<p>oldgrad – when Casteen’s predecessor was ushered out, were there prior discussions with the faculty? Was the action otherwise “transparent”? I don’t know and am wondering if you do.</p>
<p>At this point, there is absolutely no basis on which to form an opinion on whether Sullivan should/should not have been fired. </p>
<p>She had a great resume, the circumstances are strange and the BOV has not (and likely will not and cannot) say what the actual reason was. I will have an opinion once I know (i) what the reason was and (ii) who the permanent replacement is.</p>
<p>I’d speculate that (i) I’d tend to agree with Sullivan’s circa 2010 agenda/vision for UVA, (ii) the BOV fired Sullivan because that agenda/vision wasn’t practical/realistic circa 2012, and (iii) the reason why that wasn’t realistic wasn’t because of the BOV but because of the realities being imposed on UVA by Richmond – no more state money (even though UVA gets less state support than its peers), no more OOS enrollment allowed (which is how UM, UCLA and Cal are getting by), more in-state enrollment required, no tuition increases, grant more degrees, focus on STEM. So I blame this on Richmond’s agenda; the BOV was just the messenger. </p>
<p>All of those requirements cut against a lot of what UVA (and also W&M) traditionally has been. As compared to most state flagships, UVA has been relatively small, more national, more selective, focused on the humanities more than engineering and science. UVA has been a “public ivy” with the emphasis (at least in the eyes of UVA grads) on the ivy part. Awesome at lacrosse but lousy at football.</p>
<p>Tech, in contrast, seems to be more in line with Richmond’s agenda and is more typical of what most state U’s look like – bigger, less expensive to attend, more local/regional, land grant/ag school heritage which translates today into more of a focus on STEM. And good at football…</p>
<p>Apparently so</p>
<p>[Bad</a> form? BOV ignored own president-replacing precedent | The Hook - Charlottesville’s weekly newspaper, news magazine](<a href=“http://www.readthehook.com/104249/bad-form-bov-ignored-president-replacing-precedent]Bad”>http://www.readthehook.com/104249/bad-form-bov-ignored-president-replacing-precedent)</p>
<p>Taken from the internet:</p>
<p>[The</a> Real Story behind the UVA firing. | Gather](<a href=“http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981398713]The”>http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981398713)</p>
<p>“Friday 6/15 update: Things continue to go badly with the Sullivan firing. Apparently the University Board was pressuring Sullivan to allocate more financial resources to the Medical School and the Business School, and to spend less money on classes in the Humanities area.”</p>
<p>It appears the BOV isn’t as concerned about humanities undergraduates as in professional education. Perhaps UVA is about to make a big change in it’s focus?</p>
<p>^ Not to be rude, but that doesn’t look like an exceptionally reputable news source.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So, the members write the articles.</p>
<p>The message from McDonnell is so hypocritical, considering he himself appointed half the BOV. He obviously could not make a biased view in favor of Sullivan or the BOV, though theories seem to suggest this was a right-wing agenda, propelled by pressure to increase in-state enrollment and cut costs. The second issue is fundraising, which seems to be more of the Darden coup’s agenda. Combining the political and business perspectives, the synergy was enough, in the BOV’s opinion, to throw out Sullivan. </p>
<p>Truly a sad day…</p>
<p>And for the record, I doubt the meeting will be held in the rotunda anymore, considering these planned protests.</p>
<p>Did the student council’s official statement just change again? Initially, they wished Sullivan for the best and basically for the university to move on, as was posted on the website. Now, they are demanding answers from the BOV…</p>
<p>That could be a violation of the Virginia Open Meetings Law, if they move the meeting without notice. I’m told they are required to first open a public meeting and then go into executive session, and then go back to a public session. The public sessions might only last 1 minute, but they can’t move them without public notice.</p>
<p>In my state, the bare minimum public notice for an emergency move of a meeting is a notice taped to the doors of the building. </p>
<p>If you see where the reserved parking spaces are located, you will know where the meeting is.</p>
<p>Presidents are usually replaced after there is widespread criticism of them by the faculty, alums and others. I’ve asked people to describe any criticism they had of Sullivan, and no one has responded.</p>
<p>O’Neill was widely considered to be the wrong person for the job. No one was upset when he was no longer President. In any case, the board allowed him to leave with dignity - he was able to announce he was voluntarily retiring at the end of a customary term, and he was set up with a research institute where he could study his favorite topics.</p>
<p>I don’t believe O’Neill did anything wrong - I was told he just wasn’t able to relate with the good ol boy contributors. President Sullivan has a great public presence, and spreads good will everywhere she goes.</p>
<p>I’m told that not everyone at the U. was thrilled with
Casteen for all of his years of Presidency, but no one could argue with his success at multiplying the U.'s endowment. Success at fundraising can make up for other disappointments.</p>
<p>I must admit I probably should have written what I was thinking and then walked away for awhile before hitting the send button. Calling people idiots was in poor taste and my words were too strong, but the way this was handled and the way Dr. Sullivan was treated just really burns me. I truly apologize if I offended anyone. </p>
<p>Did no one on the BOV interview her two years ago and know what her philosophies were? The reduction of funding to our state publics didn’t just start this year. They knew the state of financial affairs when she was hired. In those interviews you bet they talked about her plan to manage the u. with substantially weakened financial support from the state. You know she shared what her vision for the university was in those interviews. If they wanted someone who was going to put money making first above all else, why on earth did they hire her? We are talking two years ago, not ten.</p>
<p>I believe things changed for Dr. Sullivan quickly because something has changed in the last few months dealing directly with a few individuals. It doesn’t just go down like this and I have to believe there were ulterior motives which we may or may not ever know about. I believe, and yes I am speculating, that the online education/distance learning money potential for the university made Dragas and Kington and Kiernan drool. They wanted that and wanted to start changing the school to fit their model. When they saw that Terry wouldn’t go with it, well, “it’s our way or the highway”. The sad part is Dr. Sullivan was given no chance to see if her professional ideas, ones which came from a lifetime of learning how to do things at very strong institutions, would work. </p>
<p>What person will ever want this job if he/she is going to be forced to be a puppet, forsaking what they believe in? I don’t think it will be one who has the academic interests of a university strong in the liberal arts, one who values what makes UVA special. That is why there is such an outcry. Dr. Sullivan knew what the important priorities were, the BOV THINKS they do. </p>
<p>In two years she connected with and wanted to support those who really matter at an educational institution: the faculty, the students and the people who are directly involved with what is needed. She was trying to find a way to meet the challenges of the financial stresses UVA could be facing without throwing all that is UVA under the bus. Too bad she wasn’t allowed to drive long enough.</p>
<p>My son wants to apply to UVA and major in Classics. Was this citation regarding getting rid of Classics just an example or an actual fact?</p>
<p>Has this been posted? No confidence in BOV passed: [Resolution</a> of College Faculty Steering Committee | The Cavalier Daily](<a href=“http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2012/06/15/resolution-of-college-faculty-steering-committee/]Resolution”>http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2012/06/15/resolution-of-college-faculty-steering-committee/)</p>
<p>Northwesty,</p>
<p>100% wrong? Nothing prevents the university president from attempting to re-negotiate the Darden/law school contracts or seeking a higher franchise fee than 10%. UVA holds the ultimate cards, the right to the name and the grounds. This financial set up with Darden and the College has been the case for a decade, but that does not mean it cannot change. This set up has also been a sore point for a long time among many College supporters who wonder how UVA managed to lose control of its profit centers and has contributed to Darden and the law school shooting up the ranking’s while the College falls (unlike all "silos"staying around Top 15 with financial re-allocation). Since I am 100% wrong then you must know what is right. So please tell.</p>
<p>AVA55,</p>
<p>While admittedly I am reading between the lines, I think the “entrepreneurial model” is closer too what they now have with Darden and the Law school being independent. Although certainly not the clearest wording, I think re-allocation from the “haves” to the “have nots” is what she was talking about in her first point.</p>
<p>". . . Thus, a key strategic initiative of my administration is to implement a budget system that . . . incentivizes cross-Grounds activities that will pull together the collective strengths of our schools, and a model that will provide, to the extent possible, long term financial stability for the University. If we do not get the resources aligned appropriately with the academic vision, then we will lose our competitive edge in the years to come."</p>
<p>This would also explain Kiernan’s involvement re protecting Darden.</p>
<p>See also Gather.com “The real story behind the UVA firing”</p>
<p>Friday 6/15 update: Things continue to go badly with the Sullivan firing. Apparently the University Board was pressuring Sullivan to allocate more financial resources to the Medical School and the Business School, and to spend less money on classes in the Humanities area.</p>
<p>As I pointed out earlier, Gather isn’t a traditional news outlet. Anyone can join, write an article, and share their views. It lacks journalistic integrity.</p>
<p>IF, Ms. Sullivan was in fact talking about resource reallocation from the educational “haves” to the “have nots,” – and we don’t know if that was the case – that could explain the “philosophical difference” that she mentioned as the reason for the schism. The College faculty and alums can line up to try to protect programs that are resource drains, but I can understand why those in other parts of the University are not anxious to give up resources to such programs. That may be what we are witnessing now in C’ville, as the College faculty are at the forefront of the “revolt.”</p>
<p>Many years ago as a law students (at another, peer institution) paying then the second highest tuition in the country, we were unhappy about subsidizing the medical school, as the med students paid the same tuition we did for a program clearly more costly to deliver. </p>
<p>Program cross-subsidization has gone on for years in higher ed when money was plentiful. I suspect that as money becomes tighter and tighter, programs that don’t cover their own costs will move to the chopping block more and more often.</p>
<p>I agree with blueiguana, “Gather” is not a site worthy of citation. You and I can each go there and put up our opinions, consisting entirely of our own speculation.</p>
<p>[Teresa</a> Sullivan fired from UVA: What happens when universities are run by robber barons. - Slate Magazine](<a href=“http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/hey_wait_a_minute/2012/06/teresa_sullivan_fired_from_uva_what_happens_when_universities_are_run_by_robber_barons_.html]Teresa”>Teresa Sullivan fired from UVA: What happens when universities are run by robber barons.)</p>
<p>You all are mis-understanding what Sullivan was doing with the internal budget. She was de-centralizing things from the president’s office out to each individual school and making each school stand on its own. It was totally not take from the rich and give to the poor. It was eat what you kill or stand on your own two feet. Profit center accounting.</p>
<p>That is exactly what the law and biz schools have already done, although in a more extreme way – set and keep your own tuition, get zero money from the state or the U, and pay the U a percentage of your revenue. See below. </p>
<p>“For instance, all of the tuition that’s attributed to the students in the Architecture School would be attributed to the Architecture School and they would get to manage and allocate those resources,” Sheehy said. “But they would also have to pay for costs they currently do not, like the utility bills for Campbell Hall.” </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2011/11/14/inside-the-new-internal-financial-model-university-to-decentralize-budget-planning/[/url]”>http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2011/11/14/inside-the-new-internal-financial-model-university-to-decentralize-budget-planning/</a></p>