UVA Board of Visitors Helen Dragas

1 uva board of visitors

1.1 first term
1.2 reconfirmation
1.3 end of tenure
1.4 advocacy on affordability

uva board of visitors
first term

dragas appointed member of university of virginia board of visitors governor tim kaine in 2008. became rector of board on july 1, 2011, , first woman ever elected post.

it’s been noted dragas’ state service uncontroversial until made headlines in june 2012 part of resignation of uva president teresa a. sullivan. sullivan announced resignation president in june after 2 years in position, citing philosophical differences board of visitors reasoning. media outlets had reported rift between sullivan , board may have been, in part, due dragas viewpoint university facing serious financial challenges, , administration need explore fiscally conservative solutions, sullivan not actively pursuing.

a washington post story , uva student newspaper story had both claimed dragas organized support necessary oust sullivan president. after resignation, dragas assured community board unified in actions, board members later claimed had no knowledge of sullivan decision until before resignation. former board member, randal kirk, publicly stated , others believed sullivan wrong pick start. public records later revealed super-majority of board supported change in leadership based on personnel reasons. dragas became center of attention supported sullivan in expression of dismay. according public records release, there on 450 e-mails sent calling dragas resign rector. additionally, faculty senate of uva passed resolution supporting sullivan , expressing lack of confidence in dragas. newspaper report later reveal sullivan’s supporters, mobilized john o. “dubby” wynne, former uva rector had hired sullivan, had established “a ‘war room’ on grounds, organized counterattack, focusing on influential alumni , wavering board members.”

following vote, dragas offered meet faculty senate discuss matter, , meeting took place on june 18, 2012. according statement faculty senate, meeting cordial, faculty senate still demanded both reinstatement of sullivan , resignation of dragas. situation escalated, governor bob mcdonnell made statement if board of visitors did not resolve issue june 26 meeting, use power of appointment replace of board members. @ june 26th meeting, board unanimously voted reinstate sullivan president. while e-mails show dragas had considered resigning position rector during height of situation, subsequently reappointed term on board governor mcdonnell, , has released joint statement sullivan demonstrate shared commitment moving on solving university s problems.

reconfirmation

dragas reconfirmed in january 2013. march 2, 2013 washington post article reported days after virginia lawmakers confirmed dragas’s reappointment board in january, rector sent president lengthy , detailed list of goals meet school year. sullivan claimed letter inappropriate , constituted micromanagement. american association of university professors (aaup) issued report on march 14, 2013 criticizing actions of board in general , dragas in particular. report stated dragas not prepared disruptive influence of online education, had made uninformed statements, , seemed inexperienced in position. [32] noted report contained “multiple errors of fact.” american council of trustees , alumni later praised work of dragas , board, stating “if students receive quality , affordable education in virginia, trustees going have press for, measure, , demand results. dragas’ financial support of university has been documented, noting has donated half million dollars university, “but considers herself voice state s lower- , middle-income families,” added 1 news report. in april 2013 dragas on losing end of 14-2 vote raise tuition, claiming rise in tuition putting school on unsustainable track. dragas argued tuition rising faster income of virginia families, become barrier post-secondary education.

end of tenure

the washington post wrote ouster of sullivan served beneficial university in terms of developing attitude in favor of long term change. in exit interview position, dragas stated that, believe did right thing in pushed needed change ... did wrong way in misunderstood when re going try solve thorne-y problems @ high-profile, public institution, need communicate lot -- lot more did -- , lot of people. , lesson i, in particular, , board learned hard way. term rector ended @ end of june 2013, though remains member of board.

in august 2013, dragas 1 of 2 members of board of visitors vote against scaling university’s financial aid program, access u.va., assured low-income students graduate without debt. u.va. student council submitted letter echoing dragas, requesting program maintained has operated 9 years. following decision, ms. dragas maintained opposition measure stating that, “[t]his action raises cost of uva degree substantially students low-income families, hurting our diversity , coming @ time when seen elitist , unwelcoming.” alumni , students have begun organizing support , sending emails administrators in effort reverse decision.

in september 2013, dragas noted further expressing opposition tuition increases in aftermath of meeting between foundation representatives, administrators, deans , board members advocates raising in-state student tuition. later in fall @ november meeting, dragas urged fellow board members delay approving elements of new strategic plan, reiterating need more discussion on plan’s potential impacts tuition , financial aid. dragas raised concern several years of double-digit tuition increases, following comments university’s president possibility of tuition increases have not been ruled out pay parts of strategic plan, improvements curriculum , student engagement.

ms. dragas featured in hampton road magazine’s list of “10 leading ladies” featuring advice of powerful , inspiring women. further mentioned importance of affordable tuition attributing success , inspiration fact , family “were able afford cost of life-changing undergraduate , graduate education @ university of virginia.

advocacy on affordability

throughout 2014, dragas further recognized advocacy of affordable higher education. dragas has been joined other members of board in raising concerns university has relied on yearly tuition increases backfill stagnant state funding, lack of strategic planning, , declining research.

dragas , fellow board members have pointed university’s lack of long-term financial plan 1 reason continued escalation of tuition. in response, in june 2014, uva board of visitors set special subcommittee work on long-range plan targeting affordability students.

during june meeting of uva board of visitors, dragas again raised issue of university’s public mission provide affordable access virginians, arguing board members owe primary duty of loyalty public , university. newspaper article on meeting pointed tuition increases, example, may limit access virginians lower incomes university administration avoid difficult budget decisions. 1 virginia newspaper, daily progress, cheered “hooray helen dragas”, , editorialized dragas “spot-on in saying university of virginia, including governing board, should put public interest first.” calling “right on money on these issues”, progress agreed dragas proposed code of conduct muzzling board member expression of dissenting views unrighteous decision public institution.