university-of-virginia

"The history of the University of Virginia expands until it embraces the history of the South; and the history of the South contracts until it merges in the history of the University of Virginia."

"The great power for good which the University of Virginia has exercised, during these first one hundred years, is too subtle, too far spread, and too voluminous, to be gauged to the farthest limits."

"I’d also like to thank the Board of Visitors. Board of Visitors, of course that name goes all the way back to your founder, Thomas Jefferson, who was just trying to put the local Indians at ease. “Just visiting. Should be going home any century now.” And that’s just one of the many unique, dignified terms that sets UVA apart from other universities. Instead of freshmen, you have first years. Instead of a quad, you call it a Lawn. Instead of saying we are members of a proud educational tradition dating back to our nation’s founders, you say “Wahoowa!” Which begs the eternal question, “Wahoowhy?”"

"And I just want to say the students at UVA are incredible. The men are all gentlemen and the women are all the most beautiful and intelligent in the world. And I’m not saying that because I dated a UVA girl. I’m saying that because I married her."

"But of course, the greatest figure associated with UVA is your founder, Thomas Jefferson. TJ. Prez Tommy Jef. The freckly anti-Federalist. Louisiana purchy. Old bible-slicer. Or as most Americans know him, the inventor of the six-inch wooden cipher wheel. In founding this great institution Jefferson wrote, we wish to establish in the upper country of Virginia a university on a plan so broad and liberal and modern as to be a temptation of the youth of other states to come a drink the cup of knowledge and fraternize with us. And according to Playboy, you have lived up to that vision."

"So have the courage to follow the example of your founder, Thomas Jefferson, the greatest mind of that most daring generation, to create something new for yourselves and lay its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to you shall seem most likely to affect your safety and happiness. And know that though he wrote these words 237 years ago, that this generation, no less than his generation, has their own opportunity to recognize and seize that moment when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bands that have connected them with another and assume among the powers of the earth your separate and equal station and for the support of this, mutually pledge to each other your lives, your fortune, and your sacred honor. If anyone can do this, it is the graduates of the university Jefferson founded. You are his intellectual heirs. In fact, some of you may be his actual heirs. We’re still testing the DNA. So thank you for this honor and congratulations to the Class of 2013. Wahoowha!"

"Have there been any threats to classroom freedom at the University of Virginia? Not really. A couple of years ago, the administration wanted to know how our teaching and writing contributed to diversity, equity and inclusion. I protested this as soon as I saw it: The freedom to ignore DEI or teach in ways that came into conflict with it seemed precious to me. I sounded my mild protest to the president, Jim Ryan, the provost Ian Baucom (now president of Middlebury College), the chair of my department and anyone else I could find in power. The whole thing was a bit tricky, because I believe in many of the tenets of DEI. I just didn’t want the university to try to persuade professors to bend their teachings toward what I see as a political position. All the officials were willing to talk, debate, reconsider. When I and others spoke up, the people in charge wanted to hear. Now the tables have turned. Last month, President Trump’s Justice Department forced Jim Ryan to resign by threatening to cut off crucial funding to the university, claiming that Ryan hadn’t done enough to dismantle DEI programs. When the Trump administration attacked Harvard, the members of the Harvard Corporation fought back. At the University of Virginia, unlike Harvard, the Board of Visitors is state-appointed, and the current members, all chosen by Republican governors, caved in to the demands. So did the attorney general of the state, who might have defended us."

"Who is the hero of “Paradise Lost”? There are many candidates. The Son of God, who redeems mankind? Eve, who eats the apple to expand her consciousness? Romantic poets like Blake and Shelley notoriously argued that the real hero of the poem is Satan, who rebels against God’s all-powerful rule. But the character I admire most today is a minor angel named Abdiel, of whom Milton is particularly fond. When Abdiel—the name means Servant of God—hears about Satan’s plan to shake the throne of heaven, he steps out from the rebellious hordes and gives the arch-fiend a piece of his pious mind: “Shalt thou give Law to God, shalt thou dispute/With him the points of liberty, who made/Thee what thou art?” Later, Abdiel faces Satan on the field of battle, cracks him across the helmet, and knocks him back. I think that Abdiel reminds Milton of himself at his independent best. Milton was in political trouble when he wrote his great poem in England in the 1660s. He had defended the republican revolution and the execution of Charles I. Now that the monarchy was restored, his life was in danger. Blind and vulnerable, he was living in “darkness and with dangers compassed round.” Yet he persisted in exercising the freedom of the poet. In the days to come, professors at UVA and beyond may need to summon some of that spirit."

"This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it."

"The University of Virginia has moved up in the annual rankings of colleges and universities published by U.S. News and World Report. UVA rose to the No. 3 spot among public universities in the 2023 Best Colleges ranking, after three consecutive years at No. 4. In the rankings, released today, UVA is tied with the University of Michigan. The University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Berkeley are tied for the top position among public universities. Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are the top two institutions overall."

"UVA remains the 25th-best university overall for the second year in a row, after climbing two spots in the 2021 rankings. It is the highest-ranked university among all Virginia institutions, public or private. In the overall category of graduation and retention, combining those related metrics, UVA is the top public university in the country and ranked No. 11 among all public and private universities. U.S. News considers six factors in its ranking, including “outcomes” like graduation and retention rates. UVA continues to have an excellent first-year student retention rate of 97%; the graduation rate is 94%. Again this year, UVA graduated 90% of its Pell Grant recipients, whose family incomes are typically less than $50,000 a year. In other U.S. News rankings, UVA is among the best schools for veterans, staying at No. 9 again this year. U.S. News also ranked UVA’s undergraduate business program eighth in the country. It found UVA has the No. 10 public undergraduate nursing program, in a multi-university tie."

"U.S. News ranks UVA as the 32nd-best value national university, joining other ranking services highlighting UVA’s value. Last April, The Princeton Review ranked UVA as the best public or private university in the country for financial aid, and the No. 3 best value public school. In May, Money Magazine ranked UVA the No. 3 best value college in the United States. UVA remains one of the only public universities to meet 100% of every undergraduate student’s financial need and offers admission to students with no consideration of a family’s income. During President Jim Ryan’s tenure, the University has significantly expanded its financial aid program so that more lower- and middle-income students can afford to enroll. Under the “SuccessUVA” initiative, for example, Virginia families earning less than $80,000 per year can send their children to UVA tuition-free, and UVA will also cover tuition, room and board for students from Virginia families earning less than $30,000 per year."

"Just last September, Ryan announced the University would invest $50 million in additional matching funds to the Bicentennial Scholarship Fund to further increase access and affordability for undergraduate students with financial need and for merit-based scholarships. Since its establishment, the program has paired donor contributions with institutional matching funds to establish more than 500 endowed scholarship funds for undergraduate and graduate students. These commitments to excellence and affordability have strengthened UVA’s ability to recruit and support extraordinary students from all walks of life. Among the first-year students who enrolled last month, 16% will be the first in their families to graduate from college, and 36% qualified for need-based aid, including more than 900 from middle-income households. U.S. News relies on self-reported data from schools from fall 2021 or prior year reporting on which to base its rankings."

"University of Virginia board members blasted state lawmakers as “extremist” and faculty members as “out of control” in a batch of text messages published by The Washington Post. Richmond-based author Jeff Thomas sued the university to force the release of communications between board members and university officials from June 2023 through last month; he then released the 947 pages of messages to the newspaper. In recent months, the Board of Visitors—stocked with GOP donors and other political figures—has defied state lawmakers, including Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, over calls to pause a presidential search. That search concluded with an internal hire last month, though multiple critics have flagged process concerns and state lawmakers have also voiced displeasure."

"The text messages show that board members reacted sharply last year when a Democrat-controlled board rejected multiple university board picks from Republican governor Glenn Youngkin. The governor lost a subsequent legal fight to seat the picks, and several boards remain hobbled. In August text messages to Jim Donovan, one of the rejected picks, UVA board rector Rachel Sheridan called the General Assembly’s refusal to approve Youngkin’s nominees “Very disappointing. Completely unprecedented and destructive.” Sheridan added, “I hope this backfires politically and reveals them to be the extremists they are.” Sheridan did not apologize or backtrack after the texts were released. In a statement to the Post and Inside Higher Ed, she wrote, “I respect the General Assembly’s authority on these matters but share the frustration of those four individuals that were summarily rejected without the benefit of consideration of their merit and the value these individuals have given and could have continued to give to the university community.” Her remarks highlight tensions between the board and the General Assembly, which have spiked since President Jim Ryan resigned under pressure in June and the university signed an agreement with the Department of Justice in October to close multiple investigations into alleged civil rights violations. In other text messages, Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson expressed frustration with the UVA Faculty Senate, which has demanded answers about whether Ryan was pushed out by the board and the DOJ agreement."

"When Board of Visitors secretary Scott Ballenger texted Wilkinson in October to say the Faculty Senate was debating a resolution to demand a meeting with Sheridan and then–interim president Paul Mahoney, Wilkinson responded, “That is insane.” When he told her the Faculty Senate was weighing a resolution of no-confidence in Mahoney, Wilkinson wrote, “So embarrassing. For them.” She added in response to another text from Ballenger, “This is out of control.” The published text messages also expose the board’s dramatic behavior behind the scenes. In a text to Sheridan, former rector Robert Hardie, a Democratic appointee who has since rotated off the board, made vague references to an “unhinged” board member threatening the university administration. Hardie called board members Stephen P. Long and “BE” (presumably Bert Ellis) “assholes.” (Ellis was removed by Youngkin in late March for his combative style on the board.) Hardie referred to board members “BE,” Long, Douglas Wetmore and Paul Harris as “four horses asses” [sic]. Hardie also complained about a member that he did not name trying to stir controversy and a “food fight.” The release of the texts—spurred by legal action—comes as UVA has been slow to release information in response to public records requests, prompting criticism from a local lawmaker and others. Citing “a significant backlog,” UVA has not yet fulfilled a public records request regarding communications with federal officials sent by Inside Higher Ed in October."

"Ten thousand voices sing thy acclaim; Ten thousand hearts beat high at thy name; All unafraid and girded with good, Mother of men a queen thou hast stood; Children of thine a true brotherhood, Virginia, Hail, All Hail! Virginia, Hail, All Hail!"

"Long let thy praises live and resound; Long let thy virtues in us abound; Let morning radiance set thee in sight; Let noonday brilliance crown thee with light; Let ev’ning sun sink kissing goodnight, Virginia, Hail, All Hail! Virginia, Hail, All Hail!"

"Sen. Tim Kaine held a conversation with a group of graduate University students and faculty members Friday at the Central Library of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library system. In an informal Q&A session, audience members asked about threats to federal research, the future of diversity, equity and inclusion at the University, potential shifts in the Democratic Party and more. According to Alexia Childress, event co-organizer and School of Medicine student, event co-organizer and Medicine student, the event was organized by several medical students in the wake of former University President Jim Ryan’s resignation. Many of those in attendance on Friday were from the School of Medicine, but there were faculty and staff from various other University departments and schools as well."

"Noting that the Republicans currently hold the majority in the U.S. Senate, one audience member asked if there is anything Kaine can do on a federal level in response to the Department of Justice’s pressure on the University. Kaine said that it is “tough” to take direct, tangible action currently, but that he is working with Sen. Mark Warner to figure out ways, and that he is interested in communicating with members of the Republican Party."

"Kaine also spoke to more localized strategies that could be used by University constituents facing pushback against DEI and research cuts. For example, one faculty member said that a course he teaches in the School of Medicine was recently under review for DEI compliance and several slides focused on health disparities were pulled. He asked Kaine for advice on what health professionals should do in these circumstances. Kaine said that — though it is not what he personally believes in — sometimes the terminology has to be changed. “I hate to give you this advice,” Kaine said. “But, if you have to change the terminology, because these guys have five buzz words they don't like, as long as you can serve the same people, change the terminology.”"

"Childress and Vignesh Senthil — another event co-organizer and Medicine student — said they were both grateful Senator Kaine and his staff were able to participate in this conversation on such short notice. Senthil was additionally grateful for Kaine’s honesty about what he can and cannot accomplish as of now. “There are people out there that will sometimes over promise things. We appreciate being honest about what abilities [Kaine] has and the party has in Congress to try to help out in some of these issues,” Senthil said. Looking forward, Senthil hopes the University’s interim, and future permanent president, will bring a return to normalcy for him and his classmates. “What we really want to do is be able to go back to being students. I don’t think it's in [mine or Childress’s] career plans to be actively reaching out to senators and Congress people to alert them about what's going on in higher education,” Senthil said. “We are here to train to be physicians, to train to take care of patients to the best of our abilities, to be great scientists and researchers… We want a president that will defend our rights to do so.”"

"In 1949, Gregory Hayes Swanson took his first step toward integrating the University of Virginia and becoming a civil rights hero with a radical act: applying to a graduate program. The Law School initially accepted the 25-year-old attorney’s application, but the official response by the University of Virginia Board of Visitors in July 1950 was to the contrary: “The applicant is a colored man. The Constitution and the laws of the State of Virginia provide that white and colored shall not be taught in the same schools.” Swanson, a Virginia native from Danville, was already practicing in Martinsville, Virginia. Having obtained his law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., he needed a master’s in law to be eligible for a prospective teaching job. He had no other choice but to apply to UVA if he wanted to pursue the advanced degree in his home state, where it would be less expensive to attend. No Virginia university offered graduate training to black law students. So he sued. Famed civil rights attorneys Thurgood Marshall, Oliver Hill, Martin A. Martin and Spottswood Robinson of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund assisted Swanson in the lawsuit, which played out in federal court in Charlottesville on Sept. 5, 1950. His admission to UVA, were it to happen, would be “a triumph in the struggle to break down segregation and discrimination,” he said in a personal correspondence. After a 30-minute trial and deliberation, a three-judge panel decided Gregory Hayes Swanson v. the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia in Swanson’s favor. He registered for his law classes 10 days after the decision, in time for the start of the school year."

"Swanson was not segregated in the classroom or at the events he attended. Professor Leslie Buckler, the director of the graduate program, had Swanson to his home for meetings, just as the adviser did with white students. Law Librarian Frances Farmer hosted a faculty tea in Swanson’s honor. Among the students, he developed several close friends. Not all of his peers were welcoming, though. Swanson once overheard a casual conversation between students in which one said, “We should get that n---er out of the law school.” Referencing the UVA Honor System, Swanson addressed the incident in a personal correspondence: “To pledge not to steal, lie, cheat, etc. and yet be permitted under the same pledge to say humiliating things about another student puts the Honor System in question.” Years later, in a Sept. 1, 1958, Washington Post interview about his experiences, Swanson would state he “fully participated in classroom discussions and used all campus facilities — cafeterias, libraries. I just picked my classroom seat at random as everyone else did. I attended concerts, lectures and football games but never attempted to attend any social events.” Swanson, while at Howard, had been deeply involved in Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest black fraternity. He complained about his exclusion from UVA fraternities to President Colgate Darden, who stayed in routine communication with Swanson during his studies. Darden responded that fraternities were outside of the University’s oversight, but that he considered them overrated."

"Swanson said in the Post article that he had known “there might be reactions, no matter how covert, to my admission, but I felt I was adequately prepared to meet them. There was no incident, however. I was well received and courteously treated.” But in an Oct. 5, 1950, letter to one of his Howard friends, Swanson revealed that he also felt uneasy. “I have not been able to detect any perceptible indications of hostility or bias; it is one of those things in the under-current. You can’t put your finger on it, but you know that it is there.” When Swanson applied to UVA, graduate-level desegregation was on the horizon. The 1948 Supreme Court case Sipuel v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma established that states had to provide black college students with access to schools of equal quality, or admit them to schools designated for whites. After the decision, plaintiff Ada Sipuel, a black prospective graduate law student, was admitted to Oklahoma’s law school because the state did not already have such a program available for African-Americans. Since Virginia had the state’s only graduate legal program, Darden and Law Dean F.D.G Ribble ’21 began planning for a qualified applicant like Swanson shortly after Sipuel, according to Professor J. Gordon Hylton ’77, an expert on the Law School’s history. Two other cases involving race in graduate education, Sweatt v. Painter and McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Board of Regents, were pending at the Supreme Court when Swanson’s application came to the attention of University leadership. UVA waited for decisions in those cases — both of which were decided in June 1950 in favor of the African-American plaintiffs. Despite these decisions, the University took the public position that it could not admit Swanson because of his race and denied his application. In the midst of a financial crisis, school officials feared that integrating proactively would lead to a backlash from lawmakers who held the purse strings, and that white students might enroll elsewhere. So the University would only admit Swanson through a court order, Hylton said. The University’s lawyers, Charles Venable “Ven” Minor ’25 and Virginia Attorney General J. Lindsay Almond Jr. ’23, maintained the position as the case progressed that the court ruling be limited to graduate students. Spottswood Robinson, Swanson’s principal lawyer, originally pushed for the entire University to be integrated, Hylton said. Though that didn’t happen, Swanson was still the first student known to break the color line at a college in a former Confederate state."

"Like many of his law graduate peers during the period, Swanson never turned in the paper that would have allowed his degree to be conferred. The program required one year in residence and then completion of a thesis, the latter of which usually occurred after the student had left Grounds. That was the path Swanson followed: completing and passing the eight classes he chose to take during the year — despite not being required to take any — and working on the paper after his time at UVA. While Swanson’s communications with Buckler indicated he had every intention of completing his draft paper, the Robert H. Terrell Law School in D.C., where Swanson wanted to teach, closed in 1950. This would have eliminated his immediate need for the degree. Plus, there were the demands of practice. One case no doubt consumed much of Swanson’s time as he transitioned from law school life. In June 1951, he took up the defense of Albert Jackson, a black man accused of raping a white woman in Charlottesville. Swanson argued that Jackson’s confession had been obtained under duress. Following the man’s conviction, at which the court sentenced him to death, Swanson appealed to the Supreme Court of Virginia along with the counsel of Hill, Martin, and Robinson. The appeal was unsuccessful, and Jackson was put to death in August 1952. The Virginia Law Weekly interviewed Swanson in 1951 about the case. The article reported that Swanson “feels an advocate for his race and has a deep sense of responsibility wherever his services are needed, whether in the courtroom or in the community.” After private practice in Martinsville and Alexandria, Swanson entered public service in 1961 as an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service. Commissioner Mortimer Caplin ’40, Swanson’s professor at UVA during his first year on the faculty, hired Swanson after Robert F. Kennedy ’51 helped renew their connection. Swanson worked for the IRS until his retirement in 1984. He died July 26, 1992, at his home in Kensington, Maryland. Swanson’s official portrait is now on permanent display at the entrance of the Law School’s Arthur J. Morris Law Library. The location, fitting for a man remembered as an avid reader, is perhaps the most traveled spot in the building."