Elected Positions

University Faculty Senators
two positions and one alternate, four-year term of service

The University Faculty Senate is the representative body of Penn State’s faculty with legislative authority on all matters pertaining to the educational interests of the University and all educational matters that concern the faculties of more than one college. In addition, the Senate is recognized by the University as an advisory and consultative body to the President on all matters that may affect the attainment of the University’s educational objectives.

  • Agnes Kim: 2021 – 2025
  • Paul Frisch: 2020 – 2024; 2024 – 2027
  • Parminder Parmar (alternate): 2021 – 2025

Past senators:

  • Renee Bishop: 2015 – 2023
  • Fred Aebli: 2016 – 2020

    University College Councilors
    two positions, four-year term of service

    The University College Faculty Council (UCFC) is an advisory body to the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses on matters affecting the achievement of educational objectives of University College. The UCFC formulates recommendations concerning curricular, faculty, and academic affairs, as well as the establishment, reorganization, or discontinuation of organizational units and areas of the College. The electorate of the UCFC includes full-time faculty and librarians on campuses that comprise the college. Councilors are elected every two years to maintain two Councilors from each campus on staggered four-year terms. Officers, including Chair, Chair-elect, and Secretary, are elected annually.

    • Kevin Feifer: 2023-2024 (1 year term to finish Xialing’s term); elected to serve the 2025-2029 term
    • Gina Gray: Jan. 2025-2026 (1 1/2 year term to finish Angela’s term)

    Past councilors:

    • Angela Bassani: 2022-Dec. 2024
    • Xialing Lin: 2020 – 2023
    • Jim Hart: 2017 – 2021
    • Ray Petren: 2016 – 2020

      Ombudsperson
      one position and one alternate, three-year term of service

      Functions of the ombudsperson are to clarify misunderstandings and conflicts among faculty or between faculty and the campus administration, to advise faculty and administrators as to appropriate courses of action, to assist in the informal resolution of differences, to assure that appropriate procedures (department, campus, college) are exhausted before referring cases to higher levels, to inform the University Provost’s office and appropriate college or campus officials if a matter cannot be resolved at the lower level and the case is to be referred to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities, and to perform exit interviews for faculty leaving the University.

      • James Hart: 2017 – 2026
      • Dale Holen (alternate): 2020 – 2026

      Past ombudspersons:

      • Renee Bishop (alternate): 2017 – 2020