Tim Hall announced he is retiring from his position as President of Mercy College in June of 2023. His legacy started nine years ago after relocating to New York in 2014.

“Expecting to undertake a new job and discovering instead a new home. 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,” said Hall.

Hall will leave behind a series of accomplishments during his role, including his role in researching and implementing student success with the Mercy Success Toolkit, the Mercy Scholars Program, and the expansion of the Manhattan campus. 

During his time in office, Mercy was awarded an A credit rating by Standard & Poor Rating Service due to fiscal management and the college’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hall was also able to narrow equity gaps and provide higher retention and graduation rates through the Toolkit programs. 

“The Board of Trustees and I are grateful to President Hall for his dedication to the students of Mercy College, and we are proud of the extraordinary accomplishments of the College under his leadership,” said the Chair of Board of Trustees, Joe Gantz in a statement.

Gantz also stated the Board is committed to building upon “the legacy of success” Hall is leaving behind, including the student retention and maintaining the college’s financial position.

During Hall’s presidency, Mercy was recognized by Diverse Magazine as being one of the largest not-for-profit institutions serving Hispanics and African-Americans and by the White House as a “bright spot in Hispanic education.” 

 In the fall 2019, Mercy signed a teach-out agreement with the College of New Rochelle (CNR), providing a graduation path to students after the CNR announced it would be closing. 

 “I have timed things to make sure we had plenty of time together to accomplish some important ongoing projects, including preparation for our Middle States reaccreditation, completion of bargaining for our first contract with our adjunct union, and to give the Board plenty of time to conduct a national search for Mercy’s next president,” said Hall. 

 More recently, after several bargaining sessions, Hall was able to reach a “tentative agreement” with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), this agreement will allow students to finish the semester without the disruption of a possible adjunct strike. 

 “Over the next few weeks, we will be soliciting input from faculty, students, staff and alumni to inform the development of the search prospectus, an important document that will describe the college and the leadership agenda for the next president. Community members will be invited to participate in a series of conversations and a survey,” said Gantz.

He further stated he will be working alongside the Board of Trustees and Mercy’s new provost, Dr. Eva Fernandez, in the search for a new appointee.

 “I have spent a good deal of time talking with Joe Gantz, the Chair of Mercy’s Board of Trustees, Mercy’s Board of Trustees, and understand he plans to appoint a search committee soon so that the College will have ample time to identify and hire a successor before my retirement at the end of June 2023.” 

 After he retires from Mercy, Hall said he and his wife Lee will be returning to Texas, where their story began. 

 “We don’t currently know what that will look like, but are anxious to discover it together, in the company of family and friends from across our lifetimes, and connections with academic institutions spanning Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and New York.” 

Hall is closing this chapter with a wealth of memories and accomplishments that he hopes his successor can carry on and forward.

 Hall reflected, “Lee and I wish the college a prosperous and meaningful future, continuing its mission of being consumed in service.”