Academic Affairs Committee

The Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) is responsible for all issues pertaining to matters of curricular and academic program review and will be responsible for the Senate’s role in the creation and elimination of academic programs. At the beginning of each academic year, the committee will meet with the Provost to review emerging academic issues, to discuss priorities for the agenda in the year ahead, and to plan for ad hoc assignments pertaining to academic affairs. The committee will formulate policies affecting faculty in the performance of their duties; consider policies and offer advice pertaining to student admissions, graduation, and enrollment; and oversee work relating to student assessment and academic program evaluation.

(Note: Guidelines for submitting academic proposals to the Faculty Senate for approval, and an overview of the process, are located in the "Submission Guidelines" folder in the embedded "Documents" Box.)

Committee Members

2026-27 Membership
Name School Department Job Title Term Ends

Kim Acquaviva, Co-Chair

School of Nursing 2030

Kevin Cope, Co-Chair

School of Law 2030

Peter Abramenko

College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Mathematics 2028

Hanadi Al-Samman

College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Middle Eastern & South Asian Languages and Cultures 2030

William Brady

School of Medicine 2028

Yuxiang Du

McIntire School of Commerce 2030

Nabil Elkassabany

School of Medicine 2027

Bryon Gustafson

School of Continuing & Professional Studies 2029

Jon Kropko

School of Data Science 2030

Natalia Palacios

School of Education & Human Development 2030

Jennifer Pease

School of Education & Human Development 2027

Andy Pennock

Batten School of Leadership & Public Policy Member-at-Large, Executive Council 2028

Julianne Quinn

School of Engineering & Applied Science 2030

Andrea Roberts

McIntire School of Commerce 2030

Jessica Sewell

School of Architecture Member-at-Large, Executive Council 2027

Ryan Smith

School of Medicine 2028

Penny Von Eschen

College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences History 2029

June West

Darden School of Business 2029

Minutes and Documents

Non-Faculty Senate & Ex Officio Members

  • Kiama Bishop, Deputy University Registrar
  • Cheryl Carroll, Senior Analyst for Academic Compliance and Distance Education, Institutional Research & Analytics
  • Brie Gertler, Interim Provost
  • Laura Hawthorne, Associate Vice Provost and University Registrar
  • Alena Herklotz, Director of Academic Compliance Institutional Research & Analytics, SACSCOC Liaison
  • Christian McMillen, Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs