Why Thomas Jefferson is rolling in his grave
The Trump administration has taken aim at the University of Virginia
THOMAS JEFFERSON never wanted a president at the University of Virginia (UVA). For 85 years, there wasn’t one: along with a governing board, an unwieldy rotation of professors managed the institution, which Jefferson founded almost a half-century after writing the Declaration of Independence. Since June 27th the public university has again found itself without a leader. Facing what looked a lot like an ultimatum from the Trump administration, James Ryan, UVA’s president since 2018, said he would step down.
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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Inside job”
United States
July 5th 2025
From the July 5th 2025 edition
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