Virginia’s governor-elect is asking the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia to pause its search for a new president until she’s sworn in and can appoint — and the General Assembly can confirm — new board members.
Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat and alumna of the school, said in a letter Wednesday to the university’s rector and vice rector who head the board, that she’s “deeply concerned by recent developments” at the university and how they might affect the legitimacy of the search for a new president.
The school’s last president, James Ryan, resigned during the summer over pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration and conservative critics over the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
Spanberger said federal overreach that led to Ryan’s departure went unchallenged by the University of Virginia board.
In the aftermath, the school declined a request from the Trump administration to make commitments aligned with the president’s priorities in exchange for favorable access to funding. But days later, the university struck a deal with the White House to abide by guidance forbidding discrimination in admissions and hiring in order to end the Justice Department’s investigations into the school.
In her letter, Spanberger called the university’s actions into question.
“Over the past six months, the actions of the Board of Visitors have severely undermined the public’s and the University community’s confidence in the Board’s ability to govern productively, transparently, and in the best interests of the University,” she wrote.
Making things worse in Spanberger’s mind, five members of the board have not been confirmed by the General Assembly, meaning the board’s composition is in violation of statutory requirements.
Spanberger went on to request the board refrain from “rushing” the search and selection of finalists for the presidency until the board is full and in compliance, “meaning that I have appointed and the General Assembly has confirmed” new board members.
It’s a signal of Spanberger’s willingness to challenge the Trump administration, which has been targeting universities across the country that don’t align with its priorities.
She said she’ll be making her board appointments soon after her inauguration on Jan. 17. Her appointees are likely to be pushed through quickly by the General Assembly, as both chambers are controlled by Democrats.
“It will be a priority of my administration to stabilize and normalize the leadership of our public colleges and universities,” Spanberger wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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