The University of Virginia has requested a deadline extension in order to "respond in full" to probing questions, and some pointed questions, state Sen. Creigh Deeds submitted in the wake of UVa President Jim Ryan’s resignation earlier this summer.
It marks a change in tone since UVa officials told a Faculty Senate meeting in July that they were under “very explicit instruction by our attorneys that we have limited ability to communicate about the details.”
On Aug. 1, Deeds sent a charged six-page, 46 question letter to UVa Rector Rachel Sheridan and Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson. The Charlottesville Democrat’s questions suggest Sheridan and Wilkinson had some knowledge or played some part in the Trump administration’s pressure campaign over Ryan’s handling of diversity policies that prompted his exit.
Deeds gave the pair until last Friday to respond.
But come Friday, no answers had been prepared. Instead, UVa lawyers requested an additional two weeks to respond.
"The University of Virginia Board of Visitors sent a preliminary reply to Sen. Deeds on Friday, Aug. 15, expressing its intent to respond in full at a later date,” UVa spokeswoman Bethanie Glover said in a statement sent to The Daily Progress Tuesday.
Deeds said he is willing to wait.
“I want answers,” Deeds told The Daily Progress. “A lawyer for the BOV requested two weeks, and I’m willing to wait.”
Deeds was clear in his letter that the General Assembly has a constitutional and statutory interest in the operations of all public institutions in the state, including UVa, but he said he has tried to remain professional as well as courteous. He said he sent a letter instead of a public records request, per the Freedom of Information Act, because "a FOIA request is more confrontational in my view.”
Deeds’ letter asks Sheridan and Wilkinson — who were not in their positions until July — what influence Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who appointed them, had on the Board of Visitor’s unanimous March 7 vote to dissolve the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion office.
Deeds also pressed the pair on meetings and communications between the Trump administration Department of Justice, state officials and UVa leadership, specifically on the dates of June 3, June 24 and June 26.
Deeds previously said his questions were informed by conversation he had with people familiar with the back-and-forths between UVa, state and federal officials.
“I’ve talked to a number of members of the Board of Visitors, alumni associations … people that have served on the Board of Visitors, and the information that informed those questions came from those members,” he said. “So if the information I have is wrong: Tell me it’s wrong, prove me it’s wrong. I don’t think it is.”
Deeds said the letter was directed to Sheridan and Wilkinson because “the information I had was that they knew a whole lot. That’s why they get the letter.”
Source: www.dailyprogress.com