A group of Virginia Military Institute regulator and alumni organizations that have been fighting for the last few years claim a new battle is currently raging over Democratic-led efforts to hinder reform there.
Democrats in the Virginia Senate just blocked Republican governor. nominations to the VMI Board of Visitors for Glenn Youngkin who backed reducing DEI at the university.
In addition, the groups claim that Ret’s contract is being renewed by the recent board as a result of an irresponsible strong-arming scheme. The second black director at VMI, Maj. General Cedric Wins, was appointed in 2021 amid accusations of bigotry against the school.
A unique VMI Board of Visitors conference is reportedly scheduled for today, and the objective is unclear and only holds a closed session, which prompted the watchdog organizations to raise the alarm for its adherents.
“VMI is at a turning point. The Board of Visitors had make bold, independent choices for the organization, free from interference, according to a media release from The Cadet Foundation, The Jefferson Council, and The General Redoubt.
Any inaction may undermine the guiding principles VMI cadets are trained to embody: honor, integrity, and services.
Republican U.S. Rep. Ben Cline recently called for an investigation into the morality allegations, particularly those involving state senator Jennifer Carroll Foy, a Democrat and VMI student, who allegedly told at least one board member that the government would withhold funding for the school if Wins ‘ commitment is not renewed.
In his letter requesting an ethics investigation on February 19, Cline stated that the idea that members of the General Assembly would use their positions of power to intimidate VMI Board members was” an outright abuse of power.”
However, the Virginia Mercury reported on Wednesday that Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, has indicated that it is unlikely that his colleagues will launch an ethics investigation against Foy. The College Fix contacted the Virginia Attorney General’s Office for comment on whether it would launch an investigation. The Virginia Attorney General’s Office did not respond.
Foy has also refuted the allegations. Foy’s office referenced her statement on X to The College Fix in response to a request for comment.
She stated in her lengthy X post that she had just as much fun reminding Republican John Adams of the importance of “history-making and beautifully decorated Superintendent General Wins serving this country and VMI with distinction.”
She also refrained from talking about DEI at the venerable institute, saying that the anti-DE I rhetoric is intended to “inspire fear” about the “browning” of this country, to disdain for the progress that Black people are making despite the restrictions that were put in their place, and to perpetuate the notion that Black leaders are always inferior so they do not belong.
The organizations demanding accountability at VMI stated in their Feb. 20 news release that they have a valid case against Wins ‘ reappointment. They claimed that, for instance, the independent student newspaper has experienced numerous attempts at censorship and retaliation under his leadership.
Wins also appointed the institute’s first chief diversity officer, promoted diversity in the VMI honor court, which hears student infractions and had been accused of expelling more black students than white students.
However, Wins has some supporters. He is currently in the middle of leading a major capital campaign, according to an editorial on Wednesday in the News-Gazette, and he is also liked on campus.
” Wins has been a noticeable presence on the blog and in the neighborhood. He is well-known for having frequent, direct contact with students, faculty, and staff. He” created a post in which everyone’s contributions are viewed as valued,” it said.
The alumni and watchdog organizations contend, however, that Wins and other factors are at play. The organizations also criticized the state Senate’s decision to appoint “highly qualified gubernatorial appointees to the VMI Board of Visitors” as a “deliberate effort to maintain political control over these institutions.”
The Cadet Foundation’s Robert Morris said everything came to a head in recent weeks when “members of the General Assembly attempted to intervene in the process to, first of all, control who’s on the BOV and then, secondly, try to force the school to renew the contract of the superintendent.”
It is not the state government’s responsibility to interfere with or interfere with the governance of the board, according to Tom Neale, president emeritus of The Jefferson Council, who told The College Fix.
This needs to be looked into. ” Period,” Neale said.
The Generals Redoubt Chairman of the Board, Thomas Rideout, stated to The College Fix, “VMI is our next door neighbor.” We thought the legislature’s actions didn’t really fit the mold of what you might anticipate from a state legislature and a state institution.
The General Assembly’s decision to block nominees was not about their qualifications or commitment to VMI, according to a recent opinion piece in The Cadet student newspaper. It was about establishing ideological control. Due to power struggles in Richmond, the Corps of Cadets shouldn’t suffer. Regardless of their position, those responsible for these proxy battles should be held accountable.
According to reports in a Senate meeting, Foy claimed that they had been detained because” we determined that their nomination lacked consistent with the expectations, objectives, and values we hold for those boards.”
Following inquiries for an investigation, on February 26, Governor. Two new members of the VMI Board of Visitors, including Congressman Cline’s Deputy Chief of Staff Jonathan Hartsock, have been appointed by Youngkin.
MORE: Proactive alumni are credited with making the VMI diversity chief quit
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