Several Virginia lawmakers have put forth legislation to reform how the governing boards at the state’s public colleges operate, following a tumultuous year for higher education across the state and country. Some of those reforms advanced out of House of Delegates and state Senate committees this week, while others were left behind in subcommittee discussions on Monday.
Last year, former University of Virginia President Jim Ryan was pressured to resign amid numerous federal investigations into the alleged use of race in admissions decisions.
George Mason University’s president, Gregory Washington, also came under attack by federal officials (though he ultimately kept his job), and the board of the Virginia Military Institute ousted its first Black superintendent, retired Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, a decision that was decried by state Democrats as part of a conservative pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Del. Katrina Callsen (D–Charlottesville) and state Sen. Scott Surovell (D–Fairfax) proposed a comprehensive reform package that, in its initial iteration, would have overhauled the structure of boards, term lengths, the appointment process, the ability for boards to appoint independent legal counsel and more…