June 13th, 2007 | The University
Governor Eliot Spitzer has appointed Trustee Philip Alfonso Berry as Vice Chairperson of The City University of New York Board of Trustees and re-nominated Trustee Hugo Morales for reappointment to the Board for a seven year term.
Berry has been a member of the Board since June of 2006. A Vice President and Corporate Officer with Colgate-Palmolive, he is a graduate of Borough of Manhattan Community College and Queens College, and also holds an M.B.A. from Xavier University and an M.S.W. from Columbia University.
Berry’s “global perspective” is broad and extensive. At Colgate-Palmolive, he has had responsibilities over the company’s “Global Workplace Initiative” and has worked throughout Asia and Europe. Vice Chairperson Berry serves as Chair of the New York City Department of Education’s Human Resources Advisory Panel, as a member of the CUNY Business Leadership Council and as a trustee of CUNY’s Construction Fund. He is also a member of Mayor Bloomberg’s Educational Advisory Panel.
“As a product of CUNY, I’m looking forward to bringing my commitment, passion, skills and global perspective to help the University realize its vision,” Berry said, adding that he hoped to continue using his background in global initiatives to benefit the University.
Trustee Morales is a prominent psychiatrist and community leader who is Vice Chairperson of the Board’s Committee on Academic Policy, Program, and Research. Trustee Morales said he wants to continue his efforts to bring the University’s programs and services into immigrant communities. Trustee Morales has served on the Board since his appointment in June of 2002. Prior to that he was the Medical Director of the Bronx Medical Health Center, which he established and organized in 1965. He has also served as Director of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Francis Hospital in the Bronx. Trustee Morales is the Senior Advisor for New York City Affairs to Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez and has helped lead many successful student and teacher exchange programs with universities in the Dominican Republic.
“I see CUNY as the heart of the City of New York,” Dr. Morales said. He noted that his recent efforts have involved setting up “different programs to motivate students to come to CUNY.” The idea, he said, is to “bring CUNY to the community.”
The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university. CUNY is comprised of twenty three institutions: eleven senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, the Graduate School and University Center, the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, the CUNY School of Law at Queens College, the CUNY School of Professional Studies, and the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education. The University serves more than 226,000 degree-credit students and 230,000 adult, continuing and professional education students. College Now, the University’s academic enrichment program for 32,500 high school students is offered at CUNY campuses and more than 280 high schools throughout the five boroughs of the City of New York. The University has launched an on-line baccalaureate degree through the School of Professional Studies, and a new Teacher Academy offering free tuition for highly motivated mathematics and science majors who seek teaching careers in the city.