WMU Essential Studies Executive Advisory Committee Membership

MEMBERSHIP: The composition of the committee can be found in the Faculty Senate Bylaws, Article VIII: Committees, Sec. 2, and includes at least 14 members, including a merze tate college representative; the registrar; university curriculum manager; WMU essential studies faculty director, nine faculty members (one from each academic college, one from an unaffiliated unit, and one representative-at-large), and the Faculty Senate president or executive board designee as an ex officio member.

The WMU Essential Studies Executive Advisory Committee requires 6 out of 10 voting members to be in attendance to establish quorum, as long as there are no Vacant seats, any Vacant seat(s) should be removed from the voting member total so that one more than half of the new total is needed for quorum. (*indicates a non-voting member)

Committee Officers

Brian Tripp, Chair

Elissa Allen, Vice Chair

Lindsay Jeffers, Secretary

Ex Officio Member

Decker Hains
Faculty Senate Executive Board

Appointed Faculty Members

Elissa Allen (2026)
Health and Human Services

Decker Hains (2025)
Business

Elizabeth Isidro (2027)
Education and Human Development

Lindsay Jeffers (2026)
Arts and Sciences

Lei Meng (2025)
Arts and Sciences

Brenda Srof (2025)
Health and Human Services

Brian Tripp (2027)
Arts and Sciences

Kathryn Wagner (2026)
Fine Arts

Vacant (2027)
Engineering and Applied Sciences

Vacant (2025)
Unaffiliated Unite

Permanent Advisory Members

*Jonathan Bush
WMU Essential Studies Faculty Director

*Carrie Cumming 
Registrar

*Lisa DeChano-Cook
Curriculum Manager

*Jessica Parker 
Merze Tate (Advising)