Montgomery College President Brian Johnson resigned Tuesday, ending a three-year tenure after months of criticism about lavish spending habits and a harsh management style.
The college’s board of trustees placed Johnson on administrative leave in early September, soon after a vote of no confidence from the school’s 1,500-member faculty. Since then, he has been receiving a salary of about $233,000 annually. Johnson’s contract was set to expire in June 2010. The terms of his resignation have not been made public.
Board of Trustees Chairman Michael Lin announced Johnson’s resignation to the college community, saying, “As we begin a new year, Montgomery College will also begin a new chapter in its history.”
Johnson’s alleged misdeeds ranged from skipping important events and intimidating staff to charging about $65,000 in expenses during his first two fiscal years. Many of the accusations were leveled at him as part of a nine-page report compiled by faculty leadership earlier this year.
An article earlier this week in The Washington Post detailed his spending habits, based on financial documents obtained through a public records request.
On a single day last spring, the article said, Johnson spent $776 on airfare, $145 at a spa in Utah, $130 for a Virginia limousine service, $100 at a D.C. steakhouse and $20 for Metro fare.
Since September, Hercules Pinkney has served as interim president of the community college’s more than 24,000 students on campuses in Germantown, Rockville and Takoma Park. Pinkney had previously served as the provost at the Germantown campus. Plans for a presidential search are under way, according to Lin’s announcement.
“We owe all of you not only a debt of gratitude,” Lin said to faculty and staff, “but also the selection of a new president who is as committed to the college’s mission as you are.”
Johnson has defended himself against the accusations, calling them an attack on his credibility. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
When he arrived at Montgomery College in early 2007, after a three-year stint at a Pittsburgh community college, he promised a commitment to affordable tuition and equal access to educational opportunities amid the county’s rapidly changing demographics.
