The SUNY Board of Trustees has appointed Jim Malatras, president of SUNY Empire State College, as the system’s 14th chancellor.

Malatras, the first SUNY graduate to lead the system, assumes his duties on Aug. 31. He succeeds Kristina M. Johnson, who stepped down as chancellor in June to become president of The Ohio State University.

“It is an incredible honor to lead the largest comprehensive system of public higher education as the next chancellor of the State University of New York,” Malatras said. “I am a proud product of the SUNY system, having earned my undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees from SUNY institutions.

“I believe in the power of public education to unlock the doors of opportunity,” he said, “and will work tirelessly to make it accessible to all who seek it. Job one is our students, who drive and inspire everything we do.”

An education policy expert, Malatras received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in political science from the University at Albany. He has served as the fifth president of Empire State College since May 2019. Prior to that, he was president of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY’s public policy research arm, and as vice chancellor and chief of staff to Chancellor Emeritus Nancy L. Zimpher.

Malatras also has held several high-ranking positions in New York State government. He served as director of state operations for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, where he managed the day-to-day operation of state government and served as the administration’s point person on policy development and implementation. He also had served as deputy secretary for policy management to Cuomo and as deputy director of policy on Cuomo’s campaign for governor.

In the Cuomo Administration, he was the point person on education policy, including developing and shepherding into law the NY-SUNY 2020 program.