across campus. If you have questions or feedback, you can contact the executive team at self-study@fandm.edu. 

Executive Team

The executive team oversees the steering committee’s work and official communications with Middle States. 

  • Co-Chair: Gretchen Meyers, Professor of Classics, Associate Provost for Institutional Planning and Strategy
  • Co-Chair: Jerome Hodos, Professor of Sociology, Program Chair of International Studies
  • Accreditation Liaison Officer: Sunita Kramer '92, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
  • Chair of the Evidence Inventory Working Group: Lindsey Palumbo, Director of Strategic Analytics

Steering Committee

The self-study process is led by a steering committee. The steering committee manages the preparation of the self-study report and visits by Middle States representatives, oversees the seven working groups, and communicates regularly with the campus to provide opportunities for involvement and feedback.

The steering committee is composed of the chairs and co-chairs of the working groups, the communications liaison, and an executive team. 

  • Co-Chair: Gretchen Meyers, Professor of Classics, Associate Provost for Institutional Planning and Strategy
  • Co-Chair: Jerome Hodos, Professor of Sociology, Program Chair of International Studies
  • Lydia Brubaker, Director of Legal Affairs
  • Shawn Curtin, Vice President of Finance and Administration
  • Latosha Dexter, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary to the Board
  • Sunita Kramer '92, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Accreditation Liaison Officer
  • Jorge Mena-Ali, Senior Teaching Professor and Assistant Dean for Faculty Retention and Success, Interim Director of the Faculty Center
  • Bob Mikus, Dean of Students
  • Alicia Morrissey-Kinee, Strategic Communications Specialist, Communications Liaison
  • Lindsey Palumbo, Director of Strategic Analytics
  • Carrie Rampp, Vice President and Chief Information Officer
  • Jon Stone, Associate Dean of the Faculty, Professor of Russian
  • Victoria Waddail, Executive Director of Enrollment Systems, Operations & Analytics

Evidence Inventory Working Group

The evidence inventory working group centralizes and catalogs supporting evidence collected by the working groups, compiling it into a cohesive repository for the self-study report.

  • Chair: Lindsey Palumbo, Director of Strategic Analytics
  • Chris Alexander, Director of Institutional Reporting
  • Louise LoBello, Digital & Special Collections Librarian

Working Group 1: Mission and Goals

Investigating Standard 1: The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. 

  • Chair: Carrie Rampp, Vice President and Chief Information Officer
  • Nathan Gismot, Director of Corporate Foundation & Community Partnership
  • Bridget Guarasci, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Department Chair of Anthropology
  • Meghan Kelly, Director of College Library
  • Joe Lee, Senior Adviser to the President
  • Stephen Medvic, The Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government
  • Gretchen Meyers, Professor of Classics, Associate Provost for Institutional Planning and Strategy.
  • Matthew Thomas ’10, Executive Director, Ware Institute for Civic Engagement

Working Group 2: Ethics and Integrity

Investigating Standard 2: In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.

  • Co-Chair: Lydia Brubaker, Director of Legal Affairs
  • Co-Chair: Jorge Mena-Ali, Senior Teaching Professor and Assistant Dean for Faculty Retention and Success, Interim Director of the Faculty Center
  • Douglas Anthony, Professor of History, Program Chair of Africana Studies
  • Melanie DeSantis, Associate Vice President for Human Resources
  • Lauren Howard, Associate Professor of Psychology & Scientific and Philosophical Studies of Mind
  • Eric Kopp, Director of Financial Aid
  • Christian Perry, Executive Director of Community and Belonging
  • Tim Poirier, Employee Engagement Officer & Title IX/ADA Coordinator
  • Joseph Pritchett, Director of Faith & Meaning

Working Group 3: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience

Investigating Standard 3: The institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality, and all learning experiences are consistent with higher education expectations.

  • Chair: Jon Stone, Associate Dean of the Faculty, Professor of Russian
  • Erik Anderson, Associate Professor of English
  • Beckley Davis, Professor of Biology
  • Sarah Gall, Director of Pre-Health Professions Advising
  • Nicole Jones Young, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Associate Chair of Business, Organizations & Society
  • Shelley Kauffman, Learning Support Specialist
  • Rachel Marlowe, Director of the Admission Visit Experience & Lombardo Welcome Center Manager
  • Laura Medvic, College Registrar
  • Lisa Stillwell, Associate Librarian for Research Services

Working Group 4: Support of the Student Experience

Investigating Standard 4: Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings, and commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success.

  • Co-Chair: Bob Mikus, Dean of Students
  • Co-Chair: Victoria Waddail, Executive Director of Enrollment Systems, Operations & Analytics
  • Sarah Esh, Associate Registrar
  • Ashley Fry, Director of Business/Finance Professions Advising & Data Assessment
  • Jessica Haile, Assistant Dean for International Student Service
  • Kabi Hartman, Director of the Program in Support of Academic Excellence and Senior Teaching Professor of English
  • Jordyn Kamis, Assistant Director of Athletics for Student Success
  • Jennifer Kibbe, Professor of Government
  • Ellie Rice, Director, Quantitative & Science Center and Senior Teaching Professor of Biology
  • Sam Thiry, Director of Wellness Programs
  • Nick Yando, Director of the Office of Student Engagement

Working Group 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Investigating Standard 5: The institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.

  • Chair: Jerome Hodos, Professor of Sociology, Program Chair of International Studies
  • Christina Abbott, Senior Teaching Professor of Psychology
  • Dan Ardia, Associate Dean of the Faculty and Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology
  • Alison Hobbs, Director of Accessibility Services
  • Aaron Howard, Senior Teaching Professor of Biology, Program Chair of Data Science
  • Kelly Miller, Senior Instructional Designer
  • Meagan Tripp, Assistant Professor of German, Co-Chair of Language Studies Council
  • Mike Vitlip, Director of Legal & Government Professions Advising

Working Group 6: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement

Investigating Standard 6: The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.

  • Chair: Shawn Curtin, Vice President of Finance and Administration
  • Nicholas Auwaerter, Director for the Center For Sustainable Environment
  • Becky DeMatty, Associate Vice President of Advancement Operations
  • Jeremy Houck, HR Talent & Compensation Manager
  • Amy Lytle, Professor of Physics, Department Chair of Physics & Astronomy
  • David Merli, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Department Chair of Philosophy
  • Mike Mumper, Executive Director of Facilities Optimization
  • Andrew Stich '13, Associate Vice President & Chief Technology Officer
  • Berwood Yost, Director, Floyd Institute's Center for Opinion Research and Director, Floyd Institute for Public Policy Analysis and Senior Adjunct Research Instructor of Government

Working Group 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration

Investigating Standard 7: The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves.

  • Chair: Latosha Dexter, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary to the Board
  • Jaime Blair, Professor of Biology
  • Melanie DeSantis, Associate Vice President for Human Resources
  • Judith Fishlow Minter P’19, Board of Trustees, Compensation Committee
  • Cheryl Scarboro P’26, Board of Trustees, Trusteeship and Governance Committee

Get in Touch

If you have questions or feedback, you can contact the executive team at self-study@fandm.edu.