College Trustees Bounce Embattled Member

The former CEO of the Urban League of Long Island, under fire for alleged improprieties at the non-profit, has been bounced from her role as a Suffolk Community College trustee. Theresa Sanders failed to win enough votes to have her excused for excessive absences and was removed from the board under the college’s bylaws in a 5-1 vote.

The North Babylon resident was forced from the Urban League in August by state Supreme Court Judge Christopher G. Quinn following an audit showing she allegedly misspent $200,000 in league funds. Sanders denies the findings, arguing through her attorney, E. Christopher Murray, that she is actually owed money for accepting a reduced salary for the past few years. She has filed a $250,000 countersuit through Murray, who is also president of the SCCC board of trustees.

In September, Legislator Trish Bergin, a Suffolk Community alumnus who serves as a member of the legislature's Education and Labor Committee, called for the resignation of both Sanders and Murray, stating: "They have failed to uphold their oath, failed the college and most importantly the students they swore to shepherd and support and taxpayers they have an obligation to protect."

In a prepared statement before the trustee's vote, Sanders said her absences were due to her recovering from surgery and attending a family reunion in Jamaica. "Many of my colleagues have been trying to understand why a simple vote regarding excusing an absence — especially considering my surgery this year — is being disproportionately blown out of proportion," she said, adding that she considers the board vote "unlawful" since it considers information about "false allegations that have been made" on an issue unrelated to the college.

Theresa Sanders, former Trustee at Suffolk County Community College File Photo

Neither Sanders or her attorney were at the meeting to vote on her removal, which was opposed by Belinda Pagdanganan, a community college appointee of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Sanders, who had missed four trustee meetings this year, has also been sued by the Urban League to claw back the alleged misspent funds and is the subject of a Nassau District Attorney investigation, according to Suffolk legislators.

"I can't imagine this is not tied to the Urban League lawsuit," Murray said. "I assume if there were no lawsuit, there would be no problem or controversy."

The 10-member college board of trustees is made up of appointees of the governor and the county legislature, with one member named every year by the college student body. With Sanders gone, the legislature will have the ability to replace her, as well as fill the seat of James Morgo, whose term has expired. All 18 of Suffolk’s legislative seats are up for grabs November 7 and the body’s leadership hasn’t given any indication as to whether the appointments would be taken up by the current Republican majority prior to a new legislature being seated in January. The trustees manage a $210 million college budget.