And Then They Came for the Intellectuals, II

Jim Ryan and UVA become latest casualties in war on Higher Education

Observers of higher education had been predicting that University of Virginia President Jim Ryan might be ousted by U.Va.’s governing board, now controlled by appointees of DEI opponent and Trump ally, Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Instead, it was Trump’s Department of Justice that forced Ryan into an early departure.

The threats were familiar — echoing those aimed at Columbia and Harvard: conform to our views, or we’ll make it difficult for your institution and students. But unlike Harvard, where the president and board chose to fight, Ryan lacked sufficient support from both U.Va.’s Board of Visitors and the state’s Republican governor to do so. As he wrote in his message to the University community, Ryan wanted to stay, but could not “make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job.”

Ryan and U.Va. have thus become the latest casualties in a sweeping political campaign against American higher education — arguably the most aggressive in our nation’s history.

The pretext for the attack is President Ryan’s alleged support for DEI initiatives. This, despite Youngkin’s declaration that “DEI is dead at UVA,” and Ryan’s detailed response outlining the University’s significant changes to comply with DOJ’s demands. No matter. The pressure continued—from both Washington and the Board.

Never mind that no court has found DEI to be illegal. Never mind that U.Va, under Board pressure, had already dismantled many such programs. The facts are beside the point. Ryan had become a symbol — and a target.

Until now, federal intervention has largely focused on elite private institutions. But the forced resignation of a public university president marks a chilling expansion of that campaign. Every state now faces the prospect of federal executive interference with the education goals of state legislatures and governors. Conservatives may be celebrating Ryan’s departure, but could rue the day when their public universities become vehicles to serve national political agendas, not those of their states.

What’s at stake here is far more than one presidency. America’s colleges and universities are not only centers of learning; they are the stewards of intellectual freedom, and essential engines of innovation, critical thinking, and economic growth. They are also where many of the world’s breakthroughs in science, medicine, and technology are occurring. Undermining these institutions threatens the foundation on which a free and thriving democracy depends.

The Transformation of U.Va.

Fifty years ago, the University of Virginia was regarded as a conventional Southern school where young men spent four years enjoying themselves—hopefully learning something useful along the way. The University reflected the conservative norms of its region and the times, with buildings named after Lost Cause sympathizers and eugenicists, and a long history of discrimination against women and minorities.

But a series of forward-looking presidents, faculty members, and political leaders from both parties brought profound change. Women and African Americans were admitted, and the state invested significantly in infrastructure and top-tier faculty. Donors contributed substantially to the endowment. The result: U.Va. emerged as one of the top public universities in the nation. Its law and business schools now rival international counterparts. While not a research juggernaut on the scale of our largest universities, it is making significant contributions in fields like data science and medical research.

Today, U.Va. embraces Jefferson’s enduring ideals—particularly his powerful declaration that “all men are created equal” and his commitment to freedom of religion and speech. It also struggles with the contradictions in his life. The progress was sometimes difficult, but U.Va. is a very different place than it was decades ago. Ryan recently completed a capital campaign that raised $6 billion with more than 250,000 individual donors, unprecedented for a state university. And the University continues to gather accolades:

• #1 for free speech (FIRE College Free Speech Rankings, 2025)

• #1 for financial aid among public universities, four years running

• #1 public university ranking for Business and Law Schools

• Highest 4-year graduation rate among public universities

• #3 in best value nationwide among public universities.

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Enter Donald Trump and Glenn Youngkin

Virginia’s public higher education system has long benefited from bipartisan support. A recent poll by the Virginia Business Higher Education Council found that 81% of Virginians believe the Commonwealth’s colleges and universities effectively prepare students for the modern economy. While tuition increases have been a concern, calls for wholesale transformation of the system were rare—until Gov. Glenn Youngkin launched his crusade against DEI.

In Virginia, university board members are nominated by the governor and confirmed by the General Assembly. Traditionally, once appointed, board members set aside partisan politics to support institutional progress. But Youngkin has used the appointments to remake boards in his ideological image.

The first clue came with the appointment of Bert Ellis. Known for his abrasive demeanor and criticism that U.Va. had “lost its way,” Ellis is also a key figure in the Jefferson Council, which recently placed full-page newspaper ads calling for Ryan’s ouster, largely for his support of DEI. Ironically, Ellis’s tenure was so disruptive that Youngkin ultimately removed him.

Then came Ken Cuccinelli, Youngkin’s proposed replacement for Ellis. A former Trump administration official and Virginia Attorney General, Cuccinelli is best known at U.Va. for his 2010 legal assault on climate scientist Michael Mann, when he attempted to compel the University to turn over reams of academic documents using an obscure legal tactic. U.Va. stood behind Mann, and the courts dismissed Cuccinelli’s claims.

Not long after a Virginia State Senate committee rejected Cuccinelli’s appointment to the U.Va. board (all appointments to university boards must be approved by the legislature), news broke that the Trump-aligned DOJ was investigating Ryan. The timing has raised serious concerns about political retaliation. Though Youngkin and Attorney Jason Miyares argue that Cuccinelli should be seated on the board, Democrats in the Virginia Senate have sued to remove him, and, whatever the outcome, the Democratic-controlled legislature is likely to block the appointment again—and a future Democratic governor could follow Youngkin’s own precedent by firing Cuccinelli outright.

The politicization doesn’t end there. When Dr. K. Craig Kent, then CEO of UVA Health, was recently forced to resign following a BOV investigation, even Thomas Scully, a lifelong Republican and former Bush administration official, called the move “silly partisan politics” involving the political agenda of Youngkin appointees. The Medical Center, like the broader university, had become entangled in a political tug-of-war.

All of this is unfolding under the oversight of a Board of Visitors dominated by Youngkin appointees. A University once defined by progress and excellence is now engulfed in the storm of nationalized politics. What’s at stake is far more than one presidency or one institution: it’s the role of our public universities as bastions of intellectual freedom, diversity of thought, and innovation in a democratic society.

Academic Freedom

Modern universities are rooted in the Enlightenment tradition: the belief that the free exchange of ideas, informed debate, and open inquiry are the surest path to truth. This is the foundation of academic freedom, a principle that has enjoyed bipartisan support for decades.

As Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker has argued, “Intellectual freedom is not a privilege of professors but the only way that fallible humans gain knowledge.” Pinker, who has himself been a target of so-called “cancel culture,” defends the idea that universities must welcome unfettered discourse—not just to protect individual expression, but because society itself depends on it.

When governments attempt to dictate acceptable viewpoints from above, they do more than stifle dissent—they undermine the very mission of education. That’s the danger we face now. And the challenge is more sophisticated. The Trump administration has adopted a new strategy; rather than imprison thinkers, it targets their leaders and financially starves the institutions they lead.

What To Do

Supporting our universities and their leaders at this moment is essential. Here are ways you can help:

• Make a contribution, however small, to a public college or university. With it, note your support for academic freedom and your opposition to political interference. If you are going to give to U.Va., target the gift to a specific school or program. Consider suspending any “planned gift” until interference ends. The Board of Visitors should know you are dissatisfied.

• Write to your college president—thank him or her for defending open discourse, and encourage them to join hundreds of others in signing the Call for Constructive Engagement.

• Thank a scientist or professor in your life.

• Post on social media, attend a protest, or write a letter to the editor of your local paper.

• Contact your state representative and urge them to defend academic freedom and the independence of higher education.

  
  The campaign to discredit and dismantle higher education is multifaceted. Our response must be as well.

Throughout history, intellectuals have exposed lies, challenged power, and helped shape freer, more just societies. When they are silenced—and when the institutions that protect them are weakened—critical thinking begins to vanish, and with it, the foundation of a free republic. Ryan’s resignation has raised the stakes; one hopes that America will recognize the challenge.

Note: Part I of this piece was posted prior to Ryan’s resignation, and is found here