Below is a list of CLAS committees and membership for the 2025-2026 academic year.
CLAS Committee on Curricula and Courses
Purpose: to review and approve proposed changes to the College's academic programs and courses
CLAS Dean’s Advisory Council for Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment
Purpose: to evaluate cases for faculty promotion, tenure and reappointment within the College
Humanities and Social Sciences
2-year term (starting)
Françoise Dussart, Professor, Department of Anthropology
Andy Jolly-Ballantine, Professor-in-Residence, Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community, and Urban Studies
Paul Herrnson, Professor, Department of Political Science
Kristine Nowak, Professor, Department of Communication
1-year term (continuing)
Mitch Green, Professor, Department of Philosophy
Chih-hwa Kao, Professor, Department of Economics
Matthew McKenzie, Professor, Department of History; Maritime Studies Program; Environmental Studies Program; Avery Point Campus
Life and Physical Sciences
2-year term (starting)
Dean Cruess, Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences
Guozhen Lu, Professor, Department of Mathematics
Jianjun Sun, Professor, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology
1-year term (remaining)
Lisa Eaton, Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Services
Susan Z. Herrick, Professor in Residence, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Victor Hugo Lachos Davila, Professor, Department of Statistics
Senjie Lin, Professor, Department of Marine Sciences; Institute for Systems Genomics; Institute of the Environment; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Jing Zhao, Professor, Department of Chemistry; Institute of Materials Science
CLAS Dean’s (Alumni) Advisory Board
Purpose: to offer expert advice and guidance to the Dean in areas including promoting the College’s achievements, fundraising, and strengthening relationships with alumni
CLAS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Purpose: to advise the College on how to execute elements concerning DEI emerging from the strategic plan; to guide the formulation of a consistent, transparent, ethical approach to DEI matters in the college; and, to share information, issues, concerns, and accomplishments
CLAS Grade Appeal Committee
Purpose: to manage CLAS student grade appeal requests
Membership
Charles Giardina, Professor, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Gideon Hartman, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology
Tammo Reichgelt, Assistant Professor in Residence, Department of Earth Sciences
Brad Tuttle, Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism
CLAS Graduate Student Advisory Committee
Purpose: to provide the CLAS Dean’s Office with feedback on matters concerning graduate students in the College
Membership
Mary Grace Albright, Graduate Student, Department of Earth Sciences
Heidi Benham, Graduate Student, Department of Mathematics
Matthew Brown, Graduate Student, Department of Economics
Katie Crowley, Graduate Student, Department of Marine Sciences
Georgia Harbor-Collins, Graduate Student, Department of Mathematics
Catherine Keough, Graduate Student, Department of English
Matthew Leason, Graduate Student, Department of Marine Sciences
Darlis Pantoja-Benavides, Graduate Student, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
Lia Plankenhorn-Farrell, Graduate Student, Department of Anthropology
Chelsea Schroeder, Graduate Student, Department of Chemistry
Ozan Sinoplu, Graduate Student, Department of Earth Sciences
Chelsea Smith, Graduate Student, School of Public Policy
Max Sun, Graduate Student, Department of Statistics
Kevin Watson, Graduate Student, Department of Physics
Audrey Weber, Graduate Student, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology
Lauren Ziolkowski, Graduate Student, Department of English
CLAS Research Advisory Committee
Purpose: to examine ways the College can effectively meet the research related goals of the Strategic Plan and to advise on efforts to increase research and fully realize the potential of the CLAS faculty
Membership
Haim Bar, Associate Professor, Department of Statistics
Cara Battersby, Associate Professor, Department of Physics
Martha Cutter, Professor, Department of English
Ran Feng, Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences
Seth Kalichman, Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences
Rahul Kanadia, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology
Yonatan Morse, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
Jim O’Donnell, Professor, Department of Marine Sciences
Julian Schlöder, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy
Marlene Schwartz, Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
Jocelyn Steinke, Professor, Department of Communication; Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP)
Carlos Trallero, Professor, Department of Physics
Jill Wegrzyn, Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
CLAS Scholarship Selection Committee
Purpose: to assist the College in selecting recipients of CLAS scholarship and fellowship awards
Membership
Alexandru Asandei, Professor, Department of Chemistry
Alaina Brenick, Associate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
Andrea Celli, Associate Professor, Department of Literatures, Cultures and Languages
Carlos Garcia-Robledo, Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Thomas Meade, Associate Professor in Residence, Department of Communication
Lijing Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences
CLAS Strategic Plan Advisory Committee
Purpose: to advise the dean in assessing progress toward strategic plan goals, recommend course corrections, and identify new opportunities consistent with the plan
Membership
Mohamad Alkadry, Professor, School of Public Policy
Cara Battersby, Associate Professor, Department of Physics
Bri Diaz, Interim Director of Communications, CLAS Office of Communications
Anke Finger, Professor, Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages
Sirrah Galligan, Educational Program Manager and Clinical Education Administrator, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Susan Herrick, Professor in Residence, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Nicole Landi, Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences
Josh Mayer, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology; Department of Social and Critical Inquiry; Africana Studies Institute
Rory McGloin, Associate Professor, Department of Communication; Associate Director of Entrepreneurial Communication & Research, CT Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Emily Myers, Professor, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Sara Silverstein, Associate Professor, Department of History
Ryan Talbert, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology
Joseph Tinnel, Assistant Director, CLAS Academic Services Center
Penny Vlahos, Professor, Department of Marine Sciences
Ryan Watson, Associate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
CLAS Student Leadership Board
Purpose: to serve the College's community as liaisons between the dean and the students in order to enhance communications, academic experiences, and alumni connections while embodying the values of a liberal arts education