Compton Community College President Is Put on Leave by Board

The Compton Community College Board of Trustees has voted to place beleaguered President Warren A. Washington on paid administrative leave while it investigates how hundreds of thousands of federal dollars were mismanaged and misspent at the college.

The Tuesday night vote makes Washington the fifth administrator to be placed on paid leave since a Coopers & Lybrand audit released last month found improper spending of money earmarked for low-income students.

The audit was ordered last fall after a federal Department of Education investigation uncovered instances of questionable expenditures. Education officials say the college will be required to repay a substantial amount of the improperly spent funds, which total almost $500,000.

Among other things, the audit found that the college paid tens of thousands of dollars to people who did no work for the programs in question, and that one administrator hired relatives who were not qualified for the jobs they held.

Funds were spent on such improper items as carpeting, clothing and office furniture, the audit found. Money also was inappropriately transferred into the budgets of other programs on campus, auditors said.

The findings had prompted a faculty vote of no-confidence against Washington, who steadfastly refused to step down despite the growing sentiment against him on campus.

Tuesday’s vote to suspend the president came as a surprise to many on the tightknit campus because Washington has long had the staunch support of three of the five trustees.

However, when the trustees emerged from a lengthy and reportedly heated closed session, they voted 3 to 0 to suspend Washington. Two board members abstained.

Trustee Legrand H. Clegg II, who cast the unexpected swing vote, said later that Washington “failed to provide the type of leadership required to unite the campus and fortify the institution in a crucial period.”