ALBANY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – Chair of the Higher Education Committee, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, is calling for the resignation of SUNY Chancellor Dr. Jim Malatras.
Following growing calls for Malatras to resign over the weekend, Chairwoman Glick joins the list of people in favor of the Chancellor being removed from office.
“For the sake of the future of SUNY, I believe it is most appropriate for the Chancellor to resign or be removed by the SUNY Board of Trustees.”
assemblymember deborah glick, chair, higher education committee
This comes as reports of disturbing text messages and emails sent by Malatras were made public last week as part of the New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into sexual harassment allegations against former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
In the statement released by Assemblymember Glick on Monday, she wrote, “It is important that the country’s largest university system search for a true academic leader who can set SUNY on a course to continue to attract a diverse and talented student body to its superb and varied colleges.”
She went on to say, “It is more critical that students and their families have confidence that their college will be free of sexual harassment and bias of any kind. It is disturbing to learn that in the midst of managing the COVID crisis, Dr. Malatras is reported to have engaged in conduct meant to undermine serious allegation against former Governor Cuomo.”
The newly released documents confirm Malatras sent emails using expletives to some of Andrew Cuomo’s highest members of office in 2019 about Lindsey Boylan, a former aide to the governor and first woman to publicly accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment allegations in December 2020.
“I do not believe that recent revelations of the Chancellor’s involvement in defaming those who accused the former Governor of sexual harassment can in any way assure students and families that the commitment to a harassment-free environment will be honored, especially in instances where a prominent member of the university faces credible charges,” Chairwoman Glick wrote.
Read the full statement here:
Meanwhile, some are supporting Chancellor Malatras in this process, including the SUNY Board of Trustees, The New York State Public Employees Federation and United University Professions/AFT Local 2190 and some SUNY Student Ambassadors.
“As SUNY student leaders representing a wide diversity of students, we were disappointed to see a blanket statement issued by the SUNY Student Assembly asking Chancellor Malatras to step down. We strongly disagree,” SUNY EOP Student Ambassadors wrote.
Read their full statement below:
