University Presidents Join California Campus Compact Executive Board
July 1, 2011
Three nationally-recognized university and college presidents have been named to the Board of California Campus Compact: Dianne Harrison, Ph.D, president of California State University, Monterey Bay; Gregory Gray, Ph.D, president of Riverside Community College District and Neal King, Ph.D., president of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.
San Francisco, CA — Three nationally-recognized university and college presidents have been named to the Board of California Campus Compact — a coalition of leading college and universities representing thousands of students throughout California — who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education.
The three new Board members are Dr. Dianne Harrison, president of California State University, Monterey Bay; Dr. Gregory Gray, chancellor of Riverside Community College District, and Dr. Neal King, president of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. They join a distinguished group of leaders from across California representing all sectors of higher education. The Board guides the organization in its mission of building the collective capacity of colleges and universities to advance civic and community engagement throughout the State, recommends programs, plans and budgets that sustain and promote the vision and mission of the organization, and exercises oversight and stewardship of the resources of California Campus Compact.
"We are thrilled to have these dedicated and accomplished leaders join our Board," notes California Campus Compact Executive Director Elaine Ikeda, "Our board represents the different sectors of higher education, and reflects the power of collaboration across private, public and community college lines. We are honored to have these individuals with us. " Drs. Harrison, Gray and King are assuming the seats on the Board held by Brian Murphy, Ph.D., president of De Anza College and J. Michael Ortiz, Ph.D., of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Both Drs. Murphy and Ortiz served two consecutive three-year terms on the Executive Board – the maximum allowed by the California Campus Compact by-laws.
Neal King – Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
Dr. Neal King became the president of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP), in Palo Alto on May 2, 2011. Prior to returning to Northern California, Dr. King was appointed the first president of Antioch University, Los Angeles in 2007 where he served for five years. Dr. King was the founding director of the Doctorate in Psychology program at John F. Kennedy University in the East Bay, the founding Orange County, California campus president of the University of Sarasota, and provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at an art and design college in Colorado. Dr. King joined Antioch University in the fall of 2004 as Antioch New England's Academic Dean and nine months later, was appointed interim president there. Dr. King also serves as a volunteer consultant for three of the six regional accrediting bodies for Higher Education in the United States, including the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Dr. King holds a master's and doctorate in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and was in private practice in the Bay Area for 14 years. He has served in a variety of faculty and administrative positions in non-profit, international, public and private for-profit and state settings. He began his distinguished career as an educator as a high school teacher and counselor in Northern California, London, Laos and Algeria.
Dianne Harrison – CSU Monterey Bay
Recently, CSU Monterey Bay was named one of six universities across the country on the 2010 President's Honor Roll, the nation's top recognition for community service. This was due in part to Dr. Dianne Harrison's continued support of civic engagement. Dr. Harrison assumed the presidency of California State University, Monterey Bay in June 2006. She had a 30 year career at Florida State University in Tallahassee and served in a variety of different capacities, including faculty, dean of social work, associate professor for academic affairs, and vice president for academic quality and external programs. She holds a Ph.D. in social work from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's of social work and a bachelor's in American Studies, both from the University of Alabama. Her academic and research areas of expertise include HIV prevention among women and minority populations and higher education issues related to social work and university leadership. She is a prolific researcher and writer, and has published dozens of articles and two books. Dr. Harrison has been a role model for community involvement, and has served on boards and committees of over 60 national, state and local organizations and community projects. She and her husband live on campus and have two children. She grew up in Mobile, Alabama and Short Hills, New Jersey.
Gregory Gray – Riverside Community College District
Dr. Gregory W. Gray became the chancellor of the Riverside Community College District (RCCD), the seventh oldest community college district in California, on July 1, 2009. Prior to joining the RCCD, Dr. Gray served as the president of Miami Dade College's Kendall Campus in Florida; chancellor of the Fayette Campus of Penn State University; dean for the School of Business, Hospitality, and Nursing at the SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology in Morrisville, NY; chief academic officer at the University of Cincinnati's Clermont College; and vice president for Academic Affairs at Olive-Harvey College of the City Colleges of Chicago. Dr. Gray has over 30 years of experience in higher education, fundraising and expertise in workforce development. Dr. Gray holds a bachelor in science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a master's degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh, and a doctorate in Education from Penn State University. He and his wife have two adult children and three grandchildren.
