By Milton Kirby | Richmond, VA | July 1, 2025

In an unprecedented clash between federal authority and academic independence, University of Virginia President James E. Ryan resigned Friday following what officials described as direct political pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration. The resignation comes amid a federal investigation into the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner called the resignation “outrageous” during a Sunday appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation. He accused the Trump administration of using the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (DOE) as political weapons to dismantle DEI initiatives and force leadership changes at prominent universities.

“This is the most outrageous action this crowd has taken on education,” Warner said. “Jim Ryan had done a very good job. He just completed a major capital campaign. He should not have been forced out.”

According to Warner, UVA received an “explicit” warning from the administration that if Ryan did not resign by a specified deadline, the university would face sweeping federal funding cuts. These included slashed research grants, loss of student financial aid, and revoked international student visas.

Ryan, who had planned to step down next year, ultimately accelerated his departure to shield the UVA community from fallout.

“To make a long story short, I am inclined to fight for what I believe in… But I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job,” Ryan wrote in a heartfelt resignation letter Ryan wrote in a heartfelt resignation letter. “To do so would… appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs… and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld.”

A Sudden Resignation, a Lasting Impact

The federal investigation into UVA is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to dismantle DEI programs in education. Though UVA’s Board of Visitors voted to dissolve its Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in March, DOJ officials reportedly accused the university of failing to go far enough. A June 17 letter from the department, according to The New York Times, reiterated that the university was still out of compliance.

Ryan’s resignation marks the first time a sitting university president has stepped down under direct federal pressure tied to financial threats. Higher education leaders say the move sets a dangerous precedent.

“This is a dark day for the University of Virginia and a dark day for higher education,” said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. “It’s clear the administration is not done and will use every tool it can make or invent to exert its will over higher education.”

Community Reactions

UVA’s Board of Visitors accepted Ryan’s resignation and activated its Continuity of Operations Plan. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis will serve as acting president while a nationwide search for a permanent successor begins.

“Jim Ryan has been an extraordinary president,” said outgoing Rector Robert Hardie. “He has led our institution to unprecedented heights, always doing so with grace and humility… UVA has forever been changed for the better as a result of Jim’s exceptional leadership.”

Ryan’s tenure since 2018 was marked by major institutional growth, including the creation of the School of Data Science, a new performing arts center, and expanded financial aid for Virginia families. He was also instrumental in launching the Karsh Institute of Democracy and a new campus in Northern Virginia.

Warner and fellow Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine released a joint statement calling the DOJ’s demand for Ryan’s resignation “outrageous” and a “mistake that hurts Virginia’s future.”

National Consequences

The Trump administration’s move is part of a broader federal campaign to eliminate DEI practices nationwide. The administration has simultaneously threatened funding for Harvard, Columbia, and other elite universities over race-conscious admissions and hiring.

Critics argue that these moves signal the erosion of higher education’s independence from federal politics.

“There’s grave danger to the quality and future of higher education if these kinds of decisions become a function of the federal government,” said Armand Alacbay of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.

Peter McDonough, general counsel for the American Council on Education, noted that federal law prohibits the government from micromanaging educational institutions. But the Trump administration has increasingly blurred the lines between political pressure and lawful oversight.

“If universities now have to align with whoever won the last presidential election, that’s a worry,” McDonough said.

A Historic Presidency Ends

Ryan, a first-generation college student who earned his law degree from UVA, had earned widespread respect among students, faculty, and alumni. His final message reflected both sorrow and resolve.

“This was an excruciatingly difficult decision, and I am heartbroken to be leaving this way,” he wrote. “But I could not in good conscience cause any real and direct harm to my colleagues and our students in order to preserve my own position.”

His departure underscores the high stakes battle over academic freedom, public governance, and the future of higher education under renewed federal scrutiny.

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