VMI Board Ends Contract of First Black Superintendent

In Richmond, Virginia, Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins will conclude his tenure as the first Black superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in June, following a decision by the school’s Board of Visitors not to extend his contract. This decision was made through a close 10-6 vote after a confidential session.

Wins, a VMI alumnus from the class of 1985 who served the U.S. Army for more than 30 years, has been at the helm during a period marked by increased attempts at diversity within the institution. These efforts were initiated after a critical state report exposed significant racial and sexual biases within the school. However, the push for diversity has been met with resistance from some of the more conservative alumni.

John Adams, the board’s President, expressed gratitude towards Wins, noting, “The BOV is supremely grateful to Major General Wins for his service to the Institute during some very difficult times. The foundation he has provided us will ensure VMI continues to fulfill its vital mission of educating future leaders.”

Established in 1839 in Lexington, Virginia, VMI boasts notable alumni such as Generals George Patton and George Marshall. However, the institution only started accepting African Americans in 1968 and women after a pivotal 1996 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The appointment of Wins as superintendent marked a significant milestone, aligning with the institute’s racial awakening in 2021. This awakening was largely prompted by a state-supported report that criticized VMI for sustaining institutional racism and sexism.

The report detailed several issues, pointing out that “racial slurs and jokes are not uncommon,” reflecting a broader hostile environment for minorities. Additionally, it uncovered an outdated veneration for the Civil War and Confederacy, a significant racial imbalance in disciplinary actions by the student-run honor court, and widespread but poorly managed incidents of sexual assault. Although no explicitly racist or sexist policies were identified, the report deemed the institute’s culture as fundamentally biased.

Under Wins’ leadership, efforts were underway to transform the school into a more inclusive environment. Actions included the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson, the creation of a diversity-focused committee, the hiring of VMI’s first chief diversity officer, Jamica Love, and the implementation of a cadet-led cultural training initiative. These changes were met with mixed reactions; while some constituents were supportive, others, like alum Matt Daniel, voiced criticism, claiming the diversity training initially fostered division. According to Daniel, the training shifted focus to social issues relevant in military and business settings just this year.

Subsequent developments included the resignation of the school’s chief diversity officer, and the renaming of the relevant office to mirror Governor Glenn Youngkin’s DEI policy. The governor’s chief diversity officer, Martin Brown, also conducted a mandatory training at VMI, proclaiming “DEI is dead.”

The debate surrounding Wins’ position heated up with allegations from Democratic Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, a VMI alumna, who claimed the board opposed retaining Wins due to his race. Her assertions were countered by Republican U.S. Rep. Ben Cline in a letter, which accused her of attempting to manipulate board decisions through financial pressure. Carroll Foy rebuked these allegations as “misinformation.”

On the day of the vote, Carroll Foy expressed her displeasure with the outcome, contending, “Now, hyper-partisan MAGA Republican appointees have taken over the VMI Board with their political agendas and voted to end the Superintendent’s contract by falsely labeling him as a ‘DEI hire.’” She insisted the decision was not based on his performance or merit.

In summary, Wins’ departure comes at a complex moment for VMI, as the institution grapples with its cultural evolution amidst external and internal pressures.