This Week, the University of Virginia Entered a Historic Agreement with the Justice Department. This follows a months-long investigation into the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. This announcement, made Wednesday by the Justice Department, follows intense national scrutiny of the university’s practices. The federal investigation into the university helped force the resignation of Jim Ryan, the university’s president, in June. His decision to do so was an important step toward making that happen.
Then the Justice Department opened an investigation into the University of Virginia. They floated the idea of figuring out whether the university’s policies were in line with federal standards. According to Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, Jim Ryan came under enormous pressure to step down after the investigation. He predicted that Ryan’s prolonged chairmanship might have resulted in catastrophic outcomes. Warner explained that “hundreds of employees [would be fired]” if the issue was not fixed.
Alex Day, a recent 2023 graduate of the University of Virginia, argued that the agreement does more harm than good overall. He argues that eds and meds need to come together instead of being picked off one by one by federal enforcers. From his perspective, this reality erodes the institutions’ capacities to act freely and autonomously from one another in the best interests of their respective students.
“A lot of eyes are on UVA right now,” – Alex Day
This investigation’s closure is a huge victory for the University of Virginia. The university has an outstanding reputation for its commitment to the highest standards of academic excellence and for fostering an inclusive environment. Despite the momentum for these improvements, some stakeholders are still doubtful that these agreements do much to improve outcomes. Day emphasized that schools must “come together, rather than allowing themselves to be backed into these corners individually,” suggesting that collaborative efforts among institutions could lead to more equitable outcomes.
Former President Donald Trump recently scored a similar victory on issues very close to the University of Virginia’s case — with that same defendant, Harvard University — on his lawsuit against Harvard. Yet by all accounts, this agreement is still not official as of this writing.
As universities navigate these complex landscapes of diversity and inclusion, the challenges presented by federal investigations highlight the need for transparent and fair processes. As higher education experts from across the political spectrum have recently cautioned, focusing pressure on single universities puts systemic academic freedom at risk. This pressure may undercut their potential to meaningfully address and serve diverse student populations.