Robert Berne was named Senior Vice President for Health in May 2002; he was promoted to Executive Vice President for Health in 2010. 

In this post, Berne is responsible for working with deans and other University leaders on long-term academic, financial, and operational strategies for the wide range of health activities at NYU. In addition to developing strategies for the University's health and health-related programs, he is also be the principal liaison with the NYU Hospitals Center and the Mt. Sinai/NYU Health organization, and the point person for NYU's academic affiliation with the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine.

Berne previously held the position of Vice President for Academic and Health Affairs 2000-2002, and Vice President for Academic Development 1996-2000. From 1994 to 1997, he was dean of NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and served as associate dean from 1988 to 1993. He has been a faculty member at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service since 1976, and was a founder and co-director of NYU's Institute for Education and Social Policy. From 1989 to 1991, he served as executive director of the New York State Temporary Commission on New York City School Governance, also known as the Marchi Commission.

A scholar of public education policy and financing, he furnished critical expert analysis and testimony in the landmark school finance case, CFE v. The State of New York. His books and studies include: The Measurement of Equity in School Finance (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1984), co-authored with Professor Leanna Stiefel of NYU's Wagner School; co-authorship of Hard Lessons: Public Schools and Privatization (Twentieth Century Fund Press, 1996) with Carol Ascher and Norm Fruchter of NYU's Institute for Education and Social Policy; The Relationships Between Financial Reporting and the Measurement of Financial Condition, for the Government Accounting Standards Board in 1992; and co-authorship of The Financial Analysis of Governments (Prentice-Hall, 1986) with Richard Schramm. He has published in numerous journals, including The Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Policy Analysis, Policy Science, and Public Administration Review, among others. In 1986, he was a recipient of NYU's Great Teacher Award.

Berne received his B.S. (with distinction), his M.B.A., and his Ph.D. from Cornell University.