2011-12 Faculty Senate Members > Executive Board
David Ryfe, Chair
Phone: (775) 784-4894
Website: website
Email: dryfe@unr.edu
Brief Bio: David Ryfe is an associate professor and senior research scholar in the Reynolds School of Journalism. As chair of the Faculty Senate, Ryfe is the chief officer for the faculty’s elective body. The Faculty Senate provides a vehicle for the faculty at the University to participate in the deliberations and decision-making of the school, to formulate curriculum and to promote communication between the faculty, students and administrative officers of the institution. Ryfe has been a member of the University of Nevada, Reno faculty since 2006. He has written or co-written nearly 30 journal articles, book chapters and monographs in the areas of political communication, presidential communication, the practice of public deliberation, journalism history and the sociology of news. He has also guest edited special issues of three journals. His book, Presidents in Culture was published in 2005 (Peter Lang), and he has a book forthcoming, tentatively titled, The Failure of Journalism: Why newspapers have failed to innovate and what this means for the future of news (Polity Press).
David Zeh, Chair-Elect
Phone: (775) 784-1648
Website: website
Email: zehd@unr.edu
Brief Bio: “I joined the UNR faculty as an assistant professor in 1998 and was promoted to full professor in 2008. I carry out research at the interface of behavioral ecology and molecular genetics, with interests spanning conservation genetics, speciation mechanisms, sexual selection and the role of selfish genetic elements in evolution and human disease. I also teach high enrollment courses required for the Biology major (Introduction to Organismal Biology; Evolution), supervise a large number of undergraduate and graduate students in my laboratory, and serve as an editor for the international journal Ethology.”
Amy McFarland, Parliamentarian
Phone: (775) 682-7734
Email: amcfarland@medicine.nevada.edu
Brief Bio: Amy McFarland is an Education Coordinator for the Division of Interdisciplinary Medical Education.
Chuck Price, At large
Phone: (775) 784-6505
Website: http://www.unr.edu/studentunion/
Email: cprice@unr.edu
Brief Bio: Chuck Price is the Director of the Joe Crowley Student Union. He has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on Finance and Strategic Planning from Columbia University, a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from the State University of New York, Brockport and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from SUNY Brockport. Before moving to Nevada, he was Executive Director of Finance and Administration at the Riverside Church in New York City. He was Director of Student Activities at Columbia University and also worked at CUNY Queens College. He has been an active member on various University campus committees. He previously served on the Faculty Senate and on the Executive Board from 2000 to 2002. He is also involved at the international level in the Association of College Unions, International (ACUI).
Maggie Ressel, At large
Phone: (775) 682-5653
Website: website
Email: ressel@unr.edu
Brief Bio: Maggie Ressel is the Director of Information Services, Subject Specialist for Philosophy, Psychology at the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center.
Eric Herzik, Past Chair
Phone: (775) 682-7764
Website:website
Email: herzik@unr.edu
Brief Bio: Eric Herzik, a professor of political science and member of the University of Nevada, Reno faculty since 1989, has held a multitude of positions on the campus during his tenure. Since 2007 he has served as chair of the Department of Political Science and has also served as head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics since 2008. He was co-director of the Center for Basque Studies from 2007-2009, was executive director of the University’s Reaccreditation team from 2005-2007 and has served as interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts (2004-2005) and College of Arts & Science (2003-2004). From 1996-2005, Herzik was director of the University’s Great Basin Policy Research Institute. He is a past recipient of the Senator Alan Bible Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Arts & Science.
Herzik has written, co-written and edited five books, primarily on public policy and politics, and has authored an additional 35 articles and chapters and 30 research monographs and has been the featured speaker or presented papers more than 70 times during his career. He is a nationally quoted expert on Nevada politics, nuclear waste, governors and energy issues.
Herzik is a 1977 graduate of the University of California, Irvine. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Michelle Hritz, Faculty Senate Manager
Phone: (775) 682-7518
Email: mhritz@unr.edu
Brief Bio: Michelle has been at the University of Nevada, Reno as the Faculty Senate Manger since 2008. Michelle is a native Nevadan who received a dual degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice with a minor in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Reno. Later she pursued a master's degree in elementary education, leaving one semester shy of her degree to pursue a professional endeavor with the YMCA of the Sierra. She spent thirteen years at the Sparks Family YMCA in various roles beginning as a youth worker and leaving as the Executive Director. She then worked for the State of Nevada, Department of Health and Human Services as the grant administrator for the federal Social Services Block Grant.