Virginia Tech Board of Visitors rector John Rocovich is pushing back against an effort by Gov. Abigail Spanberger to remove him for alleged ethics-code violations. Spanberger fired Rocovich from the board on Wednesday, but on Thursday Rocovich responded with a letter denying any code violations and arguing the removal is “deeply offensive” and legally unsupported. Rocovich argues that the Board of Visitors operates as an independent governing authority insulated from day-to-day political pressure. The dispute is occurring as Virginia’s leadership landscape shifts, with outgoing president Tim Sands having announced plans to step down and Rocovich indicating he hoped to replace Sands by July. Lawmakers have split along party lines: Democratic leaders framed the governor’s action as part of resolving political “hangover” and politicization concerns, while Republican leaders defended Rocovich and demanded specifics. The immediate stakes include whether Virginia Tech can sustain a stable presidential search timeline—since searches can take up to a year—and whether the board’s authority and ethics standards become the next operational bottleneck.