As calls for resignation grow, what's next for SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras?

NEW YORK - What’s next for SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras?

That is the question dividing political leaders as new information about his time working with former Governor Andrew Cuomo has come to light over recent weeks. Now, the SUNY University Faculty Senate is calling for an independent investigation into Malatras.

"If that does come to fruition and he is under investigation, I think that is going to be a distraction for him in running the SUNY system and advocating for the SUNY system before the Legislature," Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo said.

Assemblyman Gandolfo, who also sits on the Assembly Higher Education Committee, is not alone in calling for Malatras to resign or be removed from his position. A group of 31 Assembly members wrote a letter to the SUNY Board of Trustees, asking that they terminate Malatras.

"Chancellor Malatras has lost our confidence that he has the credibility or character to lead the nation’s largest public university so vital to the educational aspirations of hundreds of thousands of SUNY students," the letter read.

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The Attorney General’s Office released messages from their sexual harassment investigation into former Governor Andrew Cuomo, showing that Malatras texted profanity-laced insults about Lindsey Boylan, Cuomo’s first accuser.

"Malatras to Boylan: Go f—k yourself," wrote Malatras in a text to Cuomo aides in 2019.

"Let’s release some of her cray (crazy) emails," he wrote in another text.

This was 18 months before Boylan stepped forward with her sexual harassment allegations.

Now lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing for Malatras to step down.

"He, number one, never would have become Chancellor if he had not been a henchman for Governor Cuomo," Senator John Liu said. Liu sits on the Senate Higher Education Committee. "Number two, the messages that he articulated in the past that have now come to light demonstrate that he has fomented a really hostile work environment."

Governor Kathy Hochul has remained neutral on the issue, saying it is "out of her control," but Assemblyman Harvey Epstein says this is an opportunity for her to show leadership.

"I think she should call on him to resign," Assemblyman Epstein said. "I think a direct call from the Governor would be helpful."

Yet, lawmakers are split.

While the Assembly Chair of Higher Education, Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, wants to see Malatras step down, the Senate Chair Toby Ann Stavisky says it is up to the SUNY Board of Trustees.

The Board, UUP and PEF all have come out in support of the Chancellor pointing to his written apology and his leadership during the pandemic.

"We were horrified that this kind of language would be used to refer to a former colleague," UUP President Fred Kowal explained "Having said that, we were we were glad that the Chancellor offered an apology last Friday and delivered it to the entire SUNY community…Beyond that, we have felt that our working relationship with the Chancellor over the past year and a half, specifically on the area of COVID safety has been outstanding quite frankly."

Kowal says stability in leadership is crucial during a time when SUNY is gearing up to negotiate its budget with the Legislature.

"We are facing the most crucial budget year probably in the last decade and it is imperative that we can go forward with a strong advocacy team both from UUP and SUNY to get the best budget possible," Kowal said.

But not all lawmakers agree that Malatras is the best person to step forward for this job.

"He’s damaged his credibility among the Senate and the Assembly, the people that he’s going to have to come to during budget season to get some funding for SUNY," Gandolfo said.

Malatras did issue a written apology last week to Lindsey Boylan and the entire SUNY system last Friday.