James Bacon

by James A. BaconThe Ryan administration notched up two big wins in the University of Virginia Board of Visitors meeting Thursday and Friday. It pushed through 3% tuition increases for the next two academic years and it framed the budgetary debate to its advantage. Rather than engaging in a wide-ranging discussion of how UVa might […]

by James A. BaconIn early October Governor Glenn Youngkin asked Attorney General Jason Miyares for a formal opinion on a seemingly innocuous question: Whose interests are members of Virginia\’s public university governing boards supposed to represent? Miyares responded that the \”primary duty\” of the boards of visitors is to the commonwealth, not to the institutions

by James A. BaconIn early October Governor Glenn Youngkin asked Attorney General Jason Miyares for a formal opinion on a seemingly innocuous question: Whose interests are members of Virginia\’s public university governing boards supposed to represent? Miyares responded that the \”primary duty\” of the boards of visitors is to the commonwealth, not to the institutions

by James A. BaconGovernor Glenn Youngkin outlined yesterday his vision for colleges and universities in Virginia as bastions of free speech and intellectual diversity where people come together to devise solutions to society\’s most pressing problems.\”How do we ask serious questions and foster informed debate so we can get to answers?\” he asked in a

In case you missed it…A Note from The Jefferson Council Executive Director Jim BaconNovember 18, 2023Dear friend of The Jefferson Council,Last month the Council invited best-selling author Abigail Shrier to the University of Virginia to share her findings on the transgender phenomenon. Unwilling to contest her ideas in a civil manner, transgender students and their

Heather Mac Donald gave a fiery and impassioned speech last night at Alumni Hall in defense of meritocracy, color-blind university admissions, a humanistic education and Western Civilization. She had some sharp words for the administration\’s race obsession at the University of Virginia as well. View the speech above.Thanks again to our partners, the Burke Society

The Jefferson Council extends its congratulations to Peter Lee Hamilton, winner of the 2023 University of Virginia Oratory Contest. Competing against six other speakers on the topic, \”What is the greatest strength of our American democracy,” Hamilton, a descendant of North Korean refugees and Irish immigrants, said American democracy’s strength lies in the values and

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by James C. SherlockUVa and Harvard are the two campuses most often cited by the national and world press as homes to the worst actors after October 7.It is easy work.I posted a column on Saturday making a series of recommendations for actions by the University of Virginia to protect its Jewish community and rid