Virginia governor-elect Abigail Spanberger moved swiftly on Wednesday to assert her influence over the state’s higher-education landscape, stepping into a long-running political struggle over the future of diversity policies on public campuses. Her actions come after months of conservative pressure on universities to scale back or dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

During the summer, that pressure reached a peak when conservative alumni, working in alignment with the Trump administration, pushed successfully for the resignation of University of Virginia president James E. Ryan, who had been a strong advocate for diversity efforts. Since then, the university’s Board of Visitors has been searching for a permanent replacement.

In a letter sent Wednesday to the board’s chair and vice chair, Spanberger — a Democrat and graduate of the University of Virginia — urged the board to delay naming the next president until after she officially assumes office. She stressed that she must be given the opportunity to fill the five vacant board seats before such a major decision is made.

Spanberger sharply criticized the circumstances that led to Ryan’s departure, calling it an instance of “federal overreach” and expressing concern that the board had not pushed back against the Trump administration’s involvement. In her letter, she argued that recent actions by the Board of Visitors had eroded public trust and raised doubts about its ability to act “productively, transparently, and in the best interests of the university.”

She questioned whether the existing board—operating with multiple vacancies—could credibly lead a presidential search. Because selecting a university president is “the most consequential action a university board can undertake,” she wrote, the process must be legitimate, transparent, and carried out by a fully constituted board. She asked the board to postpone the search until new members, nominated by her and approved by the legislature, are confirmed.

A university spokesperson said the letter was under review and noted that the institution looks forward to working with the governor-elect to serve both the university and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Spanberger’s intervention, coming barely a week after her election victory, highlights her intention to play an active role in guiding the state’s higher-education system. Leaders at three major public universities—the University of Virginia, George Mason University, and the Virginia Military Institute—have faced intense criticism from politically conservative alumni who oppose diversity-focused reforms. At VMI, opposition contributed to the board’s decision in February not to renew the contract of Cedric T. Wins, the school’s first Black superintendent.

These controversies also influenced legislative action earlier this year, when Democrats in the statehouse blocked confirmation of 22 university board appointments made by outgoing governor Glenn Youngkin. Youngkin, a Republican, was unable to seek another term because of Virginia’s term limits, and the failed confirmations left significant vacancies on university boards across the state.

University presidential searches often take a year or longer, leaving institutions under interim leadership. At the University of Virginia, that role is currently filled by Paul G. Mahoney, a former law school dean. Despite the typical timeline, the Board of Visitors had been moving quickly to identify Ryan’s successor, with interviews for finalists planned for this month.

Ryan’s resignation in June followed sustained scrutiny from the Justice Department, which sent the university seven letters accusing it of antisemitism and of violating federal restrictions on diversity programs and race-conscious admissions practices. Ryan said he stepped down in hopes of shielding the institution from further federal intervention.

Last month, the University of Virginia reached an agreement with the Trump administration to pause the investigations, becoming one of five universities to do so.