School Faculty Issues No Confidence Vote For President

Montgomery College faculty members have approved a no confidence measure against the school's president Brian K. Johnson.

The vote taken by about 200 full-time faculty members was held late last week during a closed door meeting. It followed a letter written by select faculty members and sent to the college's trustees, in which faculty asked trustees to place the school's president on leave and investigate his activities.

"...What we were looking at was a pattern of spending...on luxury items."

That's Rose Sachs, president of the local chapter of the American Association of University Professors. She says although concerns expressed by many faculty members center around excessive spending and lack of leadership by Johnson, the letter generated over the summer cites many other infractions.

"...the other thing would be missing many, many , many meetings at the county and the state level, and particularly meeting that have to do with funding," says Sachs.

Excerpts published by the Washington Post describe Johnson as an administrator who on occasion "leaves his office for days without explanation, and has aimed ...explosive and targeted rage on employees."

Some faculty members have even suggested there might be listening devices and cameras placed by the administration in some offices and meeting rooms. People believe that the environment isn't safe.

Trustees plan to discuss the matter in a private meeting scheduled for Thursday.

Elliott Francis reports...