Friday, March 7, the University of Virginia’s board of visitors voted unanimously to close its diversity, equity and inclusion office, following weeks of pressure from the Trump administration and Gov. Glenn Youngkin D.P.S. ’22 to eliminate “discriminatory practices.”
In a statement released Friday evening, Youngkin celebrated the UVA board’s decision.
“The Board of Visitors voted for common sense, saying ‘no’ to illegal discrimination and ‘yes’ to merit-based opportunity,” Youngkin said. “We stand for the universal truth that everyone is created equal, and opportunity is at the heart of Virginians’ and Americans’ future.”
Similar to the College of William and Mary, the number of Youngkin-appointed board members at UVA increased since he took office in 2022. UVA’s board of visitors currently comprises 13 Youngkin-appointees out of 17 total members, while the College’s board contains 10 out of 17 total members.
The College’s board did not address changes to the status of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at its most recent meeting in February. However, Youngkin’s newly outspoken stance on the issue could place additional pressure on the College, whose board convenes for its final meeting of the academic year from April 23-25.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Feb. 14 ‘Dear Colleague’ letter to colleges and universities calling for the closure of DEI offices in higher education is currently under legal challenge by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, who filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration Wednesday, March 5.
While experts say that no clear mechanisms are in place for legal enforcement, mounting pressure from the federal and state government, coupled with uncertainty surrounding funding, could influence the College’s board in the coming weeks.
