You may have caught the outcry over the resignation of University of Virginia president Terry Sullivan over the last week—first, the popular Ms. Sullivan resigned on June 10, after less than two years on the job; then hedge fund manager Peter Kiernan stepped down as chairman of the fundraising arm of the university’s business school, after apparently selecting “reply all” on an e-mail publicizing his role in engineering Ms. Sullivan’s ouster.
Today Paul Tudor Jones II—UVA alum, hedge fund billionaire and founder of the Robin Hood Foundation—held forth on the subject of Ms. Sullivan’s departure in a column in Charlottesville’s Daily Progress newspaper. “Change is never easy and often quite messy,” he wrote.
But here is one thing on which you can rely. The spirit of Thomas Jefferson, the first rector of the University of Virginia, is cheering this bold action by the Board of Visitors. Jefferson was a change agent, a man of action and a perfectionist. To paraphrase him, it is time for a revolution.
Also:
When I feel I am not performing up to my capabilities at work, I review a list of quotes for inspiration. One of my favorites is by John Keats, who said, “I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.” The Board of Visitors has just told each and every one us that it is aspiring to greatness. It is about time, and we should all be elated.
In case you were wondering.
