Was it really just Tuesday that we all welcomed President Sullivan back to UVA? It seems a lot longer ago than that. Anyway, yesterday Governor McDonnell reappointed Helen Dragas to a second term on the University of Virginia's Board of Governors. So I feel obligated to put up a post welcoming her back as well. The transitional justice (and reconciliation) scholar in me finds this a most interesting move: each side ends up with something they want. This is, I'm guessing, about bringing the UVA family back together. That's essentially what Governor McDonnell said yesterday in re-appointing Ms. Dragas:
While there is no doubt that the board made several mistakes in its actions, which it has publicly admitted, this is not a time for recrimination. It’s a time for reconciliation. I have been heartened by recent statements made by president Sullivan, the Board of Visitors and by the faculty senate chair about their ability to work with the rector. As Faculty Senate Chairman George Cohen said to The Richmond Times-Dispatch, "She (Dr. Sullivan) said she can work with the rector. I think we can work with the rector as well." That kind of commitment to unity, healing and advancement is crucial to the university's success in maintaining itself as a pillar of higher education to pursue the growth of knowledge and advance the human condition. Today's reappointment is made in that spirit and with that purpose.
The governor's press release, with more details, is here. What has received relatively little attention yet (ACA is consuming all the oxygen in the room right now, I guess) are Governor McDonnell's other appointments. He made six to the Board of Visitors. In addition to the re-appointment of Ms. Dragas, the appointments were:
Frank B. Atkinson, characterized by the Post as "a longtime lobbyist and Republican activist." Mr. Atkinson is also a 1982 graduate of UVA's law school and a partner at McGuire Woods.
Bobbie Kilberg, chief executive of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, characterized by the Post as "a top donation bundler for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney." Ms. Kilberg is also a graduate of Yale Law School and a former lawyer with Arnold and Porter.
Linwood Rose, who is leaving the presidency of James Madison University today (June 30).
Edward Miller, former chief executive of Johns Hopkins Medicine (and the person whom Dragas has initially hoped would serve as interim president, as I recall).
Victoria Harker, chief financial officer of Gannett.
The image is of the University of Virginia's Alderman Library.
I was hoping you were going to as us to identify the building because it was one I could have identified. Alderman looks fine from the front but hideous from the back because the land drops off sharply leaving the building to cover about six stories with little character, somewhat like our own beloved Van Hecke-Wettach.
The governor is obviously anxious to be tabbed by Romney as his veep candidate and most of his choices as well as his threat to fire the bunch seem to be consistent with that aspiration. The fiasco at UVa and the vaginal probing ultrasound that he initially supported were stumbling blocks that he now seems to have avoided.
Posted by: Bill Turnier | June 30, 2012 at 01:16 PM
Sorry about that, Bill! I was going to use that as a library trivia question, but I think it's possible to read the name on the front of the building. I did, however, have a C'ville trivia question earlier in the week and I'll look around for another one shortly.
Posted by: Alfred Brophy | June 30, 2012 at 01:46 PM
The UVA Faculty Senate, which was behind much of the momentum that resulted in Sullivan's reinstatement and which had explicitly asked for Dragas's resignation, is now playing nice, too. See its statement on her reappointment here: http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2012/06/29/faculty-senate-makes-statement-on-mcdonnells-appointments/
Posted by: anon | June 30, 2012 at 01:59 PM
Thank you for this, anon. I think that's further evidence that the process of reconciliation is afoot. Your thoughts?
Posted by: Alfred Brophy | June 30, 2012 at 02:01 PM