Appointment of University Counsel Elizabeth Cheung-Gaffney and Establishment of the Office of Legal Affairs

Dear Adelphi Community,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Cheung-Gaffney, JD, as Adelphi University's general counsel, as well as the formal establishment of the Office of Legal Affairs.

This strategic shift to internal legal counsel was one of my first priorities after taking office in June. Adelphi has traditionally relied on outsourced legal services from external law firms, and transitioning to a dedicated, in-house legal model will allow us to operate with significantly greater efficiency, improve response times, reduce external legal costs and provide proactive, hands-on guidance to units across our University. In the evolving landscape of higher education regulations, governance and compliance, having on-campus legal leadership integrated into our daily operations will prove essential to our long-term success.

About Elizabeth Cheung-Gaffney

Liz brings a wealth of higher education, administrative and legal expertise to Adelphi, making her a highly respected leader in regional higher education circles. Most recently, she served as university counsel and secretary to the board of trustees at Long Island University (LIU), where she managed university compliance, board governance, collective bargaining agreements, litigation, student affairs and NCAA compliance.

Prior to LIU, Liz served as general counsel and interim executive director for New York University's Office of the President Emeritus, as well as general counsel and senior program officer for The Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education. Earlier in her career, she was a first-chair litigation and arbitration attorney with the New York City Department of Education's General Counsel Office and practiced complex commercial litigation at law firms in Washington, D.C., and New York.

Liz earned her Juris Doctor from Notre Dame Law School, where she served on the Journal of Legislation staff. She completed her B.A. in Economics and Political Science at Columbia University. At Columbia, she was an Academic All-Ivy League soccer student-athlete. She was inducted into the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. Liz is also a published scholar on sports law and humanitarian development.

Office Structure and Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the president, the newly established Office of Legal Affairs oversees and manages all university legal matters, risk management and regulatory compliance.

The following units benefit from this new organizational structure:

• Contracts and Policies: Oversight of university contract review, management and institutional policy frameworks now fall under the Office of Legal Affairs.
• Office of Community Concerns and Resolutions: This office reports directly to University Counsel.
• Title IX Office: University Counsel provides executive legal oversight and administrative supervision for the Title IX Office, ensuring full compliance with federal, state and institutional standards.

I look forward to working closely with Liz and the Office of Legal Affairs as it develops into a trusted resource and partner to everyone in our community. If you have any questions about this restructuring or how you can engage with Legal Affairs, feel free to contact me.

Please join me in warmly welcoming Liz to Adelphi as she helps guide our institution forward.

Sincerely,

Michael Balboni '81, JD
President