Jim Malatras, the chancellor of SUNY, the State University of New York, is resigning effective Jan. 14 after having faced sharp criticism for helping to defend former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo from claims of sexual harassment and other improper behavior. SUNY operates 64 campuses across the state and has more than 400,000 students.
In recent days, charges surfaced that Malatras had worked behind the scenes with members of Cuomo’s staff to defend the embattled governor when he was facing increasingly louder calls to resign and was also facing possible impeachment by the state legislature.
Text messages released by Attorney General Letitia James that had been gathered during her investigations into Cuomo”™s actions revealed that Malatras had used profanity in referencing one of the women who accused Cuomo. In another matter, an audio recording from 2017 surfaced in which Malatras was heard berating an employee of Rockefeller College.
In his resignation letter dated Dec. 9 and sent to Merryl Tisch, chairman of the SUNY Board of Trustees, Malatras said, “The recent events surrounding me over the past week have become a distraction over the important work that needs to be accomplished as SUNY emerges from Covid-19. I believe deeply in an individual”™s ability to evolve, change, and grow, but I also believe deeply in SUNY and would never want to be an impediment to its success. Therefore, please accept my resignation effective January 14, 2022 as SUNY”™s Chancellor.”
Malatras characterized SUNY as “the jewel of the Empire State” and said that it has been a privilege to serve as its leader. Malatras assumed the post as SUNY”™s 14th chancellor in August of 2020.
On Dec. 3, the SUNY Board of Trustees issued a statement of support that said, in part, “Jim Malatras has been an outstanding leader of SUNY through one of the most trying times in our history and has the support of the SUNY Board of Trustees. He’s acknowledged he made a mistake, taken full responsibility for it, and apologized appropriately. He is fully focused on the critical work of keeping our facilities open and our students and faculty safe through the ongoing pandemic.”
Plans for finding a replacement for Malatras were not immediately announced.
