December 19, 2025: UVA appoints Dean of Darden Business School as new president despite request from Governor-elect Spanberger and others to suspend process
Plus: Plans have been filed for a rezoning in Hollymead for between 22 and 110 units
History records many events each day and there are many potential selections that could be included in the opening paragraph of Charlottesville Community Engagement. What would you select from a list of all things Decemeber 19? A regime change? A grisly natural disaster? A chapter from a deadly war? A sporting event? This day in spaceflight? I’m Sean Tubbs, and for this day I’m going to leave it to you to choose. Say something in the comments!
In this edition:
Scott Beardsley will take over as 10th president of the University of Virginia on January 1 after being appointed at a closed-door Board of Visitors meeting today
Plans have been filed for development of a 7.35 acre lot in Hollymead for between 22 and 110 housing units
Charlottesville City Council has made another round of appointments to board and commissions
The Albemarle Planning Commission takes a look at a new tool intended to better track how new development in the county is meeting Comprehensive Plan goals
First shout-out: Ragged Mountain 12 Days Of Giving spotlight on Camp Holiday Trails
With the holiday season upon us, the Ragged Mountain Running and Walking Shop begins today the annual 12 Days of Giving to give back to the community. Each day, ten percent of proceeds will go to a nonprofit organization.
On this eighth day — Camp Holiday Trails: “This popular three day event hosts over 100 authors every year… most of the readings are free! With federal funding cut way back, this wonderful community event needs our support now more than ever.”
See what Mark Lorenzoni has to say at the Ragged Mountain Running and Walking Shop website.
Board of Visitors names Darden Dean as next UVA president
The twelve remaining remembers of the University Board of Visitors have named the Dean of the Darden School of Business, ending a presidential search before the term of Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Scott Beardsley is in his third term heading up Darden.
“We are confident that Scott’s leadership, vision, and commitment to the UVA community uniquely position him to serve as president at this moment,” reads a statement from the Board of Visitors. “He understands the breadth of the University’s responsibilities across education, research, healthcare, athletics, and public service, and he brings a steady, unifying approach grounded in respect for shared governance and academic excellence.”
The Board of Visitors met in a closed meeting today for an agenda that did not list an appointment as one of the items. They met despite requests from several groups to suspend the search until after Abigail Spanberger takes over as the next governor.
“We are deeply concerned by reports that the Board may attempt to act as early as today, December 19, even though this current Board is missing multiple members and has not yet been brought into compliance with statutory requirements under Virginia law,” reads a statement from the Virginia Conference of the American Association of University Professors.
This year, the Virginia Senate failed to confirm five members of the Board appointed by Youngkin after the United States Department of Justice announced several investigations into whether UVA was in violation of civil rights laws. These investigations culminated in the resignation of former President Jim Ryan in June.
“Not only has the Board’s credibility been altered with much of the current student, faculty, staff, and alumni bases, but the present actions threaten future constituencies,” reads a statement from the Student Council sent out shortly before the Board meeting. “Students cannot put their hope into an appointment made despite our Vote of No Confidence, a lack of discussion regarding our needs, and a deficiency in student representation on the committee itself.”
However, the Board went through with the vote and said Beardsley will introduce himself to the community in the coming days.
“Today’s election of the Tenth President reflects the input of many across our community, who support and care for UVA as we do,” the Board statement continued. “Together, we will move forward with unity, purpose, and pride in this extraordinary institution.”
The group Wahoos 4 UVA issued a statement immediately following the announcement expressing disappointment in what they argue is a rushed process that lacked transparency.
“Alumni, faculty, students, members of the General Assembly, and nine of UVA’s deans urged the Board to wait,” reads their statement. “Not because they opposed any of the candidates — to the degree the identities of top candidates were known — but rather, because they understood that process and legitimacy matter, and that leadership of a public university must begin with trust.”
The group’s statement said Beardsley might have the qualities to be president, but by accepting the position he begins from a position of distrust.
UVA put out a press release at 3:46 p.m. with comments from Beardsley.
“As president, I embrace the responsibility of carrying forward that legacy while advancing UVA’s mission and ensuring we are prepared for the evolving landscape of higher education and health care,” Beardsley is quoted. “I am committed to excellence and bringing a results-driven and student-centered approach to promote the University’s academic excellence, faculty strength, exceptional patient care, financial sustainability, public service mission, and impact for the long term.”
There is already a website for the new president as well as an introductory video. Take a look:
Rezoning sought for between 22 and 110 more units in Hollymead in Albemarle
In 2026, Albemarle’s Department of Community Development will begin the use of a tool to help decision-makers better understand how the county’s growth area is filling out as new developments come through the pipeline.
For the past few years, Albemarle has been providing updates through a service called the Development Dashboard that among other things tracks the numbers of housing units that have been approved and those that are in the planning stages.
However, a cybersecurity attack in June damaged the system and the county’s website states the information has to be rebuilt. When it comes back online, the spreadsheet will depict at least 22 new units requested in the Hollymead neighborhood.
Gallifrey Enterprises filed for a rezoning in early December that would convert 7.35 acres from Residential-1 (R-1) to Planned Residential Development. The property is currently wooded and the Comprehensive Plan designates the land as “urban density residential.” (ZMA-2025-00014)
The exact make-up of the plan has not been determined and the rezoning requested shows concept plans for both a 22 single-family development as well as 110 apartment units in several apartment buildings.
“Due to an uncertain real estate market and the long timeline between the [rezoning] application and final site plan, the applicant is requesting flexibility with the approved density range to best accommodate the financial feasibility and market demand at the time of development,” reads the narrative crafted by Shimp Engineering.
In either scenario, the development would be accessed through a new public road connecting to the approved by unbuilt Archer North development approved by the Albemarle Board of Supervisors.
Charlottesville City Council makes appointments
The forthcoming arrival of the New Year means a fresh start for many local boards and commissions. Charlottesville City Council made several new appointments at their meeting on December 15.
“I want to thank those individuals for agreeing to serve the city on the various committees,” said Mayor Juandiego Wade.
The appointments:
Sarah Malpass has been named to the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund (CAHF) Committee as an at-large representative. Jamaala Hamilton has been reappointed to one of three slots reserved for beneficiaries of affordable housing funds.
Brad Uhl has been reappointed to the Board of Directors for the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau in the position reserved for representatives from the food and beverage industry. Zarina Yafizova was appointed to represent the accommodations sector.
Jamaala Hamilton has also been appointed to serve as the Fifeville representative on the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Task Force. Syleethia Carr was appointed to serve on the Rose Hill seat.
Jennifer Trompetter has been named to the Historic Resources Committee.
Hannah Langlett and Callum McCain von Schill have been named to the Human Rights Commission.
Bob Pineo has been named to the Local Board of Building Code Appeals.
Adam Hastings and Rafiullah Daudzai have been appointed to the Personnel Appeals Board.
Kristen Marie Petros de Guex has been reassigned to the Huehuetenango representative on the Charlottesville Sister Cities Commission.
Second shout-out: Charlottesville Scholarship Program
Today’s second subscriber-supported shout-out goes to the Charlottesville Scholarship Program. Started in 2001 by an initial investment by Charlottesville City Council, the Charlottesville Scholarship Program has grown their endowment to over $1.3 million, and has awarded 201 scholarships totaling more than $1.1 million.
The goal of the program has remained constant: to assist low- and moderate-income City residents and City employees who wish to improve their lives through post-secondary education. Many of these students are the first in their family to attend college.
Income-eligible Charlottesville Public School System high school seniors, City residents who are Charlottesville Public School System graduates or GED recipients, and City municipal and City School System employees, no matter where they reside, are all eligible for CSP scholarships. In a typical year, CSP awards eleven new, renewable scholarships. Ten of these are designated for eligible high school seniors, and the 11th scholarship is designated for an eligible adult applicant.
To learn more about the program, sign up for their newsletter, or make a donation, visit their website.
Albemarle Planning Commission briefed on build-out analysis tool
Albemarle County’s updated Comprehensive Plan goes into effect on January 1 complete with language that contemplates an eventual expansion of where developers can build.
“The County’s Growth Management Policy prioritizes building efficiently in Development Areas over expanding the current boundaries,” reads part of what is referred to as AC44. “However, the current Development Areas may be unable to accommodate housing and employment needs, an issue already reflected in rising land costs and declining housing affordability.”
The wording made it into AC44 despite efforts from some community members who thought the acknowledgment would lead to a premature expansion.
The growth area consists of roughly five percent of Albemarle’s 726 square miles and the county has a future land use map that describes what level of development is allowed on each parcel. Land use designations that allow for residential development each have a range of allowable density.
At the beginning of the AC44 process in 2022, Albemarle hired the firm Kimley-Horn to come up with a baseline of how efficiently the county is using that land. The company looked at all developable parcels of land greater than two acres and reviewed recent rezonings. Albemarle then hired the firm Line and Grade in 2025 to update the data based on what was known in the development pipeline as of April 1 of this year.
“In ‘22, our total theoretical maximum build out was just over 24,000 units,” said J.T. Newberry, a senior planner in Albemarle County’s Department of Community Development. “In ‘25, we see that that had decreased to 21,644 overall units.”
Newberry said the amount of developable land decreased during the period. As time moves on, Albemarle wants to provide incentives for property owners to redevelop land to encourage build-out toward the maximum possible.
“A big topic of interest from the Board of Supervisors was how are we doing in terms of approving projects, the density that we’re approving them at relative to the maximum under the comp plan,” Newberry said.
The 2022 analysis took a look at development from 2016 to 2021 and found that properties were coming in at 58 percent of the potential maximum. The 2025 update brought that number to 56 percent.
Newberry said this analysis is meant to be a very broad brush.
Members of the Planning Commission said not all properties are alike and decision-makers need to know specifics about infrastructure needs for each potential project.
Rivanna District Planning Commissioner Corey Clayborne asked what the utility of such a number would be and how it would tie to decisions about level of intensity.
“If you look at the current infrastructure, and I just jotted down roads and schools, nothing else, but like, does that, is that able to even accommodate the 58 percent?” Clayborne asked. “What would happen if we were able to get to the 80 percent? Would we just crumble?”
During the AC44 process, Rio District Planning Commissioner Nathan Moore was one of the voices calling for the county to at least study the idea of expanding the development area. He said he was not sure what use looking at the maximum theoretical number of units would be given there will be land use shifts over the 20 year horizon of the Comprehensive Plan as Albemarle continues a call for new business.
“I mean we’ve got economic development happening quite successfully in terms of AstraZeneca’s announcement,” Moore said. “And I think the goals continue to grow more, you know, if we make room, will that population increase more? It certainly could. And so I think we could be seeing a higher population growth and a lower number of actually buildable units. And I think we’re going to find ourselves full before this 20 years runs out.”
Commissioner Karen Firehock pointed out that many developments don’t reach the maximum potential because the public process offers opportunities for neighbors to push back against density. She suggested matching the county’s growth area zoning to match what is allowed under the Comprehensive Plan.
“That’s why I keep getting on the bandwagon of why don’t we just rezone it to what we want because it’s the going through the development process that people don’t bother trying to get the higher density,” Firehock said. “We’ve heard that time and again.”
Newberry said a new analysis tool will begin to be used in 2026 that will allow for more scenarios to be worked out for each rezoning.
“This is a first attempt at tracking how current development proposals are aligning or not to the maximum theoretical capacity as called for in the comp plan, notably under AC44,” Newberry said.
At-Large Planning Commissioner Luis Carrazana said he felt the tool will be useful in providing real-time data as new projects come up for a decision but the information can be used for much more.
“So let’s not just track it,” Carrazana said. “Let’s think about how we move the needle. So when we’re having the conversations with developers and, and they’re coming in at 50 percent say, well, what is it going to take to get you to 70 percent or 80 percent?”
The Board of Supervisors will discuss the analysis tool at a work session on January 21.
Stories you should also read:
Spanberger makes affordability centerpiece of 2026 agenda as legislative session nears, Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury, December 18, 2025
Gov.-elect Spanberger outlines energy priorities with focus on efficiency, battery storage, Shannon Heckt, Virginia Mercury, December 19, 2025
Albemarle County, VA, Confirms PHI Stolen in June Ransomware Attack, Steve Adler, The HIPAA Journal, December 19, 2025
Now #974 tapers away into the next column
Four stories and the one about appointments to Boards and Commissions in Charlottesville is finally finished. Was it worth the wait?
I’m not sure. There is a rhythm to what ends up in the newsletter each time, and each one is different. Today, the two Albemarle pieces fit together and I can imagine a version that more directly put those two together.
And then the UVA announcement. What do you think? Is this a transparent move? What will happen next?
In any case, time to take an evening break before getting to work tomorrow. There’s so much to get to and I’m grateful to paid subscribers.
Now, a song to end the work week.
I’m a humbug at the holidays. Some of us are like this, and I try to make light of it as best I can because I do wish I still had some spirit in me. I don’t, though, but I hope the concluding video today is taken in the spirit of me trying to be as merry as I can! It’s not a great song but I am pleased the Dead Milkmen are still giving it the old college drop-out try!
This is going to likely be undone in January -- or within two months.