The Graduate Council
The Graduate Council is the primary all-University advisory body responsible for the development and review of Graduate School policy and the review of graduate curriculum. Here you can find a number of resources for graduate program development, including information about the Graduate Council and its procedures, various forms for proposing new or altered graduate programs, as well as the policies governing graduate programs at Montclair State University.
If you are planning to submit a graduate curriculum proposal, please take a look at some of the examples available on this website. These examples were selected by members of the Graduate Council because they are formatted in a way that makes them easier to read and review. They also contain all necessary information items required for proposal review.
About Us
Chair: Rashmi Jain
Vice Chair: Jessica Brater
The Graduate Council is the primary all-University advisory body responsible for the development and review of Graduate School policy and the review of graduate curriculum. The Graduate Council makes curriculum and policy recommendations to the Provost. These include review and recommendation about new graduate programs and revisions in existing graduate programs. The Graduate Council also recommends general graduate admission requirements and guidelines for admission to specific graduate programs. The Graduate Council also recommends guidelines for the admission of faculty to graduate faculty status.
Curriculum Committee
This committee reviews all new graduate program proposals and all proposed changes in existing graduate programs which do not have as their primary focus teacher education or professional education and makes recommendations to the Graduate Council for its action.
| Voting Members | Non-Voting Members |
| Helen Roberts (Chair) | Dean Scott Herness (Graduate School) |
| David Witten | Dean Danianne Mizzy, Library |
| Rashmi Jain | Registrar |
| Jeremy Fox | Barbara Ritola (Academic Affairs) |
| Carlos McCray | Associate Dean Nelly Lejter-Morales (Graduate School) |
| Adam Rzepka | Bryan Moschel (Graduate School) |
| Matthew Schuler | |
| Mary Beth Duffy | |
| Student Representatives (3) |
Policy Committee
This committee reviews all questions of graduate policy and makes recommendations to the Graduate Council for its action.
| Voting Members | Non-Voting Members |
| Michele Fisher (Vice Chair) | Dean Danianne Mizzy, Library |
| Yi Luo | (Registrar) |
| Daniel Mengara | Barbara Ritola (Academic Affairs) |
| Andrada Ivanescu | Associate Dean Nelly Lejter-Morales (Graduate School) |
| Amanda Birnbaum | Bryan Moschel (Graduate School) |
| Nina Goodey | |
| Hal Ravinder | |
| Joan Valas | |
| Chris King | |
| James Di Gabriele | |
| Jessica Brater | |
| Student Representatives (2) |
Ex officio members and regular non-member attendees
- Scott Herness, Vice Provost for Research and Dean, Graduate School
- Nelly Lejter-Morales, Associate Dean, Graduate School
- Bryan Moschel, Director of Admissions and Operations, Graduate School
- Yune Tran, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, CEHS
- Jessica Brandt, Associate Dean, CHSS
- Stefanie Brachfeld, Associate Dean, CSAM
- Ronald Sharps, Associate Dean, CART
- Janice Smolowitz, Dean, NURS
- Nicole Koppel, representing FSBUS Dean
- Elizabeth Rosini, Associate Dean, FSBUS
- Jonida Dervishi, Assistant Director of MBA Program, FSBUS
- Judith Lin Hunt, Dean, Library Services
- Jennifer Robinson, Director Center of Pedagogy
- Dana Levitt, Chair, IRB
- Joanne Cote-Bonanno, Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Assessment
- Barbara Ritola, Curriculum and Instruction, Academic Affairs
- Leslie Sutton-Smith, Registrar
- Rebecca Newton, Graduate School
Graduate Council Voting Membership – AY 2021-2022
Elected Faculty Members: Two year terms (Sept 1 – Aug 31)
Graduate School Appointees and Students: One year terms
College of Education and Human Services (3)
| Amanda Birnbaum (Public Health) | 2021-2023 |
| Carlos McCray (Educational Leadership) | 2021-2023 |
| Michele Fisher (Ex Sci & Phys Ed) | 2020-2022 |
| Alternate Faculty: Sarah Goldstein | 2020-2022 |
| Student: *Quawntashea Bailey (Higher Ed) | 2021-2022 |
College of Humanities and Social Sciences (3)
| Daniel Mengara (World Lang. & Culture) | 2021-2023 |
| Adam Rzepka (English) | 2021-2023 |
| Jeremy Fox (Psychology) | 2020-2022 |
| Alternate Faculty: (Vacant) | 2020-2022 |
| Student: *Ana Hernandez (Social Work) | 2021-2022 |
College of Science and Mathematics (3)
| Andrada Ivanescu (App Math & Statistics) | 2020-2022 |
| Matt Schuler (Biology) | 2021-2023 |
| Nina Goodey (Chemistry) | 2021-2023 |
| Alternate Faculty: Dawei Li | 2020-2022 |
| Student: *TBD | 2021-2022 |
College of the Arts (3)
| Yi Luo (Communication and Media) | 2021-2023 |
| Jessica Brater (Theatre) | 2021-2023 |
| David Witten (Music) | 2020-2022 |
| Alternate Faculty: Elizabeth McPherson | 2021-2023 |
| Student: *Terralyn Hayes (Theatre) | 2021-2022 |
School of Business (3)
| Rashmi Jain (Information Management and Business Analytics) | 2021-2023 |
| Vidya Atal (Economics) | 2021-2023 |
| Hal Ravinder (Information Management and Business Analytics) | 2020-2022 |
| Alternate Faculty: Ethne Swartz | 2020-2022 |
| Student: *Maria Herrera (MBA) | 2021-2022 |
School of Nursing (3)
| Joan Valas | 2020-2022 |
| Mary Beth Duffy | 2020-2022 |
| (Vacant) | 2021-2023 |
| Alternate Faculty: (Vacant) | 2021-2023 |
| Student: *TBD | 2021-2022 |
The Graduate School (3)
| Helen Roberts | 2020-2022 |
| Chris King | 2021-2023 |
| James Di Gabriele | 2020-2022 |
| Student: *Isamar Cortes (Envir Sci Mgt PhD) | 2021-2022 |
Elected and Appointed Faculty Members: Two year terms (June 1st—June 30) Students: One year term (June 1st—June 30)
*Denotes student member
Rotation for Election of Graduate Council Representatives
The number of elected faculty to Graduate Council is 18 (three per College/School). In addition to the three elected representatives, an alternate should be elected from each College/School to serve if an elective representative is unable to participate in Graduate Council activities. Smaller Colleges/Schools with fewer than 10 faculty members may choose to elect fewer than three representatives. When possible, at least one of the elected representatives from each College/School shall be a graduate program coordinator or doctoral program director.
Elections of faculty members to the Graduate Council take place during the spring semester leading into the following academic year. The election of faculty from each college is staggered so that two faculty members are elected one year, and one faculty member plus an alternate are elected in the following year. The rotation of elected faculty members for each College/School is maintained in The Graduate School.