About Us
The University Senate of the University of Maryland provides a gateway for all faculty, staff, students, and administrators to inclusively participate in our unique system of shared governance. Please explore more about our Mission & Impact statements and our form of Shared Governance.
The University Senate is supported by a leadership team consisting of a Chair, Chair-Elect, Past Chair, Parliamentarian, and Executive Secretary & Director.
Wendy Stickle
University Senate Chair
Wendy Stickle, PhD, is the executive director of College Park Scholars and a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJS). Wendy has been with the University of Maryland since 2003 first as a PhD student, then as a faculty member and program director for the CCJS program at the Universities at Shady Grove and finally as an executive director.
Wendy became a senator representing PTK faculty in BSOS in 2023. Previously, she chaired the PCC committee and sat on both the faculty affairs and educational affairs committees.
As a criminologist and instructor, Wendy’s research and teaching focuses on human trafficking. In addition to teaching a semester-long course on human trafficking and leading an annual study abroad program on the topic, Wendy is the immediate past-chair of the Montgomery County, MD Human Trafficking Prevention Committee and the 2023 Human Trafficking Fellow with the U.S. Office for Victims of Crime. Wendy is the first author on the first social-science perspective textbook on human trafficking, which is currently being used to educate students all over the U.S.
Shannon Buenaflor
Chair-Elect
Shannon Buenaflor is the Program Director for Transfer Initiatives in the A. James Clark School of Engineering and has served as a Senator since 2024. She earned a B.A. in English Language and Literature, an M.A. in Higher Education, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Maryland. Prior to her work in the Clark School, Shannon worked as an academic advisor in the College of Education and taught courses for the Higher Education Program as an adjunct instructor. In her current role, she leads strategic initiatives that support prospective and current engineering transfer students, cultivates partnerships with community colleges across Maryland, and oversees programs designed to enhance transfer student success and foster a sense of belonging. Her professional interests include transfer student success, transfer student self-efficacy, engineering education, academic advising, and higher education policy. During her time in the University Senate, she has served as Chair of the Academic Procedures & Standards Committee and as a member of the Senate Executive Committee, helping to advance academic policy and shared governance across the university.
Sarah Dammeyer
Past Chair
Sarah Dammeyer is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of English and a Senator since 2022. She earned a B.A. in English Language and Literature, a B.A. in Secondary English education, and an M.A. in English Language and Literature, all from UMD. Dammeyer teaches courses in technical writing, science and health communication, narrative nonfiction, writing pedagogy and literature. Her research centers on professional and technical communication, multimodal composition, rhetoric of science and technology, writing anxiety, and teacher efficacy. During her time in the University Senate, she has served on several committees and councils, including the Programs, Curricula, and Courses Committee and the Senate Executive Committee.
Daniel Falvey
Parliamentarian, Past Chair
Daniel E. Falvey has been a member of the University of Maryland community since 1989, when he was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He is currently a Professor and Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Falvey has had an active, NSF-funded research program in the area of organic photochemistry since 1989 and is co-author on over 120 publications in that field and holds 2 patents. He routinely teaches chemistry courses at both graduate and undergraduate level, advises undergraduate students, and has mentored 19 Ph.D. students. Falvey served on the Graduate Council from 1998-2001, the Senate APAS committee from 2013-1015, the Senate PCC Committee from 2009-2012, the Provost's Task Force on Open Access from 2011-2012, and the Search Committee for the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs in 2009-2010. Falvey previously served as a Faculty Senator for CLFS from 2005-2008. During that time, he chaired the Senate Faculty Affairs Committee. Additionally, he was a member of the Senate Executive Committee and the Committee on Committees. Falvey received a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1989), and a B.S. from North Dakota State University (1983).
Veronica Marin
Executive Secretary & Director
Veronica Marin (she/her/hers) is an accomplished higher education administrative professional currently serving as the Director of the University Senate at the University of Maryland. With a Master's Degree in Higher Education and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, Veronica brings diverse experience in the higher education field.
In her current role as Director of the University Senate, Veronica leads a team and oversees the University Senate, which comprises over 220 members from faculty, staff, and students. Veronica provides strategic advice on a wide range of university policies and programs, guiding the development of new policies, and managing the operations of the Senate Office. She plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration between the University Senate, its leadership, and the university administration, ensuring effective governance and decision-making processes.
Prior to her current position, Veronica held the role of Director of Program Management for Custom Executive Education at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. In this capacity, she demonstrated her expertise in client experience, program portfolio management, and strategic projects. Veronica played a pivotal role in expanding the program management team, enhancing the quality of programs for domestic and international clients, and forging strong partnerships with faculty and external stakeholders.
Veronica's commitment to the field of higher education extends beyond her professional roles. She actively contributes to the advancement of the field through her involvement in various committees and associations. Veronica has presented at national conferences and served as a committee chair. She has also served on the board of The Esperanza Education Fund, contributing to their mission of supporting the educational pursuits of immigrant students.
With her deep knowledge of higher education administration and policy, Veronica is dedicated to creating positive change and fostering an inclusive environment within educational institutions. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she brings a unique perspective to her work and excels at developing strategies that cater to diverse stakeholder groups. Veronica's leadership, innovation, and strategic thinking continue to make a significant impact in the field of higher education.