Liberal Education Council
The Office of Liberal Education is guided by the Liberal Education Council, a committee of the University Senate. The LEC comprises Miami faculty (voting members) who advise the Office of Liberal Education and oversee the Miami Plan. They, along with key Ex-officio members, provide important input into the workings and assessment of Miami’s liberal education curriculum and make recommendations to Senate for consent and approval. A complete catalog of the function and composition of LEC can be found on the University Senate website.
Fall 2025 Meeting Dates
Miami faculty and staff are welcome to attend regularly scheduled LEC meetings.
All regular meetings are virtual at 3:30 p.m.
- August 19, 2025 (Retreat)
- August 26, 2025
- September 2, 2025
- September 9, 2025
- September 16, 2025
- September 23, 2025
- September 30, 2025
- October 7, 2025
- October 14, 2025
- October 21, 2025
- October 28, 2025
- November 4, 2025
- November 11, 2025
- November 18, 2025
- December 2, 2025
Council Membership
The University Director of Liberal Education acts as ex-officio Chair of the Liberal Education Council.
- Chair, Elizabeth Hoover | Office of Liberal Education
- Secretary, Dorothy Falke | Office of Liberal Education
Term Ends August 2026
- Edgar Caraballo (Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering - CEC) | At-Large Member and Math/Formal Reasoning
- Caryn Neumann (Interdisciplinary and Communication Studies - CLAAS) | Humanities and Ethical Citizenship & Leadership
Term Ends August 2027
- Kathleen Knight Abowitz (Educational Leadership - EHS) | Ethical Citizenship & Leadership and Intercultural Consciousness
- John-Charles Duffy (Comparative Religion - CAS) | Humanities and Intercultural Consciousness
- Tracy Haynes (Biology - CAS) | Senate Liaison and Natural Sciences
- Christopher Kelley (Political Science - CAS) | Social Sciences and Global Inquiry
Term Ends August 2028
- David Daugherty (Mathematical and Physical Science - CLAAS) | Natural Sciences
- Janice Kinghorn (Economics - FSB) HCWE Liaison and Study Abroad
- Robert Leonard (Information System Analytics - FSB) | Mathematics/Formal Reasoning
- Aaron Pergram (Music - CCA) | Creative Arts and Intercultural Consciousness
- Anne Whitesell (Political Science - CAS) Social Science
Ex Officio Non-Voting Members
- Christa Branson | Associate Director of Academic Advising, College of Arts and Science
- Christopher Smith | University Libraries
- Courtney Thompson | Office of the University Registrar
- TBA | Associated Student Government
Advisory Committees
Howe Center for Writing Excellence
The Howe Center for Writing Excellence (HCWE) - Local Advisory Board is comprises faculty, administrators, and librarians from departments across Miami that advise the HCWE Director on various initiatives of the center. In their capacity as the LEC Sub-committee for PA1C-Advanced Writing, members review applications for Advanced Writing courses and offer support and recommendations to faculty developing those proposals.
