Latest on Nichols College president: CNN reports allegations of 'sexting' with student in earlier job

DUDLEY — Glenn M. Sulmasy, the Nichols College president now on voluntary leave after allegations he mishandled a case of sexual assault while working at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, is facing new allegations of inappropriate conduct with former students during his time at the service academy.

In a story published Thursday afternoon, CNN reported that while working at the academy Sulmasy was not only allegedly “sexting” with a student he previously taught, having exchanged over 1,600 messages, but that he allegedly verbally harassed another student while he was working at the academy.

According to the CNN report, which reviewed confidential records, the Coast Guard found that the majority of messages between Sulmasy and the student “were of a ‘sexual or flirtatious nature,’ demonstrating that ‘at best, he offered to give high grades and show favoritism in class in exchange for sexual banter, and at worst, he actually did so.’ “

During their investigation of Sulmasy, investigators spoke with the student involved, who said she was a “willing participant” and that she “earned the grades herself and denied any sexual contact with Sulmasy,” according to the report.

What did texts allegedly say?

CNN published a portion of some of the messages, which, it said, show Sulmasy commenting on his attraction to the student, who was “more than 20 years his junior,” requesting photos of her and “expressing his desire to ‘spoil her.’

“I am … a good boy — no final for the goddess,” one of the messages said. “Just know that I will give u a 100,” and, “Do u luv turning me on … U really looked great and the nails were very hott.”

CNN reported that attorneys wrote “there are likely other students whom [Capt.] Sulmasy pursued,” and that moving the case forward could possibly bring new women out of the shadows.”

According to the documents reviewed by CNN, Coast Guard attorneys found “strong” evidence against Sulmasy that warranted prosecuting him in a military court-martial “for conduct unbecoming an officer and willful dereliction of duty” about eight months after he retired from the academy to take an administrator role at Bryant University in Rhode Island.

But Coast Guard leaders overruled the prosecutors, choosing not to press charges about Sulmasy and keeping the findings of the investigation from being made public.

Sulmasy's lawyer: We will cooperate

When asked about the new allegations, Jeffrey S. Robbins, an attorney for Sulmasy, said he was cooperating readily and fully with Nichols College’s independent investigation into the president.

“[Sulmasy] is committed to answering any questions it [the college] has,” Robbins said. “Until that process is wrapped up, it would be inappropriate to comment further on the matter.”

In the CNN report, Robbins said the prosecution memo was “ridiculous on its face,” and that prosecutors characterized “the intimate texts in question” with the student as “consensual in nature.” He also told CNN that the proposed prosecution was “rightfully rejected by the adults within the legal wing of the Coast Guard.”

Another former academy student, Melissa McCafferty, alleged that Sulmasy verbally harassed her, commenting on her appearance in a pencil skirt and making sexual comments.

McCafferty also alleged that when she asked Sulmasy to write her a letter of recommendation for law school, he said he would only write a letter for her if she sent pictures of herself, “telling her he had always loved her foot tattoo.”

Robbins told CNN that McCafferty's allegations were “categorically false.”

Nichols hires outside investigator

Nichols College, when asked about the new allegations, referred back to a statement published in the CNN report.

The chairman of the board of trustees at the school was quoted as saying Nichols has launched an, “impartial, third-party investigation into this matter,” and that the board takes “these allegations very seriously.”

On Tuesday, it was reported that Sulmasy was going on voluntary leave while the school conducts its investigation.

Sulmasy was hired to head Nichols in 2021.

While the college conducts its investigation, Bill Pieczynski, vice president for advancement, would serve as acting president at Nichols.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: On Nichols College president: CNN reports allegations of 'sexting' with student