UVA president's resignation highlights tension over university boards
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The search for the next University of Virginia president will be led by the school's Board of Visitors, all of whom are appointees of Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Why it matters: Jim Ryan's resignation last week was a watershed moment in the Trump administration's war with some of America's most prestigious institutions of higher education.
- The next steps will ultimately be decided by the university's governing board, which, along with others across Virginia, is already facing opposition.
Driving the news: UVA's current executive vice president and chief operating officer, Jennifer "J.J." Wagner Davis, will step in as acting president when Ryan's resignation becomes effective, per an announcement Monday by the board's leadership.
- The search for Ryan's permanent replacement will begin soon, the board said. A search committee of alumni, staff, faculty and students will make a suggestion to the board.
- The official end date for Ryan's presidency is not yet finalized, a UVA spokesperson tells Axios.
The big picture: While President Trump has stripped funding from schools in pursuit of his policies, this is the first time that a university head's resignation has been directly tied to a school receiving funding — which some argue is setting a problematic precedent.
- Ryan, who had led the school since 2018, said in his resignation that he could not "make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job."
- His resignation has prompted protests on UVA's grounds, as well as outcry from notable alumni like Katie Couric and Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
Meanwhile, some Virginia Democrats sued the governing boards of several state universities, including UVA, earlier last week.
- They're alleging that the Youngkin administration has ignored a state Senate committee vote to reject some board appointees — including former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to the UVA board.
- Youngkin said the suit was a "meritless" effort to stymie his removal of DEI policies.
Catch up quick: UVA's board voted in March to end the school's DEI office in compliance with Trump's orders for such initiatives to be cut at federally funded schools — a move that Youngkin supported.
- Amid backlash that Ryan wasn't fully complying with the administration's order, the U.S. Justice Department began an investigation into the school's eradication of these programs.
- Meanwhile, some critics — like conservative alumni group the Jefferson Council — began publicly calling for Ryan's removal.
- Eventually, the Justice Department said that Ryan must resign or the school would risk its funding, the New York Times reported.
What we're watching: The search for a successor also comes ahead of November's gubernatorial election — meaning a new governor will be in charge of appointing university board members.
Editor's note: This story was updated to add details from Monday's Board of Visitors announcement.