(The Center Square) – Bert Ellis is out, Ken Cuccinelli is in, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s latest move to reshape University of Virginia leadership is already drawing fire from alumni.
Youngkin removed Ellis from the University of Virginia Board of Visitors on Tuesday, citing repeated violations of the board’s code of conduct.
His letter did not specify which actions crossed the line but said the conduct violated both state and university guidelines.
Ellis, appointed by Youngkin in 2022, had become a vocal critic of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. He publicly supported eliminating the university’s office and called on the governor to hold university leadership accountable.
In a response Tuesday night, Ellis said he never planned to resign and urged Youngkin to reverse his decision, warning diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Virginia “has not been eliminated.”
He called on the governor to hold university President Jim Ryan accountable and restore “common sense” to the university by “ending DEI for good, stopping antisemitism, and reducing costs.”
“This fight is not for the faint of heart and requires a fighter to ensure that the governor’s and President Trump’s agendas are achieved,” Ellis said. “I never agreed to resign, nor would I ever do so.”
He accused the governor of being misled by “bad actors who don’t actually want to see results” and described UVa’s leadership as “ideological bullies.”
In a plea to Youngkin and the public, Ellis said: “We must dig in and hold the line.”
He ended his statement by reaffirming his mission to make UVa “a beacon of excellence, the shining city on the hill, and a model for the nation.”
Just hours after his removal, Youngkin announced his intent to appoint Ken Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general and Trump-era Homeland Security official. Cuccinelli, a UVa alumnus, said he would work to “restore a culture of merit and end all forms of discrimination.”
The Jefferson Council, a conservative UVa alumni group, said in statement that they were “deeply disturbed” by Ellis’s removal, calling it “ill-timed” and claiming he was being punished for demanding oversight. In a statement, they called him a “steadfast champion” of transparency and said the decision sends the wrong message to students and faculty.
Youngkin praised Cuccinelli as a “man of deep principle” whose legal experience would help UVa navigate “the ongoing changes and challenges in higher education.”
Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Charlottesville, posted to social media she hoped the move would “restore respectful and sensible conduct” to the board.
