Francis H. Smith Hall on the campus of the Virginia Military Institute. (Photo by Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)
The Virginia Military Institute’s (VMI) first Black superintendent, Ret. Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, says “partisan politics” played a key role in the Board of Visitors’ decision to not renew his contract — a move that comes after four and a half years of leadership at the nation’s oldest state-supported military college.
“I am disappointed by the Board of Visitors’ decision not to renew my contract as superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute,” Wins said in a statement on Thursday. “This decision was not based on my performance or the tangible progress we achieved. It is the result of a partisan choice that abandons the values of honor, integrity, and excellence upon which VMI was built.”
The board, appointed by the governor, held a special closed meeting last week, where members ultimately voted to seek a new leader to replace Wins.
Wins took over as VMI’s superintendent in 2020, stepping into the role at a time when allegations of racism within the institution had made national headlines. The Washington Post first reported on the accusations, and a state-commissioned investigation later confirmed deep-rooted racial and gender disparities at the school.
Tensions escalated further in 2022 when Wins requested funding to expand Title IX and bolster diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. That push sparked backlash from a faction of alumni, parents, and students tied to the Spirit of VMI PAC, a political action committee that urged supporters to “reject the woke assault on VMI.”
Wins did not comment immediately after the Feb. 28 vote, but in his Thursday statement, he defended his leadership, saying he was proud of the work his team accomplished to “restore VMI’s reputation as one of the nation’s top-rated institutions.”
“l pledged to protect and modernize VMI while preserving its unique method of education and right traditions,” he wrote, noting that under his tenure, the institution increased state funding by 50% and secured over $321 million for facility upgrades.
Wins said VMI reversed a decade-long decline in admissions, secured a $3.8 million grant to boost Pell Grant enrollment, and maintained budget surpluses despite earlier projections.
“There are a tremendous number of faculty, staff and alumni who partnered with me in their support of the institute. They know the worth of VMI and support what it does for these young cadets, regardless of what they look like, where they come from, and how they identify themselves,” Wins said.
“Unfortunately, the winds of resistance by the few have drowned out those who desire to bring the Institute into the 21st century while maintaining the right traditions.”
VMI’s Board of Visitors President John Adams, appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, did not comment after the board voted 6-10 against renewing Wins’ contract. The board, made up largely of Youngkin appointees, saw some division — two members, C. Ernest Edgar IV and retired Rear Adm. Terence McKnight, broke from the majority and voted to extend Wins’ contract, while another Youngkin appointee, Maj. Gen. James Ring, was absent from the vote.
In a statement following the Feb. 28 vote, Adams expressed appreciation for Wins’ leadership but did not elaborate on the board’s reasons for the decision.
“The foundation he has provided us will ensure VMI continues to fulfill its vital mission of educating future leaders,” Adams said, adding that the board was “supremely grateful” for Wins’ service during a difficult period for the institute.
The statement did not provide details on the search process for a new superintendent. While the board’s next scheduled meeting is May 1-3, it remains possible that a special session could be convened sooner to discuss the transition.
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