The University of Virginia appointed Michael Lenox as interim dean of the Darden School of Business; Lenox publicly stated he will not seek the permanent role. The appointment follows Scott Beardsley’s elevation to UVA president and begins a planned national search for a permanent Darden dean by fall. Lenox’s interim placement emphasizes continuity: he is a longtime Darden strategy professor and former senior associate dean with deep ties to the school. Vice deans Yael Grushka‑Cockayne and Melissa Thomas‑Hunt are cited as immediate internal contenders, and observers say the search could produce the first woman dean in Darden’s history—an outcome with implications for faculty governance and long‑term strategic priorities.