Dr. Timothy L. Hall to Retire as 12th President of Mercy College in June 2023

Dr. Timothy L. Hall announced today that he will retire from his position as President of Mercy College in June 2023 after nine years.

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y., April 22, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Dr. Timothy L. Hall announced today that he will retire from his position as President of Mercy College in June 2023 after nine years.

Hall joined Mercy College in 2014 from Austin Peay State University where he served as the President. His tenure at Mercy College is cemented by his tireless efforts of service to the College through student success initiatives, academic excellence, fiscal stability and commitment to establishing impactful relationships within the communities in which the College serves.

"The Board and I express our sincere gratitude to Tim for his years of dedication in helping to erase the equity gap for all students at Mercy College, his financial acumen in ensuring Mercy's financial stability and his dedication to transforming the lives of our students," said Joe Gantz, Mercy College Chairman of the Board of Trustees. "In the coming weeks we will share more details on the selection process for the next College President and I hope you will all join me in celebrating Tim for his unwavering service and dedication to Mercy College."

Recognized as New York's largest, private, nonprofit Hispanic Serving Institution, Hall is lauded for continuing the 72-year legacy of Mercy and for his steadfast leadership through the unprecedented and ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic. He is responsible for many impactful initiatives including increasing retention and graduation rates, improving career success outcomes, ensuring financial stability with a robust endowment and an 'A' financial rating from Standard & Poor's, solidifying the agreement with the College of New Rochelle to teach-out 1,800 students and launching the Division of Workforce Credentialing and Community Impact. Additionally, under his leadership, the College was recognized by the White House in 2015 as a "Bright Spot in Hispanic Education."

"After nearly eight years of service at Mercy College, my wife and I are announcing our intent to retire in a little more than a year. As has happened to us before, we relocated to New York in 2014, expecting to undertake a new job and discovering instead a new home," said Tim Hall, Mercy College President. "We have come to love the students, the faculty, the staff, and the alumni of Mercy College, with their wonderfully different hopes and dreams and histories, all finding shelter among the academic structures established by the Sisters of Mercy nearly three-quarters of a century ago. We wish the College a prosperous and meaningful future, continuing its mission of being consumed in service."

Highlights of President Hall's service to Mercy College include:

Student Success – Paramount to his work at Mercy, President Hall established a series of scalable, evidence-based strategies to increase rates of achievement for all students and especially for students of color known as the Mercy Success Toolkit. He expanded the nationally recognized PACT Mentoring Program designed to provide student mentorship and counseling. Through these efforts, there has been a 5.2 percentage point improvement in retention and an 18.8 percentage point improvement in six-year graduation rates.

Narrowing the Equity Gap – Through his dedication to erasing the equity gap among all students, especially students of color, President Hall has worked to bring awareness to systemic racism within higher education with numerous Op-Eds in national publications.

Teach-Out Agreement with the College of New Rochelle – In 2019 Mercy finalized a teach-out agreement with the College of New Rochelle (CNR) to provide a seamless pathway to graduation for more than 1,800 students facing uncertainty when CNR closed. Centered on the shared mission of service, the agreement also ensured the preservation of CNR's 118-year-old history and through the establishment of a CNR Legacy Fund and alumni program dedicated to its 50,000 alumni.

Strong Financial Standing – In 2021 Mercy's 'A' credit rating was reaffirmed by Standard & Poor's Rating Services shining a spotlight on Mercy's keen fiscal management as well as the College's leadership in addressing the needs of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Economic Impact – President Hall serves on the board of the Westchester County Association and under his leadership, Mercy has been an economic driver in the community with a total economic impact of more than $400 million.

MercyManhattan Campus Expansion – In 2018 Mercy expanded and fully renovated its MercyManhattan Campus in New York City's famed Herald Square to 95,000 square feet to include enhanced academic space for students and faculty, state-of-the-art classrooms, contemporary "living room" spaces and Dorm 34.

Donor Supported Scholarship Programs – One of the scholarship programs established under President Hall's leadership was the Mercy Scholars Program developed with lead donors to enable high-achieving students to graduate with little to no debt.

Recognition and Distinctions – Through President Hall's tenure, Mercy has been federally recognized as both a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Yellow Ribbon School for Veterans and awarded the Best College in Westchester by Westchester Magazine in 2019 and 2020. President Hall has been recognized for his leadership by City & State Magazine in their Power 100 List for Westchester and New York City, awarded the Individual Changemaker Award by Nonprofit Westchester, the Effective Leadership Award by The Latino Center on Aging and the Distinguished Leader Award by Education Update.

More information on plans to celebrate President Hall's lasting impact will be shared in the coming months. If you would like to schedule an interview with President Hall, please contact Laura Plunkett at [email protected] or 914.674.7736.

About Mercy College
Founded in 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy College is an independent, coeducational college that offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs within five schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The vibrancy of the College culture is sustained by a diverse student body from around the region. The College has campuses in Dobbs Ferry, Bronx and Manhattan as well as online offerings.

Media Contact

Laura Plunkett, Mercy College, 914-674-7736, [email protected]

SOURCE Mercy College