Judge's ruling on Youngkin appointees could slow Trump DEI purge in Virginia universities: insiders

A Virginia judge’s ruling overturning Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s appointees to three public university governing boards could undermine President Trump’s efforts to ban diversity, equity and inclusion on campuses, higher education insiders say.

“This move should embolden those fighting in support of DEI,” said Omekongo Dibinga, a leading DEI advocate and professor of intercultural communications affiliated with American University’s Antiracist Research and Policy Center. “I am not sure where it will go with appeals and the like, but we must take these victories when we can.”

Virginia Education Secretary Aimee Rogstad Guidera said stiffening Democratic resistance threatens to scare off “citizens who choose to take time away from personal and professional endeavors to serve the Commonwealth” as board members.

“The baseless attacks by Senate Democrats on these good people’s reputations may deter future leaders’ willingness to serve,” Ms. Guidera said in a statement to The Washington Times.

Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Jonathan D. Frieden ruled this week to unseat eight board members from the University of Virginia, George Mason University and the Virginia Military Institute after nine state Senate Democrats sued to block them.

While all three boards remain dominated by Youngkin appointees, political insiders say the ruling signals that Democrats plan to clean house if they win November’s gubernatorial election.

Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville said former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, is heavily favored to defeat Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the race.

“It’s not going to be close,” Mr. Carville said. “Obviously, she’s going to reverse all of that.”

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, has vowed to appeal the judge’s ruling to the Supreme Court of Virginia.

“The Governor respectfully disagrees with the Court’s opinion and looks forward to the Attorney General’s appeal to the Supreme Court,” said Youngkin spokesman Peter Finnochio.

Mr. Youngkin has appointed dozens of Republican donors, former lawmakers and conservative activists to college and university governing boards since taking office in 2022.

The Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly signed off on most of his picks under the Biden administration. However, they started pushing back this year as Youngkin appointees moved to enforce a January presidential order dismantling race-based programs at universities.

In January, state Democrats blocked six university board appointees, including former Trump administration officials Kenneth Marcus and Marc Short.

Over the past few months, Youngkin appointees were instrumental in forcing the resignation of University of Virginia President James Ryan, proscribing race-based admissions and hiring preferences at GMU, and choosing not to renew the contract of Cedric Wins, VMI’s first Black superintendent.

In four separate investigations, the Education and Justice departments have accused George Mason of renaming rather than dismantling DEI programs and staff, defying the board’s order.

In March, a committee in the Democrat-controlled Senate blocked Mr. Youngkin’s latest eight board picks for these three institutions, including former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli at UVa.

The eight appointees proceeded to join the boards anyway, leading Senate Democrats to file their lawsuit.