(Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

University Counsel Anne Gentry also out, dismissed by new attorney general

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Virginia officially has a new governor, and changes are already underway at George Mason University.

On Jan. 16, the day before governor-elect Abigail Spanberger was sworn into office as the next governor of Virginia, Charles “Cully” Stimson tendered his resignation as rector of the school’s Board of Visitors.

Stimson, a former member of the conservative think-tank “The Heritage Foundation,” was appointed to his position by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2023. In 2025, Stimson withstood calls from Democrats in the Va. Senate to step down due to his ties to the think-tank.

One of the governor’s key roles is appointing members to public universities’ governing boards. After the expiration of several visitors’ terms at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, it fell on Youngkin to appoint new visitors to Mason’s BOV.

However, Youngkin’s nominations were repeatedly blocked by Democrats in the Senate of Virginia’s Privileges and Elections Committee. Because of this, Mason’s BOV lacked the required quorum of eight visitors to conduct business.

Stimson still held executive committee meetings in October and December, citing Article IV Section 5 of the board’s bylaws.

With Stimson’s departure, widespread change is expected in the governance of Mason. Spanberger is unlikely to face opposition getting her nominees through the Privileges and Elections Committee, which means the eleven vacancies on Mason’s BOV could soon be filled.

This could mean an ideological shift, as the BOV has been filled with conservative Youngkin appointees. They have passed resolutions on DEI and antisemitism criticized by the Mason chapter of the American Association of University Professors and several registered student organizations on campus. 

If no other visitors resign or are fired for cause by the governor, Mason’s board would consist of eleven Spanberger nominees and five Youngkin nominees.

(Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

Stimson’s departure is not the only change to happen at Mason. University Counsel K. Anne Gambrill Gentry as well as Associate University Counsel Eli Schlam were dismissed by new Attorney General Jay Jones.

This is only the latest change in President Gregory Washington’s Executive Council and Presidential Council: Provost Jim Antony announced in November he would be leaving Mason to take the Provost role at the University of San Diego.