What President Ryan’s forced resignation means for UVA and Charlottesville

An announcement today shocked the University of Virginia community: UVA President Jim Ryan has resigned.

According to a report citing multiple anonymous sources in The New York Times, the Trump administration demanded Ryan’s departure. If Ryan didn’t resign, the Department of Justice would continue investigating the university’s diversity initiatives, according to sources who spoke with The New York times.

The administration also threatened to strip the university of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding if Ryan did not step down.

“Given the circumstances and today’s conversations, I have decided — with deep sadness — to tender my resignation,” Ryan wrote in a letter to the head of the university’s board.

New York Times subscribers can read the original report here.

UVA’s independent student newspaper, The Cavalier Daily, is also following the story closely. Check out their reporting here.

From the Cavalier Daily: President Ryan resigns, New York Times reports

The announcement sparked an immediate reaction. Hundreds gathered to protest the resignation at the UVA Rotunda.

Also Friday afternoon, multiple university groups put out strongly worded statements.

The Jefferson Council said on Facebook that the resignation ended “a controversial chapter in the university’s leadership.” The alumni organization, which says its focus is “preserving Thomas Jefferson’s legacy” at UVA, had previously called for Ryan’s removal.

“Jim Ryan’s politicized and feckless leadership combined with his institutionalization of double standards has led to an unprecedented series of tragedies, scandals, and government investigations that have severely damaged UVA’s core values and reputation,” a statement on its website reads.

More than 100 UVA faculty members, meanwhile, put out an open letter expressing distress before Ryan’s resignation.

“We are alarmed by the attempted use of government power to impose an ideological agenda on an institution with a proud, 206-year tradition of liberty through expression,” the letter reads. “The forced installation of a new president under these circumstances would impede the exchange of ideas, set a dangerous precedent for the destruction of academic freedom, and cast a shadow on the integrity of the research and teaching conducted at the university.”

Normally, the removal of a UVA president would be the decision of the Board of Visitors, the university’s governing body. That 17-person board is appointed by the Virginia governor. 

Although the Board of Visitors did not fire Ryan, the group will be responsible for hiring his replacement. It’s unclear when or how that selection will happen. A university spokesperson did not immediately respond to Charlottesville Tomorrow’s request for comment Friday afternoon.

Whoever that person is, they stand to have a profound effect on not just the university community, but the greater-Charlottesville area.

As UVA’s chief executive, the president is responsible for setting the university’s academic vision, managing its multi-billion-dollar budget, guiding major institutional policies and overseeing senior leadership — including deans, provosts and the university’s medical center. The president also represents UVA publicly, builds relationships with donors and lawmakers, and plays a key role in how the university engages with the broader Charlottesville community.

As we continue reporting on this story, we’d like to hear from those who will be impacted by Ryan’s resignation and the broader changes happening at the university.

There are multiple ways you can reach us, including anonymous ones.

Here is a simple form you can fill out. (This is a standing form we’ve created to gather community input as we report on the local impact of the Trump administration’s actions.)

We’ll be following this and other changes happening in our government closely.

As always, our inbox is open.
Jessie Higgins, Democracy Editor