The University of Virginia’s governing body, the Board of Visitors (BOV), recently voted unanimously to dissolve the institution’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Partnerships. The BOV is made up primarily of members appointed by Youngkin, who praised the board’s decision, calling it “common sense” and stating that “DEI is done at the University of Virginia. We stand for the universal truth that everyone is created equal, and opportunity is at the heart of Virginians’ and Americans’ future.”
However, strong opposition has come from faculty and students. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is calling upon the UVA Board “to immediately rescind” its resolution “until such time as the Congress of the United States and the Virginia Legislature pass laws to that effect, and furthermore, that the UVA Administration and faculty suspend implementation of the resolution until such time as it may have the force of law.”
The AAUP-UVA also asks UVA President Jim Ryan “to publicly articulate” the harm the resolution would cause the institution and to report to the Faculty Senate about the actions taken by the Board of Visitors. The Association also requests that the president include the faculty in decision-making related to the impact of the resolution on academic freedom and shared governance related to curriculum, faculty hiring, and budgetary matters.
Opposing arguments also have come from student voices. The Cavalier Daily, a student-run newspaper at UVA, ran an editorial dated March 16, titled “DEI belongs at U.Va.,” which praised the university’s diversity and inclusion efforts. “The idea that DEI means sacrificing on merit is particularly flawed in academia because a unique background in a student or professor is a qualification in itself,” the editorial stated, adding that abandoning DEI programs “may help homogenize the academic environment, but it will not improve it.”
The BOV’s resolution requires Ryan to report back within 30 days to update the Board of Visitors on UVA’s progress in complying with the BOV’s resolution regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion at UVA.
