A Flashpoint Again

UVa is once again a flashpoint for fascism... Here's where we are today as far as I can tell. This sucks for us. But also, it's a bellwether for what will come for other institutions. Many of us suspected that Jim Ryan would be fired in July and indeed there have been people gunning for him since at least 2022. And it seemed likely that it would happen in July, when the BOV would be all Youngkin appointees and when students and faculty are away. I don't think many people suspected it would come as a direct threat from the federal government.

1. Thanks to the candor of Senator Mark Warner, the fact that the institution was in effect blackmailed by DOJ is in the public domain.

2. The Board of Visitors, who, as of today, are Youngkin appointees did nothing to protect the President or the institution from a corrupt DOJ.

3. The charge at DOJ seems to have been led by Harmeet Dhillon, a UVA law alum. She has represented Young Americans for Freedom and led charges against imagined voter fraud in 2020. In 2022 she wrote on twitter, "These snowflakes at UVA (where got my law degree) have their panties in a twist over Mike Pence! Of all people… pathetic..." She represented Andy Ngo, who violently promotes disinformation.

4. The COO JJ Davis is now the acting President.

5. The interim provost is still the interim provost. (this is great news!!!!)

6. The outgoing and the incoming rector sent an email saying that in choosing a new President "the search process will include input from a full range of stakeholders, including faculty, students, staff, and alumni. This process will commence shortly, and we will continue to keep the community informed." Needless to say there is no guarantee that they will attend to any of that input. IF YOU ARE IN A LETTER WRITING WAY write to BOV members and tell them why this forced resignation is wrong.

7. Some Virginia democrats filed a lawsuit against the Rector's of three Virginia Universities. The democrats allege that because the Senate Privilege and Election committee voted against the resolution appointing eight BOV members across the state that all eight of those members are not allowed to serve. And they contend that any BOV members who let them serve also violate the law. The Virginia Attorney General says this is not correct. So no one knows if this BOV can even meet...

7. The faculty senate leadership and faculty senators all turned over today as did BOV leadership.

8. Although DOJ in effect promised to leave UVa alone if Jim Ryan resigned the Governor and the BOV made no such promise. And they have not exactly left Columbia or Harvard alone.