SUNY Chancellor, Ex-Cuomo Confidant Malatras Resigns From Post

NEW YORK CITY — Jim Malatras, the chancellor of the State University of New York and former confidant of ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, will resign from his post in mid-January after he wrote in a letter Thursday stating that calls his job have become a distraction from a job he called the “highest honor” in his lifetime in public service.

Malatras’ letter of resignation does not mention the mounting pressure for him to be fired specifically but said that “recent events” have taken away from the important work of overseeing the SUNY system. The New York Post reported Thursday that Gov. Kathy Hochul was among those who said that Malatras needed to go after text messages sent by Malatras that made inappropriate and disparaging remarks about a former Cuomo aide surfaced.

"[T]he 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," Malatras wrote in his resignation letter, which was submitted to SUNY Board of Trustees Chairperson Dr. Merryl Tisch. "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."

He added: "It is no exaggeration that the SUNY system is the jewel of the Empire State and it has been my privilege to serve as its leader."

The letter states that Malatras will resign effective Jan. 14.

The text messages displayed a pattern of how the university administrator mistreated those around him. The texts were part of Attorney General Letitia James’ investigations into allegations of sexual assault by Cuomo.

Reports also indicated Thursday that Malatras was closely tied to a $5.1 million Cuomo COVID-19 memoir and that he served as an editor and fact-checker on the project.

The Post reported that Hocul made a call to Tisch on Wednesday night and expressed the need for Malatras to be fired. The newspaper reported that the chancellor was in discussions about his position with trustees on Wednesday night. Also on Wednesday, a letter signed by 31 state lawmakers urged for Malatras to be removed from his role.

However, it is widely believed that trustees and Tisch did not want to see Malatras go, the newspaper reported.

“We want to thank Dr. Jim Malatras for his extraordinary service to the entire SUNY system,” trustees said in a statement issued by SUNY. “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.”

However, lawmakers said that Malatras stepping down from the position was the best thing for the university system and its students.

“The women of New York have been heard,” the letter’s author, Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright (D-Manhattan) said Thursday, according to the Post. “The SUNY Board should name an interim chancellor and launch a national search where all highly qualified candidates— including women and people of color— may apply for the permanent position. It is a new beginning for SUNY.”