UDC taps FAMU's EVP/COO Maurice Edington as its 10th president

FAMU Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Maurice Edington, Ph.D., has been named the next president of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), in Washington, DC.
 
Edington was unanimously selected in a vote by UDC’s board of trustees Thursday. He is expected to start in August.
 
“UDC’s mission aligns perfectly with my personal passion and commitment to serve students, transform lives and uplift communities,” Edington said in a statement, saying he was honored and excited to take on the role.
 
UDC officials said Edington’s track record at FAMU, where he helped improve retention and graduation rates, makes him a perfect fit for the institution.
 
Edington will replace Ronald Mason Jr., JD, who announced last year that he would be stepping down this summer.
 
UDC, which awarded its first doctoral degrees this past May, faces significant challenges.  One of those challenges is rebuilding the school’s enrollment which declined during the COVID pandemic.  In 2010 UDC’s student headcount was at nearly 6,000 students, today its stands at less than 3,500. 
 
On the bright side, the school’s research expenditures have nearly tripled and at least 100 new faculty members have been recruited over the past five years, and the business school gained AACSB accreditation. In December, the university landed its largest private donation, a $2.3 million gift that will be used to fund scholarships.