Retired Army Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins, the first Black superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), will be stepping down in June after the school’s Board of Visitors voted against extending his contract. The decision, made in a 10-6 vote during a closed-door meeting on Friday, has sparked discussions about VMI’s ongoing assortmentefforts and the pushback they’ve faced from some conservative alumni.
Wins, a 1985 VMI alumnus with over three decades of service in the U.S. Army, took the helm of the institution during a critical period. His leadership came in the wake of a damning state report that called out VMI for tolerating institutional racism and sexism. The report, released in 2021, found that racial slurs and jokes were common, a culture of reverence for the Confederacy was still present, and racial disparities existed in disciplinary actions. It also pointed out that sexual assault cases were prevalent yet inadequately addressed.
Despite the scathing assessment, Wins was already working to make VMI a more inclusive and welcoming place. His administration spearheaded efforts such as removing a statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson, forming a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee, hiring the school’s first chief diversity officer, and creating a cadet-led cultural awareness training program. While these changes were welcomed by some students and alumni, others—especially among conservative graduates—pushed back, arguing that the initiatives promoted division rather than unity.
“The BOV is supremely grateful to Major General Wins for his service to the Institute during some very difficult times,” said board President John Adams. “The foundation he has provided us will ensure VMI continues to fulfill its vital mission of educating future leaders.”
VMI, established in 1839 in Lexington, Virginia, boasts an impressive history. It has produced military legends like Gen. George Patton and Gen. George Marshall. However, it was not until 1968 that VMI admitted African Americans, and it took a 1996 U.S. Supreme Court ruling for the school to begin accepting women.
For years, VMI maintained a culture rooted in its Confederate past. The state-sanctioned report described an “outdated” glorification of the Civil War, which further contributed to a racially and socially unwelcoming environment. Though the institution did not explicitly enforce racist or sexist policies, the overall culture was deemed both racist and sexist by the report’s findings.
Wins’ diversity initiatives didn’t sit well with everyone. Matt Daniel, a 1985 graduate who helped form an alumni group critical of the changes, argued that the diversity training initially encouraged racial division and victimhood. However, he later acknowledged that the training had become more balanced, focusing on real-world social issues that cadets might face in their military or professional careers.
Meanwhile, the political landscape around VMI’s diversity efforts continued to shift. The school's chief diversity officer resigned in 2023, and shortly after, the name of the office was changed from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion, aligning with the terminology used by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration. In April, Youngkin’s chief diversity officer, Martin Brown, visited VMI to lead mandatory staff and faculty training, where he controversially declared, “DEI is dead.”
Tensions regarding Wins’ future had been escalating in recent weeks. Democratic Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, a VMI alumna, publicly stated that she had been told the board no longer wanted a Black superintendent. Her remarks fueled a political firestorm, prompting Republican U.S. Rep. Ben Cline to write a letter to Virginia General Assembly clerks, accusing Carroll Foy of pressuring VMI board members by linking funding decisions to Wins’ contract renewal. Carroll Foy hit back, calling Cline’s claims “misinformation” and a “barrage of attacks.”
Following Friday’s vote, Carroll Foy expressed disappointment, saying that hyper-partisan, right-wing appointees had taken over the board and unfairly labeled Wins a “DEI hire.” She argued that the decision had nothing to do with Wins’ performance or merit but was instead rooted in political ideology.
The situation at VMI underscores the broader national conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion in education and the workplace. As institutions grapple with their historical legacies while striving to create more inclusive environments, leaders like Wins often find themselves at the center of contentious debates.
What happens next for VMI remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Wins’ departure marks the end of a significant chapter in the institution’s history. His tenure, filled with both progress and resistance, highlights the challenges of bringing change to deeply rooted traditions. As the school searches for its next leader, the question remains—will VMI continue on the path of diversity and inclusion, or will it take a step back? Either way, this story is far from over.
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