UDC President Urged Toward Fundraising, Modernizing

Pace of Change Worries Trustees, Sources Say

Trustees at the University of the District of Columbia, increasingly concerned about the leadership of President William Pollard, recently directed him to hire a chief of staff so he could devote more time to fundraising and modernizing the school, according to university and D.C. government sources.

The trustees also instructed Pollard to hire a vice president with real estate expertise to help manage the university and pursue new ventures at the only public institution of higher education in the nation's capital, according to the sources, who declined to be named because personnel decisions are confidential.

Pollard became president of UDC in 2002, and during his tenure, he has overseen the reaccreditation of the university and the long-sought accreditation of its law school. The board of trustees agreed last year to a multiyear extension of his contract when it expires July 1, said Chairman James W. Dyke.

But sources said trustees, dissatisfied with the pace of change and concerned that other schools are more quickly developing programs to meet the workforce needs of the city, have recently taken a bigger role in the school's management.

"The board has a continuing fiduciary responsibility to monitor and oversee the operations of the university," said Dyke, who would not discuss details about the board's relationship with Pollard. "That is an ongoing responsibility. You are constantly monitoring, regardless of the status of the contract."

Pollard, whose salary will reportedly rise from $200,000 a year to about $250,000 a year under the new contract, said there is some friction about fundraising, reforming program offerings and improving facilities.

"A healthy tension with the board is probably always good," Pollard said. "The issues that we are addressing [are] what is in the best interests of the university. And either of us can want to move faster or slower than the other. But ultimately, it's about how we get there and the rapidity with which we get there."

The controversy is the latest chapter in the troubled history of UDC, which has had nearly 15 presidents and interim presidents, as well as more than 25 provosts, since it opened in the mid-1970s.

The college is seen by some as a vital avenue of social and economic advancement for many of the District's poor residents who cannot afford or qualify for postsecondary education elsewhere. Critics, however, say the school -- with its two- and four-year degree programs and graduate programs -- would better serve the city if it were smaller and better focused.

In the 1970s, UDC enrolled as many as 15,000 students, but the number plummeted below 5,000 by 1997. In fall 2002, when Pollard arrived, enrollment was at 5,468; this fall it was 5,700.

But some trustees don't feel he is moving fast enough in key areas, according to the sources.

Fundraising remains a problem for the school. Although Pollard said one of his biggest achievements was creating a development office, there is currently no director. Last year, alumni contributions amounted to $45,000, nearly the same as in years previous, according to UDC spokesman Mike Andrews.