CUNY Seeks State Investigation Following City College of New York President’s Departure
Lisa Coico resigned Friday; CUNY board chairman sends request to inspector general
CUNY Chancellor James B. Milliken, shown here at a commencement in June 2014, notified City College of New York students and faculty of the university president’s resignation on Friday. PHOTO: JASON ANDREW FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
The City University of New York said Sunday it is seeking a “comprehensive investigation” by the state after the former president of its flagship school, City College of New York, allegedly misused funds to pay for personal expenses.
According to a letter sent by CUNY board chairman William Thompson Jr. to New York’s inspector general, City College’s former president, Lisa Coico,improperly used money four years ago from 21st Century Foundation, a nonprofit tied to the college.
Ms. Coico was told by a CUNY lawyer to return the funds, according to Mr. Thompson’s letter, but the college “discovered that in fact she did not return all the funds, despite her representations to the contrary.”
“This matter raises concerns with respect to the relationships not only between City College and its affiliated foundation but more generally between all CUNY colleges and all such entities,” he wrote.
Ms. Coico resigned Friday, CUNY said, and its chancellor, James B. Milliken,notified students, faculty and other members of the university community in a letter sent that day. Her resignation came in the wake of other investigations into her finances, according to university officials.
Lisa Coico, who resigned Friday as president of City College of New York, at a May 2014 event in New York City. PHOTO: MATTHEW PEYTON/GETTY IMAGES FOR STELLAR PRODUCTIONS
Ms. Coico declined to comment on Sunday. She has previously denied wrongdoing.
Mary Erina Driscoll, City College’s interim provost, was named its administrator in charge until an interim president is appointed at CUNY’s next board of trustees meeting, scheduled for Oct. 26.
Mr. Milliken, in his letter, said a national search would begin soon, adding “I can assure you that the board of trustees and I are focused on the steps necessary to ensure that CCNY continues to serve its students.”
According to CUNY, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Robert L. Capers, has been investigating whether Ms. Coico used funds from a nonprofit affiliated with the university to pay for personal expenses. A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment.
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Mr. Thompson’s letter asks the inspector general, Catherine Leahy Scott, to review the school’s handling of Ms. Coico, its procurement policy and CUNY’s use of foundations.
“Each school has its own foundation and a very broad definition of eligible expenses with very few apparent controls,” he wrote.
CUNY began its own investigation over the summer, hiring independent counsel “to review issues related to compensation and expenses of the City College president,” it said.
The review is ongoing and led by Andrew J. Levander, chairman at Dechert LLP and a former assistant U.S. attorney. He didn’t respond to a request for comment.
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CUNY plans to form a search committee to find a new City College president, including students, faculty, alumni, trustees and likely a college president outside of the CUNY system, according to a person familiar with the school’s hiring process.
Ms. Coico’s resignation comes during a tumultuous year for CUNY. Its faculty reached an agreement with the school’s administration over the summer, giving instructors their first new contract in nearly seven years. Earlier in the year, city and state officials clashed over Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to cut state funding for the university.
Write to Zolan Kanno-Youngs at zolan.kanno-youngs@wsj.com
