First Year Council

Charge and Membership

The First Year Council will be charged with the following responsibilities:

  • Gain knowledge of all initiatives/programs/policies on campus affecting first year students (and would be the successor to the Foundations of Excellence Task Force).
  • Set campus-wide priorities among competing first year initiatives. Coordinate and align first year programs, policies, and practices.
  • Plan and advocate for first year student success initiatives.
  • Increase the visibility of first year issues and programs within the university community.
  • Sponsor regular First Year forums/open meetings/workshops to diffuse knowledge about, and commitment to, first year issues and programs across all campuses.
  • Advocate for faculty development in first year teaching.
  • Design and advocate for a faculty reward structure to encourage excellence in first year teaching and advising.
  • Identify current first year student advocates among faculty on all campuses and recruit more.
    Consult widely with instructors of first year classes including but not limited to continuing faculty and teaching assistants.

Composition

Faculty
6 Faculty – Preference will be shown to faculty who teach first-year student courses and/or have experience working with first-year students. Faculty membership should represent a variety of disciplines. One faculty member will serve as committee co-chair.
Students
2 Undergraduate Students
Administrative
3 Administrators –Whenever possible, one of the three administrators should be a representative of a regional campus.

11 Ex-officio – One representative from each of the following areas:
• University College Assistant Dean or designee (will also serve as co-chair)
• International Student and Scholar Services
• University Bursar or designee
• University Registrar or designee
• Division of Diversity and Inclusion
• Housing and Residence Life
• Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Center for Advising, Career, and Experiential Learning (ACE)
• Undergraduate Orientation Programs
• Learning Community Programs
• Institutional Effectiveness & Analytics

Committee Roster

Administrators

Kasey Daniel
danielk4@ohio.edu

Ashlee Tatman
tatman@ohio.edu
Director of Student Services

Logan Waldie
waldie@ohio.edu
Academic Advisor, Nursing

Administrators, Ex-Officio

Grusha Amatya
amatya@ohio.edu
International Student and Faculty Services

Tricia Barrick
barrick@ohio.edu
Bursar

Debra M. Benton
bentond@ohio.edu
University Registrar

Duane Bruce
bruced1@ohio.edu
Division of Diversity and Inclusion

Jen Maskiell
flowersj@ohio.edu
Director of Residence Life Operations

Wendy Merb-Brown
merbw@ohio.edu
Assistant Dean for Operations and Learning Community Programs

Valerie K. Miller, MBA
millerv@ohio.edu
Assistant Vice President and Executive Director of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

Suraiya Padiyath Abdulla
padiyath@ohio.edu
Advising, The ACE

Vincent Prior
priorv@ohio.edu
Director of Undergraduate Orientations

Barb Remsburg
remsburg@ohio.edu
Director of Learning Community Programs

Joni Wadley
schallej@ohio.edu
Institutional Research

Faculty

Rebecca Barlag
barlag@ohio.edu
Chemistry

Sara Berens
berenss@ohio.edu
Assistant Professor

Marcy Keifer Kennedy
keiferm1@ohio.edu
Education

Becky Munhall
brooksb1@ohio.edu
Health Sciences and Profession

Maria Postigo
postigo@ohio.edu
Modern Languages

Ana Rosado Feger
rosadof@ohio.edu
Management

All University committees follow the academic-year calendar.

All students serve one-year terms. Faculty, administrators, and staff generally serve three-year terms. Ex-Officio appointments have voting privileges unless otherwise noted.