BMCC Community,
It is my great pleasure to welcome Joy B. Tolliver, Esq., as Acting Assistant Vice President for Legal Affairs and Labor Relations.
Ms. Tolliver will oversee BMCC’s legal team to ensure compliance with city, state and federal laws, as well as with CUNY bylaws, policies and collective bargaining agreements. She will also provide guidance to help ensure that the College’s labor practices are in accordance with BMCC’s mission and strategic priorities and serve as the BMCC liaison to the CUNY Office of General Counsel and the CUNY Office of Labor Relations.
Ms. Tolliver is well-versed in federal and state laws, regulations and best practices for anti-discrimination. She has applied her expertise in developing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) solutions in the workplace to support higher education organizations as they worked to promote a culture of inclusivity. This has included the securing of stakeholder buy-in and the development of partnerships that ensure access and equity for all students.
Most recently, Ms. Tolliver served as Chief Executive Officer at Solutions for Antiracism, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (SADIE), a consulting firm that provides support for higher education institutions facing DEIB-related issues. As the CEO at SAIDE, Ms. Tolliver also provided counsel on DEIB best practices and coached leadership and faculty on how to sustain a culture of inclusivity and belonging.
Prior to her role at SADIE, Ms. Tolliver was Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and General Counsel at Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York. She served as General Counsel and Administrator at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey, and was an attorney in the Education Law/Labor and Employment Law Group at Weiner Lesniak, LLP in Parsippany, New Jersey.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Tolliver founded and directed the Legal Studies Internship Program at Essex County College. She has served as an adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School, Monroe College, Essex County College, and the New Jersey City University, Graduate School of Education.
Ms. Tolliver is currently completing her Doctor of Education degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University. In 2021, she was awarded a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. She was a fellow at the Chair Leadership Academy for Higher Education Administrators. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fordham University.
Please join me in welcoming Joy B. Tolliver to BMCC.
Thank you,
Anthony E. Munroe
President, Borough of Manhattan Community College
