Former New York City Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew is being touted a candidate to become the next chancellor of CUNY, The Post has learned.
Insiders said Crew’s resume makes him stand out.
He’s been president Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, a CUNY unit, since 2013, giving him a deep knowledge of the sprawling system.
Between 1995 and 1999, he ran the public schools under Mayor Rudy Giuilani, providing Crew with insight into the city’s complicated political landscape.
And Bill Thompson, the CUNY chair, worked closely with Crew when Thompson was head of the old Board of Education.
“Rudy Crew has a balance few people have. He’s a guy who worked with Rudy Giuliani and people in the community,” said Al Sharpton.
“He has skills that would be a rare asset. He can shmooze with fundraisers and relate to students and the community at large. ”
CUNY Chancellor James Milliken announced Tuesday that he’s stepping down after three years overseeing 24 higher education institutions — including 11 senior colleges and seven community colleges.
He formerly headed the University of Nebraska and seemed to struggle to navigate New York’s political terrain.
Crew told The Post he hadn’t given the chancellorship much thought and emphasized that he is “happy where I am” and has a full plate at Medgar Evers.
But Crew also said he doesn’t shy away when confronted with new opportunities and challenges and would agree to be interviewed if a search committee reached out to him.
“It would be an honor,” Crew said. “This has been my life’s work.”
Crew said he knows both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio, whose appoint the CUNY board of trustees that will select the next chancellor.
Crew noted that the governor announced his “Vital Brooklyn” program at his campus earlier this year.
He said sees both sides of the challenge of preparing public high school students for college.
Many public high school students aren’t college-ready and the overwhelming majority of freshmen enrolled in community colleges require remediation.
As city schools chancellor, Crew created a “chancellor’s district” that focused more attention and resources on students in the lowest performing schools — a precursor to the Renewal Schools created by current Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina and de Blasio.
As president of Medgar Evers, Crew launched a “Pipeline” program to help better connect and prepare K-12 students in central Brooklyn for college.
A state education official said other possible candidates for chancellor could include Hunter College President Jennifer Raab and Queens College president Felix Matos, who is also board chair of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
The chancellor’s search will begin in January.
Meanwhile Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who has worked closely with Crew on bolstering Medgar Evers College, gave Crew a thumbs up.
“He’d be a good pick for chancellor. One of the qualities that stand out for me is his vision. He has the ability to know not only where were are but where we need to go,” Adams said.
“Crew is willing to dig in the weeds and get dirty in the process.. The CUNY chancellor also must be wise in navigating the political system of New York. You got a guy who can hit the ground running,” Adams said.
“Crew served as the city school chancellor under a very difficult mayor. If you could work for Rudy Giuliani, you can work for anyone,” he added.