On the heels of announcing the creation of a new biotech institute with the help of $150 million in state funding, University of Virginia President Jim Ryan traveled to the Virginia state capitol the other day to discuss how “UVA and the Commonwealth can continue to collaborate.”
Numerous bills affecting Virginia’s public universities, and by extension UVa, have been up for debate — bills calling for more transparency into university expenditures on lobbyists and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion administrators, for example, or mandating that universities with large endowments apply a minimum of 15% of market gains to making tuition more affordable.
The Jefferson Council wondered what else Ryan might have spoken to lawmakers about. Here is what university spokesman Brian Coy told us:
It is very common for university presidents to visit the Capitol during the legislative session to visit with legislators and executive branch officials about matters important to their institutions and the Commonwealth.
On this particular trip, President Ryan focused on a couple different things, including follow-up and next steps after our successful announcement of a new biotech institute here at UVA, the University’s ongoing efforts to build a new Center for the Arts, student mental health, and workforce development.
President Ryan also makes sure to engage the leaders he meets about ways the University can partner with them to better serve the Commonwealth of Virginia.
We had hoped that President Ryan might have wanted to address the character assassination of one of his Board of Visitors members, Bert Ellis, whose appointment confirmation is in jeopardy in the state Senate. Ellis has been widely libeled as a racist and homophobe based upon tendentious reporting of his activity on the UVa Student Union a half century ago. Perhaps it’s not in the UVa president’s job description to engage in politicking. But we are disappointed that only one Board member has spoken on his behalf.
The only person of prominence at UVa to publicly support Ellis is perhaps its most famous faculty member, Larry Sabato. The political science professor wrote the following letter:
To the Members of the Virginia General Assembly
I’ve known Bert Ellis since the 1970s when we were both undergraduates at the University of Virginia. Bert and I have different political takes on quite a few subjects, but I know Bert to be loyal to the University and dedicated to its best interests. He’s proven as much many times.
Bert and I have had some lengthy talks about higher education policy, and I believe his point of view should have representation on the Board of Visitors. I support his continuance on the Board, and I hope the General Assembly will see its way clear to confirm his appointment. Virginians of all ideological persuasions should have confidence that Bert will do his utmost to support the University’s efforts to serve the Commonwealth and her citizens.
Sincerely yours,
Larry J. Sabato
Dr. Larry J. Sabato
Director, Center for Politics
University Professor of Politics
University of Virginia
A final vote to confirm or deny Ellis’ appointment could come as early as today.
I think Dr. Sabato’s comment was very supportive of Bert Ellis. I only hope that Virginia Legislators will take heed and ignore all the “noise” being made about him around the grounds.
I don’t see Ryan sticking his neck out for what’s right. Dr. Sabato on the other hand is a class act. When some one is conservative, they stick the racist card in them and call them names. Appreciate Sabato doing the right thing
Does the “spokesman’s” answer read a little defensive to you?
He appears to know why Jim Ryan was there (“ President Ryan focused on a couple different things,”) and mentioned one specifically.
Given that he had to know Jim Bacon was inquiring with respect to The Jefferson Council, couldn’t he have allayed our fears?
Am I wrong to think “expressio unius est exclusio alterius?”
Jim Ryan gets paid over $1 million a year to run an intellectual gulag. And wants to keep it that way.
Thank you Larry. Good to see there is at least one person left at UVA with class and character.
It is sad to see TJC become part of the deep divide in our politics. You do nothing to bring us together but only pull us apart. My experience at UVA left me feeling enlightened, not burdened with partisan hate.
Please explain what is “partisan” about wanting Bert Ellis approved?
Seems “partisan” to me that UVA student council has organized a “hit” on Bert along with the CD…and isn’t it “funny” that an editor in chief has a Dem whip State Senator father?
Free speech for all is not “partisan.”
It’s sad to see students be part of the deep partisan divide…
When I was there, no one could have cared about who got appointed to the BOV. A few loud activists, probably all heavily subsidized, think they have a right to set UVA policy?
In the interest of self awareness, the very basis of wisdom as Aristotle first elucidated, could it be that what you charge TJC with is simply a bald faced projection?
I WANT HIS JOB! According to OpenTheBooks, Brian Coy made $174,410.00 in 2021. I will happily convey that university presidents visit legislators, they talk about more than one thing per trip and that they refrain from working to worsen the Commonwealth. I’ll do this for half of Mr. Coy’s salary.
3 CHEERS FOR PROFESSOR SABATO
Larry is a class act. I don’t think he and Bert agree on several issues, but Larry knows that Bert would be a fine addition to the BOV. Wouldn’t that in itself be diversity on the BOV?