NEWS FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNCIL NETWORK
Filter By Content Type
How to Create a Monoculture: Rising Scholars
The University of Virginia’s “Rising Scholars” program in the College of Arts and Sciences, which dispenses graduate fellowships exclusively to racial, ethnic, sexual and gender minority students, has ceased accepting applications, according to a posting on its website. The website provides no explanation, but…
The End of Science! Lives Will Be Lost!
Don’t question university overhead costs or thousands will die! That is essentially the message of Virginia’s big three research universities — Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, and Virginia Commonwealth University — in response to a National Institutes of Health initiative capping reimbursable overhead costs to 15% of the research grants it dispenses. And I’m not exaggerating about the “thousands will die” part.
The Provost Search Is On
Now comes the battle to replace the University of VIrginia’s provost Ian Baucom. The University has assembled a fourteen-person group to launch a national search, according to an announcement in the UVA house organ UVA Today.
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.
He Who Controls UVA’s Strategic Investment Fund Controls Its Strategic Direction Part 3
This is the third and final part of a new three-part series exploring the influence of UVA President Ryan’s Strategic Investment Fund.
He Who Controls UVA’s Strategic Investment Fund Controls Its Strategic Direction Part 2
This is the second part of a new three-part series exploring the influence of UVA President Ryan’s Strategic Investment Fund.
The Baucom Resignation Could Set Off a Power Struggle at UVA
Ian Baucom will step down as provost of the University of Virginia in March to become president of Middlebury College in Vermont. UVA will launch a national search for his replacement, the university announced today. His departure will likely set off a power struggle between President Jim Ryan and members of the Board of Visitors appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
He Who Controls UVA’s Strategic Investment Fund Controls Its Strategic Direction
This is the first part of a new three-part series exploring the influence of UVA President Ryan’s Strategic Investment Fund.
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.
A Whisper of Fresh Air
The first time Acampora came to my attention was at the September 2023 Board of Visitors meeting. She didn’t sound like a political progressive at all but rather, as she described herself to the board, “a bottom-line, up-front kind of person.”
Hodges Bill Would Require Universities to Archive Board Video
A bill introduced in the General Assembly would require public four-year institutions to record, archive, and make Boards of Visitors meetings available to the public for five years.
The Sordid Reality of “Great and Good”
The University of Virginia’s 2030 Plan for creating “a great and good university” lists ten key initiatives, one of which is its “good neighbor program.”
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.
Time is Running Out for Change at UVA
Time is running short for Governor Glenn Youngkin to make his mark on the University of Virginia. His appointees to the Board of Visitors now comprise a 13-to-4 majority, yet after almost a half year, they have failed to make a visible dent in the priorities set by President Jim Ryan.
Racking Up the Fees
Matan Goldstein, the Jewish student who was subjected to repeated antisemitic treatment at the University of Virginia, has settled his lawsuit against the University. Terms of the settlement were not revealed. While the public cannot know how much UVA paid, if anything, to make the problem go away, we can get a sense of how much it spent on legal fees.
Ellis Goes Rogue
Bert Ellis was mad as hell and wasn’t going to take it anymore. He didn’t reenact Peter Finch playing Howard Beale in his famous rant in the movie “Network.” In fact, he was very calm and deliberate. But he made it clear to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors Thursday that he had run out of patience. He would refuse to vote in favor of any new spending project until the University got serious about cutting costs, Ellis said.