Governor-elect Spanberger's Political Amnesia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: media@jeffersoncouncil.org
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA –In a striking act of political amnesia, Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger has demanded that the UVA Board of Visitors refrain from choosing a president until she can appoint new BOV members, when, in fact, the 100% Democrat appointed Board of Visitors exercised no such restraint following the election of Governor Youngkin four years ago.
At the March 2022 Board of Visitors meeting, Jim Ryan’s employment contract – still three years from expiring in 2025 – was quietly extended until 2028 by the Democrat appointed Board prior to Governor Youngkin having an opportunity to appoint one Board member. It was done within a closed session, with no foreknowledge or explanation, and only announced afterward. The Board’s action was clearly intended to ensure Ryan’s tenure beyond the period that Governor Youngkin would be in office and his Board appointees in control of the Board.
Moreover, at that very same March 2022 meeting, the Board affirmed Ian Baucom as Provost, thus confirming Jim Ryan’s unilateral selection of Mr. Baucom as Provost announced without any search committee or public discussion two days before Governor Youngkin’s inauguration.
Thus, merely four years ago the Democrat controlled Board acted multiple times to ensure its preferred candidates would be in place without giving newly elected Governor Youngkin an opportunity to select even one member of the UVA Board.
In addition, given the above actions of the prior Democrat controlled Board and then President Ryan done in secrecy, unilaterally, and without notice or debate, Governor-elect Spanberger’s criticism of the current Board for lack of transparency is suspect at best.
In contrast, the current UVA presidential search committee, the most extensive and diverse in University history, was lawfully formed by the Board and has been operating since July 2025, working diligently through meetings and interviews. To suddenly ask the BOV to wait to choose a president is a bold act of political legerdemain representing a total historical double-standard.
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