MSCHE Self-Study: Organizational Structure

Organizational Structure

The organizational structure adopted for the self-study process consists of an executive committee, main steering committees, and eight working groups. The Executive Committee consists of the five school deans, the Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO), and the two co-chairs of the self-study; its main purpose is to provide oversight and guidance of self-study process. The Main Steering Committee provides overall coordination, additional oversight, and the integration of the self-study, while the Working Groups are composed of faculty, staff, and administrators with relevant expertise and perspectives. This structure ensures broad institutional representation and fosters shared ownership of the process. Each working group was formally charged with examining institutional policies, practices, and outcomes related to its assigned standard, using evidence to assess effectiveness and identify areas of strength and opportunity.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MAIN Steering Committee Working Groups

Executive Committee 

Name Department/Unit Title
Isana Leshchinskaya Institutional Effectiveness Associate Director
James Lynch Koppelman School of Business Interim Dean
Paula Massood School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts Dean
Phil Napoli School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean
Lillian O’Reilly Institutional Effectiveness Vice President
Christopher Richards Women’s and Gender Studies Director
María Scharrón-del Río School of Education Dean
Sophia Suarez School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Associate Dean
Peter Tolias School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Dean

Main Steering Committee

Name Department/Unit Title Standard
Michael Ayers Institutional Planning, Research, and Assessment Senior Director Standard 7
Myles Bassell Koppelman School of Business Associate Dean At-large
James Eaton Provost’s Office for Faculty and Administration Associate Dean Standard 7
Alan Gilbert Finance and Administration Senior Vice President At-large
Aaron Kozbelt Psychology Professor At-large
James Lynch Koppelman School of Business Interim Dean Standard 2
Paula Massood School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts Dean Standard 6
Phil Napoli School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Standard 3
Lillian O’Reilly Institutional Effectiveness Vice President Standard 1/Core
Estefania Ponti Student Success/EAB Navigate Associate Director At-large
Jeremy Porter Sociology Professor At-large
Marianna Regalado Library Professor At-large
Christopher Richards Women’s and Gender Studies Director Core
Marcus Richardson Strategic Initiatives Executive Director Standard 6
MJ Robinson Television, Radio & Emerging Media Associate Professor Standard 7
María Scharrón-del Río School of Education Dean Standard 5
Sophia Suarez School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Associate Dean Core
Peter Tolias School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Dean Standard 1

Working Groups

Working Groups engage in a process of active, open, and evidence-based inquiry into each MSCHE Standard for Accreditation and Requirement for Affiliation to identify how well Brooklyn College is meeting or exceeding a given standard.

Standard 1: Mission and Goals

The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.

Lines of Inquiry

  1. To what extent do faculty, staff, and students understand and articulate the mission and values of Brooklyn College: “Nothing without great effort,” commitment to first-generation and immigrant students, and affordability?
  2. Based on the evidence examined, how well do the college’s mission and goals inform institutional decision-making and governance—particularly in strategic planning, resource allocation, curriculum development, teaching excellence, learning outcomes, and institutional improvement? What specific evidence supports this alignment?

Working Group Members

Name Department/Unit Title
Laura Ascenzi-Moreno Childhood, Bilingual, and Special Education Professor
Natalie Coombs Enrollment Management Assistant Vice President
Robert Echevarria Koppelman School of Business Student
Charles Haine Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema Associate Professor
Veronica Manlow Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship Professor
Lillian O’Reilly (co-chair) Institutional Effectiveness Vice President
Jesus Perez Immigrant Student Success Office Director
Peter Tolias (co-chair) School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Dean

Standard 2: Ethics and Integrity

Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.

Lines of Inquiry

  1. How has the college nurtured a campus climate that values thoughtful and intentional collaborations between students, faculty, and staff in furtherance of the college’s mission—particularly within the context of a diverse, urban, commuter campus?
  2. In what ways has the college strengthened, and how can the college continue to strengthen, its policies and procedures while ensuring that they are administered equitably; that there is a clear process for all students, staff, and faculty; and that all stakeholders are informed of the progress throughout the process?
  3. How does the college facilitate robust academic freedom and broad intellectual inquiry while being a thoughtful steward of public resources and respectful of the wide range of views in the context of a diverse campus community?

Working Group Members

Name Department/Unit Title
Tunji Fussell Office of Diversity and Equity Associate Director
Danielle Haynes Office of Diversity and Equity Chief Diversity Officer
Patrick Kavanaugh (co-chair) Graduate Studies–Academic Affairs Administrator
Vanessa King Provost’s Office for Faculty and Administration Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment Coordinator
James Lynch (co-chair) Koppelman School of Business Dean
Matthew Moore Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema Academic Program Manager
Ayana Murray-Richards Human Resource Services Director of Recruitment and Instructional Staff
Twyla Tate Office of Research Compliance Research Compliance Manager

Standard 3: Design and Delivery of Student Experience

An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting, are consistent with higher education expectations.

Lines of Inquiry

  1. What types of institutional support does Brooklyn College provide for students’ learning experience across their college careers?
  2. How do Brooklyn College departments and programs design and enhance students’ learning experience across their college careers?

Working Group Members

Name Department/Unit Title
Jillian Cavanaugh Anthropology Professor
Steven Chester Anthropology Associate Professor
Prudence Cumberbatch Africana Studies Associate Professor
Jeffrey Glass Student Success Campus Administrator/Senior Master Scribe
Sonia Murrow Social Studies Education and Education History Professor
Phil Napoli (co-chair) School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean
John Paul Business Associate Professor
Malka Simon Art Lecturer/Doctoral Scholar
Karen Stern-Gabbay (co-chair) History Professor
Ellen Tremper English Professor

Standard 4: Support of the Student Experience

Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.

Lines of Inquiry

  1. To what extent does the institution leverage technology to support and enhance the student experience?
  2. In what ways has the college advanced initiatives that promote student engagement, support, and success—and how do these efforts reflect institutional priorities and continuous improvement?

Working Group Members

Member Department/Unit Title
Yasmin Ali Student Affairs Interim Vice President
Sau-Fong Au Women’s Center Director
Randall Clarke SEEK Director
Michael Lanza Budget Director
Michael Loporto Student Success Executive Director
Sharona Levy Communication Arts, Sciences, and Disorders Professor
Tracy Newton (co-chair) Student Success Executive Director
Valerie Stewart-Lovell Center for Student Disability Services Director
Mariana Torrente (co-chair) Chemistry and Biochemistry Associate Professor
Richard Vento Learning Center Director

Standard 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.

Lines of Inquiry

  1. How has Brooklyn College supported the implementation of systematic assessment and continuous improvement to establish a culture of assessment and empower its faculty and staff to effectively assess student learning and administrative operations to provide an accessible, equitable, quality education?
  2. What strategies and innovations have the college implemented to sustain assessment activities and maintain records?
  3. What processes is the college utilizing to ensure that assessment data are being shared to close the loop and support a cycle of continuous improvement?

Working Group Members

Member Department/Unit Title
Caroline Arnold Political Science Associate Professor
Carlos Cruz Library Instructional Design Specialist
Beth Evans (co-chair) Library Associate Professor
Chaka Johnson-Burkett Transfer Evaluation Services Associate Director
Kelly Karst Library Lecturer
Isana Leshchinskaya (co-chair) Institutional Effectiveness Associate Director
Estefania Ponti (co-chair) Student Success/EAB Navigate Associate Director
María Scharrón-del Río School of Education Dean
Jeff Suzuki Mathematics Professor

 

STandard 6: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement

The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.

Lines of Inquiry

  1. In what ways have planning and resource allocation provided a foundation for teaching, learning, research, and continuous institutional improvement, while ensuring transparency and stakeholder engagement?
  2. How has the college’s strategic plan of providing outstanding research and academic programs been supported or influenced by recent budget-balancing strategies, including changes in staffing levels?
  3. How does the college prioritize and fund capital projects under responsible budget realignments while ensuring accessibility, safety, sustainability, and strategic plan priorities?

Working Group Members

Member Department/Unit Title
Arjit Dhillon Finance and Administration Director
Paula Massood (co-chair) School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts Dean
Ryan Murelli Chemistry Professor
Dorothy Neave-DiToro Communication Arts, Sciences, and Disorders Associate Professor
Marcus Richardson Strategic Initiatives Executive Director
Crystal Schloss-Allen (co-chair) School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Director of Operations

Standard 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration

The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with a related entity, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

Lines of Inquiry

  1. How does the administrative structure of Brooklyn College support effective delivery of our mission?
  2. How do our governance structures ensure transparency, accountability, and inclusive representation?
  3. How does Brooklyn College assess the effectiveness of administration, shared governance, and leadership?

Working Group Members

Member Department/Unit Title
Michael Ayers Institutional Planning, Research, and Assessment Senior Director
Douglas Cohen Conservatory of Music Lecturer/Doctoral Lecturer
James Eaton Provost’s Office for Faculty and Administration Associate Dean
Jaclyn Helms Office of Legal Affairs and Labor Relations Executive Legal Counsel
Klara Morton (co-chair) Communication Arts, Sciences, and Disorders Professor
Martha Nadell (co-chair) English Associate Professor
MJ Robinson (co-chair) Television, Radio & Emerging Media Associate Professor
Eduard Sklyar Strategic Initiatives Director

Related Links

Self-Study Design
Institutional Goals
Intended Outcomes
Evidence Group
Communication Plan
Timeline
Resources

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