"Former University of Virginia president Jim Ryan has broken his silence concerning his abrupt resignation, accusing the Board of Visitors of dishonesty and complicity in his ouster, which came amid federal government scrutiny over the university's diversity, equity and inclusion practices. In a 12-page letter to the UVA Faculty Senate on Friday, Ryan wrote that he was "stunned and angry" over the board's lack of honesty as it faced pressure from the federal government to force him out due to an alleged failure to dismantle DEI initiatives. Ryan also wrote that recent letters by UVA rector Rachel Sheridan and Governor Glenn Youngkin do not "present an accurate accounting of my resignation," which prompted him to release his own statement. Inside Higher Ed has uploaded Ryan's full letter below."
"Ryan's letter follows a message Sheridan sent to the UVA Faculty Senate on Thursday. In that letter, Sheridan downplayed the pressure from the federal government to force Ryan out. While she acknowledged that the Department of Justice "lacked confidence in President Ryan to make the changes that the Trump Administration believed were necessary to ensure compliance," she disputed the notion that his resignation was part of the agreement that the university recently reached with the federal government to pause investigations into DEI practices."
"Also on Thursday, Youngkin sent a letter related to Ryan's departure to Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, who has called for UVA to halt its ongoing presidential search until her board picks are in place. The Republican governor pushed back on his Democratic successor's claims that Ryan was ousted as a result of federal overreach and accused her of interfering in the search. Youngkin also accused Ryan of "not being committed to following federal law." That letter has been uploaded in full below."
Jim Ryan expressed that he was "stunned and angry" over his abrupt resignation and accused the Board of Visitors of dishonesty and complicity in his removal amid federal scrutiny of the university's DEI practices. Recent communications from UVA rector Rachel Sheridan and Governor Glenn Youngkin were characterized as not presenting an accurate accounting of the resignation. The Department of Justice reportedly "lacked confidence in President Ryan to make the changes" sought by the Trump Administration, while the idea that the resignation formed part of an agreement to pause DEI investigations was disputed. Youngkin contested claims of federal overreach and accused Ryan of not being committed to following federal law.
#university-of-virginia #diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei #board-of-visitors #department-of-justice
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