The Hudson Valley Community Board of Trustees voted to fire suspended president Roger Ramsammy on Tuesday evening.

NewsChannel 13 was first to report the troubles Ramsammy was facing.

Ramsammy was placed on paid administrative leave at the board’s meeting on May 15 – about six weeks after a sexual harassment claim was made against him. The college hired a third party to investigate the complaint.

Sources have told 13Investigates that the complaint was made by a college employee.

Ramsammy makes $275,000 annually, according to SeeThroughNY.net.

NewsChannel 13 reported on Monday of the faculty’s concern about a lack of updates on the investigation.

In addition, the faculty union president said contract negotiations have been on hold during the investigation.

The Board of Trustees went into executive session around 5 p.m., with a decision reached a couple of hours later.

HVCC released this statement:

Hudson Valley Community College Board of Trustees Ends Contract with President Ramsammy

During its June 25 meeting, Hudson Valley Community College’s Board of Trustees voted to terminate, with cause, its contract with Dr. Roger Ramsammy. Former Vice President for Student Affairs Louis Coplin remains officer in charge, at this time. Dr. Roger Ramsammy has served as president of Hudson Valley since July 2018. 

As previously shared, the board placed Dr. Ramsammy on administrative leave at a special meeting on May 15 following a Human Resources complaint filed against him. The college remains unable to share specific details of that complaint due to the confidentiality and privacy requirements of ongoing personnel and legal matters.

However, members of our community must know that the college and its Board of Trustees follow clearly established policies and procedures for addressing any employee complaint, claim or allegation in a fair, thorough and expeditious manner. 

I want to stress that the Board wishes to send a strong message that Hudson Valley does not tolerate inappropriate behavior by any or toward any member of the college community.

Louis Coplin recently retired from full-time service following more than 35 years of leadership at the college, and he has the full confidence of the board to lead the institution during this time of transition. I am grateful for his willingness to serve as officer in charge, despite his recent retirement.

Hudson Valley remains one of the nation’s premier colleges, and we are certainly well positioned to continue to expand programming and services throughout the region in the year ahead. 

We look forward to working with the campus community as we commence a presidential search process. Additional information will be provided in the coming weeks.

At this time, we do not have additional public comment. Thank you for your continued dedication to the college and our students during this period. 

Neil Kelleher, Chair, Hudson Valley Community College Board of Trustees.

Statement from HVCC Faculty Association President, Robert Whitaker

The Hudson Valley Community College Faculty Association agrees with the Board of Trustees’ decision to terminate Dr. Roger Ramsammy’s contract as President of Hudson Valley Community College. We believe this action was necessary to address the concerns that have arisen.

While we respect the Board’s adherence to confidentiality concerning specific details of the investigation, it is crucial that the campus community be informed about the outcome of the investigation. We ask that the Board provide an update on the status of the investigation. As employees of the college, we deserve to know the outcome of the current investigation. Providing clarity on the current progress and the next steps in the process will help build trust and provide much-needed reassurance to our community.

We urge the Board to review and strengthen their policies and procedures to ensure that any future situations are handled with enhanced communication and support for employees. Transparent and timely updates are essential to maintaining the integrity and confidence in our institution.