It wasn’t enough that three dissimilar institutions — Washington Technical Institute, Federal City College and D.C. Teachers College — merged to create the University of the District of Columbia. Over the years, the land-grant school has been saddled with a string of incompetent, mediocre or uninspiring leaders like former President William Pollard and current acting President Stanley Jackson.

These leaders have hired marginal managers, many of whom were cronies. Jackson has hired as human resources director, Donna Cauthorne, who worked for him when he was deputy mayor for economic development.

He brought in Angela Scott, who had been his executive assistant. Jalal “Jay” Green, hired as facilities manager, was pushed out of his job as head of the D.C. Lottery, government officials say. W. David Watts, the general counsel, was fired by the control board when he was director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

This crew is emblematic of others that have retarded UDC’s growth.

This story continues below
Advertisement

The damage wrought by management has been complemented by ineffective trustees, many of whom were either political hacks; business leaders hoping to curry favor with elected officials; or well-intentioned but inexperienced community activists. The terms of five current trustees are set to expire next month.

They are lobbying to be reappointed. But some of these people helped hire the last failed president.

They also have done little to increase the university’s endowment, leaving it dependent on the District’s subsidy.

Last year, they brought in a total of $600,000.

This palls when compared with the $400,000 of District funds that Chairman James Dyke took to Northern Virginia Community College where he sat on a board that raises money for that school.

With this kind of history — long-term and recent — folks might expect that either Mayor Adrian M. Fenty or D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray would be significantly involved in reforming UDC. But the mayor essentially has ignored the school.

Letters from faculty members and students have gone unanswered.

And, if the legislative budget hearing last Friday is any indication, Gray appears comfortable with the current state of affairs. He heaped praised on Jackson, Dyke and others at the university while subtly chastising faculty who had the audacity to challenge decisions made by the acting president and the board, including how public dollars are being spent.

It’s hard to appreciate Gray’s evaluation of UDC’s leadership. During the hearing it was clear some of the financial information provided wasn’t accurate. The school doesn’t have a strategic plan.

And Jackson and Dyke signed off on a budget with only three stated performance measures.

Neither of those listed goals included increasing the number of students admitted to the school or the improving the graduation rate. (Have mercy!)

Raise your hand if you agree that it’s quit-and-go-home-time for a bunch of folks.

Jonetta Rose Barras is the political analyst for WAMU radio’s D.C. “Politics Hour with Kojo and Jonetta.”