Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin has applied to become the next president of Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) in Troy, New York. McLaughlin is among 70 applicants for the position, which became available after former President Roger Ramsammy was fired following allegations of sexual harassment. Ramsammy denied these claims.

McLaughlin, a Republican, is also a potential candidate to replace Congresswoman Elise Stefanik in New York's 21st Congressional District if she is confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Despite lacking some qualifications for the HVCC presidency, such as a doctorate or teaching experience, McLaughlin holds a Master of Business Administration in finance and has experience in banking. He believes he meets other job criteria, like understanding community colleges' unique challenges.

McLaughlin, a former state assemblyman and pilot, has been Rensselaer County Executive since 2017. He has been a vocal supporter of President-elect Donald Trump and a critic of New York Governors Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo. However, McLaughlin stated that if he becomes HVCC president, he would cease his political rhetoric, acknowledging that the role is non-political.

The search for HVCC's new president is being managed by an external firm, with the list of candidates expected to be delivered to the college's 24-member presidential search committee soon. Meanwhile, McLaughlin plans to run for reelection as county executive this year, describing the HVCC presidency to the Times Union as an "intriguing position" that offers an opportunity to provide leadership.

Christa Cooper