Chancellor's Commissions on Equity by Design
The purpose of the Chancellor’s Commissions on Equity by Design is to tap into national universities and campus organizations and partners to explore current issues, insights, research, best practices, and resources to create and sustain change to foster an equitable environment on our campus, with a focus on increasing student success and professional fulfillment. Each Commission is also focused on implementing objectives and action items in our Strategic Plan as well as new opportunities. Anticipated plans for each Commission for the 2024-2025 academic year, according to each, are:
Commission on Disability & Advancing Accessibility
For 2024-2025, this Commission will continue to have a focus on the physical accessibility of spaces on campus, as well as bring awareness and understanding by educating members of the Brandywine community on the topic of disability.
Members
Michael Sturm – Faculty, Co-Chair
Elizabeth Parrett – Staff, Co-Chair
Kari Berton – Staff
Colleen Houseman – Staff
Janeen Madison – Faculty
Apoorva Mate – Faculty
Peggy Signorella – Faculty
Commission on Empowering Women
For 2024-2025, the work of this Commission is working to address priority issues by uplifting a new generation of women with a focus on diverse groups, as well as first-generation college students.
Members
Andrea Randolph-Krisova – Faculty, Chair
Dana Martin – Faculty (Sabbatical FA24) Co-Chair SP25
Nicola Difronzo-Heitzer – Staff
George Eleftherakis – Faculty
Falesha Ghee – Staff
Dana Hallahan – Staff
Megann Hedgecock – Faculty
Joe Karpinski – Part-time Faculty
Maryam Khan – Staff
John McCawley – Part-time Faculty
Lusine Mueller – Part-time Faculty
Zoia Pavlovskaia – Faculty
Sam Pezzimenti – Faculty
Aaron Rape – Faculty
Shruti Shrestha – Faculty
Marina Skyers – Faculty
Nasibeh Zohrabi – Faculty
Commission On Interfaith & Spiritual Inclusion
For 2024-2025, this Commission will explore and identify topics and areas of focus to promote interfaith and spiritual inclusion on campus by hosting more interfaith dialogues and events, as well as holding educational programs and workshops.
Members
Paul Greene – Faculty, Chair
Steve Cimbala – Faculty
Tracy Lea-Dorsey – Faculty
Stephanie Fitzgerald – Staff (part-time)
Falesha Ghee – Staff
Maryam Khan – Staff
Joseph Karpinski – Part-time Faculty
Janeen Madison – Faculty
Kimberly Schultz – Faculty
Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Equity
For 2024-2025 this Commission’s goals are to improve the campus climate as well as provide educational opportunities for and about LGBTQ+ people at Penn State Brandywine. The Commission also looks to provide more visibility and resources for the LGBTQ+ population, and to create spaces so that this population could express itself and meet each other within a safe and accepting environment.
Members
Donald Brennan – Staff, Co-Chair
Terrie Wong – Faculty, Co-Chair
Evan Bradley – Faculty
Laura Evans – Faculty
Jane Homan – Staff
Teresa Slobuski – Faculty
Patton Vo – Staff
Kelly Wallace – Part-time Faculty
Kathleen Yanoshak – Faculty
Commission on Racial & Ethnic Justice
For 2024-2025, the Chancellor’s Commission on Racial & Ethnic Justice will focus on gathering data received from student organizations and affinity groups on campus and compiling it into a survey for the students to complete. This information will gauge their sense of belonging and will provide us the information to give the students the resources needed to be successful outside the classroom.
Members
Myeisha Matos – Staff, Co-Chair
Dana Hallahan – Staff, Co-Chair
Tina Brackett-Wood – Staff
Laura Evans – Faculty
Marinda Harrell-Levy – Faculty
Sandra Lawrence – Faculty
Danielle Osborne – Staff
Patton Vo – Staff
Commission on Veteran & Military Success
For 2024-2025, the Commission will continue to seek ways to improve and expand the reach of Brandywine’s veteran community and are committed to continuing Brandywine’s tradition of service in supporting those who proudly wore the military uniforms of the United States.
Members
Earl Catagnus – Faculty, Chair
Stephen Cimbala – Faculty
Maureen Fielding – Faculty
Gary Miller – Staff
Vincent Perez – Part-time Faculty
Commission on Sustainability
The focus of the Chancellor’s Commission on Sustainability for 2024–2025 will be to recommend, promote, and support sustainability initiatives across campus that uphold the value of Sustainability, as defined in our Strategic Plan 2020 -2025: New Opportunities, New Stories. Specifically, “Sustainability – We strive to be good stewards of our economy, our people, and our environment –(people, planet, prosperity) – to promote health, resilient, and inclusive communities.” The Commission will also promote and support the vision, goals, and activities of Penn State’s Sustainability Institute.
Members
Rachel Skinner – Faculty, Co-Chair
Zoia Pavlovskaia – Faculty, Co-Chair
Christine Brown – Faculty
Ed Dixon – Staff
Emily Dozer – Staff
Megann Hedgecock – Faculty
Joseph Karpinski – Part-time Faculty
Marina Skyers – Faculty
Pauline Thompson – Faculty