
NEWS FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNCIL NETWORK
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Bert Ellis Responds to Governor Youngkin’s Letter
“UVA can once again be a beacon of excellence, the shining city on the hill, and a model for the nation. That is my mission. I have been steadfast in this fight, and I will remain so—regardless of the Governor’s decision.“
Youngkin Fires Ellis
Governor Glenn Youngkin has fired Bert Ellis from the University of Virginia Board of Visitors, terminating the most outspoken member of the board supporting his goals of reining in tuition, promoting free speech and intellectual diversity, and eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from the University’s policies and practices.
Disassembling the Post’s Latest Hit Piece
Who leaked police-cam videos meant to embarrass Bert Ellis to The Washington Post? If we knew the answer to that, we could get a clearer view of the behind-the-scenes power play to shape the future of the University of Virginia.
What Madness Is This?
Having bragged on national cable news that “DEI is done” at the University of Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin now is asking for the resignation of the man most determined to ensure that DEI is, in fact, laid to rest.
A Tired Ryan Contemplates a Difficult Future
The last few months have been the most trying time in Ryan’s six-and-a-half-year tenure. After enjoying tremendous initial success in implementing his priorities at UVA, he is now mired in endless controversies which threaten to unravel his legacy.
One Man’s Fight For Transparency
My FOIA journey began in 2021, soon after the University of Virginia released its “free speech” statement. I was disappointed with it, thinking it lukewarm and empty of enforcement — a fig leaf resulting from the alumni outcry arising out of the poor handling of the F--- UVA Lawn door.
The Woke Scare Is Four Times Worse Than the Red Scare
More than a third (35%) of tenured and tenure-track faculty at 55 of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities say they have toned down their writing for fear of engendering controversy. How does this compare to the Red Scare of the ‘50s?
UVA’s Administration has Willfully Ignored Its Longstanding Antisemitism Problem
The Daily Progress recently reported on perhaps the most staggering antisemitic incident in what has become a long list of antisemitic incidents at the University of Virginia.
President Joel Gardner’s Letter to the BOV
A senior tenured faculty member has anonymously expressed concerns about various circumstances prevalent on Grounds. This professor wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation by the administration. One of the matters he/she discusses is the deterioration of our Honor System, focusing on the "secession" by the faculty from the System.
UVA Dissenters Test Limits of the Permissible
More than 60 employers showed up to UVA’s job fair — and so did The Dissenters, a militant pro-Palestinian student organization that targeted companies deemed complicit with Israel.
Hat’s Off to UVA Student for Keeping His Hat On
Ironically, the office in charge of protecting people from harassment on the basis of religion subjected this fourth-year UVA student to a twenty-minute Zoom call and applied mild pressure to stop expressing his Christian view. The double standards rankle.
UVA on MSNBC — And It’s Not Good
Joe Scarborough’s daughter attends UVA and here’s what he has to say
Student Free Speech Group Revived at UVA
“We were instrumental in helping Tyler revive the YAF chapter and look forward to working with them and other student groups to schedule future conservative speakers ensuring diverse viewpoints are offered at the University.“
UVA to Theta Chi: Evict Brothers from Frat House. Theta Chi: No.
Donovan Golich may have been excessively zealous in his investigations, but the University’s problematic approach to fraternities does not end with his departure.
UNC Tries to Create a “Free-Speech Culture”
Jed Atkins, head of the Chapel Hill campus’s new School of Civic Life and Leadership, wants to teach students to be tolerant, in an old-school way.
TJC Mention in The College Fix: ‘Woke’ Tour Guide Service Put on hold at UVA
The College Fix contributor Colleen Dean quotes The Jefferson Council President Tom Neale: "We made the board aware of this three years ago."
TJC Mention in The Cavalier Daily: UVA Hazing Investigator Leaves Amid Criticism Over Case Handling
The Cavalier Daily's Thomas Baxter and Ford McCracken: That accountability process was on display in an audio recording of Golich leaked last week by alumni group The Jefferson Council — an organization with the stated mission of preserving the legacy of Thomas Jefferson at the University.