Niagara County Community College Board of Trustees is expected to take a crucial vote on future of the college’s president. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says the Board has called for a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Controversy continues to surround NCCC president James Klyczek. A federal grand jury is reportedly investigating alleged bid rigging involving construction of the school's Culinary Institute. But then, last week, WKBW Television broke a story, playing an audio recording capturing the president making highly disparaging remarks about a woman who reported a sexual assault on campus last summer. He referred to the sexual assault victim “dumb or stupid”.
Niagara County legislator Dennis Virtuoso tells WBFO News he has presented a resolution calling for Klyczek to resign.
“It’s just terrible – I mean you can’t believe the victim for something that happened. I think that was terrible in the way that was handled, the things that were said – this is why people that are sexually assaulted don’t come forward because they don’t want to be blamed,” Virtuoso responded.
Virtuoso's wife, Gina Virtuoso, is an NCCC Board of Trustee. Previously she voted for the college president to take a leave, but reportedly she now wants him removed.
“I don’t know what the board is going to do tonight. That’s a board decision. I think it is pretty unanimous with the legislature that we don’t have confidence in the president of the college anymore,” remarked Virtuoso husband.
Virtuoso tells us he is also suggesting the college consider hiring added security that would include Niagara County Sheriff’s deputies.
“I just a suggested to the board because we don’t have the authority to put them there, but the board of trustees has to take a look at the situation that happened and the way it was handled and maybe look for ways to bring some more professional security there, which would be the sheriff deputies. We do that in other schools that they have their own security and the sheriff deputies,” explained Virtuoso.
