The University of Virginia (UVA) sports teams are known as
The Cavaliers, and their logo is a crossed sword. The original Cavaliers (the word means
horsemen, from the French) were Royalists supporters of Kings Charles I and II
in the 17th century English Civil War. I am not sure why UVA took on
that moniker, but Virginia does have an Anglophile tradition.
“Cavalier” also means haughty or disdainful, as in treating
someone in a “cavalier manner.” Ironically that’s what best describes how the
UVA governing board leadership recently handled the removal of UVA president
Teresa Sullivan. The ouster was masterminded (or miniminded if there is such a
word), by UVA Rector (UVA’s term for board president) Helen Dragas, who
informed Dr. Sullivan on June 10 that
she had enough board votes to oust her. However, the full board was never
convened to take a vote. The popular Dr.
Sullivan, in office for only two years, resigned. Then the proverbial excrement hit the fan, as much regarding the decision-making process as anything else. Students protested en masse, the faculty Senate demanded Sullivan’s reinstatement, some donors threatened to exit, and the media erupted into a high frenzy. The Board appointed an interim President from the Faculty, who later announced he would refuse to serve. As a former Virginian (1992-2006), I know how passionately UVA grads feel about their school, and well they should, as it is one of the premier universities in the country, with fine sports teams to boot.
The board, known formally as the Board of Visitors, is
composed of sixteen members, all appointed by the Governor for four year terms, with legislative approval. As
Virginia governors themselves are limited to one four year term, in this case eight
of the Board members were appointed by either Democrat former Governors Tim
Kaine, now running for U.S. Senate, and Mark Warner, a U.S. Senator, and the
other eight by the present Republican Governor Bob McDonnell, mentioned as a
possible Veep choice for Matt Romney. Thus this fracas took place in a
politicized environment. Governor
McDonnell finally announced the Board had to take action at its specially
called meeting on June 26, one way or another, on any possible reinstatement of
Dr. Sullivan or he would fire them all. Tim
Kaine on June 22 called for the reinstatement of Sullivan.
As the matter unfolded, it became clear Ms. Dragas, a successful
real estate developer from Virginia Beach, had co-conspired with some other big
money board members, notably Vice Rector
Mark Kington (who subsequently resigned), to effect the ouster. I guess they believed in the golden rule:
“Whoever has the gold, makes the rules.”
But they underestimated the passion of UVA supporters and their outrage at foul play. Slate’s John Dickerson writing on June 22 suggested the Rector’s coup d’état entailed an unreasonably high degree of risk and advised: “When you’re climbing a tricky pass on El Capitan, don’t wear an anvil.”
The denouement of this drama took place at the special meeting of the full Board on June 26, where, by unanimous vote, Dr. Sullivan was re-instated as President. At the same time the Board expressed confidence in Ms. Dragas’ leadership. This apparently was a compromise, as Dr. Sullivan had previously declared she would not accept reinstatement unless Ms. Dragas resigned. Outside the Thomas Jefferson-designed Rotunda where the meeting was held, student and faculty awaiting the result broke into cheers at the news that Dr. Sullivan would regain the presidency.
The brouhaha drew national media attention, questioning the
manner of dismissal, while musing on the financial strains faced by
universities in general and public universities in particular.
Finding and retaining superior talent to run not only
universities but any nonprofit these days is difficult enough without the
example of a board such as UVA’s engaging in shabby and underhanded behavior.
Some may lay blame on the fact that the UVA board is politically appointed and/or
that is made up largely of big donors.
But any governing body in the nonprofit world, however constituted, can
ill afford to make decisions in such a manner, which runs the risk of
alienating the very constituencies - in this case, students, faculty, and
alumni - it is pledged to support.
At a high cost to UVA’s reputation, it took sixteen days for
the Board to right the wrong. Let the
Biblical admonition of reaping what one has sown be taken to heart.
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