Senate Officers

Chair: TBD

Vice Chair: TBD

Secretary : TBD

Parliamentarian: Larry Brenner

Schedule

The senate meets on Thursdays, once-a-month, during the Fall and Spring semesters.

If you would like to view the meeting on Zoom (view only):

Zoom link

Meeting ID:    Passcode:

Location: Gould Memorial Library (GML), auditorium
Time: 12 – 1:50 pm

  • Fall 2025: 8/28 (nominations), 9/18, 10/23, 11/20, 12/11
  • Spring 2026: 2/26, 3/19, 4/30, 5/14, 5/21*

*tentative meeting

Welcome!

BCC Governance – College Senate

Current Term – Fall 2025 through Spring 2027

The BCC Senate is responsible for the establishment of academic policy and for legislative and advisory functions related to the programs, operations and goals of the College. It is comprised of faculty, student government and administration representatives.

Our meetings are open to the public and we encourage you to attend.  Agendas are available on this page in advance of all meetings.

Functions of the Senate (from the BCC Governance Plan):

  1. The Senate shall have legislative power with regard to:
    • Academic affairs, including curricula, degree requirements, admissions and grading structure.
    • The protection of the academic freedom of students and Instructional Staff.
    • The adoption of Rules of Procedure for itself, its committees and its sub committees.
  1. The Senate shall have the following advisory responsibilities:
    • Participate in the search for and appointment of the President of the College, as requested by the Board of Trustees.
    • Advise on the appointment of all individuals holding Vice President and Dean titles. These recommendations are to be submitted to the President of the College for his/her consideration. 
    • Advise on long range planning to achieve the goals of the College. 
    • Advise on campus life and activities, including ancillary services within the College (including, but not limited to, Auxiliary Enterprises, BCC, Inc. and the Student Election Review Committee), student organizations and community relations.
    • Advise the College’s administrative officers on the formulation and allocation of the College budget, of policies relating to grants, of allocation of space and facilities, and in the making of decisions pertaining to the allocation of resources for educational programs, and for research and scholarly activities.
  1. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Senate shall be fully advised of, shall routinely receive, and shall be free to seek information from the College’s administrative officers on all matters germane to the programs and operations of the College and its facilities.
  1. The College administration shall provide to the Senate in a timely fashion all pertinent information, including information on college resources and policies.
  1. Upon the invitation of the Senate Chairperson, the President shall meet with it to discuss his/her response to its recommendations.

Membership

Total voting membership = 60
Quorum = 31
2/3 Majority = 40

Ex-officio Senators (4)

  1. TBA – College President
  2. Luis Montenegro– Provost & VP of Academic Affairs
  3. Manny Lopez – Acting VP of Student Success
  4. VACANT – VP of Administration & Finance

At-Large Senators (18)

  1. John Athanasourelis – English
  2. Mirabel Bell-Gam – Biological Sciences
  3. Kevin Bozelka – Communication Arts & Sciences
  4. Sara Brady – Communication Arts & Sciences
  5. Larry Brenner – Communication Arts & Sciences
  6. Howard Clampman – Business & Information Systems
  7. Carlos Cruz – Communication Arts & Sciences
  8. Hisseine Faradj – Social Sciences
  9. Teresa Fisher – Communication Arts & Sciences
  10. Tanweer Haroon – Business & Information Systems
  11. Farnaz Kaighobadi – Social Sciences
  12. Kyeng (Joe) Lee – Biological Sciences
  13. Ge Li — Biological Sciences
  14. Charles Maliti – Biological Sciences
  15. Sharmila Mukherjee — English
  16. Seth Offenbach — History
  17. Maria Psarelli – Mathematics & Computer Science
  18. Anne Vuagniaux – Art & Music

At-Large Alternate Senators (5)

  1. Theresa Smalec — Communication Arts and Sciences
  2. VACANT
  3. VACANT
  4. VACANT
  5. VACANT

Department Senators (15) (names in bold are confirmed)

  1. Andrea Ortuño – Art & Music
  2. Shazia Khan – Biological Sciences
  3. James Cecil Simpson – Business & Information Systems
  4. Chelia Cullen – Chemistry, Earth Sciences, & Environmental Sciences
  5. Ellen Mareneck – Communication Arts & Sciences
  6. Barbara Caballero Flores – Education & Academic Literacy
  7. Harrison Carranza – Engineering, Physics & Technology
  8. Melissa Coss – English
  9. Ulana Lysniak – Health, Physical Education & Recreation
  10. Stephen Duncan – History
  11. Nelson Santana – Library
  12. Rony Gouraige – Mathematics & Computer Science
  13. Shanell Rawls – Nursing & Allied Health Sciences
  14. Sa’rawla Stoute – Social Sciences
  15. Salvador Salazar – World Languages and Cultures

Department Alternate Senators (15)

  1. VACANT – Art & Music
  2. Diane P. Banks – Biological Sciences
  3. Thomas D’Arrigo – Business Information Systems
  4. Dickens Saint-Hilaire – Chemistry, Earth Sciences, & Environmental Sciences
  5. VACANT – Communication Arts & Sciences
  6. Steve Powers – Education & Academic Literacy
  7. Mohammad Nizamuddin – Engineering, Physics & Technology
  8. Vanessa Taylor-O’Connor – English
  9. Tiquana Gatlin – Health, Physical Education & Recreation
  10. Raquel Otheguy – History
  11. Michael Miller – Library
  12. Mehdi Lejmi – Mathematics & Computer Science
  13. Manish Sharma – Nursing & Allied Health Sciences
  14. Nelson Reynoso – Social Sciences
  15. Wedsly Guerrier – World Languages and Cultures

Adjunct Senators (2)

  1. VACANT
  2. VACANT

Adjunct Alternate Senator (1)

  1. VACANT

CLT Senators (2)

  1. Bubacarr Bah – Education & Academic Literacy
  2. Martha Sanchez – Library

CLT Alternate Senator (1)

  1. Peter John – HPER

HEO Senators (3)

  1. Chris Efthimiou – Institutional Research
  2. Albert Robinson – CTLT
  3. Karen Thomas — Student Success

HEO Alternate Senator (1)

  1. VACANT

Registrar Senator (1)

  1. Somaiya Arefeen

Student Government Senators (15)

  1. Maria Afnaj
  2. Yangel Aguilera
  3. Aaliyah Anderson
  4. Bridgette Ayim
  5. Tasha Barber
  6. Marlee Barnes-Henry
  7. Samael Aaron Dian
  8. Akalia Dixon
  9. Heriberto Flores, Jr.
  10. Bryan Gomez
  11. Petoni Guy
  12. Kiara “Kiki” Maxwell
  13. David Jon Murch
  14. Emely Paulino
  15. Felipe Roman

CUNY University Faculty Senate (UFS)

BCC maintains a delegation of representatives on CUNY’s university-wide senate.
Current BCC senators are:

  1. Farnaz Kaighobadi, term ends 2027
  2. Tamar Rothenberg, term ends 2026
  3. Teresa Fisher (Liaison to BCC Senate), term ends 2026
  4. Katherine Culkin, term ends 2026
  5. Karen David, term ends 2027
  6. Alternate – VACANT
  7. Alternate – VACANT

To visit the UFS website follow this link: CUNY University Faculty Senate

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