All Campus Elections Process & Procedures
(Ballot Statements Below)
Constitution of the Faculty (See Article III, Section 3. - ALL-CAMPUS ELECTIONS (Current version, Fall 2024)); Additional guidance can be found in the Academic Senate By-Laws
All Faculty Officer Election Spring 2025
Per the Academic Senate By-Laws: additional nominations may be made by any faculty member with the concurrence of the nominee within one week after such publication. Original Publication 2/6/2025. Additional nominations received through 2/13/2025. Election will run from 2/14/2025 through 2/21/2025.
Chair of the Faculty - 1-year Term
Emily Acosta Lewis, Communication & Media Studies; Self-Nominated
As a candidate for Chair of the Sonoma State University Academic Senate, I am committed to strategic thinking, collaborative problem-solving, increased open communication, and innovative approaches to support academic excellence and institutional sustainability. As our university faces massive budget reductions, proposed program eliminations, and faculty/staff layoffs, experienced leadership in the Senate is more critical than ever. The governance processes that shape university policy are often slow and complex, requiring institutional knowledge, patience, and persistence. Having served as Chair of the Academic Senate, Vice Chair of the Academic Senate, and Chair of the Academic Planning, Assessment, and Resources Committee (APARC) for two years, serving on 10 different Senate committees, and 14 additional campus committees, I understand how to navigate these structures and advocate effectively for faculty and academic programs. Additionally, I have actively engaged in and completed the CSU's Middle Leadership Academy, CSU Student Analytics Certificate, and the Cornell University DEI Certificate, deepening my commitment to equity and enhancing my ability to advance data-informed leadership and inclusive practices.
I am well-versed in the complexities of the academic affairs budget, including the financial challenges that shape budget allocations, program funding, and resource distribution. My priority is to protect the integrity of our academic programs and support our dedicated faculty by advocating for financial transparency, shared governance, and accountability in decision-making. Most importantly, the policies and processes that have been voted on by the faculty need to be followed in order to maintain the integrity of the faculty governance process. I will also continue to push for more clear, concise, and consistent communications from the campus leaders regarding SSU and CSU developments.
This past year has been incredibly challenging but working with Suzanne Rivoire and Sam Cohen has been a transformative experience. We have become a complementary, collaborative, and well-integrated team, which is why I am hopeful to have the opportunity to work with Sam Cohen, if he is elected as Vice-Chair of Senate. We recognize the challenges ahead and remain steadfast in our dedication to ensuring that faculty voices are heard and valued. Our experience in Senate leadership positions us to continue this critical work without disruption. Emily was awarded a sabbatical for Spring 2026 and per the Senate Bylaws, the Vice-Chair of the Academic Senate would take over as Chair, if possible. We ask for your support to maintain steady, informed leadership that can navigate these difficult times with clarity, persistence, and resolve.
Ajay Gehlawat, Interdisciplinary Studies, Theatre & Film; Nominated by Napoleon Reyes
When the ship is sinking, I believe you need more than a commitment to collaborative problem-solving - you need to save the ship from sinking! This should be the first priority. Collaborative problem-solving is well and good but not if it is a mere euphemism for kowtowing to the administration and their draconian diktats. If some feel governance processes are slow and complex, that in part is enabled by resigning oneself to such stasis, which is unhelpful in times of crisis.
I believe the governance process is what we make it. If we choose to allow it to become (or remain) slow and complex, that is what it will be. But I believe this is not the only possibility. As faculty we have power, including the power to mobilize our voices and use them to expedite slow and complex processes, especially when administration is trying to expedite the discontinuation of academic programs and, in the process, gut our university. We can and must fight back and, at times, this means bringing a fresh perspective to the prevailing views at hand.
This means more than just short term stopgaps. This means seeing through the administration’s efforts to divide and conquer us. I offer leadership that will build consensus - but not to concede to the administration’s distorted perception of both the problem and the solution (namely, faculty and their elimination, piece by piece). Instead I will work to push back against the administration’s undemocratic measures, insist upon immediate suspension of all proposed cuts and demand more accountability for the increasing and unconscionable gap between faculty’s and administrators’ salaries. Why are faculty being disproportionately asked to bear the costs of administration mismanagement? Such mismanagement is clear and has been for the past academic year. Why should we continue to rely on the expertise of those who have brought us to this point?
My decade-long work on the Academic Freedom Subcommittee, both as member and chair, has made me aware of just how important it is to be proactive when it comes to defending faculty rights - not just awaiting the latest ‘update’ from administration and then rearranging deck chairs. We need to be vigorous in our engagement with administration - calling them out for their poor decision-making. This does not have to be slow and complex. Indeed, the need for faculty to immediately, clearly and consistently speak truth to the administration is more urgent than ever.
My work with CFA has also made this imminently clear to me, both as a member of the Executive Committee and the Faculty Rights Committee. Administration only pays attention when they have to. And they only have to when we hold them accountable, when we fight for our collective bargaining rights and our rights as faculty.
The parallels between what is happening at the national level and at SSU today are clear and alarming. In both cases, we see rogue leadership, uncommitted to accountability, riding roughshod over the people they claim to be protecting. Such attempts to subvert basic democratic norms cannot be sustained without the support - tacit or otherwise - of those in positions of governance. And this is why I believe we need a new approach to governance, which will clearly and unflinchingly articulate the concerns of faculty - particularly those who are most vulnerable. This is how one maintains the integrity of faculty governance - not by acceding to the administration’s unreasonable demands. And that is what I promise to do: to be the unwavering voice of faculty, speaking truth to power.
Matty Mookerjee, Geology; Self-Nominated
I want to fight back!
Vice Chair of the Faculty - 1-year Term
Sam Cohen, History; Self-Nominated
My name is Samuel Cohen (Department of History), and I am running for Vice Chair of the Sonoma State University Academic Senate. My experience as Secretary of the Senate and Chair of the Overlay Subcommittee, along with my service on various university committees including the Academic Freedom Subcommittee, the Teaching & Learning Subcommittee, and the University Scholarship Subcommittee, has given me an understanding of the structures that shape policy at Sonoma State. In these roles, I have consistently advocated for faculty rights, academic freedom, and the integrity of governance, and I am committed to ensuring that faculty remain central in decisions that affect our programs, our students, and our professional lives.
To say that our campus community and many of our colleagues are facing uncertainty and pain would be a massive understatement. Frankly, I do not have easy answers to the challenges we are being asked to confront, nor can I say with certainty that my efforts will change what has been imposed upon us this semester. What I can promise is, if elected, to represent my colleagues and fight for transparency, accountability, and meaningful faculty participation in all university decision-making processes. During these challenging times at SSU and the CSU more broadly, I will continue to advocate to preserve Sonoma State’s commitment to excellence in teaching and ground breaking research. Above all, I will stand with my colleagues to defend academic programs and fight to protect what is best about SSU.
This semester, I have worked closely with Emily Acosta Lewis and Suzanne Rivoire in Senate leadership, and I am committed to continuing that collaboration should Dr. Acosta Lewis be re-elected as Chair. Our shared experience navigating university governance ensures that we can provide steady, informed leadership during these challenging times. We recognize the challenges ahead and remain steadfast in our dedication to ensuring that faculty voices are heard and valued. Our experience in Senate leadership positions us to continue this critical work without disruption.
Anastasia Tosouni, Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies; Nominated by Elaine Newman
I am interested in serving as Vice Chair of the Senate. Rather than detailing my multiple current and past service commitments, I prefer to focus on clearly stating why I am running for this position and why you may want to support my candidacy.
I am running because we need senate leadership who will speak up, and speak for faculty; We need senate leadership that refuses to be pushed over, but will instead push back on administrative actions of questionable legitimacy, such as recent decisions to increase workload for faculty, layoff faculty, and eliminate departments, degree programs and all of athletics. The community outcry against these decisions and public support of faculty and programs on the chopping block demonstrate the need for senate leadership that will effectively and bravely represent faculty and students at SSU.
I am running because I strongly believe in the importance of shared governance and the critical role faculty must play in shaping our University. Faculty insights and experiences are essential to making thoughtful, informed decisions about curriculum, policies, and the overall direction of the university. Shared governance must ensure that faculty have a meaningful voice in the decision-making processes that impact the quality of education, faculty rights, and the institution’s success. But shared governance does not require senate leadership to just accept the narrative given by the SSU administration. When faculty perspectives are included, the university benefits from a diversity of ideas, grounded expertise, and a commitment to academic excellence that serves students and the community alike.
I am running because I am dedicated to advocating for this collaborative approach, where faculty voices and dissent are respected and valued. My academic expertise, training, and longstanding involvement in restorative justice and practice have equipped me with key skills that foster trust, inclusivity, and effective conflict resolution—qualities that are crucial in leadership. Our community is hurting, and its balance has been disturbed; I believe in restoration and healing, and the involvement of all stakeholders in repairing the harm and rebuilding relationships that empower us with rather than over others. In doing so, I commit to fostering a culture of fairness, transparency, and accountability.
If you envision a senate with forward-thinking, compassionate leaders that promote substantive shared governance, prioritize collaboration and incorporate restorative justice into their leadership, consider voting for me. That is what I envision too, and that is why I am running.
Secretary to the Senate - 1-year Term
(Withdrawn) Marissa Mnich, Geology; Self-Nominated
I want to fight back.
Emily Ray, Political Science; Self-Nominated
My name is Emily Ray and I am an Associate Professor in the Political Science Department. I joined the faculty in 2015, and since that time I have served as the MPA Coordinator and as the interim coordinator for the MA of Organizational Development program. I have sat on numerous governance committees including the School of Social Sciences Curriculum Committee, The Council of Department Chairs, the Academic Freedom Subcommittee, and the Executive Committee. I currently serve as a Senator for the HSSA and as the Faculty Mentorship Program Director. As such, I have been working in faculty governance for the past 10 years. I am dedicated to upholding the principles of faculty governance, which ensures that faculty have oversight over curricula, protection of academic freedom, and meaningful participation in university governance. I am committed to representing faculty interests and advocating for faculty and for a high quality liberal arts education. Thank you for your consideration.
Wendy St. John, Biology; Self-Nominated
As one of SSU’s current lecturer senators, I have been an active and vocal advocate for faculty, students, and our campus community, and have done my best to ensure that our concerns are considered at all times throughout university governance. I have served on the Strategic Priorities Task Force for the School of Science and Technology, and have recently been awarded an "Excellence in Service Award for Lecturer Faculty" by the School of Social Sciences. My strong commitment to Sonoma State stems not only from my experience teaching in both the Department of Biology and the Department of Geography, Environment, and Planning, but also as an alumna of this university, having earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in our Biology Department. Off campus, my community experience includes having served as a regular director for the Oakland Symphony Chorus, and on the board of directors of The Wildlife Society San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. I also have formal training as a community mediator.
My varied experience gives me a broad perspective on the issues and concerns that impact our campus, and at all times I am focused on providing an excellent academic experience for our students that doesn’t come at the cost of working conditions for faculty and staff. I would be honored to serve our campus as Senate Secretary, and I respectfully ask for your vote.