According to the Faculty Senate Charter and Bylaws, Article II, Section 3: The voting members of the General Membership must meet all of the following conditions: hold a full-time faculty appointment or be a full-time visiting faculty member at UNT Dallas; receive at least 50% of their salary during the academic year (faculty members on sabbatical or other leave who are not receiving at least 50% of their annual salary do not have voting privileges); and may not hold an administrative appointment above the rank of Program Coordinator, Program Director, Program Chair, or Department Chair
Nominations have been made for the following positions:
Vice-President/President-Elect
Dr. Gwendolyn Johnson
Biography:
I have been at UNT Dallas since 2010 and tenured since 2017. I am a Program Coordinator in the School of Education and have served on Faculty Senate for multiple years.
Platform:
It is important to me that the faculty voices are heard by the administration and that Faculty Senate continues to be an effective conduit for those voices. We will be in a period of transition over the next few years, and faculty participation and leadership will be especially important.
Parlimentarian/Secretary-Elect
Dr. Priya Eimerbink
Biography:
I am an associate professor in the Department of Psychology with a passion for supporting faculty engagement and improving communication between faculty and administration. As a former LAS Faculty Senator, I have had the privilege of working on initiatives that promote faculty interests, and I am committed to continuing that work in a new capacity as Parliamentarian.
Platform:
I am running for Parliamentarian to help ensure that Faculty Senate meetings are conducted in a fair and efficient manner, while promoting transparency and inclusivity in all Senate processes. My experience as an LAS Faculty Senator has given me the insight and dedication needed to serve in this role effectively, and I look forward to contributing to the faculty's collective voice.
Senator, Tenure Track
Dr. Corron Sanders
Biography:
Dr. Corron Sanders is an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Public Health in the School of Behavioral Health and Human Services at the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas). She holds a PhD in Preventive Medicine and Community Health from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr. Sanders has been with UNT Dallas since 2019 and specializes in social determinants of health, health equity, and population health research.
Platform:
I am running for the Faculty Senate, Senator-Tenure Track position to leverage my expertise in implementation science and academic leadership to support faculty development and advocate for policies that enhance academic excellence and equity. With my background in research, community engagement, and education, I aim to foster a collaborative environment that promotes innovative teaching, research, and service, while ensuring that faculty voices are heard and valued in university decision-making processes.
Senator, School of Business Place Two
Mr. Warren Nagumo
Biography:
I am a Lecturer of Business Finance in the School of Business and teach courses in f inance, investments and accounting. In January 2020, I joined the faculty as an adjunct professor and became a Lecturer in the Fall of 2021. I earned an MBA from The University of Chicago and have experience in commercial lending for a major New York bank, Treasury/Corporate Finance for American Airlines, and investments for Morgan Stanley. I also have volunteer leadership experience with several nonprofit organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Platform:
I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the mission of UNT-D and feel privileged to work with our great students and faculty. I believe that my unique professional background and business experience may be helpful to the Faculty Senate as it continues its critically important work to advance the interests of our students, faculty, and the University. I am honored to be considered for a Senate position.
Senator, School of Education
Dr. Deanne Paiva
Biography:
Dr. Paiva has worked with urban students in Texas for forty years in both public education and higher education. Between UNT Denton and now Dallas campuses she has served as an instructor, a lecturer, and a clinical teaching supervisor in the Schools of Education helping graduate and certify high-quality teachers in the Dallas Fort Worth area. At UNT Dallas, Dr. Paiva is a part of the Faculty Senate Charters and By-Laws subcommittee and has worked with Dr. Sales in a focus group giving feedback to a possible SPOT Student Survey. She supported her School of Education as a member of the team that prepared for the TEA Audit.
Platform:
I am running for the SOE Faculty Senate Position because…
One of the assets of the UNT Dallas School of Education is their coherency working as a department. Communication is paramount to creating that supportive working environment so, as the SOE Faculty Senator, I plan to continue using our well-established platforms and practices. This academic year, I am a member of the team that prepared for our 5-year TEA Audit, so I was able to learn much about systems and procedures at UNT Dallas SOE helping me grow a wide perspective in which to represent our team on the UNT Dallas Faculty Senate.
Dr. Victor Lozado
Biography:
Victor Antonio Lozada, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education where he serves as the Program Coordinator for the EC-12 LOTE Program. His research includes the intersections among bilingual education, literacy learning, and music education. He frequently presents on these topics at international and national venues such as the National Association for Bilingual Education, La Cosecha Dual Language Conference, the National Association for Music Education conference, and the American Educational Research Association. His research can be found in the Bilingual Research Journal, NABE Journal of Research and Practice, the Journal of Language & Literacy Education, Literacy Research and Instruction, and the Journal of General Music Education among others. He offers suggestions for how secondary teachers can engage critically with curricula in his co-edited book Engage and Empower! Expanding the Curriculum for Justice and Activism, especially his chapters on rap music and antiracism. His forthcoming book Diversity in Music Education: Honoring the Languages, Literacies, Abilities, and Cultures of All provides music educators with a foundational understanding of bilingual education as it relates to music education. He also serves as the Vice President-Elect for the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.
Platform:
Our university is in a period of transition. I firmly believe that the Faculty Senate should work to lead this change. The Faculty Senate has accomplished much in my time here at UNTD; however, I believe that we still have work to do including advocating for faculty inclusion on administrative search committees, calling for the creation of administrative structures that are similar amongst the different schools, and providing faculty development opportunities that help guide us in doing academic work in Texas. My hope is that as we continue to transition in the upcoming years that we develop into the premiere university in the Dallas/Fort Worth region.
Senator, Liberal Arts & Sciences Place One
Dr. Kieth Gryder
Biography:
Short bio:
"Hello! I'm Dr. Kieth Gryder and I am a lecturer in the psychology department of LAS. I have taught a wide variety of courses in the department during my two years here at UNT Dallas. My specialties and research interests are in memory and perception for music. I am also the faculty sponsor for Psychology Club."
Platform:
Reason for running:
"I am interested in being a LAS representative because I want to better understand the operations of UNT Dallas and how they relate to my department. I also believe that this service would be really beneficial to my development as a faculty member."
Dr. Stephen Womack
Biography:
My name is Stephen Womack, and I am a Lecturer in the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology. It is an honor for me to be part of the UNTD Criminal Justice faculty. My roots are firmly planted within the City of Dallas and the Dallas County Criminal Justice System, as an honorably retired member of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office (DSO). I retired in July 2019 as a Captain at DSO, specifically to accept a teaching position at the DISD Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet High School, my alma mater (1987). I began my law enforcement career at an early age as a jail guard and am appreciative of my opportunity to have served the citizens of Dallas County for 31 years.
I grew up in Oak Cliff, not far from our UNTD campus, so it is extra special to me to have joined such a prestigious group of faculty members and to serve as an educator to members of this community. I did not have a lot of opportunities growing up and was well into my law enforcement career before I began to truly pursue my college education. Around 2006, I started my pursuit of being a first-generation college graduate. I enrolled here at UNT Dallas, then an extension of UNT Denton. When I began this pursuit, I was taking classes in office space near our current campus, and when I graduated at 42-years of age in 2011, the DAL1 building was built and occupied, and Founder’s Hall was under construction. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.
I saw exponential growth in my career after the time I began to seriously pursue my college education in 2006, promoting three times in 2008, 2011, and 2016. After retiring in 2019, I decided to pursue my MSCJ degree here at UNTD, with the intent to teach dual credit courses to the Law Magnet High School CJ students. I graduated in 2022. The following school year, I began teaching dual credit CJ courses through Dallas College as a credentialed part-time adjunct instructor. Early in 2023, I learned of a newly established full-time Lecturer in Criminal Justice here at UNTD. I applied, and was awarded the position, beginning in the Fall semester of 2023. It has been quite a journey, and I look forward to continuing my service as a Faculty Senate member here at this university that has provided me with tremendous personal and professional growth opportunities that I would not have realized otherwise.
Senator, Liberal Arts & Sciences Place Two
Dr. Paul Ayres
Biography:
Dr. Paul Ayres is a Lecturer in the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology and serves as the Program Director for the Emergency Services Administration program. Dr. Ayres brings 15 years of experience as a firefighter, paramedic, and peace officer, having provided emergency services for multiple agencies at the municipal, county, and state levels. He holds an associate’s degree in fire science technology from Blinn College, a bachelor’s degree in emergency management administration from West Texas A&M University, a graduate certificate in homeland security from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in public service and administration from Texas A&M University, and a PhD in forensic science with emphasis on fire and explosion investigations from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Ayres’s teaching and research focuses on administrative aspects of emergency services, forensic fire and explosion investigations, the criminal use of fire and explosives, terrorism, homeland security, and international security.