Late Friday, when many journalists had gone home for the weekend, Governor Bob McDonnell announced he would re-appoint Helen Dragas to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors.  McDonnell said he was disappointed that the first female rector of the university had become the sole target of criticism, and he said her critique of challenges facing the university must be heard.

Helen Dragas was widely seen as the engineer of Teresa Sullivan’s ouster, and her critics were none too happy with the news she’d been reappointed.  Siva Vadyahnathan is chairman of Media Studies at UVA.

“It’s really unfortunate.  It’s, however, not surprising.  At the top levels of institutions and states, when you want to get things done, you have to cut deals,” said Vadyahnathan.

And faculty senate president George Cohen, who once demanded that Dragas resign, was willing to let the appointment ride.

“If the president feels that she is able to work with her, we ought to follow the president’s lead on that, and we’re going to do that in the spirit of cooperation.”

Other appointments include Frank Atkinson and Barbara Kilberg.  Atkinson is a lobbyist for corporations and university foundations who gave nearly $37,000 to McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Attorney General Ken Cucinnelli and other Republican candidates since 2000.  Kilberg is president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council.  Her contributions to McDonnell, Bolling and other GOP candidates totaled more than $50,000 over the last 12 years.

Victoria Harker, chair of  UVA’s alumni association, Linwood Rose, former president of James Madison University, and  Ed Miller, CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine also made the list, so faculty leader George Cohen said he was satisfied.

“I think we see the glass is half full, that the governor reached out to name a former university president, someone from the alumni association – and I think we have to look at that as progress.”

He was also gratified that UVA’s retired COO – Leonard Sandridge, had been named to one of two new seats reserved for senior advisors.  The other went to William Goodwin, Jr. of Richmond, a former member of UVA’s board of visitors and a generous donor to the GOP, having given more than $546,000 to McDonnell, Bolling, Cucinelli and other Republican candidates since 2000.

Cohen said the faculty senate would continue to press for someone to represent UVA’s professors on the board of visitors.     

UVA President Teresa Sullivan is back in the saddle this morning after a wild rodeo ride.  The board of visitors voted, unanimously, to reinstate her after protests erupted on campus and donors threatened to withhold money.  Sandy Hausman reports that Sullivan and the people who tried to push her out are now pushing ahead – together.

U-S House Republicans continue to try to pressure the Obama Administration to open up Virginia’s coast to offshore oil and gas drilling.

In Virginia the House of Delegates, the Senate and Republican Governor Bob McDonnell have all approved drilling for oil and gas off the commonwealth’s coast. Still, the Obama Administration has a moratorium in place blocking Virginia from leasing out the area for drilling, which is puzzling to Virginia Republican Congressman Scott Rigell.

“So here we have the express, collective wisdom and will and desire of Virginians and it’s being thwarted by the administration,” said Rigell, who
recently got the House to approve an amendment that would lift that moratorium, which he says would do well for the economy across the state.

“We are optimistic about this. It has tremendous job creating potential, not only Virginia’s second congressional district but the entire region.”

Environmentalists and people in the tourist industry vehemently oppose the plan to drill off Virginia’s coast, saying the potential harms far outweigh any new revenue.

— Matt Laslo

The University of Virginia Board of Visitors meets Tuesday, 6/26/12 at 3:00 p.m. in what could be the last chapter in a tumultuous tale.  Faculty and students have demanded the reinstatement of President Teresa Sullivan, and many expect that to happen, but Sullivan could refuse to return, creating a new crisis on campus.

Since the board of visitors asked for Teresa Sullivan’s resignation, students, professors and many alumni have been fighting to have her reinstated.  George Cohen heads the faculty senate.  He was relieved to hear the board might reconsider its decision. “We were grateful that the board did call for this meeting, but this is a crisis in which many unexpected things, so we will just have to wait and see what happens,” said Cohen.

Cohen said he was optimistic, but there are signs that Sullivan fans could be disappointed.  The man chosen to replace Sullivan, on an interim basis, has kind words for Rector Helen Dragas, who worked behind the scenes to push Sullivan out.

“The Rector has been villifed, has been the subject of a lot of abuse, and Helen Dragas is not an evil person.  She has given so many years of service to this university, and I honestly believe that she thinks the decision they made to ask President Sullivan to resign was the right thing.”  Carl Zeithaml, Dean of UVA’s undergraduate school of business, criticized the way Dragas handled this matter but agreed with her assessment of university problems and would not say whether he supports Sullivan.

“I want the board to engage in a thorough and appropriate process and make the best decision for the university.”
And then there’s billionaire alumnus Paul Tudor Jones – a major donor to the university — who has publicly expressed support for replacing Sullivan.

For her part, Sullivan says she will not remain in the presidency if Dragas is on the board. Students and faculty rallied over the weekend – showing support for the president and urging the Rector to resign.  “Please, Helen,” said one sign. “Don’t Dragas Down.”  But late last week, Dragas issued a lengthy defense of her actions – written with the help of a high priced public relations agency.  Her term expires at the end of this month, but she could be reappointed by the governor who has praised her as an “incredibly good leader and strong participant on the board.”

So what will Bob McDonnell do?  State Senator Dick Saslaw, a Democrat from Northern Virginia, says it’s a no-brainer. “The governor would have to be out of his mind to reappoint her as a result of all of this chaos.”

Even if Sullivan remains, Saslaw says UVA can expect hard times ahead, because all public schools in the Commonwealth have one big problem. Teresa Sullivan saw that when she took the job, nearly two years ago, and went straight to Richmond.

“We’ll get about $8,400 per student from the state.  At Michigan where I was last, we got $17,600.” Yes – Michigan, in the midst of a depression, was giving more than double the per student aid to its public universities.  Maryland provides $17,620 and North Carolina sends its premiere state school – UNC-Chapel Hill – more than $26,000 per student.

“The reason is that they have higher taxes in that state.  Their roads are far superior to ours.  They’re able to do a lot of things we can’t do, because there’s a flat refusal to make anybody pay for anything in this state,” said Saslaw.

Students and faculty at UVA have remarked about the surprising degree of agreement in the battle to reinstate Sullivan – the ability to bring more than 2,000 people out for a rally.  Organizers hope that energy can be harnessed to demands for voting faculty and staff representation on the board of visitors and for more state money to fund UVA and other public universities in Virginia.

— Sandy Hausman

The University of Virgnia’s PR office has introduced the man chosen to serve as its interim president, but the faculty seems determined to save Teresa Sullivan, and the Washington Post quotes sources who say Sullivan would stick around if Rector Helen Dragas resigns.

UVA’s Faculty Senate sent an e-mail yesterday, urging professors to attend a silent vigil at the Rotunda, and concluding: “It’s not over.”  After the vigil, the group’s president told us why.

“We are still seeking the reinstatement of President Sullivan, the resignation of Rector Dragas, and I think this really gives us a chance to re-examine the whole structure of the board of visitors, the method of selecting board members.  I think everything should be on the table now for examination and debate.”

But Geroge Cohen, a mild mannered professor of law, was not prepared for confrontation.

“We are trying to be as respectful and rational as possible.  We want to convey through our words and our actions our concern about the university.”

Sullivan herself sent an e-mail scolding those who had used abusive language or graffiti during an emotional week on campus.  “Civility is an important hallmark of our university,” she wrote.  Joe Szakos agrees but says the professors will have to step up their game if they want to win.  He has spent 33 years fighting for underdogs, from the slums of Chicago to the coalfields of Kentucky, and is now executive director of Virginia Organizing.  He’s not speaking for the group – just offering a little friendly advice to the faculty.

“It’s obvious from the news accounts that this was as premeditated … talk about this nicely.”

Szakos says the faculty must be strategic and direct – working every possible channel to persuade the people empowered to reinstate Sullivan — the governor and the board of visitors.

“You really have to think, do we know anyone who knows them … what’s going to make them move?  You have a tremendous advantage, because there are UVA donors, UVA graduates, UVA students everywhere in the state.  There’s no way this is going to change unless it becomes personal.”
He’d even to talk with the governor’s kids, who are students at UVA, and in every conversation, he’d  lay it on the line.

“You can do that in many ways … and tell them you don’t like it.  I mean, it’s almost … just not right.  Now there are a lot of cases … really easy.  They did some really nasty things in the last couple of weeks, and you have to bring that to light.”

And there’s one other thing Szakos says the faculty must be prepared to do.  This could go on for some time, so they’ll have to be persistent.

— Sandy Hausman

In the nation’s capital, locals are racing  to protect and preserve the oldest federal monuments: its boundary stones, placed along the original D-C border in 1791. Rebecca Sheir brings us the story.

More than a thousand people rallied on the lawn outside the Rotunda at the University of Virginia today, as the board of visitors met to hear from President Teresa Sullivan and to choose a temporary successor.  Sandy Hausman was on hand and filed this report.

The Board of Visitors is meeting behind closed doors at the University of Virginia this afternoon.

Earlier today, the faculty senate’s executive council had a private meeting with Dragas to discuss Sullivan’s resignation.

In a written statement, faculty representatives described their meeting with Rector Helen Dragas as cordial – an opportunity to ask questions about recent events and to hear the board of visitors’ perspective.  Faculty members also wanted to know what role Dragas saw for them in governing the university and why the board of visitors acted in what the statement called a “speedy and secretive way.”

The executive council representing teachers and researchers then shared a list of possible actions.  First, the faculty proposed a delay in naming of an interim president, so they could be consulted on the decision.  Second, they asked that President Sullivan be reinstated and that the board recommend adding UVA faculty as voting members.  Finally, the group suggested Dragas and Vice Rector Mark Kington resign in the best interests of the university.

About 13% of the nation’s public universities include faculty as voting members of their boards.  Another 10% have representatives as non-voting members – among them Virginia Tech, George Mason, Virginia State and Radford universities.
— Sandy Hausman

In light of the chaos caused by a few members of the board of visitors at the University of Virginia, Delegate David Toscano has announced plans to introduce a bill that would change the way board members are chosen.  Sandy Hausman has that story.

The University of Virginia’s board of visitors  meets this afternoon (06/18) at 3:00.
Rector Helen Dragas has promised a statement, and University President Teresa Sullivan will address the board in closed session.  Last night, more than 500 people came to a meeting of the faculty senate to affirm their strong support for Sullivan and their lack of faith in the board.  Sandy Hausman was there and filed this report.

Less than two years after her selection, the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors has accepted Teresa Sullivan’s resignation and is calling for a bold new leader who can resolve tough financial issues.

When Teresa Sullivan was chosen by a unanimous vote of the board of visitors, there were rave reviews.  Rector John Wynne called her a person of integrity, experience and vision, while board member W. Heywood Fralin said, “She is as knowledgeable about the issues facing higher education as anyone I’ve met in the last 20 years.  She will be an outstanding president in every respect.”

On Sunday, the curtain came down on Sullivan’s show, and the critics were not so kind.  Rector Helen Dragas held a quickie news conference on the steps of the administration building to explain why the well-liked leader of UVA was leaving.

“We had a philosophical difference about the vision of the future of the university.  We are living in a time of rapidly accelerating change in both academia as well as in healthcare.  That decision has – excuse me – that environment has — we believe calls for a different approach to leadership.  We know that the university has exceptional potential, and the board of visitors wants – believes that we need a bold, strategic, visionary leader to take us to the next level.”

Reporters asked Dragas to explain what had changed so much, in less than two years, to warrant Sullivan’s departure.

“There’s lots of news that you can read about the external environment.  Can you be more specific?  I believe I’ve answered the question.”

And she was equally evasive when asked when this decision had been reached:

“It’s been something that’s been evolving over a period of time, but I won’t speak to the specifics, and I do need to go to a 2 o’clock meeting, so thank you all for your time.”

Students, faculty, alumni and staff were notified by e-mail, and in a statement to deans and vice presidents, the board of visitors said, “We know this news is a great shock to the institution.”  Still, the board offered only vague explanations.  “We have calls internally for resolution of tough financial issues,” the statement said, citing declining federal support, state support that will be flat at best and pressures on health care payors.”

The president of the faculty senate at UVA, law professor George Cohen, was on vacation in San Diego when the e-mails began to fly.  Cohen said he was greatly surprised:

“The faculty has been very supportive of President Sullivan.  We’ve been very excited by the changes that she has implemented and the direction that she seemed to be going.”

And while he was aware of financial problems, Cohen added, he thought Sullivan was taking care of business.

“We just had a new provost who just came in in the fall, we have a new chief operating officer, and so we had a new administrative team, and we thought that there would be time for them to work toward a strategy for dealing with these issues.”

In its statement, the board of visitors listed a range of concerns: lagging pay for faculty and staff, the need to make star hires as senior professors retire, the possibility of expanding the university’s educational mission online and the need to effectively obtain gifts. UVA fell $400 million short of a $3 billion fundraising target last year.

Observers also note substantial turnover on the board.  With new appointments every four years, nearly half of those who chose Sullivan are no longer there.

Rector Dragas said an interim president would be in place when students return this fall, and UVA would begin the search for a new president as soon as possible.  Sullivan issued a statement acknowledging philosophical differences with the board and expressed gratitude to the faculty, students,  alumni and administrators.

— Sandy Hausman

Photo: Virginia Public Access Project

There’s a quote that, “The odds are against getting even with people because the odds are they’ll get even with you”. It’s hard to say whether “roasters” at a Virginia Public Access Project fundraising event honoring one of the most outspoken names in Virginia politics were keeping that in mind, but political reporter and columnist Jeff Shapiro may have gotten off easy. Or perhaps just one hour of payback from some of the state’s leading politicians just wasn’t long enough to rebut 30-years of Shapiro’s scrutinizing stories and editorials.