Faculty & Staff

The Arts Research Center team supports faculty research development through a variety of initiatives, including School and University level opportunities and external funding submissions.

Full-time faculty members interested in grant-seeking and/or project development can get started here and learn more about the Arts Research Center.

The following principles provide additional guidance for the School of the Arts regarding the new university guidance regarding course modalities. All employees in the School of the Arts who have a responsibility as an instructor of record for at least one course, including full-time faculty, adjunct faculty, and graduate students, are expected to follow these principles:

Principles:

1. Courses must be taught in their assigned modality. Exceptions for a modality change for an individual class session should be communicated beforehand to the department chair/school director or designee. If the modality of multiple sessions for a course needs to be changed, the department chair/school director or designee should consult with the Dean’s office.
2. In general, cancellations of class sessions should be avoided. When possible, the instructor should seek approval from their department chair/school director or designee and arrange for an alternative to the class session that might include an online session or an alternate instructor.
3. Classes should only be canceled when the instructor of record faces a sudden emergency (illness or otherwise), and no alternate plans can be arranged on short notice. The class cancellation should be communicated to the students, department chair, school director, or designee (see below).
4. The absence of any instructor of record should be known by their department or school leadership. A faculty member must contact their department chair/school director or designee; the department chair/school director or designee must communicate the method of this contact at the beginning of every semester. Failure to notify the chair or designee in a reasonably timely manner will be noted in the annual evaluation.
5. If a course is taught asynchronously, it is understood that assignments or other course activities may be delayed for a short period due to a sudden emergency. Faculty teaching such courses will notify their chair/director, and departments/schools should identify an alternate instructor as soon as possible.
6. In cases where graduate teaching assistants lead a course section, the instructor of record who oversees the course should have a transparent, written process in place to ensure that the section is taught in the event the TA is absent.

In accordance with the office hours guidelines issued by the Provost’s office, on February 6, 2026, the following information outlines the specific implementation details for faculty in the School of the Arts. This guidance is designed to complement VCU’s protocols on course modalities, which are posted to this blog and located in chapter 2 of the Academic Affairs Handbook. 

1. All full-time and part-time VCU faculty members who are teaching courses will maintain open office hours. Excluded courses include practicum courses, independent studies, directed research, private lessons, internships  or other types of courses where office hours do not apply.

2. “By appointment” office hours do not count as open office hours; they are considered additional office hours. Faculty are encouraged to be as accessible as possible to students by appointment who are unable to attend open office hours.

3. Full-time faculty members in the School of the Arts are expected to maintain a minimum of two in person open office hours per week.

   a. Faculty are encouraged to spread the open office hours evenly throughout the week.
   b. Department chairs are responsible for ensuring that faculty are maintaining open office hours in the appropriate modality, quantity, and frequency.

4. Part-time faculty members are expected to hold one open office hour per week, which may be conducted either virtually or in person.

5. Open office hours must be posted in the syllabus, the Canvas LMS and on the faculty member’s office door where students can readily locate them. 

6. In addition, all faculty members are expected to provide students with opportunities to schedule individual appointments outside of class to discuss course-related questions, academic progress, or other matters requiring individualized attention.

Open office hours are a crucial part of student success, and fundamental to the college experience.

Thank you for all you do to promote student success. We hope this open office hours guidance will provide you with what you need to ensure positive instructional experiences.

Visit the Policies and Procedures page for the following guidelines:

• School of the Arts Governance
• VCUarts Safety Manual
• Photography Guidelines
• Posting Guidelines

• VCUarts Transitional Promotion and Tenure Policies, Procedures + Appendices (approved May 2026)
• VCUarts Term Faculty Promotion Policies, Procedures + Appendices (approved June, 2026)
• VCUarts Qatar Promotion Policies
• VCUarts Qatar LAS Promotion Policies
• Faculty Promotion and Tenure Timeline 2026-2027 (Richmond)
• Faculty Promotion Timeline 2026-2027 (Qatar)
• Advice for Peer Review Committees
• Advice for P&T Candidates
• Advice for Department Chairs
• Advice for SOTA Promotion and Tenure Committee

For more information about VCUarts Brand, the VCU identity and VCUarts social media accounts, view our Brand Guidelines and Editorial Style. Remember to submit any deviation from these rules and standards to the VCUarts Communications Office for approval.

• VCUarts Photography Guidelines
• VCU Model Release
• VCU Location Agreement
• VCUarts Model and Artwork Release
• VCUarts Copyright License for Musical Works
• VCUarts Speaker Release

This award recognizes an outstanding member of the School of the Arts adjunct faculty who best represents the contribution of adjunct faculty to the mission of the School of the Arts. All persons who have taught on adjunct contracts during the year of recognition review are eligible for consideration.

Nominate a colleague using the online form.

The Anderson presents an annual VCUarts Excellence in Adjunct Research Exhibition, which functions as a recognition of and showcase for the outstanding adjunct research being conducted here at VCUarts. It provides a solo exhibition opportunity, performance or another relevant format to a VCUarts adjunct faculty member. Contact theanderson@vcu.edu for more information. 

Teach a course open to all VCUarts majors at the 300 or 400 level. Contact James Wiznerowicz, associate dean for academic affairs, at jpwiznerowic@vcu.edu for more information.

VCUarts adjunct faculty with a VCU eID are eligible for a free Creative Cloud Enterprise subscription. Adjunct faculty will receive access to a suite of Adobe programs, including After Effects, Audition, Behance, Character Animator, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere Pro and many more.

Visit adobe.vcu.edu to sign up.

Terms and Conditions of Employment
Terms and Conditions of Employment for Adjunct Faculty Appointment (.PDF)

Carmenita Higginbotham, Ph.D., Dean – Committee Chair
Amir Berbić, Dean, VCUarts Qatar

Christiana Lafazani, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research
James Wiznerowicz, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Holly Alford, Assistant Dean and Acting Chair of Graphic Design (through Fall 2026)
Jody Symula, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Cynthia Myron, Senior Director of Fine Arts and Director of Graduate Studies

Jon-Phillip Sheridan, Senior Director of Narrative Media

Melyatta Powers, Senior Executive Director of Finance
Jessica Bell Brown, Executive Director, Institute for Contemporary Art
Sarah Hendricks, Executive Director of Development
Kelly Teeling, Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions
Christopher ‘Dinkus’ Deane, Director of Operations
Ryan Ellington, Director of Human Resources
Debbie Farris, Director of Communications and Marketing
John Hendershot, Director of Academic Advising
Robert Sandkam, Director of Information Technology

Jason Bennett, Chair, Communication Arts
Yossera Bouchtia, Director, Cinema
Eric Garberson, Chair, Art History
Hope Ginsburg, Chair, Kinetic Imaging
Sandy Goldie, Chair, Music
Kimberly Guthrie, Chair, Fashion Design + Merchandising
Chris Norris, Lead, Art Foundation Program
Matt Omasta, Chair, Theatre and Dance
Sheryl Oring, Chair, Fine Arts
Ryan Patton, Chair, Art Education
Stephanie Thulin, Chair, Photography + Film
Roberto Ventura, Chair, Interior Design

Melanie Christian, Executive Assistant to the Dean and Strategic Projects Coordinator for the Dean, ex-officio member

Second and Fourth Wednesdays, 9 – 10 a.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201

James Wiznerowicz, Associate Dean – Committee Chair
ARTF, Jody Symula
ARTH, Michelle Yee
CINE, Prashanth Kamalakanthan
COAR, Eric Weichel
CRAF, Susie Ganch
DANC, Gaynell Sherrod
FASH, Jarvis Jefferson
GDES, Laura Chessin
IDES, Sara Reed
KINE, Stephanie Thulin
MUSC, Justin Alexander
PAPR, Noah Simblist
PHTO, Sasha Waters
SCPT, Michael Jones McKean
THEA, Jesse Njus

The Diversity Advisory Committee has been suspended as of February, 2025 pursuant to external policies and directives.

Second Tuesdays, 5 p.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201

Jeremy Toussaint Baptiste & Nicole Cowans, co-chairs – Fall 2025
Jeremy Toussaint Baptiste & Molly McFaden, co-chairs – Spring 2026
ARTF, Molly McFadden
ARTH, Babatunde Lawal
COAR, Anna Karakalou
CINE, Kevin Gallagher
CRAF, Jack Wax Spring 2026
DANC, Trebien Pollard
FASH, Jenny Cooke
GDES, Steven Hoskins
IDES, Laura Battaglia
KINE, Pam Turner
MUSC, Ross Walter
PAPR, Hilary Wilder
PHTO, Mark Boulos
SCPT, Jeremy Toussaint Baptiste
THEA, Nicole Cowans

Third Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m.

Cindy Myron, Senior Director for Fine Arts and VCUarts Graduate Director committee chair
Kat Wilson, coordinator of graduate studies
ARTE, Yiwen Wei
ARTH, Catherine Roach
CRAF, Susie Ganch
IDES, Kristin Carleton
GDES, Nicole Killian
KINE, Kate Sicchio
PAPR, Holly Morrison
PHTO, Tesora Molina-Garcia
SCPT, Kendall Buster
THEA: Keith Kirk

Tuesdays, as needed, 5:30 p.m.

Karen Kopryanski + Kathleen Chapman, Co-Chairs
ARTE, Sara Wilson McKay
ARTH, Kathleen Chapman
COAR, Sterling Hundley
CRAF, Elissa Armstrong
DANC, MK Abadoo
FASH, Jackie Mullins
GDES, David Shields
KINE, Hope Ginsburg
MUSC, Bruce Hammel
PAPR, Noah Simblist
PHTO, Paul Thulin-Jimenez
SCPT, Massa Lemu
THEA. Karen Kopryanski

Sarah Irvin, committee chair
ARTF, Jordan Marty
GDES, Luiza Dale
CRAF, Blair Clemo
COAR, Miguel Carter-Fisher
IDES, Seung-Ho Lee
KI, Bob Paris
PAPR, Jacob Broussard
PHTO, John Freyer
SCPT, Lily Cox Richard

Meetings scheduled as needed

Mary Caton Lingold, Department of English, committee chair, MATX director
KINE, Shawn Brixey

Chris Norris, Committee Chair
ARTE Ryan Patton
COAR Ying-Fang Shen , TyRuben Ellingson
CRAF, Hillary Fayle and Annie Evelyn
FASH, Kevin Sellars
GDES, Lauren Thorson
IDES, Seung-Ho Lee
KINE Hope Ginsburg
PAPR, Sandy Zohore
PHTO, Mary Beth Reed
SCPT, Michael Jones McKean

Jessica Casey, Performing Arts – Committee Chair

artstaff@vcu.edu

3-year term, elected

Meeting Time: First Tuesday, 4–6 p.m.
facultysenate.vcu.edu

Holly Alford, FASH, HON
E. Gaynell Sherrod, DANC, HON
Lily Cox-Richard, SCUP (2026)
SHAWNÉ MICHAELAIN HOLLOWAY, KI (2027)
Hala Auji, ARTH (2026)
Jeremy Toussaint-Baptiste, SCUP (2027)
Jackie Mullins, FASH, (2028)

Alternates:
Laura Battaglia, IDES (2026)
Huy Ngo, COAR (2026)

2-year term, elected

Meeting Time: First Thursdays, 3–5 p.m.
www.council.vcu.edu

Stephen Alcorn, COAR, (2026)
Roberto Jamora, AFO (2027)

Alternate:
Ernesto Rodriguez Cruz, COAR (2027)

3-year term, elected
graduate.vcu.edu/facstaff/council

Keith Kirk, THEA (2028)
nicole killian, GDES (2028)

3-year term, elected

Ying-Fang Shen, COAR (2027)
Sonali Gulati, PHOTO (2026)
Bob Paris, KINE (2027)
Eric Rivera, DANC (2026)

Alternates:
Chelsea Flowers, AFO (2027)
Renee Lamb, FASH (2027)

Karen Kopryanski (2026)

2-year term

Sara Reed, IDES, Fall 2026
Janel Miley, VCUarts Academic Advisor (2028)

3-year term, appointed

Kate Roach, ARTH (2026)

3-year term, appointed

Patrick Smith, MUSC (2027)

3-year term, appointed

Jenny Cook, FASH (2026)