Virginia’s Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera sent a letter to Senate Democrats Wednesday night pushing back against their recent statements to the leaders of the Board of Visitors at multiple Virginia universities. Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, Senate Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, and Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, sent a letter to George Mason University, Virginia Military Institute and the University of Virginia telling them not to recognize the appointees that a Senate committee recently rejected.
Guidera, in her response to the senators, informed them that she advised the rectors to ignore what they wrote. “You should be ashamed of the letters you sent on September 9, 2025, which amount to no less than attempts to grind operation of our institutions of higher education to a halt through bullying, intimidation, and harassment of board members,” Guidera wrote.
Senate Democrats have rejected a long list of appointments to boards of Visitors this year, accusing them of being too partisan. The rejections have left multiple vacancies on the boards. 10 GMU board members have been removed, along with seven at VMI and five at UVA.
A Fairfax Circuit Court affirmed the Senate Democrats’ power to block appointments this summer, but Attorney General Jason Miyares filed an appeal with the Virginia Supreme Court.
Guidera wrote to the Democrats that their latest letter escalated the situation.
“This is a deliberate escalation beyond your previous letters and public statements. The precise question before the court right now is whether or not these 22 individuals can serve,” she wrote. “Your letters explicitly threaten all current board members, including those previously confirmed, at the University of Virginia, George Mason University, and the Virginia Military Institute, and beyond, with removal under a statute that provides governors the ability to remove board members for malfeasance.”
Surovell said in a statement to Virginia Scope Wednesday night that his caucus is protecting Virginia’s universities from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration.
“The governor, Ms. Guidera and her staff have been inappropriately intimidating and interfering with our independent Boards of Visitors for three and a half years unlike any administration in Virginia’s history,” Surovell wrote. “I’m not surprised she’s mad we’re protecting our first class schools from her bullying.”
Lucas pointed to the state code when Virginia Scope asked her to respond to Guidera.
“It is apparent that the Secretary has not read or does not fully understand her role. The Code of Virginia is clear: our institutions of higher education are under the authority of the General Assembly, not Secretary Guidera, and not Governor Youngkin,” Lucas wrote. “Virginia’s colleges and universities are not political playthings. They are centers of learning, research, and opportunity that have thrived because of legislative oversight, accountability, and the commitment of generations of Virginians to keep them strong. Attempts to centralize control in the executive branch not only undermine the law but also risk politicizing decisions that should be guided by academic integrity and the best interests of students.
Youngkin responded to the Democrats in a statement on social media Tuesday.night.
“Virginia’s progressive left elected officials are trying to paralyze the governing boards of Virginia’s colleges and universities by using despicable bullying and intimidation tactics,” he wrote.
This will continue to be a developing story.