Introduction

  • This election is for CAPC College of Arts and Sciences Representative. The rules for this election are listed below.
  • The nominees for the CAPC College of Arts and Sciences Representative election are listed to the right. The list to the right is not a ballot.
  • This list in not official until nominations have been closed and the list of nominees has been reviewed and verified by the APSCUF Nominations and Elections Committee.
  • The statements the candidates submitted with their nominations are given below. By clicking on a name in the list of candidates, you will be taken to that candidate's statement.
  • Clicking on the words Return to Top will return you to this part of the page.
  • If you are a nominee and wish to modify your statement or withdraw your nomination, click on the "Modify" button. You will need your password to make any modifications.
  • When you are finished, you may choose to view nominees for other elections, nominate yourself, view the list of elections, return to the APSCUF Nominations and Elections homepage, visit the APSCUF homepage, or visit the WCU homepage.
The nominees for CAPC College of Arts and Sciences Representative are:

Stefanie Anne Boettger
Mary Braz
Maria Jose Cabrera-Puche
Daniel Forbes
Erin E. Gestl
Gabrielle Halko
Scott Parsell
Eleanor Shevlin
Kuhio Walters

Nominations close Nov 28, 2011.
Regular Faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences may be nominated.

Rules for the Election

    • The candidate with the highest vote count will be elected to a three-year term expiring in Spring 2014; the candidate with the second highest vote count will be elected to a two-year term expiring in Spring 2013.
    • Current members of CAPC SHOULD NOT RUN FOR THIS SEAT.
    • Each department can have at most two representatives on CAPC.
    • The election is decided by a plurality of those casting votes unless such results violate the previous rule or the number of candidates does not exceed the number of positions to fill. In the later case, each candidate will be voted on by an approve/disapprove ballot.
    • Vacant seats will be filled one at a time with the current vacant seat filled by the candidate with the highest vote count. As each seat is filled, the candidate filling that seat and any other candidates from the same department as the candidate filling that seat will be disqualified. Votes cast for disqualified candidates, as just defined, will not be considered in filling remaining vacant seats.
    • Each candidate selected counts as a cast vote.
    • Members elected to at-large seats cannot be nominated for school representative seats.
    • Seats with longer terms will be filled first. In the case of an approve/disapprove ballot, candidates will be ranked according to number of approve votes.

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Stefanie Anne Boettger


Department: Biology

Since I started at West Chester University in the fall of 2008 I have been involved in preparation of new courses in the Department of Biology. I would now be interested in expanding my activities to help insure academic integrity and promote continuous improvement of the educational programs at West Chester University by serving on CAPC as a representative for the College of Arts and Sciences.


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Mary Braz


Department: Communication Studies

I welcome the opportunity to continue my service to the campus community by being elected to the position of CAPC College of Arts and Sciences Representative. For the past two years, I have served as a proxy on the CAPC Undergraduate Programs Committee. I've attended multiple meetings with this group and would value the opportunity to serve CAPC in a more permanent capacity. I believe my experience with this committee along with my previous service positions on campus (such as serving on the CAS Recruitment Committee and as a proxy to Faculty Senate) will position me to be a strong advocate for undergraduate education. If elected, I will continue to serve with a commitment to the mission and values of the university. Thank you for your consideration.


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Maria Jose Cabrera-Puche


Department: Languages and Cultures

After serving for several years as CAPC Proxy for diverse professors in my Department and observing how CAPC works, I am ready to be a CAS Representative. Also, my experience in Assessment (as an Assessment Coordinator), and my theoretical and practical Curricular experience (in face-to-face, online and hybric courses and programs) will enhance my participation as a CAPC Representative.


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Daniel Forbes


Department: Philosophy

I currently serve on the Pedagogy for Engagement Committee, and would like to expand my university service to involvement in university curriculum. While I regularly teach general education courses that emphasize critical thinking and broadness of perspective, I also have experience from another institution teaching courses in general learning strategies for first- and second-year students. As an educator with this background I have found that general education students at WCU have great energy, diverse experience, and much practical wisdom. But at the same time many come to us with the need to develop a broad set of skills crucial to effective learning that we as experienced educators often take for granted. As a member of CAPC I hope to further the goals of WCU’s strategic plan by participating in the continuing development of a general education curriculum that helps students to develop an interdisciplinary range of learning skills tempered with a sensitivity to and appreciation of diversity. With these skills WCU general education students can become self-directed, active learners capable of high quality academic work which will help them to adapt and compete in a changing job market.


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Erin E. Gestl


Department: Biology

I have been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology since 2007 and have also served the university as a full-time temporary faculty member for another 2 years. I have taught all levels of classes from freshman biology labs to senior and graduate level courses including two courses in the concentration of Molecular Biology that I have developed. Having taught other courses in Molecular Biology, I have gained an understanding of topics being discussed in the other courses and have adjusted my syllabus to minimize the amount of overlap allowing other current topics in the field to be added. I have also been active in the WCU Pedagogy Series which included topics such as “Teaching the Millennials” and “Educational Technology” and have worked on incorporating the concepts into my classroom. I am interested in serving on CAPC in the development of the academic programs and policies which will help shape the future of West Chester University.


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Gabrielle Halko


Department: English

As a faculty member who is invested in developing and sustaining curricular policies that best meet our institutional and student needs, I am interested in serving on CAPC. I have successfully guided new and modified courses through the CAPC process and look forward to becoming involved with CAPC as a means of serving the University.


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Scott Parsell


Department: Mathematics

We currently face a number of academic policy challenges that demand thoughtful attention. It is important that CAPC work efficiently with departments to adapt programs to frequently changing external requirements and in response to feedback from the assessment process. CAPC will also play a critical role in the evolution of distance/hybrid education and must carefully consider not only specific course proposals of this type but also general policies and their ramifications. Following ten years of teaching at other institutions, where I was involved in reforming both general education and mathematics degree programs, I’m currently in my third year as an associate professor at West Chester. I have been fortunate to become familiar with our curriculum via academic advising, serving on the department’s undergraduate and graduate committees, and spending the past two years as assessment coordinator. CAPC plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity of our academic programs, and I look forward to bringing a broad range of perspective and experience to this endeavor.


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Eleanor Shevlin


Department: English

Dear Colleagues,

Committed to faculty-led development of curricula and academic policies, I seek your support to serve on CAPC. From my first semester at West Chester in fall 2001, I have been actively involved in curriculum issues. While most of my curricula experience has been at the department level, I have also had hands-on exposure to course development beyond my department, including firsthand experience designing an interdisciplinary program elsewhere. I also served for six years on the Undergraduate Academic Advising Committee (Fall 2002- Spring 2008). Work on this committee and my two and half years as an advisor for the Academic Development Program (ADP) have made me intimately familiar with general education courses and policies across the university. Having served on the Winter Session Taskforce, I am particularly interested in innovative course offerings involving international travel as well as national and local field experiences. Combined, these experiences have well prepared me for service on CAPC. I would welcome the opportunity to apply my skills and knowledge to curricula concerns in a larger service forum. If elected to a CAPC seat, I would be honored to serve faculty across the university.


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Kuhio Walters


Department: English

Serving on CAPC is intriguing to me because I want to learn more about the processes involved with submitting new courses and because I am invested in the idea of strengthening and growing our curriculum. Also, I like the idea of working with new colleagues from across the campus. Overall, having worked on several committees at the departmental and college levels, I’ve observed the kind of thoughtfulness and dedication it takes to deal well with maintaining any program, and understand how valuable such service is to all of us. I hope I have the opportunity to bring this same level of commitment to the wider university community.


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