Board of Visitors votes to dissolve Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The full Board of Visitors convened on Friday to review resolutions which had been passed within individual committees prior to the full Board meeting, including a resolution passed in closed session to dissolve the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University, which the full Board also approved. The Board also discussed the University’s test-optional policy for undergraduate admissions and commended members who were leaving their positions.

One resolution passed during the full Board’s meeting was not discussed in open session prior to its approval. This resolution focuses on compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed Jan. 21, to end DEI efforts within the public sector. The resolution requires that the University officially dissolve the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Partnerships.

Language in the resolution also states that the University continues to value diversity and to welcome students from all backgrounds.

“The University of Virginia highly values diversity, including diversity of thought and experience, and fosters an inclusive environment, encouraging a culture of opportunity for all, which immensely enriches our Grounds, and is committed to providing every student an education that is free from discrimination and grounded in merit,” the resolution reads.

However, the document states that in accordance with federal and state law, the University must immediately transfer permissible programs to a new office and University President Jim Ryan must update the Board on compliance with the resolution within the next 30 days. The resolution passed unanimously and was approved collectively with the variety of other resolutions passed in Committee meetings.

The Board also approved the appointments of student and faculty representatives for the period from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. Third-year College student Gregory Perryman will serve as the next student member of the Board of Visitors, and Faculty Senate Chair James Lambert will serve as faculty representative. Student representative candidates were interviewed and faculty representative candidates were considered by the Board’s Executive Committee Wednesday, before the full Board approved the candidates recommended by the Committee Friday.

During open session, Ryan led a discussion on whether the University should continue to remain test-optional in the undergraduate admissions process or move to require test scores as was University policy prior to COVID-19 pandemic.

Before introducing the representatives from the faculty group who conducted research on the subject, Ryan provided some of his own inclinations. According to Ryan, there are both positives and negatives to each option. He said admissions saw a larger and more diverse applicant pool after moving to test optional. However, the tests do provide a slight predictive value as to how successful a student will be at the University.

He also said that no public school in Virginia currently requires a standardized test score, nor does any top-five public university — the University would be differentiating themselves from their “peer” schools by moving to require standardized tests again.

Ryan proposed a “test flexible” policy as a potential solution for discussion, in which students would be required to submit some type of test score, but could choose an option to submit other test scores in lieu of SAT or ACT scores. Examples of alternative tests students could use include AP or IB exams, or Standards of Learning tests that every public school in Virginia is mandated to administer.

“What I am leaning towards is continuing test optional for another year and thinking about whether it would be wise to follow a test-flexible policy,” Ryan said.

Ryan introduced Ben Castleman, associate professor of public policy and education and Vice Provost for Enrollment Steve Farmer to present research that has been administered on standardized testing and its impact on admissions and predicting student success.

According to Castleman, the research involved collecting applicant data, such as high school GPA and high school context, degrees received, leadership roles and performance at the University both in terms of GPA and extracurricular involvement. The question of interest was how specific parts of an application predict academic success. Castleman said many factors contribute to a students’ achievement — researchers can explain less than half of the variation in student outcomes from the data points taken — including factors that are unobservable in a quantitative study such as essays and recommendation letters.

From the study, Castleman reported that roughly half of applicants submit test scores and that these scores do demonstrate a slight ability to predict success at the University — students that score higher on standardized tests on average perform higher than students who score lower.

“I do want to stress the ‘on average’ nature of that,” Castleman said. “It is also the case that because many factors affect how students do at the University, there is substantial variation within a given score level.”

When considering test-flexible options, Castleman said that SOLs have about the same predictive value as SAT and ACT scores.

Farmer agreed with Ryan that a positive of a test optional policy is that more students apply who would not have if test scores were required. He said that they are not lowering standards for these students.

“We have gained a lot of ground in Virginia since we started test optional in reaching really, really talented top students who, in the past, weren't raising their hands for U.Va.,” Farmer said. “I just want to stress we are not giving seats at the University away to anybody … it’s integral to the University’s mission to welcome talented students from all walks of life and develop them to their full potential.”

According to Farmer, since 2020, the number of low-income Virginians in the University’s first-year class has increased by 82 percent, and the number of first-generation Virginians has increased by 61 percent.

Board member Amanda Pillion said that students in her county in Southwest Virginia do not have access to test prep, or the prep offered is too expensive for most families. She said that test-optional admissions helps to “level the playing field” for these students. Farmer confirmed that students in rural communities are less likely to submit test scores.

Ryan said the University will remain test optional “for now” and explore a few more options that may involve a hybrid approach integrating other tests. He also said the Board could consider University of North Carolina’s approach to testing, which involves requiring a test score if a student falls below a certain GPA cutoff.

The Board also commended Lisa Kopelnik, student member of the Board and fourth-year College student, and Ian Baucom, executive vice president and provost, for their work as Board members. Kopelnik will graduate this May and was appointed by the Board last March to serve for one year. Baucom is stepping down from his role at the University to become the president of Middlebury College.

Vice Rector Carlos Brown summarized Baucom’s contributions to the University throughout his 11 years of service. According to Ryan, Baucom has increased scholarship support, hired five deans of the College of Arts and Science, saw an increase in research funding and infrastructure, worked to strengthen academic advising and led the Task Force for Religious Diversity and Belonging, among other projects. Baucom received a standing ovation from the Board following his commendation.

Kopelnik delivered her parting remarks to the Board. According to Kopelnik, there is value in a healthy and transparent relationship between the Board and students. She expressed concern on behalf of the students for cuts to programs and financial aid access in higher education.

“There are far more students [than in past years] that are paying attention to what the University is doing in addition to the national news, and they care that their University is reasonable, empathetic and nuanced in their response,” Kopelnik said. “They care that U.Va. remains committed to student self-governance, specifically that student voices are included across all levels of decision making.”

She spoke of the traditions that continue to define the University experience, including the annual snowball fight, student self-governance, civil discourse and Jeffersonian dinners — gatherings composed of students and faculty to discuss topics of common interest. Kopelnik then cited the University’s acceptance letter that says the University will be “your” University and that Jefferson’s vision for a university is one that is accessible to all. She asked the Board, in light of recent national events, to remember what the University stands for and the community it aspires to have.

“Over the course of the last several weeks, there has been a lot of focus on what's legal and lawful and what's coming out of the federal branch,” Kopelnik said. “It's also important to remember what the University of Virginia stands for and the community that we aspire to have.”

Kopelnik thanked the Board for the honor of serving on behalf of the students and received a standing ovation.

To provide an update on the Faculty Senate’s activity, Chair of the Faculty Senate Jim Lambert presented to the Board. According to Lambert, many faculty in research have been navigating “suspensions, pauses and unpauses” of research grants and are currently functioning in “entrepreneurial mode” to continue to support their students. He said the Faculty Senate has also discussed machine intelligence and its role in higher education.

The Board addressed and thanked donors that continue to meet the financial goals of the University in the Gifts and Grants Report. Further, the Board approved a policy establishing regulations for how student-athletes can be compensated for the use of their name, image, or likeness while ensuring compliance with NCAA rules and state laws.

The Board moved to a closed session following the full Board meeting to get legal counsel and discuss matters such as salaries, resignations and retirements, among other affairs. The Board will convene again June 5-6.

Board of Visitors votes to dissolve Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Members also discussed whether the University should continue with its test-optional admissions policies

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