CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Two historians have resigned from a University of Virginia affiliate over its decision to hire a departing member of President Donald Trump’s administration as a senior fellow.

News outlets report Melvyn Leffler and William Hitchcock notified the Miller Center’s director of their resignations Monday. The professors say the think tank that studies presidencies didn’t adequately consult with faculty before hiring Trump’s former legislative affairs director Marc Short.

Center Director William Antholis says he consulted with more faculty than usual and believes Short understands the importance of the center’s nonpartisan research.

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Leffler and Hitchcock signed a petition opposed to Short’s appointment circulated by staff and students angry about Trump’s response to last year’s white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, where a woman was killed.

The Daily Progress couldn’t reach Short for comment.

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Information from: The Daily Progress, http://www.dailyprogress.com