The Faculty Senate at Case Western Reserve University serves as the principal body for faculty governance, with clearly defined roles for voting members, non-voting members, and individuals who have the privilege of attendance. These roles are governed by the Faculty Handbook and the ByLaws of the Faculty Senate. The distinction among these categories ensures an effective balance of decision-making and inclusive consultation across the university’s constituencies and with administration.
Voting Members
Voting members of the Faculty Senate include all elected faculty representatives, apportioned among the constituent faculties as outlined in the Faculty Senate By-Laws. The President of the University, the Provost (or a designee of the President), and the Secretary of the Faculty Senate are also voting members. Each standing and ad hoc committee of the Faculty Senate is represented by its chair, who holds voting rights during their term of service. In addition to faculty and administrative leaders, one undergraduate student, one graduate student, and one post-doctoral fellow or scholar also serve as voting members, having been duly selected by their respective constituencies. Voting members have the right to introduce motions, participate in debate, and vote on all matters that come before the Senate.
Non-Voting Members
Non-voting members of the Faculty Senate are those individuals who may be regularly involved in Senate business but do not have the right to vote on motions or resolutions. This group includes, most notably, the Chair of the Emeriti Academy Executive Committee, who may participate in discussions and provide perspective from the emeriti faculty. In addition, certain invited guests or university officials may be designated as non-voting participants on an ongoing or temporary basis, depending on the relevance of their role to specific agenda items or institutional priorities.
Privilege of Attendance
Individuals with the privilege of attendance at Faculty Senate meetings may observe proceedings and, when recognized by the Chair, participate in discussions relevant to their expertise or responsibilities. These individuals include members of the Board of Trustees, vice presidents, deans, and other academic officers of equivalent rank. In addition, student or faculty members who serve on Faculty Senate committees, but are not elected senators themselves, are granted the privilege of attendance when matters pertaining to their committee’s work are on the agenda. With approval from the Senate Chair, other members of the university community may attend specific meetings and contribute to deliberations as appropriate, but without voting rights. Please contact the Secretary of the Faculty Senate to be added to meeting notifications.
Case Western Reserve University Faculty Senate Members
Faculty Senate 2026-2027 Membership
Faculty Senate Officers
- Jeremy Bendik-Keymer
CAS | Faculty Senate, Chair (Term: 2025-2028) - Kathryn Mercer
LAW | Faculty Senate, Past Chair (Term: 2024-2027) - Harold Connamacher
CSE | Faculty Senate, Chair Elect (Term: 2026-2029) - Eric Kaler
ex-officio, President - Joy Ward
ex-officio, Provost - Kelly Rindfleisch Marcus
ex-officio, Secretary of University Faculty and Faculty Senate
School Representatives
College of Arts & Sciences
- Erin Benay
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Daniela Calvetti
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Christopher Cullis
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Heath Demaree
Elected Senator 2024-2027 - Nancy Dilulio
Elected Senator 2024-2027; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027; Chair, FSCUE 2026-2027 - Kim Emmons
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - Lee Hoffer
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - Kenneth Ledford
Elected Senator 2024-2027; Parliamentarian 2025-2027 - Stacy McGaugh
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Peter Whiting
Elected Senator 2026-2029
Case School of Engineering
- Cenk Cavusoglu
Elected Senator 2026-2029; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027 - Umut Gurkan
Elected Senator 2024-2027 - Michael Lewicki
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - Bryan Schmidt
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Christopher Wirth
Elected Senator 2025-2028
School of Law
- Bryan Adamson
Elected Senator 2026-2029; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027 - Yaron Covo
Title: Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Matthew Rossman
Elected Senator 2024-2027
Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
- Amy Korsch Williams
Elected Senator 2024-2027; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027 - Sonia Minnes
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Laura Voith
Title: Elected Senator 2026-2029
PHED
- Douglas Milliken
Senator 2024-2027
School of Dental Medicine
- Mark Hans
Elected Senator 2026-2029; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027 - Denver Jenkins
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Scott Pelok
Elected Senator 2026-2029
School of Medicine
- Moises Auron
Elected Senator 2024-2027 - Robert Bonomo
Elected Senator 2026-2029; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027 - Matthias Buck
Elected Senator 2024-2027; (Sabbatical 4/1/2026 to 9/30/2026 - Neil Dominic Fernandes
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - Kelly Gibson
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - Adil Menon
(Sabbatical Replacement for Buck 4/1/2026 to 9/30/2026) - Phoo Pwint Nandar
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - Patrick Osei-Owusu
Elected Senator 2024-2027 - Goutham Rao
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Suzanne Russo
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Mamta Singh
Elected Senator 2025-2028
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
- John Gallagher
Elected Senator 2025-2028 - Kylie Meyer
Elected Senator 2024-2027 - Grant Pignatiello
Elected Senator 2025-2028; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027 - TBD
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - TBD
Elected Senator 2026-2029
Weatherhead School of Management
- Heidi Blakeway-Phillips
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - Melissa Carlisle
Elected Senator 2026-2029 - David Clingingsmith
Elected Senator 2026-2029; Executive Committee Member 2026-2027
Standing Committee Chairs and Other Listed Chairs
- Peter Harte
Chair, By-Laws Committee 2020-2027 - Glenn Starkman
Chair, Campus Planning, Facilities and Space Committee 2023-2027 - Gerald Feretti
Chair, Committee on Faculty Compensation Spring 2026 - Amy Zhang
Committee on Faculty Personnel 2025-2027 - Christopher Wirth
Committee on Research 2026-2027 - Colin Drummond
Committee on University Libraries 2026-2027 - TBD
Chair, (non-voting) Emeriti Academy Ex Com Sept 2026-2027 - Jaime Bouvier
Chair, Finance 2025-2027 - Nancy Dilulio
FSCUE 2026-2027 - J. Martin Palomo
Graduate Studies 2025-2027 - Matthew Williams
Information and Communications Technology 2026-2027 - David B. Miller
Chair, Minority Affairs 2025-2027 - TBD
Current term: 2026-2027 | Title: Chair, Nominating Committee 2026-2027 - Danette Conklin
Chair, Women Faculty Fall 2026 - Andrea Rager
Chair, Women Faculty Spring 2027
Ad Hoc Committee Chairs
- Nicholas Schiltz
Chair, ad hoc Copyright 2026-2027 - Janet McGrath
Chair, ad hoc Time to Degree 2026-2027