FOLDED

Trump Administration Ousts University of Virginia President

James Ryan stepped down in an effort to end a Justice Department civil rights probe into the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.

The president of the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville is resigning a day after the Trump administration demanded that he do so, according to The New York Times. James Ryan, who had led the university since 2018, tendered his resignation to the school’s board Friday in an attempt to end a Justice Department civil rights probe into UVA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. Ryan was a champion of DEI, which put him at odds with conservative alumni and board members who thought he was “too woke,” according to the Times. But it was pressure from the Trump administration that made him fold. The Department of Justice alleged that the university had not done away with its racial diversity initiatives despite the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that ended affirmative action. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has waged war on both DEI and top universities. The administration is currently locked in battle with Harvard University, where it has frozen several billion in federal funding, having already earned surrender from Columbia with similar tactics. The Daily Beast has reached out to UVA for comment.