Graduate Division History

Laurence Bray (Chair)
Associate Provost for Graduate Education
Representing: Grad. Ed.

Akitta Robertson (Ex Officio)
Graduate Education Manager
Representing: Grad. Ed.

Andy Hoefer
Assistant Dean, Honors College
Representing: Honors College

Aurali Dade
Associate VP for Research & Deputy Chief Research Officer
Representing: Research

Carey Drews-Botsch
Professor, Chair in Global & Community Health
Representing: CHHS

Cristiana Stan
Professor, Atmospheric, Oceanic & Earth Sc. (COS)
Representing: Faculty Senate

Dawn Anderson Kelley
Assistant Director, Grad. Admissions (CVPA)
Representing: OGAL

Deborah Goodings
Professor and Associate Dean
Representing: CEC

Ellen Drogin Rodgers
Associate Dean, Student & Acad. Affairs (CEHD)
Representing: Grad. Council

Iosif Vaisman
Director, School of Systems Biology
Representing: COS

Jenna Strahm
Senior Marketing Associate (CEHD)*
Representing: GRAC

Jill Deering
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs (Schar)
Representing: GAGAA

Julie Choe Kim
Director, Graduate Student Life
Representing: Graduate Life

Kevin Connor
Master’s student, Business Administration (SBUS)
Representing: GAPSA

Kim MacVaugh
Policy and Government Librarian
Representing: Libraries

Laurence Chalip
Professor, Director, School of Sport, Recreation and Tourism Management
Representing: CEHD

Lisa Kahn
Associate Dean, Research & Graduate Studies
Representing: CVPA

Marguerite Rippy
Associate Dean, Graduate Academic Affairs
Representing: CHSS

Nuno Garoupa
Associate Dean, Research and Faculty, Director of Graduate Studies, Professor of Law
Representing: Law

Paige Wolf
Associate Dean, Graduate Programs
Representing: SBUS

Pallavi Rai Gullo (Ex Officio)
Director, Grad. Academic & Std. Affairs
Representing: Grad. Ed.

Parag Chitnis (Ex Officio)
Associate Professor, Bioengineering, Provost Faculty Fellow (CEC)
Representing: Grad. Ed.

Steven Zhou
Doctoral student, Psychology (CHSS)
Representing: GAPSA

Susan Woodruff
Coordinator, Academic Program Development
Representing: SCHEV

Thomas Flores
Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Programs
Representing: Carter

Thys Van Schaik
Associate Dean, Academic Affairs*
Representing: Schar

The charge for this task force was to consider the current context for and state of graduate education at Mason. The group was also asked—among other critical issues—to consider the benefits and challenges of the prospective creation of a Graduate School at our university that could facilitate consistent and equitable expectations, opportunities both within and across academic units and enhance structures that support graduate students.

Specifically, the following areas were considered:

• Identify and review Mason’s current graduate education opportunities and associated challenges;
• Utilizing R1 institutions’ models and best practices, review and consider strategic solutions to could help to overcome these challenges;
• Suggest operational and structural enhancements that could facilitate the implementation of the proposed solutions;
• Provide recommendations on what graduate education structure would best align with the University’s mission, vision, overall structure, strategic objectives, and funding allocations, including the prospective forming of a Graduate School at Mason.

The Mason Community had the opportunity to help shape the future of Mason's graduate education by providing the Task Force with feedback on a draft report. Two town hall meetings were held to engage the community on October 29 and November 1, 2021. 

In December 2021, the Graduate Reimagine Task Force Final Recommendations white paper was presented to the Provost and the President. 

Laurence Bray (Chair)
Associate Provost for Graduate Education, Office of the Provost 

Stephen McWilliams
Executive Director of Finance and Planning, Office of the Provost
Representing: Administration, Finance and Planning

Susan Woodruff
Director of Academic Program Development, Office of the Provost
Representing: Academic Affairs, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Liaison

Molli Herth
Program Manager for Faculty Affairs & Development, Office of the Provost
Representing: Project Management

Debra Isaacs-Kasemi
Solutions Analyst, Information Technology Services         
Representing: Information Technology Services, Systems Integration

Elijah Earl
Assistant Director, Data Management, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning  
Representing: Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, Data Access & Reporting

Jason McKnight
Associate Director for Graduate Academic Success, Office of the Provost
Representing: Graduate Education, Graduate Student Success

Juliet Blank-Godlove
Dean of Students, University Life             
Representing: University Life, Graduate Student Life and Services

Kimberly Macvaugh*
Policy and Government Librarian, Arlington Campus Library, University Libraries 
Representing: University Libraries, University Dissertation and Thesis Services

Marguerite Rippy*
Associate Dean of Graduate Academic Affairs, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Representing: Graduate Council

Natalie Burls
Graduate Program Director, Climate Dynamics and Associate Professor, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, College of Science    
Representing: Graduate Program Director and Faculty

Patricia Appiah
Research Analyst, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
Representing: Data Access and Reporting

Rebecca Sutter
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services
Representing: Faculty Senate

Saskia Campbell (Chair)
Executive Director, University Career Services
Representing: University Life, University Career Services

Steven Zhou*
Doctoral Student, Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Representing: Graduate and Professional Student Assembly

*Graduate Education Reimagine Task Force member

Guided by specific strategic goals, this group worked together to help Dr. Laurence Bray, Associate Provost for Graduate Education, formulate the most effective implementation strategy to:

• Increase the number of graduate degrees conferred, with a priority at the doctoral level  
• Improve graduate time-to-degree, with a focus on full-time doctoral students  
• Improve graduate retention, with an emphasis on first-generation and underserved students  
• Increase the participation in and equalize the access to career and professional development opportunities offered across graduate programs  
• Optimize the graduate student experience and engagement across graduate programs   

Chris DiTeresi (Chair)
Associate Director for Research Integrity and University Affiliate Faculty of Philosophy, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Representing: Research Conduct and Integrity

James Parrish
Assistant Vice President, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Office of University Advancement and Alumni Relations
Representing: Alumni, External Relations and Advancement

Jeremy Campbell
Assistant Director of Strategic Engagement and Affiliate Faculty, Sociology and Anthropology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Representing: Research and External Partnerships

JP Singh
Professor, Schar School of Policy and Government
Representing: Faculty and Graduate Programs

Kimberly Maze
Reporting and Systems Administrator, Office of Sponsored Programs
Representing: Research

Parag Chitnis*
Associate Professor, Bioengineering, Volgenau School of Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing
Representing: Graduate Program Director, Graduate Education and Faculty

Paula Sorrell
Associate Vice President, Innovation and Economic Development, Office of Research
Representing: Research, Commercialization and Economic Impact

Siddhartha Sikdar
Professor, Bioengineering, Volgenau School of Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing
Representing: Faculty and Trans-disciplinary Centers

*Graduate Education Reimagine Task Force member

Guided by specific strategic goals, this group worked together to help Dr. Laurence Bray, Associate Provost for Graduate Education, formulate the most effective implementation strategy to:

• Increase multi-year and competitive graduate assistantships and scholarships, especially from sponsored research   
• Increase student and fellow access to inter- and trans-disciplinary education and research opportunities  
• Increase student and fellow engagement with external partners and the community  
• Increase funding from philanthropic and advancement initiatives   

Anastasia Kitsantas
Director, PhD in Education Program and Professor, School of Education, College of Education and Human Development
Representing: Graduate Program Director and Faculty

Debra Isaacs-Kasemi
Solutions Analyst, Information Technology Services
Representing: Information Technology Services, Systems Integration

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, Office of the University Registrar
Representing: Academic Affairs, University Registrar

Jennifer Bazaz Gettys (Chair)
Director, Enrollment, and Curriculum Management, College of Science
Representing: Curriculum Management

Matt Smith
Director of Accreditation, Office of the Provost
Representing: Academic Affairs, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Matthew DeSantis
Executive Director for Institutional Effectiveness , Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
Representing: Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, Academic Program Review and Data Reporting

Michael Bloom
Associate Professor, Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services
Representing: Faculty and Graduate Programs

Paige Wolf*
Associate Dean, Graduate Programs, School of Business
Representing: Faculty and Graduate Council

Pallavi Rai Gullo
Director, Graduate Academic and Student Affairs, Office of the Provost
Representing: Graduate Education, Graduate Policies & Procedures

*Graduate Education Reimagine Task Force member

Guided by specific strategic goals, this group worked together to help Dr. Laurence Bray, Associate Provost for Graduate Education, formulate the most effective implementation strategy to:

• Improve graduate programs’ quality and rigor  
• Elevate graduate programs’ ranking and reputation  
• Maintain academic standards and ensure consistency and compliance 

Caitlin Shear
Senior Director, Integrated Enrollment Marketing Communications, Office of the Provost
Representing: Enrollment Management, Marketing

Dawn Anderson Kelley*
Graduate Admissions and Recruitment, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Representing: Graduate Admissions Operations Liaisons

Jeff Offutt
Associate Chair, Volgenau School of Engineering College of Engineering and Computing
Representing: Graduate Program Director and Faculty

Jenny Chism (Chair)
Director of Admissions Operations, Enrollment Management
Representing: Enrollment Management, Admissions and Enrollment

Kevin Connor*
Admissions Counselor, Graduate Programs and Master's Student, School of Business
Representing: Graduate and Professional Student Assembly

Purshara Church
Associate Director, Technology  Admissions
Representing: Enrollment Management, Target X

Reeti Bibhuti
Salesforce Technical Administrator, Information Technology Services
Representing: Information Technology Services, Salesforce

Thomas Flores*
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution    
Representing: Graduate Program Director and Faculty

*Graduate Education Reimagine Task Force member

Guided by specific strategic goals, this group worked together to help Dr. Laurence Bray, Associate Provost for Graduate Education, formulate the most effective implementation strategy to:

• Increase full-time doctoral enrollment in current doctoral programs (Full-time classification: 9 enrolled credits per semester (or 6 + GA)  
• Increase master’s and graduate certificate enrollment in current programs  
• Improve yield rates at both the master’s and doctoral level (Yield rate: Percentage of number of enrolled graduate students from number of admitted graduate students)