2026-2027 Faculty Committees and Representatives

The ILS Department has Standing Committees and Select Committees when appropriate. The Standing Committees are:

1. Department Evaluation Committee (DEC);

2. Department Curriculum Committee (DCC);

3. Department Graduate Admissions Committee (DGAC);

4. Department Scholarship Committee (DSC);

5. Department Personnel Committee (DPC);

6. Department Sabbatical Leave Committee (DSLC);

7. Department Retraining Committee (DRC).
 

Standing Committees will elect their own chairpersons and keep written minutes, which, except for the DEC, shall be filed in the Department Office within one (1) week of approval unless otherwise stated in this document. Only tenured faculty may serve on the Department Evaluation Committee, the Department Sabbatical Leave Committee and the Department Personnel Committee. Each Committee shall determine its own schedule after an initial meeting no later than two (2) weeks after the beginning of each semester.

Select Committees are those created for a specific purpose and membership may be by invitation from or appointment by the Department Chairperson.

In addition, the Department has representatives to the following School or University committees:

1. Faculty Senate

2. Graduate Council

3. Undergraduate Curriculum Forum (UCF)

4. College of Education Curriculum Committee

Current Membership and Representatives

Department Evaluation Committee (DEC)

Membership: Three (3) tenured members, elected by the Department in the spring semester, with staggered terms of three years. Terms begin the Fall semester following election

Duties: The duties of the DEC are prescribed in the current Promotion, Tenure, Renewal and Professional Assessment Procedures for Faculty (i.e., Collective Bargaining Agreement, Faculty Senate Resolutions.). The DEC process shall follow all applicable rules and codes.

2024-2027 term: Eino Sierpe 

2025-2028 term: TBD

2026-2029 term: Yan Liu

Department Curriculum Committee (DCC)

Membership: Department faculty who request to be members (minimum of 5). Membership is for an academic year

Duties: Regular reviews and implementation of curriculum development for each program area of the Department. Provide adjunct faculty with standardized syllabi for their assigned courses.

Full-time faculty: Hak Joon Kim, Eino Sierpe, Yan Liu, Helene Murtha, Saira Soroya, Gabriel Salubi, Kathleen Kasten-Mutkus.

Part-time Faculty Representative: Mary Ellen Minichiello

Buley Library Representative: Karla Jones

Graduate Student Representative: TBD 

Graduate Alumni Representatives: Vivian Bordeaux

Department Graduate Admissions Committee (DGAC)

Membership: Three (3) faculty members appointed by the Department Chairperson for one academic year.

Duties: Screening applicants for admission to the graduate programs of the Department, and recommending admissions policy.

2026-2027 term: TBD

2026-2027 term: Helene Murtha

2026-2027 term: Hak Joon Kim (Chair)

Department Scholarship Committee (DSC)

Membership: Three (3) faculty members who volunteer to serve for one academic year.

Duties: Recommending qualified students for scholarships.

2026-2027 term: Saira Soroya

2026-2027 term: Helene Murtha 

2026-2027 term: Gabriel Salubi

Department Personnel Committee (DPC)

Membership: Three (3) faculty members elected to serve three-year staggered terms

Duties: Stated in the Faculty Senate Chairperson's Document.

2024-2027 term: Saira Soroya 

2025-2028 term: Helene Murtha

2026-2029 term: Eino Sierpe

Department Sabbatical Leave Committee (DSLC)

Membership: Three (3) tenured faculty members elected to serve three-year staggered terms.

Duties: Prescribed in the current Sabbatical Leave Procedures for Faculty (i.e., Collective Bargaining Agreement, Faculty Senate Resolutions). The DSLC process shall follow all applicable rules and codes.

2024-2027 term: TBD

2025-2028 term: Yan Liu

2026-2029 term: Eino Sierpe 

Faculty Search Committee

Membership: Department faculty who request to be members (minimum of 3). Membership is for an academic year

Duties: See Search Procedural Guidelines are at https://inside.southernct.edu/diversity/search-process

Members: 

Educator Preparation Provider Council (EPPC)

Helene Murtha

College of Education Curriculum Committee

2026-2028 term: Eino Sierpe

Faculty Senate Representative

2026-2029 term: Helene Murtha

Graduate Council Representatives

2025-2028 term: Gabriel Salubi and Saira Soroya

Liaison to the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)

2026-2028 term: Saira Soroya

Faculty Liaison to Buley Library

2026-2028 term: Yan Liu

Last updated: June 22, 2026