1. Define the Problem
2. Identify the Root Cause as well as the ancillary causes of the Problem.
3. Provide your recommendations to Resolve the Problem.

SITUATIONAL FACTORS AFFECTED SULLIVAN'S LEADERSHIP

Three significant events affected Sullivan's leadership. The question is whether she used the best form of leadership in each situation.

1. UVA's board asked Sullivan to leave.

The board, which consists of members appointed by the state's governor, elected a chair-Helen Dragas- who did not get along with Sullivan. Dragas, who has a BA and MBA, leads a real estate development company, is tough-minded, and according to Fortune possesses a personality that conflicts with Sullivan's. Dragas was unhappy with Sullivan's strategy for online education and pushed Sullivan to come up with a new plan. Sullivan resisted this pressure and failed to pro- vide a detailed plan, disappointing the board. In a sur- prise move, Dragas asked Sullivan to sign a resignation letter in June 2012. The board believed faculty and stu- dents disliked the president, and Dragas told Sullivan the board had lost confidence in her leadership. Critics also noted that the university's ranking in u.s. News & World Report had dropped from No. 15 in 1988 to No. 25 in 2015; it dropped to No. 26 in 2016.123 Na- tional rankings are very important to most universities.

Ten days later, Sullivan was set to give her resigna- tion address to the board when a major protest devel- oped on campus. Thousands of people gathered to defend Sullivan and demand her reinstatement. The governor pressured the board to resolve the situation, and the board reinstated Sullivan as president. Dragas told Fortune that none of this would have happened had the president submitted "a concrete strategic and financial plan. Sullivan decided to return as president and displayed no residual anger toward the board.

2. A student was murdered and Rolling Stone published an article about alleged gang rape on campus.

Sullivan learned in September 2015 that student Hannah Graham was missing. As police searched for Graham,

Sullivan met with her parents. "There was no news I could give them that they didn't already have. They wanted to talk about Hannah, and I wanted to listen," she told The Washington Post. Sadly, Graham's body was found off campus and a man was arrested and charged with her murder. John Graham, Hannah's father, told the Post that "President Sullivan and other members of the University ... were extremely supportive at the time of Hannah's disappearance, and remain SO.

Another crisis erupted when Rolling Stone published a story about an alleged gang rape at Phi Kappa PSi, one of UVA's fraternity houses. The article stated that UVA "fostered a culture of rape" and that the gang rape was "part of an initiation ritual and the university offi- cials had actively tied to sweep it under the rug. Sullivan left the country for Amsterdam a few hours af- ter the story erupted to attend an academic confer- ence. Three days later she suspended social activities at all fraternities and sororities. Some thought Sullivan's response was an overreaction because the facts were still being investigated. Ultimately, Rolling Stone admit- ted the story had discrepancies and it was later totally discredited. The Charlottesville police department found no evidence of rape, and several lawsuits against the magazine are currently pending.

While all this was going on, the Phi Kappa Psi house was vandalized and members were threatened. Dem- onstrators on campus also -called for removal of the Greek system. Others felt Greeks had suffered be- cause of the manner in which Sullivan responded to the crisis.

The alleged rape case also led to a change at UVA that was worked out by students and Sullivan's staff. A collaborative agreement was developed that specified "at least three 'sober and lucid' fraternity members will monitor behavior at parties where 'jungle juice' and other potent alcohol punches will be banned along with beer in kegs. Guest lists are to be tightly enforced at the door. One monitor will be in charge of watching frat-house bedrooms with a sets of keys to guard against sexual assaults." The New York Times con- cluded that "the new code focuses candidly on already well-known frat-culture excesses that for too long have invited uncontrolled and even criminal behavior on some carnpuses.''

3. Race-related issues took the stage.

'In March 2015, an African American student, Martese Johnson, suffered head injuries while being arrested by white Alcoholic Beverage Control police officers outside a bar. The situation was inflamed by the fact that Johnson served as vice-chair of the student hon- ors committee, and racial unrest in the United States was high due to events in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City. Johnson pleaded not guilty to charges of public intoxication and obstruction of justice.

Students began protesting on campus within 24 hours of Johnson's arrest. Sullivan responded by contacting the governor and asking for an investigation. She also released a statement about wanting to find the truth surrounding this situation. The new student council president said Sullivan "has struggled to provide the emotional leadership that the community needs.

As Sullivan reflected on the fact that the board was debating whether to renew her contract, set to expire in July 2016, she noted that it was a mistake to leave campus after the Rolling Stone article. She does be- lieve it was a good declslon. however, to suspend so- cial activities within the Greek system. According to Fortune, Sullivan would like to remain as president of UVA, but "she doesn't know if she has cemented enough board support to win a new contract,