The University of Virginia's governing board is facing a major leadership vacuum after five members, including the rector and vice rector, submitted their resignations on Friday. The departures came at the request of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, just hours before she was set to be sworn into office.
The resignations of Rector Rachel Sheridan, Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson, and board members Paul Manning, Doug Wetmore, and Stephen Long mark a pivotal moment for the public university. This move follows a period of intense scrutiny and internal conflict over the board's governance and its role in the departure of former University President Jim Ryan.
Key Takeaways
- Five members of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors, including the top two leaders, resigned on January 17, 2026.
- The resignations were requested by incoming Governor Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat and UVA alumna.
- The departing members were all appointed by outgoing Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
- This shake-up follows months of controversy surrounding the 2025 ousting of President Jim Ryan and the board's handling of DEI policies.
- The 17-member board is now left with only seven members, two more than the minimum required for a quorum.
A Pre-Inauguration Shake-Up
In an unexpected development Friday evening, the top leadership of the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors stepped down. Rector Rachel Sheridan and Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson, along with three other members, resigned from their posts. All five were appointees of outgoing Governor Glenn Youngkin.
The request for their departure came directly from Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, who was inaugurated as Virginia's 75th governor the following day. This decisive action signals a clear intention by the new administration to reshape the leadership at the state's flagship public university.
The resignations leave the 17-seat board with ten vacancies. With only seven members remaining, the board is just above the five-member quorum required to conduct official business. This raises immediate questions about the board's ability to govern effectively until new members are appointed.
The Resigning Members
The individuals who resigned represent significant figures within the university's governance structure:
- Rachel Sheridan: A partner at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis, appointed in 2022 and named rector just over six months ago.
- Porter Wilkinson: Counselor to the Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents, appointed in 2023.
- Paul Manning: CEO of PBM Capital, who made a $100 million donation to UVA for a new biotechnology institute.
- Doug Wetmore: A senior vice president at Centauri Health Solutions.
- Stephen Long: A Richmond-based anesthesiologist.
The Role of the Board of Visitors
The Board of Visitors is the highest governing body of the University of Virginia. Its members are appointed by the Governor of Virginia and are responsible for the long-term planning and financial oversight of the university. The Rector serves as the chair of the board, a position first held by the university's founder, Thomas Jefferson.
Roots of the Controversy
The leadership crisis at UVA is not a sudden event. It is the culmination of months of turmoil that began with the forced resignation of University President Jim Ryan in July 2025. Public records later revealed that members of the board had engaged in back-channel negotiations with the Trump administration's Department of Justice.
These discussions centered on the university's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. According to reports, President Ryan was told that if he did not step down, the federal government would withhold millions of dollars in funding from the university due to his support for DEI policies.
This intervention in the university's affairs drew widespread criticism from faculty, students, and alumni. The UVA Faculty Senate passed a resolution in November calling for the resignations of Sheridan and Wilkinson, citing a lack of transparency regarding their involvement in Ryan's departure.
"I have to come to believe ... that our efforts to do what is right for UVA have become paralyzed through purposeful political warfare that is destabilizing the University," Sheridan wrote in her resignation letter.
Wilkinson, in her letter, pointed to "partisan attempts to amplify voices of discontent in the media." Both denied being part of a coup to unseat Ryan, instead framing their actions as necessary to protect the university.
Board Composition in Flux
The Board of Visitors is now significantly depleted. Before these five resignations, five other seats were already vacant after Democrats in the state Senate blocked Governor Youngkin's final appointments to university boards across Virginia. The board is now operating with less than half its full strength.
The Path Forward for UVA
The immediate challenge for the new governor and the university is to restore stability. Governor Spanberger acted swiftly after her inauguration, beginning the process of filling the numerous vacancies on the board. The selection of new members will be closely watched, as it will determine the future direction of the university's governance.
The board's recent decision to hire a new president has also been a point of contention. In December, despite warnings from Spanberger to wait until the board was at full strength, the remaining members named Scott Beardsley, dean of UVA's Darden School of Business, as the university's 10th president.
With a depleted board and a new governor, the leadership landscape at the University of Virginia is undergoing a profound transformation. The focus now shifts to rebuilding the board and establishing a stable governance structure that can navigate the political pressures facing higher education.
