On the floor, the resignation of Virginia Tech president Tim Sands appears unremarkable.
Sands, who has been president of the general public college for 12 years, introduced Thursday that he plans to step down within the close to future. A college information launch touted his accomplishments and supplied glowing remarks about his time on the helm of Virginia Tech.
However a Thursday evening message from Democratic U.S. senator Tim Kaine has raised questions on Sands’s resignation.
“I’m deeply troubled by the sudden departure of President Tim Sands at Virginia Tech,” Kaine wrote in a press release shared with Inside Greater Ed hours after the announcement was made. Just like the college, Kaine famous his accomplishments. However he additionally advised malfeasance.
“This motion has the earmarks of earlier well-publicized efforts to oust Presidents at different Virginia public universities—[Virginia Military Institute, the University of Virginia, George Mason University]. I urge Governor Spanberger to unravel this newest assault on Virginia larger schooling and take all vital motion to insulate college management from politically-motivated schemes,” Kaine wrote.
The senator didn’t specify in that assertion what he was referring to. However his remark means that he sees Sands’s departure as becoming a sample established by different public boards within the state.
Kaine added to his message in an audio recording offered by his employees, saying that he was “not at liberty” to share info he had obtained, however indicating that the board had needed to maneuver rapidly to take away Sands earlier than new members joined.
“I feel there’s a need by sure members on that board to pressure him out, regardless that he doesn’t should be handled like that, in order that the board can decide a president earlier than Governor [Abigail] Spanberger is ready to put this administration’s stamp on the Virginia Tech board,” Kaine stated within the recording from a Friday press name.
He additionally pointed to previous precedent.
Within the case of VMI, the Board of Guests voted final March to not renew the contract of then-Superintendent Cedric Wins, who had publicly clashed with alumni over range, fairness and inclusion efforts on the faculty amid efforts to overtake a tradition criticized as racist and sexist.
At UVA, then-President Jim Ryan stepped down in June amid a federal investigation into DEI packages on the college. He would later reveal he was pressured by the board to resign and accused them of being dishonest concerning the circumstances of his exit and the investigation. Following his exit, UVA reached an settlement with the federal authorities over DEI considerations.
And at GMU, the board repeatedly clashed with President Gregory Washington over DEI efforts, amongst different points. Whereas many anticipated Washington to be fired final summer season, college students and school confirmed as much as protest the anticipated transfer; the board as an alternative voted to retain Washington—and gave him a increase as well, regardless of long-simmering tensions behind the scenes.
In every of these instances, presidents had been pushed out or pressured by boards appointed by former Republican governor Glenn Youngkin, who commonly named conservative operatives and donors to these roles. Whereas his successor, Spanberger, a Democrat, has moved rapidly to reshape governing boards throughout the commonwealth, 13 of the 14 Virginia Tech board members had been appointed by Youngkin, although one was chosen by former Democratic governor Ralph Northam and later reappointed by Youngkin. (The 14th member is an ex officio and never chosen by the governor.) Whereas Youngkin donors are among the many 14 members, the board isn’t comprised of a big variety of political activists or former Republican officers, like many different public college boards in Virginia.
If there’s a controversy, as Kaine hinted at in his cryptic message, it’s a well-kept secret. Virginia Tech didn’t deal with Kaine’s uncommon assertion when contacted Thursday evening by Inside Greater Ed.
“President Sands’ management and dedication to Virginia Tech’s mission and imaginative and prescient have been transformational for the college, the commonwealth, and public larger schooling,” Virginia Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski wrote in an emailed assertion to Inside Greater Ed.
Requested to handle the assertion particularly, Owczarski didn’t reply.
Sands stated in his departure announcement that it was the best time to step down and permit the following president to “take the baton at full stride.” Although the announcement didn’t specify an actual timeline, Sands wrote that he would “serve till my successor is in place.” The college information launch indicated he would “step down within the coming months.” Nonetheless, presidential searches can usually take a 12 months.
Talking anonymously, one supply acquainted with the scenario instructed Inside Greater Ed that Spanberger had been in contact with Virginia Tech rector John Rocovich and the 2 had spoken straight concerning the want for her appointees, who will be named in July, to be concerned with the search.
“The 2 have spoken candidly concerning the want for the president to be chosen by way of a clear and thorough course of that doesn’t undermine public belief in college management,” they stated.
