U.Va. president, board members stand up for UVA Health execs
The University of Virginia’s president and two UVA Health board members defended UVA Health CEO Dr. Craig Kent and U.Va. School of Medicine Dean Dr. Melina R. Kibbe on Monday, after 128 UVA Physicians Group-employed faculty signed a letter demanding their immediate removal late last week. The letter, which expresses “[...]
In defense of UVA Health’s leaders
Like so many people, I was surprised and shocked to read the U.Va. faculty letter of no confidence in Dr. Craig Kent and Dr. Melina Kibbe. This is especially disturbing since I have served on various UVA Health boards over the past 30 years. It is my opinion that our health system is better today […]
In the pipeline
As Andre Marshall was speaking to a reporter about cybersecurity in late July, one of the biggest technology failures in recent memory was unfolding in real time. A worldwide Microsoft Windows outage on July 19 brought airports, banks, subways — and even the Marshall household — to a standstill. George Mason University’s v[...]
Va. Western Community College president to retire
President of Virginia Western Community College since 2001, Robert Sandel steered the two-year, public higher education institution into the 21st century, more than doubling enrollment and overseeing more than $138 million in construction and renovations. On Monday, the Roanoke-based college announced Sandel’s plans to retir[...]
Changing of the guard
Retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. William G. Kelly covered a lot of ground during his first year as president of Christopher Newport University. “I wanted to commit myself to listen and learn, so I invited students to walk with me at 6:30 a.m. every single Wednesday,” Kelly says, estimating that about 15 students and [&hell[...]
ODU names inaugural director of supply chain/logistics school
Old Dominion University has named Kuntal Bhattacharyya as inaugural director of its new School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations (SSCLMO), the university announced Tuesday. Previously, Bhattacharyya worked as project director of Indiana State University’s Logistics 4.0 Innovation Hub, where students study ar[...]
Liberty, Falwell Jr. reach global settlement
Liberty University and Jerry Falwell Jr. have reached a global resolution agreement that settles all three lawsuits between the Lynchburg private Christian university and Falwell, Liberty’s former president and chancellor who was forced to resign in 2020 in disgrace. In a joint statement released Friday afternoon, Liberty [...]
Batten donates $100M to expand W&M marine, coastal research
Jane Batten, the matriarch of a Hampton Roads family known for its philanthropy, has pledged $100 million to William & Mary to boost coastal and marine science research towards finding global solutions for flooding and sea-level rise, the Williamsburg university announced Wednesday. The newly named Batten School of Coastal &[...]
Youngkin peppers university boards with GOP power players
With Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s appointees slated to hold majorities on the state’s university boards beginning July 1, the governor announced dozens of last-minute university board appointments Friday afternoon, shortly before the members’ four-year terms take effect Monday. Although many of the new appointees are[...]
The wedding day
When Alondra Rodriguez considered which school to attend for pre-med, she found herself puzzled by Old Dominion University — and why it didn’t have an affiliated medical school. “U.Va. has their own med school,” she thought. “Why don’t they just do that?” Rodriguez, who already had a bachelor’s degree in psycholo[...]
ODU hires new engineering dean
Old Dominion University announced Tuesday it has hired Jeffrey Fergus to be the next dean of the Batten College of Engineering and Technology, starting Aug. 10. Fergus is currently the associate dean for undergraduate studies and program assessment in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University in Alabama, where [...]
VCU names new dean of health professions college
Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Health Professions will have a new dean effective Aug. 15, the university announced Wednesday. Amy R. Darragh comes from Ohio State University, where she is director and vice dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Services. Darragh succeeds interim dean Paula Song, the[...]