▁administrative ▁structure ▁began ▁in ▁earnest ▁after ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁Home ▁Rule ▁Act . ▁A ▁mer ger ▁of ▁the ▁institutions ▁was ▁approved ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁and ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁the ▁three ▁institutions ▁were ▁formally ▁cons olid ated ▁as ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia , ▁with ▁Lis le ▁Car leton ▁Carter , ▁Jr . ▁named ▁its ▁first ▁president . ▁The ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁later ▁passed ▁legisl ation ▁mer ging ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁School ▁of ▁Law ▁with ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 0 ▁academic ▁year , ▁U DC ' s ▁programs ▁were ▁split ▁into ▁two ▁separate ▁institutions ▁under ▁an ▁um bre lla ▁" univers ity ▁system " - style ▁setup . ▁A ▁new ▁Community ▁College ▁assumed ▁U DC ' s ▁associate ' s ▁degree , ▁certificate , ▁continu ing ▁education , ▁and ▁work force ▁development ▁programs , ▁while ▁the ▁U DC ▁Fl ags hip ▁campus ▁continued ▁with ▁its ▁b ach elor ' s ▁and ▁gradu ate ▁degree ▁programs . ▁ ▁While ▁U DC - CC ▁will ▁maintain ▁an ▁open ▁en roll ment ▁policy , ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁di pl oma ▁no ▁longer ▁guarante es ▁ad mission ▁into ▁U DC . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁university ▁reported ▁that ▁its ▁average ▁exp enses ▁of ▁"$ 3 5