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Ryan and Sheridan provide full accounts of Ryan’s resignation. They differ significantly
In their first full public accounts since this summer, the former president and current rector dispute the circumstances which led to Ryan’s resignation


Photo by Kayla Moore | The Cavalier Daily

By Cecilia Mould and Ford McCracken
November 14, 2025

Former University President Jim Ryan and Board of Visitors Rector Rachel Sheridan have each provided, for the first time since Ryan’s resignation, full accounts of the circumstances which led to Ryan’s decision to step down.

Sheridan sent a letter to the Faculty Senate Thursday afternoon providing a detailed timeline of discussions with the Justice Department before Ryan’s resignation. Ryan, in response, sent a letter to the Faculty Senate Friday which shared an account he wrote this summer of the circumstances leading to his resignation.

“In light of Rector Sheridan’s letter, as well as the governor’s, which I do not think present an accurate accounting of my resignation, I am sending my document to all of you now,” Ryan wrote. “I am sorry for the slight delay. I did not send this to you yesterday because I thought it would be inappropriate to do so on the third anniversary of the tragic deaths of three of our students.”

The Cavalier Daily corresponded with former Rector Robert Hardie, whose term ended June 30, regarding the two accounts. He confirmed that he agreed with Ryan’s account. … “I concur fully with President Ryan’s recollection of events,” Hardie said.

{snip}

James Fallows
‪@jfallows.bsky.social‬

1) 'Why I Resigned' from UVa Prez 100% worth reading
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26278550-jim-ryan-letter/

2) Events were forced by NYT story w leaked info that he was under pressure to resign. UVa prez has 'no idea' where leaks came from (See below.)

3) FWIW same NYT team did leaked "Harvard will cave" stories

Story says:
Headline "The Final Day"
Then:
The Final Day

Rachel went to meet with the DOJ lawyers the next day—Thursday, June 26th. That morning, an article came out in the NY Times describing how DOJ lawyers were pressuring me to resign. I still have no
idea who leaked the story.

At around 1pm on Thursday, I was called by Rachel and the two outside
lawyers, Jack and Farnaz, who attended the meeting with Rachel. I was told that the DOJ lawyers were very upset with the leaked story in the Times and that the only offer on the table was that I needed to
resign by 5pm that day or the DOJ would basically rain hell on UVA.

I also needed my resignation to be effective prior to the students returning. If I did not resign that day, I was told that the DOJ would
extract/block hundreds of millions of dollars from UVA before they would even negotiate.

I was then told that the DOJ had offered an amazing deal—unlike any the lawyers had ever seen, in their words. They were basically willing to grant UVA blanket immunity—all of the inquires and investigations would be suspended, no financial penalties would be imposed, and agencies would be told not to cut off our research funding. They said they had never seen or heard about such a great deal for any university.

Rachel praised the lawyers for their astute and savvy bargaining, and I was told this was an amazing deal.
ALT
November 14, 2025 at 5:35 PM