Elections to the Executive Committee | Fall 2025

Anil K. Lalwani

Professor of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery

Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

Since 2019, I have had the privilege of serving in the University Senate, contributing to Columbia’s tradition of shared governance. My service on the External Relations and Research Policy Committee strengthened my understanding of how Columbia engages with the broader community, and now as Chair of the Honors and Prizes Committee, I hope to aid in recognition of excellence that reflects Columbia. In addition, I currently serve as President of the Columbia University Asian Faculty Association, representing Asian faculty and allies with the mission to support, promote, and advocate for the achievement and advancement of its members. This role has deepened my commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable academic community.

Hamlet’s question, “to be or not to be,” speaks to the choice we face as faculty in governance: whether to remain on the sidelines, or to be fully engaged in shaping the University’s future. I believe the University Senate must choose to be—to safeguard academic freedom, champion inclusion, and hold our institution accountable to its highest ideals.

 If elected to the Executive Committee, I will bring experience, perspective, and an unwavering commitment to making the University Senate a strong advocate for faculty, students, and the broader Columbia community.

Since 2019, I have had the privilege of serving in the University Senate, contributing to Columbia’s tradition of shared governance. My service on the External Relations and Research Policy Committee strengthened my understanding of how Columbia engages with the broader community, and now as Chair of the Honors and Prizes Committee, I hope to aid in recognition of excellence that reflects Columbia. In addition, I currently serve as President of the Columbia University Asian Faculty Association, representing Asian faculty and allies with the mission to support, promote, and advocate for the achievement and advancement of its members. This role has deepened my commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable academic community.

Hamlet’s question, “to be or not to be,” speaks to the choice we face as faculty in governance: whether to remain on the sidelines, or to be fully engaged in shaping the University’s future. I believe the University Senate must choose to be—to safeguard academic freedom, champion inclusion, and hold our institution accountable to its highest ideals.

 If elected to the Executive Committee, I will bring experience, perspective, and an unwavering commitment to making the University Senate a strong advocate for faculty, students, and the broader Columbia community.

Clarisa Long

Max Mendel Shaye Professor of Intellectual Property Law

Department School of Law

A great university is only as strong as its faculty.  Especially in light of the Resolution Agreement between Columbia University and the current U.S. Presidential Administration, it is crucial, now more than ever, to defend the principles of academic freedom and the tradition of shared governance within the University.

I have previously served on the University Senate Executive Committee, the Faculty Affairs Committee, and the Budget Committee.  Since joining the Law School faculty in 2005 as the Max Mendel Shaye Professor of Intellectual Property Law, I have served in leadership positions in multiple terms on the Law School's Lateral Appointments Committee, the Entry-Level Appointments Committee, and as chair of the Curriculum Committee.  My work on the Dean's Advisory Committee exposed me to broader issues surrounding due process and institutional administration, and highlighted the importance of listening to each other.  I also currently serve on the Committee of the Center for Cybersecurity in Columbia's Data Science Institute.  Before becoming an academic I was a lawyer with the U.S. government and in private practice.

I believe this experience will be useful serving on the Executive Committee as an advocate for academic freedom, faculty due process protection, and institutional shared governance.

Andrew R. Marks, M.D.

Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde '56 and Helen Wu Professor of Molecular Cardiology (in Medicine) Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics

Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

I have had the honor of serving on the University Senate and the Executive Committee for the past several years. I see how the University Senate has the opportunity to raise issues that might otherwise go unaddressed and to advocate for all members of the University community. The past two years have shown us that we indeed have new challenges to deal with that will likely shape the way we function as a University for years to come. I am seeking reelection to the University Senate Executive Committee so that I can continue to advocate for all members of the University community. As a tenured faculty member I am particularly committed to protecting the rights of faculty at all levels to perform our jobs in the face of ever increasing regulations and oversight. Importantly, if reelected I will prioritize restoration of our collective sense of community and the ability to work together for the common good.

Letty Moss-Salentijn

Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine (in Anatomy and Cell Biology)

Department College of Dental Medicine

I am pleased to nominate myself as a candidate for one of the five Tenured Faculty positions on the Executive Committee for the academic years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. I have been an active member of the University Senate for several years Serving as co-chair of both the Education Committee and the Faculty Affairs, Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee, I found that membership of the Executive Committee provides an important link in the communication between these committees for the development of action items that are brought to a vote by the full University Senate. 

I am eager to continue contributing to meaningful dialogue and policymaking in the governance of the University. I would value your support in the current election.

Oren Pizmony-Levy

Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education

Department of International and Transcultural Studies, Teachers College

I am Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education (tenured) at Teachers College, Columbia University, and affiliated faculty at the Columbia Climate School. I joined TC in 2013. Trained as a sociologist, my research examines the intersection of global social movements and education, including both conservative movements (e.g., standardized testing for accountability) and progressive movements (e.g., climate change education and LGBTQ+ education). I also study public opinion on education, with particular attention to public support for higher education. I bring extensive leadership and service experience. I served as Program Director for International and Comparative Education and for Sustainability and Education, as well as on the Faculty Executive Committee and the Faculty Development Committee. I am also the founding director of the Center for Sustainable Futures. This is my second year on the Columbia University Senate. In my first year, I served on the Education Committee, working with colleagues to review programs that advance our institution’s teaching mission. If elected to the University Senate Executive Committee, I will work to strengthen our institution, protect academic freedom, and foster a campus culture rooted in civility, kindness, and community.

Henning G. Schulzrinne

Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Mathematical Methods and Computer Science and Professor of Electrical Engineering

Department of Computer Science

Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science

While we may not always agree on the causes of current and past problems and the best paths forward, we all share the desire to help Columbia University make it through the current set of challenges, safeguarding academic freedom, research excellence, and creating an environment where all students, staff, and faculty feel safe and protected. As we navigate the implementation of the Resolution Agreement with the US government and welcome a new University President, the Senate Executive Committee plays a critical role, "working for the advancement of academic freedom and the protection of faculty interests." Based on my experience, I will try to help make the Senate more productive, transparent, and visible to the whole University faculty.

I have served on the Senate Executive Committee since 2021, including a brief stint as vice chair this summer. I’m also a member of the Senate Structure and Operations and External Relations and Research Policy Committees. I have been chair of the Department of Computer Science. Until 2024, I have served in leadership and advisory roles in international standardization bodies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the United States Senate, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Joseph R. Slaughter 

Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature

Department of English and Comparative Literature, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Shared governance and academic freedom are two of the pillars of American higher education that have made our universities the envy of the world for 70+ years. Today, both are under real threat—from political interference, financial pressures, and the erosion of faculty, student, and staff participation in decision-making.

The University Senate is the institutional expression of Columbia’s commitment to shared governance and a vital bulwark that defends academic freedom, transparency, and collegial self-determination. Having served two prior terms in the University Senate and the Rules Committee (2018–2021) and now in the second year of a new term, I have firsthand experience with how the University Senate can strengthen university accountability, foster democratic culture, and ensure that difficult issues are debated openly.

If elected to the Executive Committee, I will work to keep the University Senate an independent voice for the Columbia community: one that defends intellectual freedom, protects diversity in all its forms, and insists that governance is strongest when it is genuinely shared. At a time when universities everywhere are under scrutiny and pressure, Columbia has the opportunity and obligation to lead by example once again, modeling robust shared governance. 

Brent R. Stockwell, Ph.D.

William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences, Professor of Chemistry and of Pathology and Cell Biology; Chair Department of Biological Sciences
Department of Biological Sciences 

I would be honored to be your representative on the Executive Committee, helping the Senate fulfill its critical mission and its potential to improve the lives of our tenured faculty. I am the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, and Professor of Chemistry, and of Pathology and Cell Biology. I have been on the Columbia faculty for 20+ years where I collaboratively led efforts to better the lives of our faculty. I built connections between departments and schools to improve interdisciplinary research and teaching. I am known for my discovery of ferroptosis, a novel form of cell death with significant therapeutic implications in neoplastic and degenerative diseases. I am grateful to have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, and to have received the Lenfest Distinguished Columbia Faculty Award, the Great Teacher of Columbia College Award, and the Dean Peter Awn Commitment to the LGBTQ community Award. I served the faculty as Chair of the Educational Policy and Planning Committee, a member of the CC-GS Committee on Instruction, and as Chair of the Provost’s Advisory Committee on the Libraries Research Subcommittee and Chair of the Provost Faculty Advisory Committee.

Howard J. Worman

Professor of Medicine and Pathology and Cell Biology

Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons 

Columbia University’s highest priority must be to maintain its status as one of the best institutions of higher education in the world. The University Senate must advance polices that support students, faculty, and staff to achieve this goal. As a member of the Executive Committee, I will encourage the University Senate to address policies to: 

• Promote the best possible education, research, and scholarship
• Recruit and retain outstanding faculty
• Enhance the student experience in all schools
• Advance academic freedom through open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement
• Explore viable business models to assure long-term financial stability
• Reduce stressful administrative burden and bloat
• Reopen the Morningside Campus to the neighboring community
• Facilitate interactions among University Senators by resuming in person plenary meetings (with a videoconference option for those who may be off campus) 

Greg Freyer

Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the Columbia University Medical Center

Department Environmental Health Sciences

I would like to continue serving as co-chair of the TOTT Faculty Caucus.  I have been a strong advocate for our constituency.  I led the efforts to strengthen Off-Track Faculty appointments, significantly increasing notice periods in instances of non-renewal.  I proposed that the University establish an independent office to provide faculty with legal assistance when accused in matters such as those involving OIE. Sen. Shelley Saltzman and I were instrumental in securing approval for the Teaching Professor title and I will continue to push for lecturers having teaching professor titles.  We were successful in changing the PI status policy of lecturers and to allow for sabbatical leave. 

This is a very important time for our caucus as we navigate the Resolution Agreement that the University entered with the government and the presidential search. Shelley is planning to retire so it will be important to have one co-chair with institutional memory I am committed to continuing pushing for the issues that we have long sought such as a more transparent process for promotion, recognition in all departments that lecturers are full members of the faculty and improving our status in the university. 

Michael Gerrard

Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice, Columbia Law School

After practicing environmental law in New York for 30 years, I joined the full-time Law School faculty in January 2009. I founded and direct the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, was chair of the faculty of Columbia’s Earth Institute from 2015 to 2018, and currently hold a joint appointment to the faculty of the Columbia Climate School.

I was elected as the Law School’s TTOT representative in 2023. I am an active member of the University Senate’s Committee on Rules of University Conduct.

I think it is very important that the University Senate retain its powers and continue to have an active voice in University governance. Tenure-track and Off-Track faculty play essential roles in the University’s teaching, research and service missions, and we must be heard. The University Senate must monitor implementation of the University’s agreement with the Trump administration and help ensure that academic freedom and freedom of expression are fully protected. I think that my many years as a practicing lawyer plus my long history with the University (I was a member of the Columbia College Class of 1972) will help me be a vigorous advocate for those values.

Sarah J.R. Hansen

Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Chemistry

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Since joining the Department of Chemistry in 2004, Dr. Sarah Hansen’s research has focused on the role of critique and visual engagement in chemistry learning. As the recipient of both federally funded grants and teaching awards, Sarah has balanced research, teaching, and service. Having twice served as the chair of the Lecturer Advisory Committee, a member of the Committee on Instruction, and numerous other Arts & Sciences and University Senate committees, Sarah gained familiarity with the challenges our Faculty community faces and an appreciation for importance of ensuring our perspectives are voiced in Faculty governance. 

At this critical juncture we need to come together as a Faculty body to help guide the direction of our institution. As a University Senator who values the diverse perspectives, we each bring Dr. Hansen will work to amplify our TTOT Faculty voices.

David O. Kessler

Professor of Pediatrics (in Emergency Medicine) at the Columbia University Medical Center

Dept Pediatrics Emergency Med

As the sole representative of more than 2,300 Tenure-Track and Off-Track (TTOT) Faculty at Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, I feel a deep responsibility to amplify the voices of the medical community. I have heard and share the concerns about protecting our research endeavors, safeguarding academic freedom, and ensuring that Columbia’s values and high standards are upheld at the highest levels of governance.

These responsibilities align closely with my career at Columbia, which has been dedicated to bridging disciplines, advancing innovation, and fostering collaborations. I have enjoyed many meaningful partnerships and projects over the past decade with colleagues across multiple Columbia schools both uptown and on Morningside Campus. In leadership roles within the Medical Center, I have encountered the unique challenges and opportunities faced by faculty who balance teaching, research, and clinical missions. 

On the Executive Committee, I would work to elevate the concerns of TTOT colleagues, strengthen communication between campuses, and promote a culture of transparency and collegiality. My goal is to help build stronger bridges between campuses and ensure that our shared decisions reflect the full scope of Columbia’s academic community.

I am honored to be considered and eager to serve with energy, integrity, and dedication.

Christopher W. Munsell

Glascock Associate Professor of Professional Practice of Real Estate Development Finance in the Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

Department Architecture Planning Preserv

I would love the opportunity to serve as YOUR representative in the Tenure-Track and Off-Track Faculty Caucus Leadership. I feel this is a crucial time in Columbia’s history, and it is essential that each voice is represented in the university leadership. 

As an associate professor of professional practice, I understand the unique challenges (and anxiety) of Off-Track faculty and will be a voice for those who are especially hesitant to speak up. I am also an elected member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee at GSAPP. This position has also afforded me the perspectives and concerns of tenured faculty, and I vow to be an advocate for all of Columbia’s faculty. 

I believe that leadership should be transparent, ethical, and accountable to all those they serve. I promise to make myself available at any time so that each of you feels heard. 

I would be grateful for your support to serve in the Caucus Leadership, and I will never cease my efforts to earn your trust and confidence as an elected representative. Together, I hope to make Columbia a better place for our students, our peers, our community, and our society.

Nicole B. Wallack

Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of English and Comparative Literature; Director of Undergraduate Writing Program

Department English & Comp Literature

Nicole B. Wallack, PhD, is the director of the Undergraduate Writing Program (UWP) and Senior Lecturer in Discipline in the Department of English and Comparative Literature, which she joined in 2003. She leads a staff of 100 people in contingent positions whose needs and priorities deserve robust representation to ensure that they can continue to provide the highest quality teaching for Columbia’s students. She has been actively involved in faculty governance at Columbia to advocate for lecturers in their home departments, in A&S, and across schools and campuses at Columbia. In summer, 2025, she completed her term as the first lecturer to serve on the PPC. She is excited to return to the Faculty Affairs Committee. This year, she is centrally involved on two projects to examine the impact of AI on writing teaching and learning: a multi-tiered study of how first year students use AI, and she is offering with Professor Dennis Yi Tenen a new course, “AI and Writing.” Her research bridges the fields of essay studies, writing studies, composition and rhetoric, American literature, and teacher education. She is the Co-Chair for the Committee on Academic Freedom and Professional Rights and Responsibilities for the Modern Language Association.