The president of the University of Virginia prefers to resign rather than “fight against the government” of Donald Trump

The pressure was too strong. The president of the University of Virginia. in the east president university virginia prefers resign of the United States, announced his resignation on Friday, June 27, when he faces the opening of an investigation by the federal state on campus practices to promote diversity.

“I am willing to fight for my convictions. and I deeply believe in this university”, James Ryan, who has directed the establishment since 2018, said in a statement. “But I cannot unilaterally decide to fight against the federal government to save my job. ” He added to explain his decision.

“If that didn’t concern me so personally, I might have chosen another way”estimated Mr. Ryan, stressing that there is “Very important principles at stake” in this case. But trying to stay at your post seems to him “Selfish. egocentric vis-à-vis hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, researchers who would lose their funding and hundreds of students who could lose their financial aid or see their president university virginia prefers resign refused visa”he added.

Mr. Ryan had already decided that the coming school year would be his last. he said, but staying in his post until then would be “Sawly and voluntarily sacrifice this community”.

“No confidence” – President university virginia prefers resign

The Ministry of Justice. in charge of the investigation against its establishment, specifically demanded its departure, according to The New York Times. During an intervention on CNN on Friday. the deputy general prosecutor responsible for civil rights of the Department of Justice denied such a request, while posting president university virginia prefers resign his grievances against Mr. Ryan.

“I have no confidence in his will. his ability to preside over the dismantling of the Dei”, The program in favor of diversity and parity (DEI, for “diversity, equity, inclusion”), said Harmeet Dhillon.

In a press release. the two Democratic Senators of the State of Virginia, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, denounced “An error that harms Virginia in the future”. “It is scandalous that the officials of the Ministry of Justice of Trump demanded president university virginia prefers resign that the University (…) destined President Ryan”they estimated.

Tense climate between the Trump administration. universities

This event marks a new level in the fight that Donald Trump has, since his return to power, against American higher education, which he accuses of propagating a “woke” ideology, a term used in a pejorative manner by the conservatives to denounce what they perceive as an excess of activism in favor in particular of minorities.

The republican signed in January a law ordering the abolition of the national level programs. His government has opened surveys on dozens of establishments. arguing that initiatives in favor of diversity are discriminatory against white and Asian-American students.

The answers were diverse. Some establishments have closed their DEI offices. abolished scholarships for diversity and no longer require a declaration of diversity during the recruitment process. Others have renamed their work under other names, or maintained their diversity policies.

Until now. the Trump administration had particularly opposed prestigious universities like Harvard, where it is trying to prohibit the admission of foreign students, and Columbia, to whom it threatens to withdraw its accreditation, which could deprive it of any federal funding.