Introduction

  • This election is for Special All Faculty Election for Presidential Search Committee. The rules for this election are listed below.
  • The nominees for the Special All Faculty Election for Presidential Search Committee 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 Special All Faculty Election for Presidential Search Committee are:

Terence F Beattie
Kristen Bakia Crossney
Marc Gagne
Wayne Hanley
Christy Hicks
Susan Johnston
Vanessa Kahen
Aliza Richman
Simon Ruchti
Jessica Sullivan-Brown

Nominations close Sep 1, 2023.
All Faculty may be nominated.

Rules for the Election

    • The purpose of this election is to recommend to the WCU Council of Trustees a faculty representative and alternate to serve on the Presidential Search Committee.
    • All tenured faculty are eligible for nomination.
    • All faculty are eligible to vote in this election.
    • Nominees must include a statement of interest and qualifications with their nomination.
    • This election will be decided by a plurality of votes cast. The candidate with the highest vote total will be recommended to the Council of Trustees as the elected faculty representative in accordance with PASSHE BOG policy. The candidate with the second highest vote total will be recommended as alternate. These recommendations will be announced on September 11 and presented to the Council of Trustees for confirmation.
    • The term of the appointment will be determined by the Council of Trustees in accordance with PASSHE BOG policy.
    • Ballots are scheduled to be sent on September 2. If you do not receive a ballot by September 3, please contact the chair of APSCUF Nominations and Elections, cjohnston@wcupa.edu.

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Terence F Beattie


Department: Athletics

Colleagues: My name is Terry Beattie and I serve as the Director of Athletics and am I tenured Assistant Professor. In the State System, athletics administrators have faculty rank, and although we do not teach in the classroom, we are integral in educational experience of our student-athletes.

Having served WCU for 19 years, the past 6 as the Director of Athletics, I am very interested in serving on the Presidential Search Committee. The Department of Athletics supports 24 varsity programs plus cheerleading and nearly 600 student-athletes. Our work crosses all divisions on campus and generates much publicity for our successes (and shortcomings) academically, competitively and in the community. As WCU is an NCAA Division II institution, the athletics department and the entire campus is bound by NCAA rules and legislation. As we learned last winter, breach of these rules can lead to NCAA sanctions on the University as a whole.

I have served WCU for 19 years, represented the University on numerous campus, regional and national committees and have always put the experience of our student-athletes at the forefront of my work. I would be humbled to represent the faculty, our coaches and our student-athletes on this very important committee as we search for the next president of WCU.

Thank you


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Kristen Bakia Crossney


Department: Public Policy and Administration

I would be honored to represent our faculty as a member of the Presidential Search Committee. In my time at WCU, I have had the pleasure of serving in a variety of roles representing faculty and various constituencies. I am in my third term as a member of TEP, and beginning my second year as TEP Chair. I have been the program director of the Doctor of Public Administration Program for the last five years. I am in my second term on the Executive Committee for Graduate Council as the representative for our doctoral programs. I served two terms as Vice President for our local chapter of APSCUF. Through my career here I have served in additional roles, including elected member of the Executive Committee for Women’s and Gender Studies, the Youth Empowerment and Urban Studies and RUCCAS programs, and as Communications Chair for the WCU Sustainability Council. In recent years I have completed professional development aimed at strengthening my commitment to social justice, gender equity and DEI through HERS and the American Council of Education. I am humbled by the opportunities provided to me to advocate on behalf of faculty, and to contribute to our institution.

Outside of WCU, I am active with the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). I am entering my fourth year as the Co-Chair of their national Doctoral Programs Committee. As part of my service, I convene several committee meetings a year, and facilitate the Doctoral Education Workshop full day workshop at the annual conference. During my term, I had the honor to participate in their Summit on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Report and Next Steps, which provided an opportunity to plan and implement social justice and DEI efforts in public service education. Additionally, I have served as an accreditation site visitor, which has been an exciting opportunity to learn from colleagues and contribute to public service education at other institutions.

In recent years, I’ve served as a faculty representative for several administrative searches for a variety of roles in Academic Affairs. I've served on behalf of Graduate Council, APSCUF, and my department. I am familiar with the process and commitment of these searches, and am deeply committed to our work – and working conditions – as faculty. I would appreciate this new opportunity to continue to support faculty and represent our voice and interests. Thank you for your consideration.


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Marc Gagne


Department: Earth and Space Sciences

I respectfully ask to represent the faculty on this year's Presidential Search Committee. I've been a faculty member in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences since 1999, and have served in a number of faculty service and administrative capacities: department chair, assistant chair, TeP, CAPC, Faculty Senate, Middle States accreditation, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and interim associate dean. I believe that by supporting our faculty, we support our students. I would like to serve on the presidential search committee to guarantee that faculty voices are heard as the University takes this important next step. If elected, I pledge to communicate with faculty and stakeholders throughout this process. Thank you.


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Wayne Hanley


Department: History

I've been at WCU for 23 years and served as a department chair for nine of those, and I've now seen at least three presidents ... some good, some not so much. I would very much welcome the opportunity to use my expertise and experience to help improve the chances that our next president is another good one.


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Christy Hicks


Department: Special Education

I ask for your support for my self-nomination to the Presidential Search Committee. I am a full professor in the Department of Special Education beginning my 13th year. I have served on a search committee for a Dean and understand the time commitment of this role. I have shared governance experience as the previous Chair of Graduate Executive Council and co-Chair of Graduate Council (four years) and as a member of the APSCUF leadership team in several roles (At-Large member, Recording Secretary, and Grievance Chair). I have a deep commitment to shared governance, and I will be a strong voice for the faculty during this search. I appreciate your consideration.


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Susan Johnston


Department: Anthropology & Sociology

Colleagues: I would be very grateful for your support to serve as the faculty representative on the Presidential Search Committee. I have been a faculty member in Anthropology at WCU for 24 years, was tenured in 2004 and promoted to Professor in 2008 and chaired the department for nine years. I have also contributed a wide variety of service to the university, including on CAPC since 2009, where I am currently in my third year as Chair. I represented CAPC on the last presidential search committee that resulted in the appointment of Chris Fiorentino, so I understand the time commitment this involves, as well as the incumbent processes. Shared governance is deeply important to me, and I have seen that really come to fruition over the last several years. I want to do what I can to ensure that we are able to continue that model of collaboration between faculty and administration as we transition to a new president. Thank you.


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Vanessa Kahen


Department: Psychology

I would be honored to serve on WCU’s Presidential Search committee. In my 23 years at WCU as a tenure track faculty member in the Psychology Department, my experience includes developing the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program and the Community Mental Health Clinic, serving as interim Dean of the Graduate School and as Special Assistant for Academic Policies. I currently serve as Chair of the Psychology Department and as Director of WCU’s Moon Shot for Equity mission, a mission to close institutional equity gaps in student success. Throughout my time at WCU I have worked with three Presidents and two interim Presidents. I understand the importance of having a strategic leader willing to take bold steps to support student and faculty success and who respects and fosters shared governance. I believe we need a leader who can balance the need to meet fiscal targets with support for scholarship and professional development of faculty, the integrity of program goals, and support for student success. If selected to serve, I will be a strong advocate for faculty and student success in the selection of our next President.


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Aliza Richman


Department: Anthropology & Sociology

Serving on the Presidential Search Committee is an opportunity to help shape the future leadership of WCU. Along with my faculty responsibilities, I currently serve as chair of WCU's Sustainability Council - a highly motivated group of hundreds of students, faculty, and staff aiming to advance social, economic, and environmental sustainability at WCU. Given the global state of sustainability and the urgent call from scientific experts for transformative institutional change to avoid the catastrophic effects of the climate crisis, I see the involvement of sustainability-minded individuals as imperative when deciding on the next leader of our great institution. My hope is that the next president recognizes the significance of sustainable action at WCU and is prepared to lead with sustainability in mind (i.e., prioritizing social equity, economic justice, and environmental stewardship). If elected to serve as the faculty representative, I will bring this focus into the presidential search process. Thank you for your consideration.


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Simon Ruchti


Department: Philosophy

I am putting my name forward to be the faculty representative on the presidential search committee. In my 16 years at WCU, I have been active in all levels of service, including CAPC, as department chair, and currently on Faculty Senate. I feel I have a good understanding of the university community and could effectively advocate for the needs of faculty. Having served on dean's search, I have a sense of the time commitment involved.


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Jessica Sullivan-Brown


Department: Biology

I am an Associate Professor of Biology and joined the WCU community in 2014. I am grateful for the opportunities WCU has afforded me in terms of mentorship, research support, instructional resources, and service opportunities. Summer of 2020 was a pivotal time for me, as it was for all of us. I participated in #ShutDownSTEM day, which asked if faculty could pause research and teaching responsibilities to learn more about the systemic injustices in the sciences. I learned there was much more I could do to support student success. I am currently serving as one of the leaders at the Center for STEM Inclusion in the College of the Sciences and Mathematics, a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in the Department of Biology and the University’s Moon Shot for Equity. Following these efforts, I am excited to continue working alongside a dedicated team of outstanding, enthusiastic faculty, students, and staff towards the goal of ensuring we are creating an inclusive learning space.

I am interested in being part of the Presidential Search Committee because it is important to me that our University’s equity-minded mission is sustained. We have many challenges ahead and I hope the candidate can offer a strong vision of how to meet them.


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