[6] In 2007 the Dragas Companies donated $1.5 million to the cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake for their use in dealing with homelessness and improving education for children in poverty.
The editor noted Dragas’ tenacity and called for her to apply her leadership in helping the community combat challenges of economic growth, education, and workforce development.
[16] It’s been noted that Dragas’ state service was uncontroversial[17] until she made headlines in June 2012 as part of the resignation of UVA President Teresa A. Sullivan.
Sullivan announced her resignation as president in early June after only two years in the position, citing "philosophical differences" with the Board of Visitors as her reasoning.
[28][29] While e-mails show that Dragas had considered resigning from her position as rector during the height of the situation,[30] she was subsequently reappointed to another term on the board by Governor McDonnell,[31] and has released a joint statement with Sullivan to demonstrate a shared commitment to moving on to solving the university's problems.
A March 2, 2013 Washington Post article reported that days after Virginia lawmakers confirmed Dragas’s reappointment to the board in January, the rector sent the president a lengthy and detailed list of goals to meet this school year.
[33] The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) issued a report on March 14, 2013, criticizing the actions of the Board in general and Dragas in particular.
The report stated that Dragas was not prepared for the disruptive influence of online education, that she had previously made uninformed statements, and that she seemed inexperienced in her position.
[45] In August 2013, Dragas was one of only two members of the Board of Visitors to vote against scaling back the university’s financial aid program, Access U.Va., which assured low-income students could graduate without debt.
[47] Following the decision, Ms. Dragas maintained her opposition to the measure stating that, “[t]his action raises the cost of a UVa degree substantially for students from low-income families, hurting our diversity and coming at a time when we are already seen as elitist and unwelcoming.”[48] Some alumni and students have begun organizing support and sending emails to administrators in an effort to reverse the decision.
[11] Dragas has been joined by other members of the Board in raising concerns that the university has relied too much on yearly tuition increases to backfill stagnant state funding, lack of strategic planning, and declining research.
[53] Dragas and fellow board members have also pointed to the university’s lack of a long-term financial plan as one reason for the continued escalation of tuition.
[54] In response, in June 2014, the UVa Board of Visitors set up a special subcommittee to work on a long-range plan targeting affordability for students.
[55] A newspaper article on the meeting pointed to tuition increases, as an example, which may limit access to Virginians with lower incomes but help the university administration avoid difficult budget decisions.