The University of Virginia (UVA) is taking steps to refine its presidential selection process following the appointment of Scott C. Beardsley as its 10th president. The Board of Visitors recently voted to affirm Beardsley’s selection while also commissioning a review of the methods employed during the search. This examination, conducted by the Audit, Compliance, and Risk Committee, aims to uncover potential improvements for future searches.
Focus Areas of the Review
The committee’s review will cover various aspects of the search process, including:
- How candidates were identified and evaluated
- Methods of gathering stakeholder feedback
- Record-keeping practices
- Comparative analysis with best practices from other universities
Rector Carlos M. Brown emphasized the importance of transparency in this initiative, stating, “The intent of this review is to be as transparent as we can about how the search for UVA’s 10th president was conducted and to strengthen the University’s playbook for future executive searches, not to revisit the outcome of that search.”
Leadership and Governance
Governor Abigail Spanberger, an alumna of UVA, recently appointed 10 new members to the Board of Visitors. Subsequently, the board elected Carlos M. Brown as rector and Victoria D. Harker as vice rector. Both leaders are graduates of UVA. This meeting marked the first quarterly gathering with Beardsley participating as president since his official appointment on January 1.
The resolution tasked the Audit, Compliance, and Risk Committee with providing a thorough assessment of the presidential search process. This review includes evaluating the decision-making framework and comparing it with national best practices at peer public research universities. The committee is expected to update the board on their findings by June.
Scott C. Beardsley expressed gratitude for the board’s trust, stating, “I am grateful for the trust the board has placed in me and intend to continue to lead with the same commitment to transparency, engagement and constant improvement that is at the heart of the resolution they passed today.”
Support and Objectives
Chief Audit Executive Carolyn Saint and her team will support the committee’s review by potentially gathering insights from university faculty, staff, and the Special Committee on the Nomination of a President. Board leaders aim to enhance future presidential searches by providing a more structured and transparent process.
Vice Rector Victoria D. Harker highlighted the significance of this task, saying, “Selecting a new president is one of the most important tasks the commonwealth delegates to university boards, but our current board manual contains only a few sentences about how that process should work.”
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