Incoming Virginia governor asks several U.Va. board members to resign

The incoming Democratic governor of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, has asked at least five members of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors who were appointed by her Republican predecessor to resign, according to two people briefed on the matter. Ms. Spanberger is to be sworn in on Saturday.

Among those she has asked to step down are Rachel Sheridan, the board’s chair, and Paul Manning, a major donor who made a $100 million gift a couple of years ago; both were appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. There are 12 members of the board, all appointed by Mr. Youngkin. The turmoil at the university follows the resignation last summer of president Jim Ryan amid pressure from the Trump administration, which the article says was threatening to cut the school’s funding and investigate it if Mr.

Ryan remained in office. Mr. Manning had discussions with senior Justice Department officials in July in which, Mr. Ryan later wrote in a letter about his firing, they told him that Mr. Ryan had to go and warned that if he didn’t resign they would “bleed UVA white.” Conservative alumni and members of the Justice Department under President Trump had wanted Mr.

Ryan out because they believed he was too liberal. Some Virginia Democrats and faculty members have urged Ms. Spanberger to remove the university’s new president, Scott C. Beardsley, saying he was too hastily appointed by a board that refused to stand up to Mr. Trump, but it is unclear what Ms.

Key Topics

Politics, Abigail Spanberger, Rachel Sheridan, Paul Manning, Glenn Youngkin