Annual Report: Hancher and Performing Arts Committee 2025-26
Charter Committee Annual Report to the Shared Governance Council
Committee: Hancher and Performing Arts at Iowa Committee
Report Year: Academic Year 2025-2026
| Committee Chair(s) | Chair: William Goblirsch-Paradis, Instructional Services Specialist |
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| Committee Members | Faculty Members: Constantine Bakopoulos (Cinematic Arts), Mark Bruckner (Theatre Arts), Damani Phillips (Music) Staff Members: Melia Pieper (Division of Student Life), William Goblirsch-Paradis (Carver College of Medicine), Kate Ralston (Enrollment Management) Student Members: Farrow Ulven, Kshitija Kale, Harry Bui, Adam Kahn Administrative Liaison: Andre Perry, Executive Director, Hancher Auditorium Ex-Officio Member: Ralph Saintfort Emeritus Faculty (Non-Voting): Scott Vogelgesang |
| Committee Charge | The Hancher and Performing Arts at Iowa Charter Committee serves as a cross-campus advisory and planning body focused on strengthening performing arts initiatives at the University of Iowa. The committee works to foster collaboration across academic and administrative units, improve access and awareness of performing arts opportunities, and support a vibrant and inclusive creative culture on campus and in the broader community. During the current reporting period, the committee has focused on revising and refining its charter to better align with actionable goals, institutional needs, and available resources. |
| Current Year Meeting Dates | October 10, 2025 November 3, 2025 February 24, 2026 May 6, 2026 |
| Please indicate the typical frequency of meetings (e.g., first Tuesday of month at 4 pm). If there are subcommittees, please indicate the frequency of those meetings, too. | The committee met approximately twice per semester during the academic year. Meetings were typically 60–90 minutes and scheduled in the late afternoon. Subcommittees are being considered for future work but were not formally implemented this year. |
| Current Year Activities | - Reconstitution of the committee following a period of inactivity - Review and evaluation of the existing charter - Identification of key themes: collaboration, access, awareness, and representation - Development of stakeholder engagement strategies and collection and discussion of stakeholder input Overall, the committee functioned as a cross-campus think tank focused on defining purpose and identifying actionable priorities. |
| Topics your committee will address during the coming year | - Finalization and approval of a revised charter - Transition into implementation of initiatives - Strengthening cross-campus partnerships - Expansion of access and representation in performing arts - Creation of subcommittees or working groups to advance initiatives |
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| Other issues of concern | -Limited historical documentation from prior committee iterations - Balancing ambitious initiatives with available capacity and resources |
| What should we tell applicants for this committee regarding expectations of members (anticipated workload, existence of subcommittees, etc.)? | Members should expect to attend 2–4 meetings annually (60–90 minutes each), contribute to discussions, and engage in occasional work outside meetings. Future expectations may include participation in subcommittees or working groups. |
| Does your committee have a website? If so, what is the URL? | N/A |
| What is your process for passing on previous agendas and minutes to the new committee chair(s)? | Agendas and meeting minutes are maintained in a Microsoft Teams site accessible to all members. Materials are preserved to ensure continuity and are shared with incoming leadership and members. |
| Recommendations, if any, to the shared governance groups. | - Improve archival practices for committee continuity |