CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors has selected Paul G. Mahoney as interim president of the university following a contentious period that saw the resignation of former president Jim Ryan.
Mahoney, who has been a member of the law school faculty since 1990, will assume the role on Aug. 11.
"I am honored and humbled to serve as the interim president of the University of Virginia and to support the extraordinary students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents who make this institution great," Mahoney said.
The board considered 600 nominations from 143 individuals before making their selection.
"In the spirit of UVA's shared governance model, we took these qualities and characteristics to heart in identifying the right person to shepherd UVA forward during this time," Rachel Sheridan, the board rector, said. "We are confident that Paul's longstanding connection to the university as a faculty member and dean of the law school, as well as his extensive achievements as a lawyer, professor and public servant, make him the right leader to guide this institution as the search for a 10th UVA president gets underway."
Mahoney has held several chairs and administrative positions before taking on the role of dean. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a past member of the investor advisory committee of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The appointment comes after former UVA president James Ryan resigned on June 26 amid increasing pressure from the Trump administration's Department of Justice, which was critical of Ryan's reluctance to remove UVA's diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
"I think there's a hope, that at least for the next few months, the board president can bring some normality to a situation that has been very tense and very contentious at UVA," said CBS 6 political analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth.
Holsworth noted that Virginia Democratic Senator Creigh Deeds recently sent a letter to UVA's board demanding an investigation into Ryan's removal.
"This was an important letter. It really suggests that Democrats in the legislature and the General Assembly are not letting this issue die down," Holsworth said.
Virginia Democrats have also legally challenged the appointment of eight of Governor Youngkin's board appointees at UVA, George Mason University and Virginia Military Institute. The appointees were rejected by a Virginia senate committee, and last month a Fairfax circuit court judge issued a temporary injunction siding with the Democrats.
However, based on an appeal with the Virginia Supreme Court and legal advice from Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, the universities have continued to recognize the appointees as board members.
"We are seeing higher education becoming more contentious and more politicized than at almost any time since integration of higher ed in Virginia," Holsworth said.
A 28-member special committee will now begin the search for UVA's next president.
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