ALBANY, N.Y. (WBEN) With calls growing louder over the past two weeks for SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras to step down, embattled Chancellor Jim Malatras submitted a letter of resignation to the SUNY Board of Trustees
Thursday morning.
Malatras said serving as the 14th SUNY President was the honor of his lifetime. He noted that recent events over the past week have become a distraction over the important work that needs to be accomplished as SUNY
emerges from the pandemic.
Malatras has come under fire for his knowledge of, and involvement in, the misconduct that occurred in the Cuomo Administration and led to former Governor Andrew Cuomo stepping down in August.
On Wednesday, more than 30 New York State Assembly members signed a letter calling for Malatras' resignation or firing.
A statement from the SUNY Board of Trustees praised Malatras to the end.
"We want to thank Jim Malatras for his extraordinary service to the entire SUNY system. The past two years have been among the most trying in SUNY's history—and Jim's leadership and collaboration with our faculty and staff have allowed our institution to continue to thrive and serve our nearly 400,000 students at 64 campuses across our state safely and in person," the board said.
Documents released by New York State Attorney General Letitia James as part of the investigation of former Governor Andrew Cuomo showed that Malatras mocked Cuomo accuser Lindsey Boylan to colleagues, harassed her on Twitter, and suggested releasing her emails.
Malatras apologized last week. The apology was accepted by the SUNY Board of Trustees.
Also, the Times Union of Albany reported this week that when Malatras led the SUNY Rockefeller Institute, he called a female employee "a misery" and "goddamn impossible."
