ALL-UNIVERSITY ELECTION, SPRING 2025
eVoting Monday, April 21st, 7:00 AM through Thursday, April 24th, 4:00 PM
ADMINISTRATION
SU SWARAT
I am honored to have served as a member of the Academic Senate since 2021. I humbly ask for your vote and support for the administration seat on the CSUF Academic Senate. Since joining CSUF in 2014, I have served in diverse capacities, participated in many committees, led several institution-wide initiatives, and worked collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, and administrators to facilitate data-driven decision-making and promote continuous improvement. I am also currently a member of the Senate Executive Committee, serving as the Treasurer. Fully committed to shared governance, I would like to ensure the integration of this important principle in our practices through continued service on the Senate. I believe I can provide a strong voice to represent the interests of campus constituents, support senate operations through evidence-based recommendations, and make valuable contributions to the collaborative efforts towards realizing our new strategic plan goals.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
ERIC SETTEN
Dear colleagues, I am running to represent the CBE in the Academic Senate and I would be grateful for your support. As someone who was born and raised in Orange County, I care deeply about the success of Cal State Fullerton and our mission to serve the local community. At the same time, I am also passionate about creating opportunities for our students to explore the world and led a service-learning study abroad course to Panama in January 2025. In preparation for this position, I have served on the CBE Senate and Graduate Curriculum Committee for the past four years and I am currently serving as the CBE Senate Chair for the 2024-2025 academic year.
KRISTIN KLEINJANS
I am a Professor of Economics and member of the Senate Executive Committee. I also serve as the Senate Exec Liaison in the search for the VP for Strategic Enrollment Management, and assist departments and colleges interested in updating their minors or in developing new minors to enhance our students’ career readiness. I also chair the Economics DPC and serve on the Aging Studies DPRC.
My focus is on removing administrative and policy barriers to student success and to enable faculty and staff to concentrate on their core work. This academic year, for example, I led the successful effort to eliminate extra unit requirements for double majors that went beyond degree requirements.
I kindly ask for your vote to continue to be able to serve on the Academic Senate. I would be honored to continue represent the interests of our students, faculty, and staff.
PAWEL KALCZYNSKI
It is an honor to be nominated as a candidate for a seat on the Academic Senate of California State University, Fullerton. I have worked at CSUF since 2007 and currently serve as a tenured full professor in the College of Business and Economics. During my tenure at CSUF, I have actively participated in various University committees and task forces, including Graduate Education, Faculty Research, CBE Dean Search, and VP for IT Search.
Our current University Policy Statements, totaling nearly 160,000 words, must comply with the collective bargaining agreement, administrative executive orders, and state and federal laws. If elected, I will collaborate with my colleagues to improve our policies by reducing contradictions, ambiguity, duplication, unnecessary complexity, and rapid obsolescence.
Although running as a CBE candidate, I am committed to representing the interests of all full-time CSUF faculty members.
STEVEN CHEN
My name is Steven Chen, and I appreciate your support for my candidacy for the Academic Senate. I bring a range of experience from university-level committees that have prepared me for this role. I currently serve on the Professional Leaves Committee, which oversees sabbatical and professional leave applications, and I’ve served on the University Faculty Research Committee, which evaluates and allocates External Grants as well as Junior and Senior Intramural Grants. Within the Department of Marketing, I serve as Vice Chair and am an active member of both the Search Committee and the Department Personnel Committee, where I engage in faculty hiring, retention, tenure, and promotion reviews. These experiences have deepened my understanding of university governance, and I am eager to contribute that perspective to the Academic Senate. I look forward to continuing to support our faculty and the broader university community through this important role.
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
GARRETT STRUCKHOFF
I am grateful for this opportunity to represent the College of Engineering and Computer Science on the Academic Senate. I have served on committees at all levels within the university, including eight years on the writing proficiency committee and two years on the general education committee. I have also been the chair of the college curriculum committee since Fall 2018.
I have been the program coordinator for our environmental engineering master’s program for the past seven years. As part of that role, I am part of the college’s Chair’s Council and have learned much about how our college works.
I am passionate about the success of our students, both in their college experience and beyond to their careers. That is why I cofounded the Engineering Social Justice competition; an opportunity for our students to reflect on the incredible potential that they have to impact all parts of society.
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
ELAINE RUTKOWSKI
To My Esteemed Colleagues in the College of Health and Human Development:
As member of the Nursing faculty at CSUF since 2001, it has been my privilege to serve the university on many committees: IRB, FPC, Outstanding Professor, Honor’s Program Advisory Board; Athletic Department Advisory Board, and Search Committees for CHHD Dean, CHHD Associate Dean, Deputy Provost, Cross Country/Track and Field Head Coach, Athletic Department Hall of Fame and as the interim Research Compliance Officer for the university.
During these past two and a half decades, our campus has been transformed physically and academically. We have heard leaders voice “The Fullerton Way” in the past and “Titans Reach Higher” currently. I believe that communicating Senate business is the most important activity for each Senate member. The more our colleagues are made aware in “real time” about the governing issues and decisions made by this body, the more our faculty practices will adapt to future changes on our campus.
Thank you for your support.
KATE BONO
I am seeking your support to represent the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) on the CSUF Academic Senate. Since 2006, I've served as a faculty member in Child and Adolescent Studies, and for nearly a decade as department chair. Prior to CSUF, I taught as a lecturer at multiple universities, gaining insights into challenges faced in that role. My extensive experience as a faculty member and administrator, including interim roles as associate dean and dean, equips me to advocate effectively for HHD's priorities.
My commitment to collegial governance is shown through service on senate committees: five years on Faculty Affairs, four years on Faculty Research, and terms on University Advancement and Research Policy. In fall 2023, I briefly served as a senator before stepping down when I was appointed as interim dean. I am eager to return to the Senate and would greatly appreciate your vote.
MICHELE WOOD
Dear HHD Colleagues, I am seeking your support as an HHD representative in the Academic Senate. As a faculty member, I have served on multiple senate committees over the years. Representing the College of HHD in the senate in recent years has been an immense honor. I am deeply committed to our college, and I believe it is critical that HHD has a strong voice representing the interests and concerns of our faculty, staff, and students as our campus responds to the many challenges currently facing higher education. I believe my experience working across departments, disciplines, and communities will help me serve in this role effectively. I am dedicated to collegial shared-governance and have worked collaboratively across disciplines and professions throughout my career. I am immensely grateful for the connections I have made across our wonderful college and the larger campus. I humbly ask for your support and your vote.
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES
EMILY KUFFNER
Since I joined the CSUF faculty in 2020, I have established a solid record of collegial governance at the college and university level: Spanish and Portuguese program coordinator, Vice Chair of MLL, chair of the H&SS Curriculum committee, secretary of RACE (Researchers and Critical Educators), Faculty Affairs Committee, and Humanities representative to the Senate 2023-2024. My work has been recognized with the Dean’s Research Award for Associate Professors (2024), H&SS Outstanding Untenured Faculty Award (2023), H&SS Excellence in Teaching Award (2022), and the Dean’s Faculty Scholarly Achievement Award (2021).
I strongly believe in academic quality, fair and equitable access, a strong faculty voice in shared governance, a collegial and supportive environment, constructive collaboration with the administration, and building the academic community. I am looking forward to representing the Humanities in the faculty senate in the pursuit of these goals.
If you have any questions, please e-mail me at ekuffner@fullerton.edu.
SAUL TOBIAS
As a 17-year veteran of CSUF it is my honor to seek your support as a candidate for the Academic Senate. I have served on the University Faculty Affairs Committee and on the HSS Study Abroad, Faculty Awards, Student Scholarships, and Personnel Standards Review Committees. I have also worked across departmental and college boundaries to strengthen interdisciplinary programming in freshman preparedness, service-learning, civic engagement, and international programming. I am committed to representing our college at a time of increasing budget constraints. I will advocate for faculty resources, programming, and opportunities that advance the critical role of the humanities in preparing our students for civic life and the workplace. In the face of nationwide challenges to Higher Education, I will also work to bolster the university’s commitment to academic freedom of speech, teaching, and research, and to defending students and faculty against threats to their liberty and safety.
COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS
JOE CARLIN
I am seeking your vote to represent NSM in the Academic Senate. Having been a faculty member at CSUF for 10 years, I have come to realize that CSUF is a great institution and NSM is the best college on campus. My goal for the Senate would be to advocate for NSM at the University level and to share the strengths of NSM with the rest of the campus community. For example, what I believe NSM does best is to balance teaching and research (scholarly activities) through actively engaging students in the classroom, lab, and field. This is a model that sets NSM apart in the campus (my opinion) and the larger higher education community. My goal in the Senate is to ensure faculty in NSM and throughout the University have all opportunities and support to be successful teachers and scholars.
PARVIN SHAHRESTANI
I’m running for Academic Senate to engage in shared governance and help build a more just, inclusive, and transparent campus. I’m especially committed to addressing faculty workload, cultural taxation, curriculum equity, and research support. I’ll advocate for thoughtful, equitable policies that reflect the full scope of faculty contributions, including mentorship of student researchers.
As an Associate Professor of Biology, I’ve been at CSUF for 10 years and have served on DEI committees at the department and college levels, chaired the Senate Diversity & Inclusion Committee, served on the Commission on Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice, and contributed to the DIRC Envisioning Committee. I’ve also served on personnel committees in Biology and Honors, and advised student groups focused on social justice. I bring experience bridging faculty, administration, and student voices. I am committed to listening, collaborating, and advocating for the unique needs of our NSM community.
cOLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
ROB ROBINSON
I’m seeking your support for my second full term representing the Social Sciences on the CSUF Faculty Senate. As I have learned how the Senate operates, I have increasingly spoken out on issues that affect our section’s faculty, such as on-time pay for faculty teaching summer or winter courses, designing new lecturer standards, having the administration prepare for the Trump administration’s immigration policies, and ensuring our academic integrity policies include references to AI. I’d be honored to continue my service, advancing the interests of our faculty and the academic values of free inquiry, equitable access, and faculty autonomy.
ZIA SALIM
I earned B.A. and M.A. degrees at CSUF after transferring from Saddleback College. CSUF recognition of my research (Giles T. Brown Award) motivated me to seek a Ph.D., completed with support from a Fulbright award. Since joining CSUF, I have given back, serving on departmental (Assessment, Curriculum, DPRC, Faculty Search, Outreach, & Scholarship), collegiate (Scholarship, Study Abroad, Mural, & Grow Fellow), and institutional (Curriculum, General Education, & IRA) committees. I’ve been recognized with the Dean’s Faculty Scholarly Achievement Award, the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Faculty Service Award, and each of the FDC’s Faculty Recognition Awards for Teaching, Research, and Service (among others). I have a track record of collaboration with CSUF colleagues, having co-taught with faculty in Sociology & History and coauthored publications with faculty in English & Geology. I would be honored to channel my enthusiastic energy, through collegial consultation, to continue representing our HSS faculty in the Academic Senate!
L/A/C [LIBRARY/ATHLETICS/COUNSELING & PSYCH SVCS]
MEGAN GRAEWINGHOLT
Since 2017, I’ve had the honor of representing the Library, Athletics, and Counseling Constituency on the Academic Senate. As a Pollak Library faculty member since 2015, I’ve been a member of several Senate Committees including serving as Chair of the Library Committee. Most notably, I had the pleasure to serve on the Executive Committee in 2019-2020 in an At-Large seat and in Spring 2023 as Treasurer. In my role as Social Sciences & Government Documents Librarian and Library Department Chair, I am in a unique position to work in collaboration with various campus departments, administrators, and library units. As a CSUF alumna, I have a strong dedication to shared governance and the academic success of my Titan family. With your support, I intend to continue representing the collective voices of LAC faculty as we navigate future challenges together in the 2025-2027 term.
STUDENT AFFAIRS
MARY BECERRA
I’m excited to announce my candidacy for the open Student Affairs Senator position at Cal State Fullerton.
I believe in the transformative programs and services Student Affairs provides to the Titan community. As a proud CSUF alum with over twenty years of service in the division of student affairs, I’m deeply committed to strategic initiatives that effectively enhance students’ well-being and experiences on campus. It would be my honor to represent the work and service this division provides to students, to advocate for critical resources and partnerships with campus stakeholders, and to encourage inclusive decision making for the benefit of all members of our Titan Community.
I am committed to intentional collaboration and shared governance. Now is the time to work together towards a balanced and sustainable campus where all constituencies are valued and voiced heard. Thank you for your consideration.
AT-LARGE
CHRISTINE SCHER
I’m a first-generation college student- educated entirely within the CA public education system-and a tenure-line faculty member in the CSU for >20 years. I’ve served CSUF in numerous roles at the department, college, and university levels, including my current work as At-Large Senator, MS in Clinical Psychology Program Coordinator, University Advancement Committee member, and Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC) Chair. As a five-year member of FAC, the last four as Chair, I have worked collaboratively with faculty and administrators across the university to develop policies that support inclusive and equitable work environments, including clear and transparent hiring and retention/tenure/promotion standards, and strengthen shared governance; such work ultimately translates into a stronger learning environment for our students. My service on FAC and Academic Senate has been among my most impactful and personally meaningful- I hope to continue it as a second term At-Large Senator and would very much appreciate your support.
GREG CHILDERS
As a Professor in the Physics department and current faculty director of the General Education program, I bring a perspective that spans both disciplinary expertise and university-wide service. During my 23 years at CSUF I've demonstrated my commitment to collegial governance through numerous service opportunities, including Assessment Liaison for NSM and five years as chair of the GE committee. Since joining the Senate in 2017, and in my first term on the Senate Executive Committee this year, I've consistently advocated for policies that benefit our entire campus community. I am humbled to have received the 2022 Bedell Faculty Leadership in Collegial Governance award, an honor that reflects my dedication to inclusive decision-making that equitably enriches the experiences of both students and faculty. With your support and your vote, I will continue to be a strong, experienced voice representing your interests on the Senate. Thank you!
JOAO BARROS
I would be honored to continue to serve in the Academic Senate as it tackles our perennial challenges of equitably promoting academic excellence, increasing access to higher education, and providing value to the community we serve. I truly enjoy and am thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to do that work. I currently serve as Department Chair for Kinesiology, and have served in the Academic Senate Executive Committee, as Interim Associate Dean for HHD, as co-chair for the Faculty Affairs Committee, as co-chair for the HHD Climate and Culture of Inclusion Task Force, and as president for the Pride Alliance (LGBTQ+) Faculty and Staff Association. Through those experiences, I have gained insight into the collective values and goals that drive the members of our university. To continue do this work, I humbly ask for your vote to allow me to, again, serve on the Academic Senate.
PART-TIME FACULTY
DAVID PLOUFFE
Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative on the Academic Senate for the past three years. I am asking for your vote once again. I have attended every Senate meeting during my terms and provided part-time faculty with a voice and vote on the policies that came before that body, which includes the successful passing of the simplified and streamlined lecturer evaluation process.
About me:
- Graduate of CSUF
- Faculty: College of the Arts, 2008-Present
- Faculty: Office of First-Year Experience, 2015-2021
- Member: Part-Time Faculty Task Force
- Presenter: Pollak Library Noontime Talks
- Outstanding Lecturer Award Nominee
- Faculty Author
FULL-TIME STAFF
GREG WOODSON
Dear Colleagues,
I am excited to announce my candidacy for a staff academic senate seat at California State University, Fullerton. As an alumnus of CSUF and now a staff member, I have a deep understanding of our university's needs and challenges. My commitment to community involvement is evident through my journalism background and my role as a coach and mentor for youth athletes.
I am passionate about advocating for staff interests, fostering collaboration, enhancing professional development, and improving campus resources. My goals are to ensure staff voices are heard, promote teamwork and mutual support, champion growth initiatives, and enhance our work environment.
I believe my dedication, experience, and community involvement make me the ideal candidate to represent your interests and contribute to our academic community's success. Together, we can make CSUF an even better place to work and learn. I humbly ask for your support.
DANIEL MARTIN
I am running for re-election to Academic Senate to advocate for the well-being, professional development, and fair compensation of staff. As a former member of the Staff Development Center Advisory Board, I am familiar with staff concerns and interests. I am committed to building bridges across our campus community to ensure staff are respected and valued as key partners in student success.
A staff perspective is especially needed when it comes to policies that affect workload, compensation, job security, professional development, and inclusion and belonging. Staff must be supported to thrive in an equitable and diverse work environment, and I am eager to collaborate with our partners to achieve this end. It would be a tremendous honor to continue representing staff employees, and I would always ensure your voice is heard.
Thank you for considering me as your Academic Senator. I appreciate your support!
MATTHEW BADAL
Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the Academic Senate representative for staff, and I remain deeply committed to advocating for staff perspectives in University initiatives. Throughout my term, I’ve worked to ensure that staff voices are thoughtfully considered in the University’s decision-making processes.
It has been a priority—and an honor—to connect with colleagues across campus, listen to their concerns, and bring those insights forward to the University’s legislative body. This commitment to engagement and representation remains at the heart of why I serve.
Looking ahead, I plan to continue collaborating with my fellow staff and Senate members to ensure that the staff voice remains central as we navigate the University’s most pressing challenges. Thank you for your continued trust and consideration—I would be honored to serve again as your staff representative in the Academic Senate.
