The University of Virginia continued its presidential search even as a public dispute over board legitimacy and recent governance decisions escalated. The search committee moved into later interview phases while state political leaders and incoming appointees pressed for a pause so new governor‑appointed trustees can weigh in. The vacancy follows President James E. Ryan’s summer resignation and conflicting accounts of his departure that have deepened mistrust between the university and the governor’s office. The board’s agreement last month with the U.S. Department of Justice to curtail certain DEI practices further complicates the selection: potential candidates will inherit a flagship institution caught in the Trump administration’s national campaign to reshape higher education. The outcome of the search will signal how UVa navigates federal scrutiny, state politics, and campus expectations for institutional autonomy.