US EditionVirginia State Senate Sues Several Public Universities over Board Appointments
- On June 9, 2025, the Privileges and Elections Committee of the Virginia Senate declined to confirm eight of Governor Youngkin’s nominees to university Boards of Visitors by a party-line vote of eight to four.
- This rejection arose amid a dispute over whether a Senate committee or the full General Assembly holds authority to confirm gubernatorial appointments, with Governor Youngkin disputing the committee's power.
- Following the committee vote, Democratic Senator L. Louise Lucas and other committee Democrats filed a lawsuit in Fairfax County Circuit Court seeking to bar the appointees from board participation.
- The lawsuit contends that under a specific provision of Virginia’s Constitution, the committee’s rejection of the appointees immediately ended their authority to serve, yet Governor Youngkin’s administration directed university rectors to allow the individuals to remain on their boards despite this decision.
- This lawsuit highlights a constitutional dispute over the authority to approve gubernatorial appointments and may impact the governance of public university boards including those overseeing higher education institutions in Virginia such as UVA, VMI, and George Mason.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Headlines from across the state: Virginia Democrats sue university heads over Youngkin appointees; more …
Here are some of the top headlines from other news outlets around Virginia. Some content may be behind a metered paywall: Politics: Virginia Democrats sue university heads over Youngkin appointees. — The Washington Post (paywall). Virginia slashes voter data costs ahead of 2025 elections. — Virginia Mercury. ICE agents arrest 12 at Chesterfield courthouse. — Richmond Times-Dispatch (paywall). Local: Hill City residents outraged as real estate ta…
Dems sue over Youngkin’s appointments to various education boards
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Democrats are suing the leaders of the Boards of Visitors at George Mason University, the University of Virginia and the Virginia Military Institute. “We have a rule of law in Virginia, and it’s important the governor follow our Constitution and our laws,” Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) told 8News. The lawsuit asks a judge to decide whether university leaders should allow eight of Governor Gl…
Senate Democrats sue over Youngkin appointees kept on college boards • Virginia Mercury
(Getty Images)A Fairfax County court will soon weigh in on whether leaders at three of Virginia’s universities broke the rules by allowing rejected appointees to remain in their governing boards — despite Senate Democrats voting to remove them earlier this month. The lawsuit, first reported Tuesday by the Washington Post, targets the leadership of the Virginia Military Institute, the University of Virginia and George Mason University. It asks th…
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Senate Democrats sue to keep refused Youngkin appointees from boards
State Senate Democrats are seeking a court order to keep former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and 7 other Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointees from participating on college and university boards.
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