Nichols College president banned from Coast Guard Academy grounds amid new allegations
DUDLEY — The U.S. Coast Guard Academy has banned Glenn M. Sulmasy, the Nichols College president who is currently on voluntary leave, from its grounds after CNN reported that Sulmasy exchanged sexually suggestive texts with a student he taught while at the academy.
The academy said the ban had been announced in an email sent to faculty and staff on behalf of the superintendent, Rear Admiral Michael Johnston, on Friday, the day after the CNN report, which detailed allegations of “sexting” with one student and making unwanted sexual comments to another.
The academy also published a public statement from Johnston.
“Every member of the Service has the right to a safe workplace devoid of harassment, bullying, assault, discrimination, and retaliation," the statement said. "If any current or former member of the Academy community has experienced any of these behaviors while at the Coast Guard Academy, I encourage you to report it.”
Johnston said in the statement that the latest allegations published by CNN had not previously been reported to the Coast Guard. He said they have now been referred to the Coast Guard Investigative Service.
Sulmasy’s attorney, Jeffrey S. Robbins, did not respond to a request for comment on the ban.
Sulmasy had previously been accused of mishandling a case of sexual assault while working as an academic attorney at the service academy in New London, Connecticut.
Last week, Nichols College confirmed that Sulmasy was going on voluntary leave while the college conducts an independent investigation into his time at the Coast Guard Academy.
Bill Pieczynski, the college's vice president for advancement, is serving as acting president.
Sulmasy was hired at Nichols in 2021 after a stint as provost of Bryant University in Rhode Island.
CNN reported Friday that Coast Guard officials had contacted Bryant in 2016 to revoke their previous recommendation of Sulmasy for the job, following the results of an internal investigation. According to the CNN report Sulmasy, who had already been hired at Bryant, was then put on probation.
The report did not indicate whether Bryant had made Nichols aware of concerns regarding Sulmasy. A spokesperson for Bryant University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
When asked Monday for updates on the Sulmasy investigation, Nichols College provided a statement:
"President Sulmasy remains on a leave of absence while the College completes its investigation," a college spokesperson said. "Also, President Sulmasy is to have no contact with Nichols faculty, students or staff; he is cooperating with these arrangements."
The spokesperson did not respond to a question about whether Bryant had made Nichols aware of concerns surrounding Sulmasy.
"As we stated previously, by policy the College doesn’t comment on personnel matters or ongoing investigations," the spokesperson said. "The College will have a reply once our investigation has concluded."
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This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: U.S. Coast Guard Academy bans Glenn Sulmasy from its grounds
