The City College of New York
OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Convent Avenue & 138th Street
New York, NY 10031
 

Gregory H. Williams
President
 
Gregory H. Williams is the 11th president of The City College of New York, the flagship college of The City University of New York and one of the oldest public universities in the United States, established in 1847.

Since his arrival in August of 2001, his leadership has brought the College increased national recognition. In two short years, the College increased its enrollment by more than 20%; these numbers add to a student body that, according to the US News and World Report, is the most diverse college campus in the nation where Hispanics make up the largest minority. During his tenure, the College has increased its research grant support by nearly 50%, bringing in more than $46 million last year. In addition, The City College moved from the third to the second tier among its peer institutions in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2003 issue of "America's Best Colleges," and ranks solidly in the first tier on such factors as academic reputation, faculty, and student selectivity.

Dr. Williams has five earned degrees, including the J.D. and a Ph.D. from George Washington University, and he is the holder of three honorary doctorates. He has been a university administrator for nearly thirty years, holding a wide variety of posts at The George Washington University, The University of Iowa, and The Ohio State University. Immediately prior to assuming the presidency of The City College of New York, Dr. Williams served as Dean and The Carter C. Kissell Professor of Law, The Ohio State University. Early in his career Dr. Williams was a Deputy Sheriff, and later worked as an aide to a United States Senator.

Dr. Williams has published three books and a number of articles. He is best known for his award-winning and best selling memoir, Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black. As a result of his autobiography he has been featured on a number of national programs, including Oprah, Dateline NBC with Tom Brokaw, Larry King Live, ABC's Nightline with Ted Koppell and Fresh Air with Terri Gross of National Public Radio. In 1995, Life on the Color Line was selected as Book of the Year by the Los Angeles Times. In 1996 the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Human Rights in North America named Life on the Color Line an "Outstanding Book on the Subject of Human Rights," and it is often required reading for many entering students at the nation's colleges and universities. Depasse Entertainment and Showtime Productions have announced plans for the movie version of Dr. Williams’ autobiography.

Dr. Williams has authored articles and book reviews for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. In 1999 he was named the first recipient of the National Bar Association's A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Preservation of Human and Civil Rights. Also in 1999 he was selected as "Dean of the Year" by the National Association of Public Interest Law. He is a past President of the Association of American Law Schools, and a member of the Commission on Minorities in Higher Education of the American Council on Education and an appointee of the American Bar Association to the Board of Directors of the Council on Legal Education.
 

President Williams' Commencement Remarks: