RICHMOND, Va. — The University of Virginia's interim president defended his agreement with the Department of Justice ending an investigation into alleged discriminatory DEI practices at the school to a group of state lawmakers at the State Capitol on Monday.
Speaking to the Senate Finance & Appropriations Education Subcommittee, Paul Mahoney said the agreement does not admit to any wrongdoing by UVA. He said they are conducting their own internal review of the allegations, which is a preferred alternative to an outside one.
"I believe that signing the agreement was the best option available to us," Mahoney said. "It would have been reckless to tell the DOJ we've done nothing wrong, and so we invite you to investigate us thoroughly."
The scrutiny was part of a broader focus by the Trump administration of higher education institutions and led to the resignation of UVA's 9th president, Jim Ryan, whom Mahoney replaced in August.
Mahoney said an investigation would have been long and costly, while the agreement he signed doesn't include financial penalties, an external monitor or strict directions on how to move forward.
"[It] requires us only to comply with the Department of Justice guidance document that is substantively identical with internal guidance that UVA adopted back in the spring of 2025 — this is a great win for the Commonwealth and its flagship university," he said.
Committee chair Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) questioned whether the agreement will prevent further investigations from the DOJ.
"I find it disappointing that institutions have been bullied into capitulating to the Department of Justice," Locke said.
"It could say that we violated something that is not the subject of the specific investigations that it had already opened," Mahoney replied.
Concerns were also raised about the Board of Visitors' current search for UVA's next full-time president.
Governor-elect Democrat Abigail Spanberger sent a letter to Rector Rachel Sheridan and Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson (both appointed by outgoing Governor Republican Glenn Youngkin) to ask them to hold off on their search until she is sworn in and she can select new members to join the board.
Spanberger said the board's actions over the past six months had "severely undermined the public’s and the University community’s confidence in the Board’s ability to govern." She added that five of Youngkin's appointees failed to get confirmed by the General Assembly, and as such, the Board was not fully constituted.
That shortage was a result of a state Senate committee voting to block over 20 Youngkin appointees from serving on various Boards of Visitors over the summer.
Youngkin pushed back on Spanberger's letter with his own and said hers was "riddled with hyperbole and factual errors and impugns both the Board of Visitors and the presidential search underway." He added "there is just one Governor of Virginia at any time."
State Senator and Lieutenant Governor-elect Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) asked if the difficulties facing the university could impact applications for the position.
"Is it in the best interest of the university to actually move forward at this moment?" she asked.
But Mahoney said the agreement has dealt with those challenges and there was a surge in "high-quality applications" after it was signed.
"The question of whether a presidential search at a particular point in time is in the best interest of the university is one that is committed to the Board of Visitors, and I'm not going to answer for them," Mahoney said.
The Rector Sheridan, and Vice Rector Wilkinson, were initially listed on the agenda for this meeting, but a university spokesperson said there was a scheduling conflict.
Locke said they will meet with them at a later date.
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