Contact Us
Contact:
Brad G. Knight
Director, AU Core
AU Core Staff & Faculty

The AU Core Committee is charged by the Faculty Senate with the review, recommendation, and evaluation of all courses within the AU Core, and for activities related to the AU Core.
The AU Core Committee comprises all members of its Core Council and subcommittees. It is responsible for developing assessment timelines, processes, and guidelines for assessment of the curriculum, applying those assessments to review and approve new and continuing courses, determining transfer course articulations and other exceptions when needed, advising on other programmatic changes and faculty development as appropriate, and maintaining legacy issues pertaining to the General Education program that it replaced.
Please direct any questions you may have or requests for assistance to core@american.edu.
Staff
- Brad G. Knight
Senior Director, AU Core and University College - Izzi Stern
Director, AU Experience Program - Becca Comfort
Manager, Complex Problems Seminar Program - Sarah Froonjian
Program Coordinator, Core Curriculum - Diamond Brown
AU Core Assessment Analyst - Reilly Simmons
Program Coordinator, Complex Problems - Diane Palmer
Curriculum and Assessment Assistant, Complex Problems - Tara Rison
Program Coordinator, AUx
AU Core Council
AU Core Faculty Chair: Martyn Oliver, College of Arts and Sciences
- Adam Tamashasky, College of Arts and Sciences, Complex Problems and Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
- Jeffrey Middents, College of Arts and Sciences, Creative-Aesthetic Inquiry
- Mary Mintz, University Library, Cultural Inquiry and University Library
- Lauren Weis, College of Arts and Sciences, Ethical Reasoning
- Victoria Connaughton, College of Arts and Sciences, Natural-Scientific Inquiry
- Joanne Allen, College of Arts and Sciences, Socio-Historical Inquiry
- Nabina Liebow, College of Arts and Sciences, Diversity & Equity
- Austin Davis, College of Arts and Sciences, Quantitative Literacy
- Kelly Joyner, College of Arts and Sciences, Written Communication and Information Literacy
- Douglas Klusmeyer, School of Public Affairs
- Jessica Waters, Dean of Undergraduate Education & Vice Provost for Academic Student Services
- Brad Knight, Director of AU Core and University College
- Michelle Swiger, AU Experience Program
Complex Problems
Chair: Adam Tamashasky, College of Arts and Sciences (2024)
- Michele Lansigan, College of Arts and Sciences (2024)
- Bill Gentile, School of Communication (2023)
- Vicky Kiechel, School of International Service (2024)
- Mohamed Nimer, Office of Global and Immersive Studies (2023)
- Erran Carmel, Kogod School of Business (2025)
- Borden Flanagan, School of Public Affairs (2025)
- Becca Comfort, Manager of Complex Problems Seminar Program
Creative-Aesthetic Inquiry
Chair: Jeffrey Middents, College of Arts and Sciences (2024)
- Aaron Posner, College of Arts and Sciences (2024)
- Kyle (Kylos) Brannon, School of Communication (2024)
- Marc Medwin, College of Arts and Sciences (2023)
- Melissa Becher, University Library
Cultural Inquiry
Chairs: Ludy Grandas, College of Arts and Sciences (2024) and Mary Mintz, University Library
- Kendra Salois, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Chelsea Horne, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
Ethical Reasoning
Chair: Lauren Weis, College of Arts and Sciences (2024)
- Heather Elms, Kogod School of Business (2023)
- Katherine Hut, University Library
- Ericka Menchen-Trevino, School of Communication (2025)
- Barbara Wien, School of International Service (2025)
- Wade Kothmann, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Chris Utter, School of Public Affairs (2025)
Natural-Scientific Inquiry
Chair: Vikki Connaughton, College of Arts and Sciences (2023)
- Clarissa Ihssen, University Library
- Michael Alonzo, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Matthew Hartings, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Aaron Grocholski, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
Socio-Historical Inquiry
Chair: Joanne Allen, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Douglas Klusmeyer, School of Public Affairs (2025)
- Olivia Ivey, University Library
- Patricia Aufderheide, School of Communication (2024)
- Anita Sherman, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
Diversity & Equity (DIV)
Chair: Nabina Liebow, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Sarah Mady, Kogod School of Business (2023)
- Leena Jayaswal, School of Communication (2025)
- Samantha Cohen, School of Education (2024)
- Reginald Wells, School of Public Affairs (2025)
- Hannah Park, University Library
- Mohammed Abu-Nimer, School of International Service (2025)
Written Communication & Information Literacy
Chair: Patrick Kelly Joyner, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Dave Haaga, College of Arts and Sciences (2023)
- Michael Clayton, Kogod School of Business (2023)
- Rajul Bhaskar, School of Communication (2024)
- David Fagelson, School of Public Affairs (2025)
- Christina Bush, University Library
- Neisha-Anne Green, Director of Academic Student Services and the Writing Center
Quantitative Literacy
Chair: Austin Davis, School of International Service (2023)
- Alex Godwin, College of Arts and Sciences (2023)
- Jay Simon, Kogod School of Business (2023)
- Behzad Jalali, Director of Quantitative Support
- Joshua Lansky, College of Arts and Sciences (2024)
- Laura Bernhofen, College of Arts and Sciences (2025)
- Joseph Graf, School of Communication (2024)
- Shirin Sabetghadam, School of Public Affairs (2025)