Governance & Committees

The provost and dean of the faculty partners closely with faculty leaders in keeping with Smith’s long and vibrant history of faculty governance. Elected and appointed committees work with the provost, associate provost and the associate dean of the faculty to foster excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship.

Code of Faculty Governance

The governance of Smith College is an enterprise shared among the Board of Trustees, the faculty, the administration, the students and the staff of the college. As an integral part of that shared governance, the rights and responsibilities of the faculty as granted by the Board of Trustees are described in this Code of Faculty Governance, in the Policy of Appointment, Reappointment Promotion and Tenure, and in the Rules of the Faculty. Moreover, the Board recognizes that the right of academic freedom, as it is set out in the Statement of Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression, is critical to the educational mission of the college.

Faculty Meetings

The faculty meets monthly during the academic year to conduct legislative, informational and consultative work consistent with its duties as specified in the Faculty Code and trustee by-laws. Faculty meetings sustain a culture of collegial self-governance, conducted according to Robert's Rules. Faculty Council, the principal committee of the faculty, holds regular open meetings for more informal conversation about current issues.

For faculty meeting materials, please contact Kayla Cheneba.

NOTE: Tote lunches will be provided at all meetings, AY25 meeting times will continue to be held on Mondays during the lunch hour.

Date Time Location
September 9, 2024 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
September 30, 2024 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
October 21, 2024 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
November 11, 2024 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
December 9, 2024 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
February 10, 2025 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
March 10, 2025 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
April 7, 2025 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
April 21, 2025 12:15–1:30 p.m Campus Center Carroll Room
May 15, 2025 10:30–11:45 a.m. Location TBA
May 15 Retirement Luncheon noon–2 p.m. Location TBA

Elected Committees 2024-25

  • Ginetta Candelario (2025)
  • James Lowenthal (2027)
  • Reyes Lázaro (2026)

  • Daphne Lamothe, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Chair, non-voting
  • Denise McKahn, Associate Provost, non-voting
  • Hélène Visentin, Associate Dean of the Faculty & Dean for Academic Development, non-voting
  • Alex Keller, Dean of the College, non-voting
  • Gretchen Herringer, Registrar, non-voting
  • Justin Cammy, Faculty Council Rep, non-voting
  • Jeffrey Ahlman (2025)
  • Ibtissam Bouachrine (2025)
  • Sarah Moore (2027)
  • Katwiwa Mule (2026)
  • Bozena Welborne (2025)

  • Samantha Earp, Vice President for Information Technology, Co-Chair
  • Denise McKahn, Associate Provost and Dean for Academic Development, Co-Chair
  • Tony Caldanaro, Program Director of the Center for Science and Engineering Computing
  • Luca Capogna, Faculty Council Representative
  • Erin Pineda (2026)
  • Kevin Shea (2026)
  • Rebecca Worsham (2025)

  • Denise McKahn, Associate Provost, Chair, non-voting
  • Joshua Parad, Senior Academic Budget Manager, non-voting
  • Will Raven, Faculty Council Representative, non-voting
  • Joshua Birk (2025)
  • Maren Buck (2026)
  • Deborah Haas-Wilson (2026)
  • Marney Pratt (2025)
  • Tina Wildhagen (2025)

  • Justin Cammy (2027)
  • Luca Capogna (2027)
  • Nathan Derr, Chair (2025)
  • Javier Puente (2027)
  • Will Raven (2025)

  • Jordan Crouser (2026)
  • Leonard Berkman (2025)
  • John Moore (2025)
  • Julianna Tymoczko (2025)
  • Sara Pruss (2027)

  • Marguerite Harrison, Chair (2025)
  • Elizabeth Klarich (2025)
  • Meg Thacher (2025)
  • Kimberly Kono (2027)
  • Elizabeth Pryor (2027)

  • Barbara Kellum (2027)
  • Miranda McCarvel (2027)
  • Joel Westerdale (2027)
  • Sara Newland (2026)
  • Candice Price (2027)

Non-voting:

  • Student representatives (TBD)
  • Susan Fliss, Dean of Libraries
  • Daphne Lamothe, Provost and Dean of the Faculty

  • Sarah Willie-LeBreton, President, Chair
  • Daphne Lamothe, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Vice Chair
  • David DeSwert, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
  • Nathan Derr, Chair of Faculty Council
  • Javier Puente, Faculty Council Representative
  • Borjana Mikic, Faculty Division III (2025)
  • Payal Benerjee, Faculty Division II (2025)
  • Jonathan Gosnell, Faculty Division I (2027)
  • TBD, student elected annually by the student body
  • TBD, student elected annually by the student body
  • Fraser Stables, Associate Dean for Integrative Learning
  • Joanna Olin, Chief of Staff and Government Liaison
  • Alex Keller, Dean of the College and Vice President for Campus Life
  • Floyd Cheung, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion
  • TBD, Staff representative
  • TBD, Staff representative

  • Sarah Willie-LeBreton, President, Chair
  • Daphne Lamothe, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
  • Carrie Baker (2025)
  • Kate Queeney (2025)
  • Chris Aiken (2025)
  • Suzanne Gottschang (2025)
  • Bill Peterson (2025)

Appointed Committees

  • Evelyn Berry ‘25, Chair
  • Delia Haston ‘25, Secretary
  • Ingrid Trapp ‘26, Vice Secretary
  • Marta Almazovaite ‘24, Senior Class Representative 
  • Xinyun Guo ‘25, Junior Class Representative
  • Adela Hoffman ‘26, Sophomore Class Representative
  • Shannon Metterville AC, Ada Class Representative 
  • Vera Shevzov (Division I)
  • Cristina Valencia Mazzanti (Division II)
  • Maren Buck (Division III)
  • Adela Penagos, Associate Dean of the College
  • Alex Keller, Interim Dean of the College, ex-officio

  • Alex Keller, Interim Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of the College (Chair)
  • Adela Penagos, Dean of the Senior Class and Associate Dean of the College
  • Tom Riddell, Interim Dean of the Junior Class
  • Andrea Rossi-Reder, Dean of the Sophomore Class and Ada Comstock Scholars
  • Jennifer Joyce, Dean of the First-Year Class
  • Gretchen Herringer, Registrar
  • María Helena Rueda (Interim) (Div. I, 2023-24) 
  • Terry-Ann Craigie (Div. II) (2023)
  • Cristina Suarez (Interim) (Div. III, 2023-24) 

  • Sarah Willie-LeBreton, President (co-chair)
  • David DeSwert, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration (co-chair)
  • Michael Thurston, Provost & Dean of the Faculty
  • Denise McKahn, Associate Provost
  • Alex Keller, Interim Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of the College
  • TBA, Associate Vice President for Finance
  • Joanna May, Vice President for Enrollment
  • Erin Cohn, Director of the Wurtele Center for Leadership
  • Kelly-Jean Huard, Associate Director of Systems and Networking, Staff Council
  • Darcy Buerkle, Chair of Faculty Council
  • Will Raven, Faculty Council
  • Steve Waksman, Faculty Council
  • Nathan Derr, Faculty Council
  • Tina Wildhagen, Faculty Council
  • Leela de Paula, President of the Student Government Association (2023)

  • Joanna May, Vice President for Enrollment, Chair
  • Deanna Dixon, Dean of Admission
  • Adela Penagos, Associate Dean of the College
  • Mehammed Mack, French Studies, (Div. I) (2025)
  • Timothy Recuber, Sociology, (Div. II) (2023)
  • Lesley-Ann Giddings, Chemistry, (Div. III) (2025)
  • Tracy Okai '24, Student Representative (2024)

  • David DeSwert, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, Chair
  • Sarah Willie-LeBreton, President
  • Alex Keller, Interim Dean of the College
  • Tim Johnson, Director, Botanic Garden
  • Denise McKahn, Associate Provost
  • Jesse Bellemare, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
  • Bozena Wellborne, Assistant Professor of Government
  • Lucy Mule, Professor of Education and Child Study
  • Mary Giles, Associate Director of Advancement Communications
  • Beth Hooker, Director of Sustainability & Administrative Director of CEEDS
  • Nat Fortune, Professor of Physics
  • Reid Bertone-Johnson, Core Lecturer of Landscape Studies 
  • Vacant, Director of Campus Sustainability and Space Planning
  • Byan Wilkinson, Associate Vice President for Finance

  • Kate Queeney, Chair and Faculty Representative
  • Chris Aiken, Faculty Representative
  • Ibtissam Bouachrine, Faculty Representative
  • Lauren Duncan, Faculty Representative
  • Melissa Parrish, Faculty Representative
  • Will Raven, Faculty Representative
  • Kristin Hughes, Director of Athletics, ex officio
  • Jessica Duff, Associate Athletic Director, ex officio
  • Kris Evans, Director, Schacht Center, Health Services, ex officio
  • Lynn Hersey, Head Coach Representative
  • Barbara Brehm-Curtis, Chair, Exercise and Sports Studies (spring), non-voting
  • Sarah Witkowski, Chair, Exercise and Sport Studies (fall), non-voting
  • Rebecca Shaw, Associate Dean of Students/Director of Residential Lide, non-voting

  • Colin Hoag, Anthropology is (2026)
  • Albert Kim, Computer Science (2026)
  • Joel Westerdale, German and Italian (Smith Programs Rep, 2026)
  • Howard Gold, Government (sabbatical replacement for Pinky Hota, term ends in 2024)
  • Maria Rueda, Spanish and Portuguese (sabbatical replacement for Justin Cammy, term ends in 2024)
  • Ibtissam Bouachrine, Spanish (CAP Rep 2023-2024, ex-officio)
  • Fraser Stables, Associate Dean of Integrated Learning, non-voting, ex-officio  
  • Lisa Johnson, Associate Dean of International Studies, (co-Chair) non-voting, ex-officio
  • Denise McKahn, Associate Provost (Chair), non-voting, ex-officio
  • Joshua Parad, Senior Academic Budget Manager, non-voting, ex-officio

  • Nancy Mason Bradbury, Professor Emerita of English Language & Literature
  • Barbara Brehm-Curtis, Professor of Exercise and Sport Studies
  • John Connolly, Sophia Smith Professor Emeritus of Philosophy
  • Marjorie Senechal, Louise Wolff Kahn Professor Emerita in Mathematics and History of Science & Technology
  • Janie Vanpée, Professor Emerita of French Studies
  • Hélène Visentin, Chair, Associate Dean of the Faculty/Dean for Academic Development

  • Mary Harrington, Co-Chair
  • Jeffry Ramsey, Co-Chair
  • Michael Barresi, Scientist
  • Suzanne Gottschang, Scientist
  • Misty Williams-Fritze, DVM, Attending Veterinarian
  • Rochelle Pleet, Non-Affiliated Community Member, Non-Scientist

  • Elizabeth Jamieson, Chemistry, Head Marshal
  • Nicholas Howe, Computer Science
  • Susannah Howe, Engineering
  • Brent Durbin, Government
  • Jack Loveless, Geosciences
  • Patricia Cahn, Mathematical Sciences
  • William Raven, Physics
  • Stephanie Jones, Exercise and Sports Studies
  • Randi Garcia, Statistical and Data Sciences & Psychology
  • Joyce Palmer-Fortune, Physics