Visiting Team

Team Chair:

William E. Kirwan, Chancellor

University System of Maryland

Dr. Kirwan served as president of Ohio State University for four years (1998-2002), and as president of the University of Maryland, College Park for 10 years (1988-1998). Prior to his presidency, he was a member of the University of Maryland faculty for 34 years. He is also a nationally recognized authority on critical issues shaping the higher education landscape. He is a sought after speaker on a wide range of topics, including diversity, access and affordability, cost containment, accountability, economic impact, gender equity, financial aid, partnerships, and innovation.

Assistant Team Chair:

William Ladusaw, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education

UC Santa Cruz

Bill Ladusaw is professor of Linguistics and provost of Cowell College. His research and teaching area is semantics, the study of meaning and its relation to grammatical structure. A faculty member at UCSC since 1984, he has served as a faculty advisor and college academic preceptor, Linguistics department chair, provost’s representative to the Committee on Educational Policy, chair of the UC Senate committee on the Education Abroad Program and UCSC representative to the UC Deans and Directors of Advising caucus.

Kelly Funk, Director of Academic Assessment

Michigan State University

Dr. Funk has a doctorate in educational policy and leadership from Ohio State University. Her interests are in organizational structures of higher education, particularly organizational behavior and change. She serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Susan Metros, Associate Vice Provost; Deputy CIO, Technology-Enhanced Learning

University of Southern California

Ms. Metros served as the Interim CIO, Deputy CIO and Executive Director for eLearning and Professor of Design Technology at The Ohio State University. Her faculty affiliation is with the Roski School of Art. At USC she leads the academic community in integrating new and emerging educational technologies into teaching, learning, research and outreach.

Lester Monts, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

University of Michigan

Dr. Monts has served on the music faculties of Edinboro University of PA, University of Minnesota, Case Western Reserve University and the University of California at Santa Barbara. From 1988 to 1993, he served as dean of undergraduate affairs in the College of Letters and Science, where he directed Santa Barbara's undergraduate honors program.

WASC Staff:

Ralph Wolff, President and Executive Director

Dr. Wolff has led the development of a new framework for accreditation through new models of self-study and team visits. The changes have influenced accrediting processes in several other regions of the country. He has place the Commission at the forefront of regional and national discussions about educational quality, and methods to develop campus cultures focused on student and organizational learning.