Bernadette Hogan, Carl Campanile, and Ben Kesslen report in the New York Post that SUNY Chancellor James Malatras resigned Dec. 9 after several politicians and groups called for his resignation for smearing one of the women alleging sexual harassment by ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. On Dec. 8, more than 30 Assembly members signed onto a letter calling for his resignation or firing. “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,” Malatras wrote in a letter to SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman 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 therefore please accept my resignation effective January 14, 2022 as SUNY’s Chancellor.” An anonymous source claims Gov. Kathy Hochul called SUNY board chairman Merryl Tisch Dec. 8, saying the situation “was untenable and not good for SUNY,” according to the source. An audio recording released by the Albany Times Union earlier this week included Malatras berating a staffer also contributed to the calls for his resignation. Malatras was appointed by former Gov. Cuomo after working as an official on Cuomo’s COVID-19 task force. “The audio showed there was a pattern of mistreating staff,” an anonymous higher education source told the newspaper. “There will be a demand with SUNY from faculty and students for the Board of Trustees to conduct a national search to find a new chancellor, which was bypassed to appoint Malatras last year at Andrew Cuomo’s behest.” Read more about this story in the New York Post.