Core Area Committees

Core Area Committees discuss proposed course designations via email and, when necessary, meet as a group. Faculty seeking a core designation(s) for a course must submit a proposal. Learn more about the process on our Courses page.

USF Core Breadth Policy

Students may receive their only exposure to an area of academic study that is not in their major through the university CORE. Because of this, CORE courses should generally be introductory survey courses that provide an introduction to an academic discipline, or a broad area of an academic discipline, rather than specialized courses that examine a specific area in more depth. The exception to this breadth requirement is First Year Seminars/Transfer Student Seminars. 

USF Core Turf Policy

The expectation is that Core area classes are taught by faculty with training, expertise, and affiliation in the associated disciplines of the Core areas. Exceptions must be approved by appropriate department chair.

Core Assessment

For information on the five-year Core Assessment process, please see our Core Assessment page. 

Members: Fall 2022 - Spring 2023

Area A: Foundations of Communication

  • Chair, Rhetoric and Language: Mark Meritt
  • Public Speaking Director: Leigh Meredith
  • Composition Director: Nicole Howell

Area B: Math and Sciences

  • Chair, Chemistry: Tami Spector
  • Biology: Naupaka Zimmerman
  • Computer Science: Alark Joshi
  • Environmental Science: Calla Schmidt
  • Kinesiology: Karen Francis & Shannon Siegel
  • Mathematics: Jennifer Chubb
  • Physics: Milka Nikolic

Area C: Humanities

  • Chair, Languages, Literatures, & Cultures: Zhiqiang Li
  • History: Taymiya Zaman
  • English: Ryan Van Meter

Area D: Philosophy and Theology

  • Chair, Philosophy: Jacqueline Taylor
  • Theology & Religious Studies: Jorge Aquino
  • SOM: TBD

Area E: Social Sciences

  • Chair, Economics: Peter Lorentzen
  • Communication Studies: Brandi Lawless
  • Environmental Studies: David Silver
  • International Studies: John Zarobell 
  • Media Studies: Inna Arzumanova
  • Politics: Keally McBride
  • Psychology: Saera Khan & Ben Levy
  • Sociology: Kimberly Richman 

Area F: Visual and Performing Arts

  • Chair, Art & Architecture: Kate Lusheck 
  • Performing Arts and Social Justice: Megan Nicely