| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Great Cultural Revolution |
| Just in case you may have thought military cultural changes were a coincidence |
| 2021-04-09 |
| VMI Community: This has been no ordinary year at no ordinary college. We continue to deal with the challenges of a global pandemic. Despite it all, the Corps of Cadets has persevered and remains focused on their academics, military training, and athletics. Conditions are ripe for a strong finish to the 2020-21 academic year. Cadets are preparing to resume Spring FTX activities after a year hiatus, the administration is making arrangements for in-person graduation and commissioning ceremonies, the demand to be a part of the incoming Class of 2022+3 is strong, and our athletic teams are competing and winning. Additionally, VMI began to reflect on our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as the nation came to terms with the social unrest last summer. Prior to any involvement of the team hired by the Commonwealth to review our practices, the Institute initiated the following: • Released the "Five Pillars" plan for addressing and improving DEI issues; • Formed a DEI Committee to oversee and monitor all matters race and gender related; • Created a diversity dashboard to monitor admissions, graduation rates, and hiring at all levels; • Formed a Commemorations and Memorials Naming and Review Committee to review and make recommendations to the Board regarding all confederate iconography and make recommendations going forward for naming; • Launched a search for a Chief Diversity Officer who would report directly to the superintendent; • Relocated the Stonewall Jackson statue to the Virginia Museum of the Civil War and New Market Battlefield State Historical Park; • Recasted the New Market ceremony to a memorial commemorating all VMI alumni who have fallen on the field of honor throughout the nation’s wars and military conflicts; • The new cadet oath ceremony will now take place each year on the VMI post; • Discontinued the re-enactment charge on the New Market battlefield by new cadets; • Finalized plans to recenter the Parade Ground flag poles on New Barracks (Marshall Arch) shifting the Institute’s symbolic focus to our 20th century leaders; • Implemented efforts to refurbish the Jonathan Daniels ’61 Courtyard, in honor of an alumnus killed for his efforts during the civil rights movement; • Enhanced racial sensitivity training for cadets, faculty, and staff; • Began development of a new, core curriculum course required of all cadets that includes study of the U.S. civil rights movement; • Reviewed and improved the Human Resources Diversity Hiring Program; and • Adopted many of the seven guiding principles on DEI proposed by former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy ’03 and endorsed by the BOV in October 2020. The VMI Alumni Agencies have also taken a leadership role in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their three major initiatives have focused on increasing alumni engagement among underserved populations, a mentoring program between alumni and cadets, and maximizing the reunion experience for all have led to the following: • Creation of a director-at-large for training and diversity on the Alumni Association Board of Directors; • Special reception for minority alumni; • Weekend celebration for the 50th anniversary of Black cadets at VMI; • Diversity discussions and town halls; • Establishment of a diversity and inclusion subcommittee; • Development and distribution of a minority alumni engagement survey; • Alumni engagement conference; and • Diversity conference. On Friday, 9 April 2021, the Board of Visitors’ Commemorations and Memorials Naming and Review Committee will meet to discuss potential changes to ceremonies, building names, or other commemorations. This is the next step in the process that is intended to ensure that the grounds of VMI present an inviting and neutral landscape and its memorials properly reflect our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The recommendations that the committee makes on Friday will then be considered by the Board of Visitors at their meeting 30 April—1 May 2021. These changes continue to strengthen VMI. As an institution of higher education whose mission is to develop citizen-soldiers, we have a responsibility to prepare our cadets for the diversity that they will encounter as young professionals in the military or public and private sectors. These steps are a clear demonstration of VMI’s long history of change. Together, we will continue to move the Institute forward to provide leaders of character who are well-prepared for the challenges of our time to both the Commonwealth and the nation. Respectfully, Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85 U.S. Army (Retired) Interim Superintendent Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute | 319 Letcher Avenue, Lexington, VA 24450 US |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #2 Suppose now we have Fluid Geography of Undocumented Footware. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2021-04-09 18:47 |
| #1 There is no VMI any more, B. There remains only a mob of poorly dressed re-enactors, terribly put out by all those few, icky remaining mil duties. Should have been closed long ago, keeping it open is an affront to serious alumni. No clearer example of what Iowahawk says except maybe the Ranger-ettes. |
| Posted by: Cesare 2021-04-09 13:39 |