Office Contact

Andrew Morris, Ph.D. 

Executive Director, Academic Programs and Planning
Accreditation Liaison Officer

As the Executive Director of Academic Programs and Planning (APP), Andrew Morris leads the annual process of academic planning, the development and implementation of academic policies, the development and review of academic programs, and the assessment of student learning. He also oversees the General Education and Instructionally Related Activity programs and the approval process for Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathways. As the Accreditation Liaison Officer, he manages the university’s institutional accreditation and serves as the primary point of contact with the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Andrew served as Interim Director of APP from January 2023 through June 2024. Before that, he served as Faculty Fellow, and later Faculty Director of Program Development, in APP from 2019 through 2022. He was faculty director of the WSCUC Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation self-study for institutional accreditation, completed in 2022. Andrew also has represented APP on the General Education Governance Board, the Academic Senate Curriculum Committee, the Academic Assessment Council, the Academic Senate Ad Hoc Semester Conversion Committee, and the Graduate Education Ad Hoc Curriculum Committee; co-led APP’s Program Review Learning Community; and led Cal Poly’s 2023 cohort in the CSU Certificate Program in Student Success Analytics.

Andrew joined the Cal Poly faculty in 2000 and taught through 2021 in the History Department, where he was Professor, past Department Chair, and past Master's Coordinator. His research specialty is in modern Chinese and Taiwanese history. He has authored three books and edited two more in these fields, the most recent being Defectors from the PRC to Taiwan, 1960-1989: The Anti-Communist Righteous Warriors (Routledge, 2022). He has also published more than 30 journal articles and book chapters. Andrew graduated from Harvey Mudd College with a double major in physics and history, and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in modern Chinese history at UC San Diego.

admorris@calpoly.edu | 805-756-2298

Jessica Carson, M.B.A.

Administrative Analyst
Academic Policies, Budget, and Instructionally Related Activities
 

Jessica joined our office in February 2008. She manages the budget, supports Instructionally Related Activities (IRAs), and is the contact for academic policy questions and student academic appeals.  

carson@calpoly.edu | 805-756-2326

Maureen O'Connor

Executive Assistant to the INTERIM Associate Vice Provost and Personnel Analyst
 

Maureen joined our office in January 2018. As Executive Assistant, Maureen is the first point of contact for the Interim Associate Vice Provost. In this capacity, she also assists with human resources and personnel issues in the departments reporting to Academic Innovations and Programs. Maureen also provides the lead support for the process to reaffirm Cal Poly's accreditation by WSCUC.

moconn04@calpoly.edu | 805-756-2228

Angela Standifer 

Program Review and Program Development Analyst
 

As the Program Review and Program Development Analyst, Angela spearheads the academic program review process at Cal Poly. Working closely with the colleges and departments, she guides all university degree programs through a comprehensive two-year review cycle. Angela's leadership extends beyond review processes; she co-developed the Program Review Learning Community to facilitate professional development for colleagues and co-launched a Program Improvement and Effectiveness platform containing resources and historical archives for each college. Moreover, she manages various aspects of program development, including degree modifications, subprograms, and new program initiatives. Angela also plays a key role in preparing the university's annual Academic Master Plan and oversees Cal Poly's contributions to the CSU Degree Database. Her multifaceted responsibilities also encompass managing the WSCUC database, providing SharePoint site design and administration, facilitating website updates, and supporting the Associate Deans Council.

Angela joined our team in September 2019 following a career in law. As a senior paralegal, she specialized in managing the defense of public school districts and governmental entities in both state and federal courts. Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Angela was twice honored as the Paralegal of the Year by the Indiana Paralegal Association. She holds a paralegal certificate from Ashworth College, complementing her education at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

astandif@calpoly.edu | 805-756-7047

Shannon Sullivan-Danser, M.A. 

SEMESTER CONVERSION, General Education, & Communications Coordinator
 

Since joining Academic Programs and Planning in 2018, Shannon has worked closely with faculty and college leaders on several campuswide initiatives and projects. From 2018-2022, she specialized primarily on General Education and academic assessment. In that time, she co-wrote and edited institutional reports related to assessment and accreditation as well as created surveys and rubrics to support program and university improvement efforts. She also presented with Cal Poly colleagues at the WASC Senior College and University Commission annual conference about Cal Poly's culture and practice of program improvement. Since 2022, she has continued to support General Education, where she analyzes policy, program, and course changes and proposals, including for study abroad GE courses. She has supported the university through two redesigns of Cal Poly's GE template and program since 2018 to align with CSU requirements. She works closely with the Director and Project Manager of Semester Conversion on the academic impact of the conversion, including program and course analysis and developing tools to support students, faculty, and staff through the curricular changes. Shannon also supports Associate Degree for Transfer pathways. She works on curriculum and data development, as well as policy research for these programs and initiatives.

She collaborates frequently with many campus partners, particularly the General Education Governance Board, as well as the college associate deans, Academic Senate Curriculum Committee, the Office of the Registrar, as well as the CSU Chancellor’s Office on matters of shared governance. Shannon also maintains the website and SharePoint design for APP, General Education, semester conversion, and Cal Poly's institutional accreditation sites. She is a double alumna from Cal Poly, earning honors in her M.A. and B.A. degrees in English.

ssulliva@calpoly.edu | (805) 756-2247

Jolene Girten, M.B.A.

Program Improvement Coordinator
 

Joining us in Spring 2023, Jolene assists the Office of Academic Programs and Planning in the capacity of Program Improvement Coordinator. Jolene brings with her a wealth of experience, having previously served as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, in addition to a nine-year stint as an officer in the US Army where she developed strong administrative and leadership skills.

Jolene hails from Oregon and is an alumnus of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where she earned her B.S. in Kinesiology/Exercise Science. She went on to obtain her MBA from Salve Regina University in Rhode Island and also holds an A.S. in Occupational Therapy Assisting from American Career College in Anaheim, California.

Jolene is well-equipped to make valuable contributions to our office's program improvement initiatives where she handles academic assessment and other projects designed to lead to improved student success.

jgirten@calpoly.edu | (805) 756-7867