University of Virginia President James Ryan announced his resignation Friday, citing pressure from the Trump administration to eliminate the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Ryan, who has led UVA since 2018, said he wouldn’t “fight the federal government” just to keep his job. His exit marks a new front in the administration’s push against DEI, expanding from Ivy League schools to public universities. Virginia’s Democratic senators called the move politically motivated and harmful to higher education. Ryan had planned to step down next year but accelerated his departure.
