A committee representing all full-time faculty at Howard Community College voted no confidence in college President Daria Willis, alleging a lack of transparency and accountability, in the latest clash between the school’s top administrator and its staff.

The Friday vote was followed by a letter to the college’s board of trustees that “sadly expresses no confidence that Dr. Willis’ leadership of Howard Community College positions the College to match its recently attained levels of performance excellence, or to fulfill its mission of ‘providing pathways for success’ to residents of Howard County.”

Beth Dushman, president of the faculty forum of Howard Community College, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

HCC spokesperson Jarrett Carter Sr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment but wrote in a Substack post that the college was aware of the vote and that “[w]e are committed to open dialog with faculty about their concerns.”

A vote of no confidence is typically symbolic, a formal move to express that a leader is no longer supported by their subordinates.

HCC’s comes in response to more than a year of turmoil at the Columbia community college. The Baltimore Banner reported last November that two dozen current and former employees and students had described high staff turnover and a toxic culture that they said had negatively affected staff and student services during Willis’ tenure.

The college’s board of trustees announced over the summer that they maintained “full confidence” in Willis, who has won support from Gov. Wes Moore and Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

A 2022 analysis by The Chronicle of Higher Education found that about 51% of the time, a college “president on the receiving end of a no-confidence vote winds up leaving office within a year, though those departures are rarely publicly linked to the vote.”

HCC has also grappled with labor disputes. In early August, college officials admitted to possible labor law violations; security officers had unlocked professors’ offices and removed pro-union posters from the windows, doors and walls. College security also broke up a union protest in a campus meeting last winter.

The college’s full-time faculty union ratified its inaugural three-year bargaining agreement in August, successfully negotiating for better job security and pay raises.

“We remain resolute in supporting all employees with regionally competitive compensation and benefits, state-of-the-art facilities and resources, and high-quality professional development opportunities,” Carter wrote.