William Latimer, Ph.D., Former President of The College of New Rochelle, to Join Mercy College to Assist in Transition of Students

Mercy College seal

Mercy College is pleased to announce that William Latimer, Ph.D., M.P.H. will be joining Mercy as Vice President of the New Rochelle and Bronx locations. Latimer, the 14th President of The College of New Rochelle (CNR), has more than 25 years of administrative and faculty experience with several nationally recognized institutions.

In February, CNR announced it would cease academic operations and Mercy College would provide CNR students with an uninterrupted pathway to achieving their college degrees. Through this agreement, Mercy agreed to provide a seamless pathway for CNR students to continue their education without losing time, money or motivation.

Prior to joining Mercy College, Latimer has held leadership positions at CNR, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Florida, Gainesville and Lehman College, CUNY. In these roles, he advanced crucial university-community partnerships, secured major research funding, developed academic programs and promoted innovations in the public health field. In addition, Latimer is a renowned epidemiologist with a distinguished record of accomplishment.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Latimer to Mercy College as we prepare to welcome nearly 1,700 CNR students to Mercy this fall,” said Mercy College President Tim Hall. “Dr. Latimer’s wealth of experience makes him well-poised for the position and I have seen firsthand his dedication to keeping student success his top priority.”

“I am honored to join Mercy College as Vice President of the New Rochelle and Bronx locations to help ensure a seamless transition of CNR students,” said Dr. Latimer. “I look forward to working with the Mercy team to provide students with the tools to complete their degrees.”

Latimer has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and maintained a 23-year record of continuous NIH-funded research. Latimer was principal investigator and director of the State Department-Funded Humphrey Fellowship for International Fellows and the NIH-funded Drug Dependence Epidemiology Training Program at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Latimer was also the founding dean of the School of Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing at Lehman College, CUNY, and the inaugural Elizabeth Faulk endowed chair of psychology at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

Latimer holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Rhode Island; an MPH in epidemiology from the University of Minnesota; a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University; and bachelor’s degrees in English and Psychology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude.