SLU’s Labor and Community Advisory Board is a key stakeholder in the School and plays a critical role in advancing its mission. The Board promotes the School to its various constituencies and provides tuition support for those who enroll in its programs.  It represents the School at every level of government in New York City and State, helping to secure funding to guarantee the integrity of the School for years to come. It also raises funds for scholarships; places and provides stipends for student interns; and employs graduates of the School.

The Advisory Board is committed to the principle of academic freedom and respects prerogatives of the University in determining academic and organizational policies and practices of its administrative unit.  At the same time—and on behalf of its constituents—the Board plays a pro-active role in deliberations over the School’s policies, practices, and strategic planning initiatives.  It also provides guidance to ensure that curriculum stays current and relevant to the labor movement and urban communities.

Labor & Community Representatives

Arthur Cheliotes
Chair of the Advisory Board, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies and Business Manager, CWA 1180

New York State AFL-CIO
Mario Cilento, President

New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Vincent Alvarez, President

Local 1180, Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Gloria Middleton, President

District Council 37, American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
Henry Garrido, Executive Director
(alt. Barbara Ingram-Edmonds, Dir. of Field Operations)
(alt. Stephen Johnson, Administrator, Education Fund)

Workers United (SEIU)
Edgar Romney, Secretary-Treasurer

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
George Gresham, President
(alt. Samantha Morales, Director Education/Leadership Dev)

1199SEIU Training and Upgrading Fund
Sandi Vito, Executive Director
(alt. Vilma Linares Vaughn, Deputy Executive Director)

United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
Michael Mulgrew, President
(alt. Mary Vaccaro, Vice President of Education)

Public Employees Federation (PEF)
Wayne Spence, President
(alt. Darlene Williams, Vice President)

Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), Region 2
Lester Crockett, President
(alt. Matthew D’Amico, Political Action Coordinator)

Local 237, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
Gregory Floyd, President
(alt. Bertha Aiken, Director of Education)

Consortium for Worker Education (CWE)
Joseph McDermott, Executive Director
(alt. Deborah Buxton, Deputy Director of Education)

Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Mary Kay Henry, President

Local 32BJ, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Manny Pastreich, President
(alt. Lenore Friedlaender, Assistant to the President)
(alt. Linda Nelson, Director, Thomas Shortman, Training Fund)

Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100
Richard Davis, President
(alt. Charles Jenkins, Director, Training and Upgrading Fund)

Local 94, International Union of Operating Engineers
Kuba Brown, Business Manager/Financial Secretary
(alt. Howard Styles, Director of Training)

Local 1549, NYC Clerical-Administrative Employees
James Howell, Administrator
(alt. Benjamin Borges-Hernandez, Deputy Administrator)

Professional Staff Congress (PSC)
James Davis, President

Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE)
Lowell Peterson, Executive Director

Region 9A, United Auto Workers (UAW)
Beverly Brakeman, Director
(alt. Ken Lang, Sub-Regional Director for New York City)

Local 371, Social Service Employees Union (SSEU)
Anthony Wells, President

District 1, Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Dennis G. Trainor, Vice President, CWA District 1
(alt. vacant)

New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health
Charlene Obernauer, Executive Director

Community Voices Heard
Juanita Lewis, Executive Director

New York Communities for Change
Jonathan Westin, Executive Director

New York Immigration Coalition
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director

New York State Nurses Association
Nancy Hagans, President

State & Broadway, Inc.
Richard Winsten, Esq

The NewsGuild
Susan DeCarava, President

University Representatives

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez
Chancellor,The City University of New York, (alt.Jose Luis Cruz, Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost)

James Muyskens

Graduate School and Center University Center (alt. Steve Brier, Professor of Urban Education)

Penny Lewis
Chair, Academic Governing Council, School of Labor and Urban Studies

Stephanie Luce
Chair, Labor Studies, School of Labor and Urban Studies

Steve London
Chair, Urban Studies, School of Labor and Urban Studies