Virginia Quarterly Review Editor Ted Genoways announced his resignation Tuesday evening, effective May 31, to focus on his writing career. Donovan Webster, current deputy editor and University media studies professor, will serve as interim editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review starting June 1.
Beginning this summer, the magazine will commence a nationwide search for a new permanent editor.
Tom Skalak, the University's vice president for research, said the Virginia Quarterly Review has gained "incredible momentum" under Genoways' editorship. The magazine has been nominated for three different awards this year, including the Award for General Excellence. Other nominees include the The New Yorker, The Atlantic and National Geographic.
"I think Webster's challenge will be [to] maintain the incredible visibility the magazine has achieved," Skalak said. "...Ted Genoways' leadership has created an amazing platform, and so the next leader will be able to take that forward."
The Virginia Quarterly Review faced national scrutiny in the summer of 2010, when then-managing editor Kevin Morrissey committed suicide July 30. His family and friends accused Genoways of workplace harassment, which they said contributed to Morrissey's death. An investigation conducted by the University's Internal Audit Department made no specific allegations of bullying or harassment against Genoways, but its report noted a distinction between his skills as an editor and as a manager. "Not everyone has managerial skill, and the editor's capacity to supervise and lead his staff well, and to operate his department in accordance with University policies, is questionable," the report stated.
Genoways is currently traveling outside of the country, so was unreachable for comment yesterday.
Virginia Quarterly Review Publisher Jon Peede said the magazine will look for a new editor who is also devoted to "literary excellence" and plans to continue its wide distribution. The Virginia Quarterly Review is currently published in 24 nations and has online readers in 206 nations.
"Ted Genoways is a very gifted editor," Peede said. "Our job is to find another editor with a vision for the magazine [but] it doesn't necessarily have to be the same vision."
Webster said he hopes he will be able to retain the position of editor, but the search process is out of his hands.
"I want to continue publishing the quality that [Genoways] was able to publish, that's my hope and intention," he said. "[His resignation] is our loss, but we're going to continue doing the same thing."
Skalak said the magazine covers a broad scope of social issues and will continue to do so under new editorship.
"For the entire 87-year history, [the Virginia Quarterly Review has] been both a voice for literature and also for current reporting," Skalak said. "It's a very unique blend to address major social issues."
Peede said the Virginia Quarterly Review has yet to determine who will constitute the committee to conduct the nationwide search for a new editor, but Webster said there were many highly qualified individuals.
"They need to do a full national search and under the economy there are a lot of qualified people who don't have jobs at the moment," Webster said. "I expect it will be a competitive search"
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