University of Virginia President Resigns Amid DOJ Diversity Probe

James E. Ryan, president of the University of Virginia since 2018, resigned amid intense pressure from the Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Justice related to an ongoing civil rights investigation into the university's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. The DOJ alleged that UVA attempted to conceal its DEI infrastructure and failed to dismantle racial diversity initiatives despite a Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action, threatening the university's federal funding and other critical resources. Ryan stated he could not fight the federal government unilaterally without risking the loss of jobs, research funding, student financial aid, and visas, and thus chose to resign to protect the broader university community. This resignation follows similar federal actions against other universities, including Harvard and Columbia, as part of President Trump's broader campaign against DEI programs in higher education. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, a UVA alumna, emphasized the DOJ’s zero-tolerance policy toward illegal discrimination, underscoring the legal and financial risks for institutions lacking commitment to ending such discrimination. UVA’s board had previously demanded dismantling DEI efforts, but Ryan was criticized for rebranding rather than eliminating them, which ultimately led to the federal intervention and his resignation.