Political fallout from the UVA controversy - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

The University of Virginia is moving forward with plans to replace President Teresa Sullivan, but the Board of Visitors has yet to provide a full explanation as to what led to her forced resignation.

Now those upset with the decision are pointing fingers at the two men responsible for appointing the 12 member board: the current and former Governor of Virginia.

Both Bob McDonnell and Tim Kaine said they too were disappointed with the way the board handled Sullivan's removal, but they also vigorously defended the right of the people they appointed to make that decision.

On any given day, a candidate for U.S. Senate could end up anywhere — on Tuesday, Tim Kaine found himself in the middle of the hottest controversy in Commonwealth.

Kaine was in Charlottesville, a place still fired up over the forced resignation of Sullivan, by a board of visitors Kaine is 50 percent responsible for.

"The entire board mishandled it by not having a meeting of the board," Kaine said.

Kaine appointed the school's Rector Helen Dragas who has taken a good portion of the heat from upset alumni and faculty. He believes his appointee made a mistake by making this decision largely on her own.

"If they had a meeting of the board to talk about this and share perspectives and even heard from her about the philosophical differences than it might have come out very differently," said Kaine.

Kaine is only a candidate. His successor, Bob McDonnell, is still in a position of power. He spent Tuesday morning defending his decision to leave the board of visitors alone.

"I know many people have any number of different opinions and expect a governor to fix any crisis that comes up in Virginia," McDonnell said. "But this is why we have boards."

Now Kaine and McDonnell find themselves in difficult political positions, attached to a problem both have little control over. For Kaine, it's an election in the balance. For McDonnell, it's his legacy as governor.

McDonnell does have one pressing decision that will determine the future course of UVA. He will decide who the next Rector and Vice Rector of the University will be. Helen Dragas' term ends July 1. The Vice Rector Mark Kingston resigned Tuesday afternoon.

Copyright 2012 WWBT NBC12.  All rights reserved.