July 25, one month after former University President Jim Ryan stepped down, the search committee for his long-term replacement was announced. Since the announcement, many community stakeholders — notably students and faculty — have objected to what they call a lack of sufficient representation.
But one area that seems to have unusually large representation is athletics. The sizable athletics representation on the committee marks a departure from past search committees at the University and in higher education more broadly and comes at a unique moment.
Athletic Director Carla Williams is among the committee’s members. So is Gretchen Walsh, the Olympic swimmer and Class of 2025 alumna. Marvin Bush and Marvin Gilliam, the vice president and trustee of the Virginia Athletics Foundation, also occupy seats, and Rachel Sheridan, the committee chair, is the current president of the Virginia Athletics Foundation.
University Spokesperson Bethanie Glover noted in a statement to The Cavalier Daily that the committee members involved with VAF “are also serving on the committee in their capacity as current or former Board of Visitors members and U.Va. alumni.” Sheridan occupies one of the school’s top positions, and Gilliam is another Board member. Bush is a Class of 1979 alumnus.
The University’s 2017 search, which culminated in the hiring of Ryan, consisted of 22 members and nobody tied to the athletic department. Not even the athletic director, Craig Littlepage, took part on the 2017 committee, and none of the committee members were affiliated with VAF. No athletic representation appeared on the 2010 committee, either.
But over the last few years, sports have taken up more airspace in the world of universities than ever before. Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) started in 2021 and has exploded ever since, and the recent House v. NCAA settlement, which many schools spent two years preparing for, became a discussion point far beyond the athletic offices.
Still, it was not a foregone conclusion that athletic representation would be present in the search committee for the tenth president — presidential search committees at similarly large public universities with powerful sports programs have not had the same chorus of athletic opinions.
Within the past year, both the University of Florida and Louisiana State University have commenced presidential search committees. Florida’s committee of 14 has no one associated with sports. Louisiana State’s 19-person group, meanwhile, has just one former student-athlete from the 1990s.
In the last few years, the University of Arizona and Washington State University have also undergone presidential searches. Each school’s committee included their athletic director and no athletic representation beyond that.
Boise State University is also operating an ongoing 46-person search committee and has a student-athlete representative on its committee — gymnast Sydney Leitch.
The University’s student-athlete representative, however, is unique. Walsh is an alumna — and was also one of the most prominent student-athletes across the entire NCAA. Her career is the most celebrated in the history of the school’s swimming program and perhaps its athletic department, resulting in 17 world records, 25 NCAA championships and a host of other awards.
“The Board selected Gretchen Walsh to serve on the committee because of her experience as a U.Va. student and athlete,” Glover said.
Walsh noted the importance of her student experience, along with her time in athletics and her desire to discuss with other students, in a statement about her role on the committee.
“As the work of the special committee gets underway, I am looking forward to sharing my perspective as a recently-graduated student and an athlete with my fellow committee members and the Board,” Walsh said.
Walsh and her fellow committee members, in addition to other areas of focus, will have to consider the rapidly evolving financial landscape of collegiate athletics. Ryan and Williams frequently collaborated in those conversations, and Mahoney will face the newest developments in NIL, new Virginia Athletics facilities and coaches’ contracts.
The committee, Sheridan announced, intends to present three final candidates to the Board for consideration. Estimates suggest the entire process will take around six months. Walsh, Williams and the rest gathered for the first time Aug. 22.
Until then, Interim President Paul G. Mahoney, the dean of the School of Law from 2008 to 2016, is filling the role. He started Aug. 11 and will continue until the Board, following the recommendations of the committee and all its athletic representation, appoints a new president.
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