Graduate Faculty and Council
Graduate Studies Faculty Structures
All units that offer a graduate program must have a Program Committee on Graduate Studies that oversees their respective graduate program. Graduate Program Committees must also identify a Graduate Program Director to represent the program (see Graduate School By-Laws for responsibilities of Graduate Program Committees and Directors).
The Graduate Council serves as the administrative arm for the regular members of the Graduate Faculty and guides university policies for graduate education. The Graduate Council is comprised of 20 members:
- Chair of the Graduate Council
- Two members each from the College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Health Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science, and the Woody L. Hunt Colleges of Business;
- Four at-large members
- President of the Faculty Senate
- The Dean of the Graduate school (ex-officio)
- A student representative (non-voting)
Proposals and Procedures
UTEP encourages progressive and continuous improvement of its academic programs. Each Department assumes responsibility for all graduate programs within its area or interdisciplinary program unit. All official communication and information concerning application for new graduate degree programs and program revisions approved by Department Committees and Chairs go through the Academic Dean to the Head of Graduate School and the Graduate Council. The Graduate School office steers all administrative tasks of the Graduate Council including procedures and communication concerning new graduate programs and program/curriculum revisions.
Current Graduate Council Members
| Faculty Member | Representing | Term Exp. |
|---|---|---|
| TREMBLAY, ANNIE C. Chicano Studies, Language, and Linguistics (915) 747-6803 actremblay@utep.edu |
Chair of the Graduate Education | 08/31/2026 |
| ALARID, LEANNE F. Criminal Justice (915) 747-7087 lfalarid@utep.edu |
Member-At-Large | 08/31/2026 |
| BAJPEYI, SUDIP Kinesiology (915) 747-5461 sbajpeyi@utep.edu |
College of Health Sciences | 08/31/2026 |
| MEMBER Department Phone email@utep.edu |
College of Health Sciences | |
| CONVERTINO, CHRISTINA Teacher Education (915) 747-7675 cconvertino@utep.edu |
College of Education | 08/31/2025 |
| CRITES, STEPHEN Dean of the Graduate School & Associate Provost for Graduate Studies (915) 747-6571 scrites@utep.edu |
Ex Officio | Non-Voting |
| MEMBER Department Phone email@utep.edu |
President of the Faculty Senate | Voting |
| DOUSA, DOMINIC Music (915) 747-7819 ddousa@utep.edu |
College of Liberal Arts | 08/31/2025 |
| ESPLIN, ADAM M. Accounting and Information Systems (915) 747-5449 aesplin@utep.edu |
Member-At-Large | 08/31/2025 |
| MEMBER Department Phone email@utep.edu |
College of Liberal Arts | |
| XIE, FIEXUE Economics and Finance (915) 747-7788 fxie@utep.edu |
Woody L. Hunt College of Business | 08/31/2025 |
| IBARRA-MEJIA, GABRIEL Health Promotions and Public Health (915) 747-7270 gabmejia@utep.edu |
Member-At-Large | 08/31/2026 |
| MEMBER Department Phone email@utep.edu |
College of Engineering | |
| JOHNSON, SARAH JEAN Teacher Education (915) 747-5965 sjjohnson2@utep.edu |
College of Education | 08/31/2026 |
| LLANO, MANUEL Biological Sciences (915) 747-5844 mllano@utep.edu |
College of Science | 08/31/2026 |
| MEMBER Department Phone email@utep.edu |
Member-At-Large | |
| SHARIFAN, HAMIDREZA Chemistry and Biochemistry (915) 747-5360 hsharifan@utep.edu |
College of Science | 08/31/2027 |
| SMITH, ERIC D. Industrial,Manufacturing & Systems Engineering (915) 747-5205 esmith2@utep.edu |
College of Engineering | 08/31/2026 |
| MEMBER Department Phone email@utep.edu |
Woody L. Hunt College of Business |
Graduate Education Meeting Schedule 2026-2027
| GRADUATE EDUCATION MEETING |
| 09/02/2026 |
| 10/07/2026 |
| 11/04/2026 |
| 12/02/2026 |
| 02/03/2027 |
| 03/03/2027 |
| 04/07/2027 |
| 05/05/2027 |