"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."