- Psychology
- Governance
Governance
The Ph.D. Program in Psychology is administered by an Executive Officer with the advice and consent of an Executive Committee. For purposes of administration, it shall be operationally divided into ten training areas (listed in the last accordion) and, with the approval of the Executive Officer and the Executive Committee, may reformulate and evolve with the changing demands of the field.
Psychology Executive Office
The Psychology Executive Office oversees the Ph.D. Program in Psychology.
The Executive Officer, Dr. Richard Bodnar, chairs the Psychology Executive Committee and other Committees as specified in the Psychology Governance Plan; oversees academic and administrative operations of the consortial doctoral program in Psychology; allocates program resources; works with the Graduate Center administration on behalf of the doctoral program; works closely with CUNY campus administrators, especially Department Chairs, Deans, and Provosts to ensure smooth operation of the consortium.
DEO Professor Sarah Berger (Sarah.Berger@csi.cuny.edu) provides essential support to three primary program research initiatives: the Doctoral Student Research Grant Program (DSRG); the Dissertation Fellowship Program (DFP); and Psychology Research Day. For the first two grant programs, the DEO assists with announcements to students, encourages participation, and provides guidance to student applicants. Specifically, with respect to the DSRG, the DEO solicits reviewers, establishes appropriate review panels, works with panel chairs to revise and develop review criteria, oversees the review process and compliance with GC policies, and prepares a report to the EO with recommendations for funding. For the DFP, the DEO solicits reviewers and encourages student participation. For Psychology Student Research Day, the DEO works with the student committee and the EO office to oversee the planning for the day.
Professor Patricia Brooks oversees Psychology’s Pedagogy program. This program includes the annual Teaching of Psychology Conference in the fall semester, additional professional development in pedagogy, and hosting the Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Graduate Student Teaching Association. Professor Brooks maintains the program’s connection with the Society for the Teaching of Psychology and the American Psychological Association’s Education Directorate, including seeking funding opportunities; forging relationships with the campus Centers for Teaching and Learning to ensure access to services for our students; developing possible speakers and trainers; identifying psychology alumni with pedagogy expertise; and continuing to build a community of CUNY psychology scholars of teaching and learning.
DEO Professor Michelle Fine, (mfine@gc.cuny.edu), serves as the local "Chair," working with the faculty and students who are based at the Graduate Center to ensure they have the support and resources they need to do their work.
Administrative Staff
The administrative staff works with the Executive Officer, faculty and student leaders to support the mission of the doctoral program in Psychology. The staff who work directly with the Executive Office are two Assistant Program Officers, two college assistants, and multiple work study students. In addition, the program is served by a number of part-time administrative support staff on the campuses as well as countless administrative staff in the GC administration and in the campus administrative offices that support our program in many ways.
The APO for Administration and Program Management, Swe Swe Htay (shtay@gc.cuny.edu), under the direction of the Executive Officer, oversees the day-to-day administrative responsibilities of the doctoral program. Her many responsibilities include developing procedures, systems, and databases to support the program, managing the EO staff, helping to manage resources and space (including budgets, facilities, room reservations, and supplies), supporting the course scheduling process, and serving as the key liaison with the Provost’s Office, the Business Office, and the Financial Aid Office for financial aid, budget and human resources matters. She manages the student and faculty files, and supports governance meetings and many Program events.
As the Assistant Program Officer (APO) for Academic Support and Student Progress, Basya Kasinitz helps current students and faculty navigate the program and record program milestones, including understanding requirements and paperwork.
The College Assistants report directly to the APO for Administration and Program Management, who, in consultation with the EO, coordinates work assignments and ensures that the EO, DEOs, faculty and student leaders, and the APO for Academic Support and Student Progress, have the most effective staff support possible given resources provided. You may contact our College Assistants at staffeo@gc.cuny.edu
Baruch College
Tyla Vidal Tyla.Vidal@baruch.cuny.edu
Brooklyn College
Parbatie Chitolie PChitolie@brooklyn.cuny.edu
City College
Melissa Mayers-Morris mmayersmorris@med.cuny.edu
Hunter College
Maria Helena Reis mreis@hunter.cuny.edu
John Jay College
Shakiera Duren sduren@jjay.cuny.edu
Queens College
Angela Levy Angela.Levy@qc.cuny.edu

The Psychology Ombudsperson, Professor Martin Ruck, mruck@gc.cuny.edu, is appointed by the Executive Officer, who selects a faculty member who is not a current member of any program standing committee to serve as Ombudsperson for Psychology.
The Ombudsperson is available to all Psychology students to discuss matters of concern in complete confidentiality. This position is in addition to the Graduate Center’s Ombudsperson, who is also available for student or faculty consultation.
Executive Committee (2020-2021)
The Executive Committee is responsible for establishing policy for the Ph.D. program in Psychology, acting on the recommendations of standing committees. It is also responsible for all matters pertaining to students, including student status, applications for admission, and cases of disciplinary action.
The Psychology Executive Committee meets four times in a semester from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in Room 6304.01.
The meeting schedule for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 can be found here:
Fall 2021
Friday, September 10, 2021
Friday, October 22, 2021
Friday, November 19, 2021
Friday, December 10, 2021
Spring 2022
TBD
The Voting Members of the Executive Committee are:
Executive Officer
Richard Bodnar rbodnar@gc.cuny.edu
Training Area Representatives
Basic & Applied Social Psychology
Demis Glasford Dglasford@jjay.cuny.edu
Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience
Philip H. Zeigler Hzeigler@hunter.cuny.edu
Clinical @ John Jay
Phil Yanos Pyanos@jjay.cuny.edu
Clinical @ Queens
Joel Sneed Joel.sneed@qc.cuny.edu
Cognitive & Comparative Psychology
Andy Delamater Andrewd@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Critical Social/Personality & Environmental Psych.
Bret Stoudt bstoudt@gc.cuny.edu
Developmental Psychology
Anna Stetsenko astetsenko@gc.cuny.edu
Health Psychology & Clinical Science
Tracey Revenson Trevenson@gc.cuny.edu
Evelyn Behar Eb2290@hunter.cuny.edu
Industrial & Organizational Psychology
Charles Scherbaum Charles.Scherbaum@baruch.cuny.edu
Psychology & Law
Mark Fondacaro Mfondacaro@jjay.cuny.edu
Campus Chair/ Faculty Campus Representatives
Baruch College
Jennifer Mangels Jennifer.Mangels@baruch.cuny.edu
Brooklyn College
Glen Hass Ghass@brooklyn.cuny.edu
City College
Robert Melara Rmelara@ccny.cuny.edu
College of Staten Island
Kathleen M. Cumiskey Katie.cumiskey@csi.cuny.edu
Hunter College
Christopher Braun Cbraun@hunter.cuny.edu
John Jay College
Angela Crossman Acrossman@jjay.cuny.edu
Queens College
Robert Lanson Robert.lanson@qc.cuny.edu
Student Campus Representatives
Baruch College
Alessa Natale
City College
TBD
College of Staten Island
Melissa Horger
Graduate Center
Cristina Onea
Hunter College
Rachel Fikslin
John Jay College
Stephanie Sorage
Queens College
Kristena Newman
Brooklyn College
Chloe Brittenham
Student Alternate Campus Representative
College of Staten Island
Sapir Elmaliah
Brooklyn College
Nicole Amada
Deputy Executive Officers
In addition, the Deputy Executive Officers sit ex officio without vote on the Executive Committee (unless they are separately elected as the cluster or campus representative, in which case they would have the normal voting rights).
Deputy Executive for Pedagogy
Patricia Brooks Patricia.brooks@csi.cuny.edu
Deputy Executive for The Graduate Center
Michelle Fine Mfine@gc.cuny.edu
Deputy Executive for Research
Sarah Berger Sarah.Berger@csi.cuny.edu
Training Areas
- Basic & Applied Social Psychology
- Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience (CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative)
- Clinical Psychology @ John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Clinical Psychology @ Queens College
- Cognitive and Comparative Psychology
- Critical Social/Personality and Environmental Psychology (merger of Critical Social/Personality Psychology and Environmental Psychology)
- Developmental Psychology
- Health Psychology & Clinical Science
- Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Psychology & Law