The Undergraduate Council, along with the Graduate Council and the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee, provides academic governance at the institution level. Its role is primarily related to conducting reviews of academic programs in compliance with Board of Governors Academics Rule 2.2 and fostering integration of other review processes (e.g., annual academic unit review, specific action assigned following five-year review) with five-year review. Specifically, the Council advises the Provost’s Office on recommendations to be made to the Board of Governors on the outcomes resulting from academic program review.
WVU is committed to the principle and the practice of peer review for academic programs. Council members must therefore be full-time faculty (including department chairs) from units that deliver undergraduate programs. Faculty in the College of Law, the Honors College, WVU Libraries, and WVU Extension are therefore excluded. Also excluded are college-level administrators (e.g., assistant and associate deans), even though they typically have faculty appointments.
Structure and Governance
- Robynn Shannon, Louis Slimak, and Evan Widders all serve as ex officio (non-voting) members representing the Provost’s Office. The Council is currently chaired by Robynn Shannon.
- Each college that delivers undergraduate programs has two representatives on the Undergraduate Council. This includes the two regional campuses. HSC is treated as a college.
- Council members are recommended by their dean’s office and appointed by the Provost’s Office.
- Council members serve three-year terms (September through April). Members may be re-appointed for a second three-year term.
- Council members from the same college serve staggered terms.
- If a Council member leaves the Council before completion of their term, their replacement begins a new (three-year) term.
- The Council meets at least monthly during the academic year.
- Quorum consists of the voting members present at a duly called meeting, and votes taken are decided by a simple majority, in cases where consensus cannot be reached in a reasonable time period.
Council Members
Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Nico Zegre—2026
- Jessica Blythe—2027
College of Applied Human Sciences
- Amy Root—2026
- Jeffrey Carver—2027
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
- Kate Staples—2026
- Kelly Watson—2027
Chambers College of Business and Economics
- Lauren Cooper—2026
- Annie Cui—2027
College of Creative Arts and Media
- Emily Corio—2026
- Rhonda Reymond—2027
Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
- Srinivas Palanki—2026
- Jason Gross—2027
Health Sciences Center
- Ashley Simmons—2026
- Tina Antill-Keener—2027
Potomac State College
- Amy Weaver—2026
- Andrea Schafer—2027
WVU Institute of Technology
- Gifty Osei-Prempeh—2026
- Hasan El Rifai—2027