The University of the District of Columbia has appointed a longtime administrator to lead the university until an interim president is named.
The university's board of trustees announced the appointment of Rachel Petty on Friday. The board expects to name an interim president by mid-January.
Allen Sessoms was fired as president of the district's only public university on Wednesday night following a lengthy, closed-door meeting by the board. He had been president since 2008. Last year, Sessoms came under criticism for allegedly using taxpayer funds to cover his travel expenses. It is not clear what role, if any, that controversy played in Sessoms' dismissal.
Sessoms' attorney has told The Washington Post that Sessoms was fired without cause and is owed a full year's salary of $295,000. Attorney Elliott Adler also says Sessoms will not contest the board's decisions.
