Tension Builds Over Ouster of University of Virginia President The University of Virginia's governing board has agreed to meet with a faculty delegation to discuss its abrupt ouster of the university president, as tension builds over a shake-up that faculty leaders have asked the board to reconsider. Members of the governing body, the Board of Visitors, stunned the university staff on Sunday by announcing that President Teresa A. Sullivan had resigned after just two years in her post. In remarks to university officials after an emergency session of the board's executive committee on Sunday, Helen Dragas, who as rector is the head of the board, said the university needed a "bold and proactive" president. There had been no public sign that Ms. Sullivan's position was in jeopardy, and people who have spoken with her say she learned of the board's intention to unseat her just last week. Among faculty members who support Ms. Sullivan, initial surprise has given way to indignation and a demand for an explanation from the board. George M. Cohen, a law professor and chairman of the Faculty Senate, and Carol Wood, an associate vice president of the university, said Wednesday that the board had agreed to meet with the Senate's executive council, but that no date had been set. Also on Wednesday, 33 department chairmen, chairwomen and program directors released a copy of a letter to the board protesting Ms. Sullivan's removal. Ms. Dragas later released a statement acknowledging faculty concerns, adding that the board must "keep confidential matters of disagreement." The only explanation offered so far came from Ms. Dragas, in a statement at a hastily called meeting on Sunday with university vice presidents and deans. She said the board felt "strongly and overwhelmingly that we need bold and proactive leadership," and wanted "a much faster pace of change." Ms. Dragas also referred to the shift toward online education and the need to articulate a vision for the university, suggesting that Ms. Sullivan's performance in those areas had been inadequate. Some faculty members have dismissed her statement as vague. They think she doesn't have a vision, so what do they have in mind that she hasn't been doing? Mr. Cohen asked. We have no idea. One administrator, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that a source of tension between Ms. Sullivan and the board had been her resistance to cutting support for undergraduate education at a time of declining state support. Ms. Dragas did not return calls seeking comment. The vice rector, Mark J. Kington, who worked with her in removing Ms. Sullivan, declined to comment, as did Ms. Sullivan. Early news reports quoted administrators as saying that the board was unanimous in pushing Ms. Sullivan out, but in fact, there was no board vote. "The rector had spoken individually to all board members and had their full support," and then asked the president to leave, Ms. Wood said. Ms. Sullivan agreed on Friday to resign effective Aug. 15. On Sunday, the board's executive committee, with just three of its six members present, met and voted to accept her resignation.