College Matters from The Chronicle Everybody Wants to Rule the University
Apr 29, 2026
Andy Thomason, assistant managing editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education, breaks down how politicians are reshaping university boards. He discusses rapid board overhauls in Virginia, bipartisan weaponizing of governance, crackdowns on campus research and curriculum, and whether reforms can protect campus autonomy. Short, sharp takes on power, politics, and higher-education control.
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Partisan Control Became A Winning Political Strategy
- Political control of university boards is now seen as an electorally effective strategy.
- Republicans used decade-long campaigns to regulate campuses and win reelection, and Democrats are beginning to copy that playbook.
The Pretense Of Nonpartisan Trustees Is Eroding
- The old norm that trustees leave partisanship at the boardroom door is eroding.
- Boards are increasingly staffed and operated as political instruments, described by a chief of staff as 'we took their castle.'
Governing To Appease Politicians Produces Dysfunction
- Expect dysfunctional governance when presidents must placate shifting political masters.
- Presidents who broker deals with one administration risk punishment by a later board or governor, creating perpetual instability.