CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors Special Committee on the Search for a President, the group tasked with finding the school’s next leader, will meet on Monday, UVA announced.
That meeting, scheduled to last four hours, will precede a special full meeting of the BOV at 2:30 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the Boar’s Head Resort.
Agenda items for the full BOV meeting include pending and potential litigation, government investigations, and personnel matters.
The meeting, which will be in open and closed session, is open to the public, but there will be no opportunity for public comments.
A nationwide search for the university’s 10th president began following the June resignation of former President Jim Ryan. His resignation came under pressure from the Department of Justice over the university’s handling of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Paul Mahoney now serves as interim president. UVA is also searching for its next executive vice president and provost following the departure of Ian Baucom.
Last Wednesday, the University of Virginia entered into an agreement with the Justice Department that would suspend five federal investigations. The agreement would preserve UVA’s academic freedom and not hurt its attempts to secure federal research funding. In exchange, the university will abide by White House guidance that forbids discrimination in admissions and hiring and supply quarterly reports.
The university currently faces multiple lawsuits, including a case involving former UVA Health leaders accused of fraud and retaliation. The lawsuit, filed on October 3, 2024, alleges that the former leaders falsified medical records, allowed improper billing practices, retaliated against whistleblowers, and negligently hired unsafe surgeons, leading to at least two preventable patient deaths. The lawsuit also includes a no-confidence letter signed by 128 UVA Physicians Group-employed faculty against the former leaders, accusing them of fostering a culture of fear and compromising patient safety.
