Following the highly publicized departure of former president Jim Ryan, the University of Virginia Board of Visitors named Paul Mahoney interim president at its August 4 meeting. As the board moves forward with its search for a permanent president, groups on and off Grounds continue to raise concerns about Ryan’s ouster, the board itself, and the presidential search process.
Mahoney replaces acting president Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis, who assumed the role upon Ryan’s resignation. Davis continues as executive vice president and the university’s chief operating officer.
Prior to his appointment, Mahoney served from 2008 to 2016 as dean of the UVA School of Law, where he remains a professor. His first day as interim president will be August 11.
Listening sessions were held from July 17 to 23 to determine community priorities for an interim president. Small groups of UVA Health leaders, staff, academic deans, undergraduate students, faculty, graduate students, and vice presidents, as well as the UVA Wise chancellor, were invited to the sessions. Each session had two BOV members/representatives and a member of UVA leadership act as facilitators.
Beyond the small groups, an online nomination form and email were open to “members of the university community” through 5pm on July 25.
According to a community engagement and nomination summary presentation from the BOV meeting, top priorities in the selection of an interim president include “stabil[izing] and build[ing] trust,” “attracting and retaining talent,” “UVA Health,” “academic freedom and protection of research and teaching,” and “community relationships.” Two main challenges—“research and funding cuts” and the “highly complex legal environment”—were also named.
More than 140 people were nominated for the interim president position, with almost 600 nominations submitted. Among those named, five candidates received 30 or more nominations.
Organizations, including the UVA chapter of the American Association of University Professors, raised questions about the BOV and the process for selecting the interim and 10th president.
“The process for both the interim and permanent president implemented thus far by the BOV would constitute major violations of shared governance. We urge the Board to reconsider its approach for both searches and reconstitute those decision-making committees to be reflective of significant faculty, staff and student participation in the process,” reads a July 27 statement from the executive committee of the UVA-AAUP. “Unless the BOV changes its course on these search processes, we fear this will only exacerbate the lack of confidence of faculty, staff, students and alumni in the governance and undermine the stability of the university in the coming year.”
As the meeting moved into closed session, an anonymous online attendee “demand[ed] transparency” from the board. When it returned to open session, the BOV provided no explanation for its selection—only holding a formal vote on the interim president nomination and the next board secretary.
Rector Rachel Sheridan elaborated on the decision in a press release later the same afternoon, highlighting Mahoney’s experience as a lawyer, professor, and dean of the UVA School of Law. “In the spirit of UVA’s shared governance model, we took [the] qualities and characteristics [shared by stakeholders] to heart in identifying the right person to shepherd UVA forward during this time,” she said. “We are confident that Paul’s longstanding connection to the University … make him the right leader to guide this institution as the search for a 10th UVA president gets underway.”
A 28-member special committee to search for the 10th president was named July 25, and includes 10 current and three former BOV members. Among the former members are Babur Lateef and George Martin, who served on the special committee that recommended Ryan in 2017.
The committee’s first meeting will be held this month. A rough timeline of four to six months for the recommendation of the 10th president was given at the August 4 BOV meeting.
While the BOV moves forward with its search for the university’s permanent president, state lawmakers and UVA’s own Faculty Senate continue to take umbrage with the board’s handling of the Department of Justice and Ryan’s resignation.
Longtime Charlottesville representative and state Sen. Creigh Deeds sent a scathing letter to the board on August 1. The six-page document, obtained by The Cavalier Daily, questions the BOV—specifically Sheridan and Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson—and its handling of and communication with the DOJ.
“These questions are designed to clarify the sequence of events that led to President Ryan’s resignation, the role played by members of the Board of Visitors, and the nature of communications between the Board, the Governor’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Justice,” reads an excerpt from the letter. Among the topics addressed are the March 7 resolution on DEI, the use of outside counsel, communication with state and federal offices, and multiple meetings and calls with the DOJ. Deeds concludes by citing the General Assembly’s authority to conduct oversight on the BOV, and requests responses and all relevant documentation be submitted by August 15.
On Grounds, the UVA Faculty Senate has also expressed issues with the BOV’s actions surrounding Ryan’s resignation, culminating in a 46-6 vote of no confidence in the board on July 11. Eight members in attendance abstained from the vote. Neither the BOV nor the university has publicly addressed the vote, but continue to emphasize the importance of shared governance in the leadership selection process.
Photo: University of Virginia School of Law.
