Exterior photo of The Graduate School building.

The Graduate Council

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 the Graduate Council

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

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

Graph showing the Rotation for Election of Graduate Council Representatives at Montclair State

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.