Elsa Nunez

Prior to joining the Eastern community, Dr. Núñez served as Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs in the University of Maine System from 2003 to 2006. Before her appointment in Maine, Dr. Núñez served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Lesley University. From 1993 to 1997 she was University Dean for Academic Affairs and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the City University of New York. Dr. Núñez also served as Associate Dean of Faculty at the College of Staten Island of The City University of New York from 1986 to 1992. Dr. Núñez also has held positions as a tenured faculty member at Ramapo State College, the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York, and Lehman College of the City University of New York. She is the author of “Pursuing Diversity” (1992) and has published numerous articles in the areas of language acquisition, diversity, academic attainment in higher education, cultural differences in education and retention. Dr. Núñez received her B.A. from Montclair State College, an M.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a doctorate in linguistics from Rutgers University. In addition to serving on the American Council on Education’s Council of Fellows and the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Presidents Trust, Dr. Núñez also serves on the boards of such organizations as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, Hartford Healthcare, and Leadership Greater Hartford. Dr. Núñez recently completed her term as chair of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Núñez is married to Dr. Richard Freeland, former president of Northeastern University and current Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Massachusetts. They have two children, Maria, an anesthesiologist in Miami, Florida, and Antony, a college counselor for the University of Connecticut who lives in Manchester, Connecticut.