UVA Board Members Resign as Spanberger Prepares to Take Office

Three members of the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors have resigned at the request of Abigail Spanberger, who takes office as Virginia's governor on Saturday. The resignations come amid long-running disputes at the public university in Charlottesville over board leadership, a former president's departure, and the recent appointment of a new president. Spanberger, a Democrat, asked at least five board members to step down, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Background

The University of Virginia has faced turmoil since June 2025, when its then-president, Jim Ryan, resigned under pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice. The Justice Department was looking into the university's diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, part of a broader push by the Trump administration against such efforts at colleges. Federal funding threats hung over the school, which relies on government support for research and operations.

Ryan stepped down after board members, including Rector Rachel Sheridan, Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson, and donor Paul Manning, met with Justice Department officials. Ryan later wrote that these meetings sidelined him and suggested the board, along with then-Governor Glenn Youngkin, played a role in pushing him out. Youngkin, a Republican, had appointed all 12 current board members.

Faculty at UVA quickly pushed back. On June 27, 2025, the Faculty Senate called on the board to condemn the Justice Department's demands. By July, they expressed no confidence in the board. Tensions grew through the fall, with more resolutions demanding resignations and a pause in the search for Ryan's replacement.

Paul Manning, who with his wife gave $100 million in 2023 to start the Manning Institute of Biotechnology, defended his role in a letter to faculty. He said he acted to protect federal funding, choosing between harm to the university or Ryan's early exit.

Key Details

Spanberger's requests targeted Sheridan, Manning, and others. Three have now resigned, leaving seats open on the 12-member board. The university and Spanberger's team did not comment right away on Friday evening. Sheridan and Manning also stayed quiet.

Faculty and Stakeholder Reactions

This week, on January 15, 2026, the Faculty Senate passed a new resolution by a vote of 59-12-2. It accused the board of failing to act in the university's best interests and not protecting it from outside forces. The resolution urged Spanberger to review board members' actions, remove those who fell short, and fill vacancies with qualified people. It also called for a review of the presidential search process.

"The Board of Visitors’ sustained refusal to heed the opinions expressed in these resolutions or to engage with the elected faculty representatives constitutes a breakdown of shared governance."
– UVA Faculty Senate Resolution, January 15, 2026

Separately, 201 faculty members sent a letter to the board, Sheridan, and Wilkinson. They called the appointment of Scott Beardsley as the 10th president illegitimate. Beardsley, former dean of the Darden School of Business, started on January 1 after a search that wrapped up over winter break. Critics said the board rushed it to beat Spanberger's inauguration, ignoring calls from students, staff, alumni, and elected officials to wait.

Freedom of Information Act texts showed Youngkin's involvement in board matters, which the faculty letter said broke rules on transparency and process. The group demanded Beardsley's appointment be rescinded, a new search started, and board members held accountable, even through court if needed.

Spanberger had paused publicly on board changes as governor-elect. In a December interview, she noted strong calls from UVA groups for some members to go but said it was too soon for announcements. She planned to appoint five members right away to fill empty seats, after Democrats in the state Senate blocked Youngkin's picks for UVA and other schools.

The board moved ahead anyway, naming Beardsley despite Spanberger's November call to halt the search until she could add members.

What This Means

These resignations clear a path for Spanberger to reshape the UVA board on her first day. With five seats already open or now vacant, she can appoint a majority, shifting the board's direction. Faculty hope a new group will review Beardsley's hire and address what they see as governance failures.

The changes come at a tense time for public universities. Federal scrutiny over programs like DEI continues, and state politics play a big role in campus leadership. UVA's issues highlight divides between faculty pushing for independence and boards aligned with governors.

Democrats in Virginia, who gained ground in 2025 elections, back the faculty calls. Spanberger's moves signal her intent to respond. A reconstituted board could restart the presidential search, calm campus unrest, and refocus on academics and research.

For students and staff, the uncertainty drags on. Classes resume soon, but questions about leadership linger. Donors like Manning may rethink gifts if board ties sour further. The university's reputation, built over two centuries, faces tests from these internal fights.

Spanberger's inauguration on January 17 marks a turnover. Youngkin's appointees held sway through his term, but now Democrats control the governor's office. This shift could ease some pressures from the prior administration's policies but bring new priorities.

Broader effects may reach other Virginia schools like George Mason and Virginia Military Institute, where similar board battles played out. State Senate rejections of Youngkin's picks there set the stage for Spanberger's appointments.

At UVA, the Faculty Senate plans to keep working with the community on the crisis. Their resolution stresses shared governance, a core idea at the school Thomas Jefferson founded. Resignations are a start, but full resolution needs time, new leaders, and trust-building.