Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (CUNY) invite nominations and applications for the position of Bronx Community College (BCC) president. Bronx Community College seeks an experienced, innovative, visionary, passionate and collaborative leader who is committed to fostering diversity, energized by the transformational work of public higher education and dedicated to championing BCC’s mission.
The Institution: A treasured part of New York City’s cultural life, Bronx Community College sits on a historic, 45-acre campus – one of the largest in the CUNY system – atop a hill overlooking the Harlem River. Established in 1957, BCC is the only community college in the country designated as a national historic landmark. It houses the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, the nation’s first institution of its kind, and its quad encompasses the work of three generations of world-renowned architects. Bronx Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and through its 14 academic departments offers more than 40 academic majors and certificate programs, including the associate in arts (A.A.), associate in science (A.S.) and associate in applied science (A.A.S.) degrees. During the fall of 2023, BCC had a total enrollment of 6,465 students. More than 270 full-time faculty and 260 part-time faculty serve the College, and approximately 65% of full-time faculty hold a doctoral or terminal degree. A publicly supported institution, Bronx Community College’s current budget is $89.4 million. The Bronx Community College Foundation was established in 1985 to provide support for student scholarships, faculty research, program development, community education and cultural enrichment. This fiscal year, the College received well over $28 million in grant funding from private and public sources, including its foundation.
The BCC campus is as richly diverse as the community it serves. Students come from more than 100 countries and speak more than 50 languages. The composition of the students, faculty and staff reflects a fundamental commitment to diversity not only as an act of social justice, but as an essential and exciting element of a complete education that prepares students to be citizens of the world. A Hispanic-Serving Institution, BCC ranks fifth in all of New York State in both enrollment of and earned degrees or certificates by Latinx students. Nearly 70 percent of BCC students are the first in their families to attend college, coming from all parts of the world and sharing a wide range of cultural perspectives. The campus has 35 active clubs and organizations, as well as men’s basketball, baseball and soccer and women’s basketball and volleyball. Current BCC alumni number more than 34,000, which includes graduates through 1990. To learn more about Bronx Community College, please visit www.bcc.cuny.edu.
The Position: Reporting to the chancellor of The City University of New York system and operating within policies established by the CUNY Board of Trustees, the president is responsible for the overall operation and performance of Bronx Community College. Leading a dedicated team of faculty and staff, the president is also responsible for maintaining and enhancing the academic success and community impact of BCC. The president leads the College in exploring new opportunities that best serve students with relevant, innovative programs.
Among those currently reporting directly to the president are the vice president for academic affairs and provost; vice president of enrollment management; vice president for student success; vice president for finance and administration; vice president for advancement, communications and external relations; executive director of human resources; chief diversity officer; and executive legal counsel, deputy to the president and labor designee. The president is a visible leader in the borough of the Bronx and New York City, communicating and connecting the internal and external college community to the College’s mission.
Qualifications: The successful candidate will have a record of executive leadership, sound fiscal management and experience in a senior administrative position in higher education. BCC’s next president must demonstrate strategic planning and implementation skills; a strong commitment to shared governance, transparency, effective communication and collaboration; dedication to diversity and inclusion; and a history of effective management that creatively and effectively responds to emerging opportunities and challenges facing urban community colleges. Understanding contemporary issues and challenges in higher education is also necessary, and candidates should exhibit a commitment to high-quality teaching. This person must maintain the utmost personal and professional integrity; strong political acumen; and excellent oral and written communication skills. They must also have the relationship-building skills necessary for partnering with and receiving financial support from the CUNY central office and sister institutions, corporations, governmental sources, foundations and private donors. The ideal candidate will be an empathetic, approachable leader who always considers student impact and student success in decision making. They must also possess the strength and ingenuity to address challenges that impact student outcomes and the social mobility of the BCC community. An earned doctorate or terminal degree is required for candidacy.
Location: The Bronx, the northernmost of New York City’s five boroughs, is a vibrant and diverse area known for its rich cultural heritage and dynamic urban landscape. Despite some socio-economic and health challenges, the Bronx is undergoing a renaissance. Known for its significant contributions to music, art and sports, the borough has a population of over 1.4 million. It is the birthplace of hip-hop, which emerged in the 1970s and continues to be a center for artistic expression and creativity. A crown jewel of the Bronx is the Bronx Zoo, one of the largest metropolitan zoos in the world, offering visitors the chance to see a wide array of animals in naturalistic habitats. Nearby, the New York Botanical Garden, spanning 250 acres, features stunning plant collections and landscapes, attracting both nature lovers and researchers. Sports enthusiasts flock to Yankee Stadium in the South Bronx, home to the New York Yankees, one of Major League Baseball’s most storied franchises. Besides serving as a sports arena, this iconic venue also hosts numerous events and concerts. The Bronx is also home to a rich array of culinary delights such as those found on Arthur Avenue, where a variety of authentic Italian eateries, bakeries and markets preserve the flavors and traditions of Italian American cuisine. Institutions like the Bronx Museum of the Arts further enrich the borough by showcasing contemporary art and celebrating the area’s diverse cultural heritage. The community’s resilience and ongoing revitalization efforts have led to substantial improvements and a renewed sense of optimism for the future. Overall, the Bronx is a borough of contrasts and dynamism, where history and modernity blend to create a unique and compelling part of New York City.
About CUNY: The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs, serving more than 233,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 50,000 degrees each year. CUNY’s mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “genius grants.” The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background. To learn more about CUNY, visit https://www.cuny.edu.
Salary: The salary range for this position is $250,000 to $340,000 with competitive benefits including, but not limited to, a housing allowance.
Application: Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and CV/Resume to RPA Inc. at bronxpresident@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, contact Amanda O’Donnell, Vice President and Senior Consultant, Brenda Wilson-Hale, Senior Consultant, or Dana John Cohick, President, at the email address above. The first review of candidates will begin on August 30, 2024, and first-round interviews will commence thereafter. All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be held in the strictest confidence.
CUNY’s Policy on Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination applicable to all colleges and units is—to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and provide benefits to employees and to admit and provide services for students without discriminating on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, partnership status, disability, genetic information, alienage, citizenship, military or veteran status, pregnancy, status as a victim of domestic violence/stalking/sex offenses, unemployment status, caregiver or familial status, prior record of arrest or conviction, or any other legally prohibited basis in accordance with federal, state and city laws.
