Governor-elect Spanberger urges UVA to halt presidential selection process
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Just a week after her election as Virginia's next governor, Abigail Spanberger has taken a bold step, calling on the University of Virginia (UVA) leadership to pause their efforts in selecting the institution's next president. In a letter addressed to Board of Visitors Rector Rachel Sheridan and Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson, Spanberger highlights a loss of confidence in the Board among both the public and the university community.
The governor-elect also brings attention to a statutory violation, noting that five Board members have not been confirmed by the General Assembly. As a result, she urges the Board to refrain from rushing the search process and selecting finalists for the presidency until the Board is fully complemented and in compliance with the law. Spanberger emphasizes the importance of a stable and normalized leadership structure for public colleges and universities, indicating that she will make appointments soon after her inauguration.
This move comes in the wake of votes of no confidence from students and faculty, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the Board of Visitors' decision to assemble a 28-person search committee. The UVA chapter of the American Association of University Professors criticized the committee's composition, stating that only a small fraction of the search committee was represented by faculty and none were selected by faculty. Spanberger's actions demonstrate her commitment to addressing the concerns of the university community and ensuring a fair and transparent process in the selection of UVA's next president.
