This story has been updated.
Central Connecticut State University President Zulma Toro said she plans to resign in a letter circulated university-wide Wednesday morning.
The announcement came in the wake of a complaint against Toro, in which school administrators alleged she had bullied and intimidated employees.
The president of CCSU’s administrative faculty union, Lisa Bigelow, filed the complaint following an incident at an off-site leadership retreat in August. CT Examiner reported that during the retreat, Toro allegedly screamed at an administrator who contradicted her, then screamed at the rest of the staff before canceling the remainder of the event.
The complaint also alleged Toro had verbally abused staff on other occasions and made staff members take care of her mother and dog.
In her letter Wednesday, Toro made only an oblique reference to the allegations against her, writing, “It is time now for new leadership to tackle the challenges ahead. The last few weeks have been unbelievably hard on me, my family, and so many across our Central community.”
She also praised the university’s accomplishments during her tenure of almost 10 years and painted its future in optimistic tones. “We have worked hard and accomplished extraordinary things together; because of that hard work, I truly believe that Central’s best days are still to come,” Toro wrote.
The Connecticut Mirror’s attempts to reach Toro and Bigelow Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Wednesday was Toro’s last working day. According to an agreement between Toro and the university, viewed by CT Mirror, she will remain an employee until Oct. 1, at which point she will formally retire.
Sam Norton, a spokesperson for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, said in a statement that Toro’s resignation “follows discussions between Dr. Toro and CSCU leadership about the best path forward for Central.”
Norton also addressed the allegations. “Recent concerns regarding Central’s workplace environment are serious, and CSCU has an obligation to listen when members of our community raise concerns, respond appropriately, and ensure our campuses are places where people are treated with dignity and respect.”
But the investigation into Toro’s conduct will not continue following her resignation and retirement, Norton said. An announcement regarding interim leadership will be made in the coming days.
Toro’s is the latest in a string of recent high-level departures from the CSCU system.
Earlier this year, Interim Chancellor John Maduko resigned in response to allegations of sexual misconduct. Not long after, the chair of the CSCU Board of Regents, Marty Guay, resigned amid allegations he had urged a victim of Maduko’s not to report the misconduct. CSCU General Counsel Karen Buffkin has also been placed on paid administrative leave amid questions over how she handled the complaint against Maduko.
State Sen. Derek Slap, D-West Hartford, who is co-chair of the legislature’s Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, called on CSCU to be more careful in selecting Central’s next leader.
“It is clear that the vetting process has not worked as intended and campus stakeholders know what kind of leadership is required to ensure success. I implore the Board to make listening a key piece of their next steps,” Slap said in a statement.
The ranking Republican on the committee, Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol, said in an emailed statement, “What students, faculty, lawmakers and overburdened taxpayers want and deserve boils down to one word: Accountability. But that accountability is unfortunately in very short supply.”
