In texts, Youngkin appointee plots 'battle royale for the soul of UVA'

[RandySF]

After Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) named him last summer to the University of Virginia’s governing board, Bert Ellis had a platform to influence the school’s administration. He spotted a potential target, a vice provost named Louis P. Nelson, tasked with community engagement, public service and academic outreach programs.

Nelson, who reports to U-Va’s chief academic officer, Provost Ian Baucom, is also a professor of architectural history and an award-winning scholar and teacher. He has researched buildings and landscapes that shaped slavery in West Africa and the Americas, including at the prestigious public university that Thomas Jefferson founded in Charlottesville.
Ellis was unimpressed.

“Check out this numnut who works for Baucom and has nothing to do but highlight slavery at UVA,” Ellis wrote on July 22 in text

That and other text messages from Ellis were obtained last week through Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act by Richmond-based author Jeff Thomas, who provided them to The Washington Post. They provide an unfiltered window into the conversations of a controversial board newcomer who has voiced skepticism of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, been protective of the legacy of Jefferson and advocated for a new course for the flagship university.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/02/23/uva-bert-ellis-text-messages/

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Yes, by all means, let's march backwards. Speaking of 'numnuts' (his sp.) Dildo.

JFC, I googled him and it's mind boggling . Typical rich white man ignorant as hell.

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. They're afraid of everything.

Books, women, black history, children…

Never seen such a bunch of fraidy-cats.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Bert Ellis threatens to "raise hell with the BOV" in text messages to Board members, U.Va. officials

News

Bert Ellis threatens to “raise hell with the BOV” in text messages to Board members, U.Va. officials

Text messages are also aimed at U.Va. administrators and student groups

By Ava MacBlane and Lexi Baker
February 23, 2023

Board of Visitors member Bert Ellis anticipates a “battle royale” over the soul of the University, per texts obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by author and transparency advocate Jeff Thomas, who shared the documents with The Cavalier Daily.

“This is going to be a battle royale for the soul of UVA and a microcosm of what must happen across America to save the soul of our country,” Ellis wrote after an individual congratulated him on his appointment to the Board. “We need to build this into a big Army to fight agst [sic] the UVA Adm [sic].”

In over 20 pages of texts between Ellis and various other members of the Board and University officials, Ellis is largely unfiltered in critiques of everything from the behavior of upper-level administrators to the University Guide service.

Many of the texts — a large majority of which were sent prior to Ellis attending his first Board meeting in August — include fellow Board members Stephen Long, Amanda Pillion and Doug Wetmore, all of whom were appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin July 1. ... “We have to raise hell with the [Board] about this whole ‘Get Jefferson’ movement by [The Cavalier Daily] and the super liberal faculty,” Ellis said to Wetmore Aug. 26, four days after their first Board meeting.

{snip}

Ellis had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Avery Donmoyer contributed reporting to this article.