The Jefferson Council Urges Board of Visitors to Uphold Free Speech and Viewpoint Diversity at Friday’s Special Meeting
CHARLOTTESVILLE — The Jefferson Council (TJC), a nonprofit alumni association formed to preserve Thomas Jefferson’s legacy of freedom and excellence at the University of Virginia, has been made aware of a special meeting of the Board of Visitors scheduled for this Friday. We urge the Board to use this opportunity to reaffirm its authority and take decisive action in response to the executive orders under discussion.
One of these executive orders is widely believed to be the directive from the U.S. Department of Education, which requires the University of Virginia to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) apparatus by February 28 or risk losing federal funding. The Jefferson Council has long opposed the politicization of the Grounds, which has been forcefully imposed under the guise of DEI for more than a decade. The dismantling of the DEI framework represents a crucial step toward restoring true intellectual diversity, academic freedom, and a real level playing field for the free and open exchange of ideas.
At Friday’s meeting, we encourage the Board to:
Affirm the Authority of the Board of Visitors — As the governing body of the University, the Board has a responsibility to ensure that UVA remains an institution of open inquiry and rigorous debate, free from ideological conformity.
Support the Executive Order and Depoliticize UVA’s Grounds — The Jefferson Council calls upon the Board to stand firmly behind the executive order and to take proactive measures to remove DEI policies and initiatives that suppress free thought and impose ideological orthodoxy.
The Jefferson Council remains committed to ensuring that the University of Virginia remains a place where the foundational principles of free expression, viewpoint diversity, and academic excellence are upheld. We urge the Board of Visitors to take a strong stand for the Kalven Principles and to embrace this opportunity to return the University to its true mission: the pursuit of knowledge and truth without political interference.
The Jefferson Council is a nonprofit organization comprised of UVA alumni, donors, students, and faculty who are committed to preserving Thomas Jefferson’s legacy of freedom and excellence at the University of Virginia.