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UTEP

Graduate Faculty and Council


Graduate Studies Faculty Structures

UTEP tenure track or tenured faculty, who are appointed in a unit that has a graduate program, are regular members of the Graduate Faculty.  The rights and responsibilities of Graduate Faculty are specified in the Graduate School By-Laws section of the Handbook of Operating Procedures (Chapter 3).  Individuals who have the relevant academic background and experience, but are not members of the Graduate Faculty (e.g., non-tenure track faculty, visiting scholars, professional staff), may apply for temporary membership to the Graduate Faculty.
There are three levels of temporary members that have different rights and responsibilities as outlined in the Graduate School By-Laws.  This form can be used to apply for temporary membership.

 

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)
To access Graduate School By-laws.

To access the Advisor Handbook that provides an overview of degree requirements as well as relevant processes and policies.

To access the Graduate Catalog.

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.

Contact the Office of the Provost for more information 

To learn more about the New Program Request Form for Master's and Doctoral Degrees.

For Graduate Faculty By-laws.

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

Graduate Council Resolutions

Academic Integrity Policy (Approved Apr. 2021)

Expedited process to remove GRE requirement for applicants who have UTEP Undergraduate Degree (Approved Dec. 2021)

Procedures for making minor curriculum changes (Approved Apr. 2023)
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