Some members of the faculty at Rhode Island College claim president Nancy Carriuolo has been ineffective and even vindictive.

NBC News in Providence reports.

Rhode Island College president steps down following criticism

Dr. Nancy Carriuolo came in with much fanfare, but now, after seven and a half years, Carriuolo’s tenure as the head of Rhode Island College is coming to an end.

The Office of the Postsecondary Education Commissioner announced on Thursday that Carriuolo will resign effective following May 2016 graduation.

For many employees of the college, it has been a long time coming.

“I think it’s a very sad time for Rhode Island College because this president was handed a gift,” said Dr. Mark Motte of the college’s geography department.

That gift, said Motte, was being given the reigns of what he describes as a fine educational institution.

Motte is just one of several staffers that submitted a letter to the Board of Education describing a “damaging” work environment during the past several years.

“We had people who broke down in tears telling their stories about how they had been punished, persecuted (and) harassed by this president,” Motte said.

The numbers speak for themselves.

In an anonymous survey given to employees, the negatives far outweighed the positives. In fact, 74 percent of survey-takers disagreed with the statement, “Administration regularly consults with employees about decisions that affect them.”