For Immediate Release

June 2, 2020

“According to published reports, Chancellor Kristina Johnson is resigning as SUNY chancellor. Assuming the reports are correct, her departure leaves me dismayed and disappointed given its inopportune timing.

“Right now, the University is wrestling with how to safely reopen campuses in the fall after being forced to shut down for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. SUNY also faces a financial situation that has gone from precarious to critical because of the pandemic.

"SUNY desperately needs steady leadership as campuses plan for the fall. On June 1, UUP released its guidelines to safely reopen SUNY campuses. However, we have heard little from SUNY and almost nothing from the chancellor on this issue.

“We had high hopes for Chancellor Johnson when we welcomed her to SUNY in 2017. While we are dismayed at the timing of her departure, we wish her well in her next endeavor.

"We look forward to working closely with Chairman Merryl Tisch and and all of the SUNY trustees to ensure that our students, our members, and the communities in which they study, work and live are safe this fall. Together we can strive to make our University System the safest and finest in the country. UUP will not shrink from that challenge.”