Overview
- Beardsley has led the Darden School since 2015 and previously spent 26 years at McKinsey, rising to senior partner, according to the university.
- The Board of Visitors acted Friday despite calls from Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger, lawmakers, faculty and community groups to pause the search, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin publicly rejected Spanberger’s request.
- Former president Jim Ryan resigned in June after pressure tied to federal scrutiny of DEI, later accusing board leaders and the governor’s office of pushing him out during Justice Department investigations.
- In its announcement, UVA said Beardsley will steer the institution through a complex period that includes questions about academic independence, changes in research funding and a shifting college athletics landscape.
- The Trump administration in September pressed UVA to adopt a Compact for Excellence that the university said would be difficult to implement, and Beardsley starts Jan. 1 with a stated results-driven, student-centered approach.