The University of Virginia (UVA) did little to promote Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on Wednesday, even as he gathered officials from every public college in the commonwealth at for his “Higher Education Summit on Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity” at the school’s Newcomb Hall to discuss the importance of differing opinions in higher education.
Youngkin told attendees that, “when it comes to freedom of expression, we have to create an environment that protects the ability to challenge conventional thinking,” according to UVA Today. The governor added, “Challenging beliefs and fostering an environment for these debates is exactly why we all exist.”
While Youngkin’s remarks were open to the public, multiple reports indicate the university did little to promote his visit. The Daily Progress reported the event was a “quiet affair,” and the outlet noted that a professor confirmed “the event was not widely publicized or livestreamed, catching the university’s own faculty unawares.”
The report added that there was “no mention of the summit or governor’s appearance” on any UVA website, and that the lack of public promotion came despite Youngkin’s secretary of education spending “more than a year planning the summit.”
Similarly, The Daily News Record reported “a noticeable lack of information on the summit available to the public” before the event, noting “Youngkin’s office sent out a press release” to members of the media, but the university did not “publicize the summit or include it on its event calendar.” Both outlets reported that Youngkin’s office requested the space for the summit.
After Youngkin’s appearance, the Virginia higher education administrators and employees met in smaller groups to create formal plans outlining how the schools plan to promote the first amendment and intellectual freedom on their campuses, UVA Today explained. Draft versions of those plans will be sent to the Virginia Secretary of State’s office by March 1.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to review some of these when they’re finalized next year,” Youngkin reportedly said at the summit, adding that he is “just inspired by the work” being done by university administrators in Virginia.
Earlier this year, UVA drew headlines when it announced a new essay question for the 2023 to 2024 admissions cycle that circumvents the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that universities may not consider a student’s race when determining acceptance.
Though the essay question does not specifically mention race, Campus Reform reported in August that the question “alludes to the applicants’ race because it appeals to sources of oppression and marginalization given the ‘background, perspective, or experience’ should be seen as a ‘source of strength.'”
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gov. Younkin at UVA” by Matt Riley, University of Virginia Communications
