Latest news with #CedricT.Wins
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I'm leaving here with my head held high': community celebration held for outgoing VMI superintendent
LEXINGTON, Va. (WFXR) — First Baptist Church in Lexington hosted a community celebration for outgoing VMI superintendent Major General Cedric T. Wins on Sunday afternoon. Wins was the school's first African American superintendent and its 15th overall, holding the position since 2021. A 1985 graduate of the Institute, the community gathered to reflect on Wins' accomplishments across those four years at the helm of his alma mater. 'I'm just a little humbled by it and overwhelmed at the same time,' said Wins. 'I guess it shows that people really do feel like we had an opportunity to make a difference.' 'The community wanted to come together and tell him and show him how much they appreciated him,' said First Baptist Church pastor Rev. McKinley Williams. 'Regardless of a board vote, it wasn't reflective of the community.' Wins will step away from his post on June 30, after the school's Board of Visitors voted 10-6 against renewing his contract in February. Following the decision, then board president John Adams released the following statement: '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. We would also like to extend our thanks to Mrs. Cassandra Wins for her support of VMI.' WFXR reached out to incoming board president Col. James Inman for comment following Sunday's event but have not yet received a response. The decision to part ways came as a surprise to Wins, who felt he had put VMI on the right track during his tenure. 'Obviously yes, there was some disappointment,' he said. 'But I tend to look at things on the bright side. I'm a half full kind of guy. And I know that when one door closes, another one will open.' Wins was known for his diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at the school, particularly after a state report said VMI failed to address institutional racism and sexism. His efforts faced pushback from some conservative alumni. 'I'm leaving here with my head certainly held high, feeling as though I was able to accomplish some things in a short period of time,' Wins said. The Board of Visitors passed a resolution in May granting Wins the status of superintendent emeritus, applauding his work in leading the Institute through the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing declining enrollment trends, and increasing school funding. VMI's Board of Visitors says it is continuing the search for its next superintendent. Brigadier General Dallas Clark will replace Wins on July 1 in an interim capacity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
VMI's board president quits amid controversy over school leader's contract
John Adams, president of the Virginia Military Institute's board of visitors, abruptly resigned Thursday, according to a VMI spokesperson, weeks ahead of the board's first full meeting since it voted not to extend the contract of Cedric T. Wins, a retired Army major general and VMI's first Black superintendent.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
VMI's first Black superintendent says ouster is based on politics, not job performance
The first Black superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute says his forced departure by the board stems from bias, ideology and politics in the wake of diversity efforts rather than his job performance. In his first statement since the board voted against renewing his contract, retired Army Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins said the decision was "a partisan choice that abandons the values of honor, integrity, and excellence upon which VMI was built.' 'Unfortunately, the winds of resistance by the few have drowned out those who desire to bring the institute into the 21st Century,' wrote Wins, a 1985 graduate of the public college in the Shenandoah Valley. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Schools and colleges across the U.S. have been rolling back diversity programs after President Donald Trump threatened to pull federal funding. But resistance to such efforts at VMI, a 189-year-old school that educated Gens. George Patton and George Marshall, has been notably present among some alumni for several years. Wins officially became superintendent in 2021 — a year when VMI was undergoing a racial reckoning and diversity programs were being put into place. A state-sponsored report had blasted VMI for tolerating and failing to address institutional racism and sexism. In response, Wins highlighted changes that included a committee focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The school had removed a prominent statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson, who taught at VMI. It hired its first chief diversity officer and created a cultural awareness training program. And it changed a student-run honor court that disproportionately expelled Black cadets, according to The Washington Post. VMI did not accept African Americans until 1968 or accept women until after a 1996 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Some alumni said the changes were crucial for training cadets for the real world and for aligning with the U.S. military's goals at the time. Shah Rahman, a 1997 VMI graduate, told The Associated Press in 2021 he was hopeful about the changes. 'Wins attending VMI as a man of color is an important part of the overall reason for my hope,' Rahman said. But others called the efforts 'woke' or on par with 'critical race theory.' A group called The Spirt of VMI has been particularly critical. It said in 2023 that VMI's DEI efforts sowed division and were designed 'to cow Americans into agreeing with the fundamental premise that white people are inherently and irredeemably racist.' The efforts began to meet some resistance as the political climate changed. For example, VMI changed the name of its DEI office to Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion to match the title of Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's diversity office in Richmond, The Washington Post reported. Youngkin's chief diversity officer also visited VMI's campus in 2023 and said 'DEI is dead." The school's chief diversity officer, a Black woman, resigned later that year. Last week, VMI's board voted 10 - 6 against extending Wins' contract. It said in a statement that it was grateful for his service "during some very difficult times.' Wins will step down in June. Sherry Wallace, a VMI spokesperson, said Friday that the board would not be commenting on Wins' statement. In his statement, Wins warned against focusing 'on our distant past believing it will produce tomorrow's leaders of character." 'I believe their choice to subject cadets to a cycle of politicization is misfeasance that endangers VMI and the future of our nation,' he said.
Associated Press
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
VMI's first Black superintendent says ouster is based on politics, not job performance
The first Black superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute says his forced departure by the board stems from bias, ideology and politics in the wake of diversity efforts rather than his job performance. In his first statement since the board voted against renewing his contract, retired Army Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins said the decision was 'a partisan choice that abandons the values of honor, integrity, and excellence upon which VMI was built.' 'Unfortunately, the winds of resistance by the few have drowned out those who desire to bring the institute into the 21st Century,' wrote Wins, a 1985 graduate of the public college in the Shenandoah Valley. Schools and colleges across the U.S. have been rolling back diversity programs after President Donald Trump threatened to pull federal funding. But resistance to such efforts at VMI, a 189-year-old school that educated Gens. George Patton and George Marshall, has been notably present among some alumni for several years. Wins officially became superintendent in 2021 — a year when VMI was undergoing a racial reckoning and diversity programs were being put into place. state-sponsored report had blasted VMI for tolerating and failing to address institutional racism and sexism. In response, Wins highlighted changes that included a committee focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The school had removed a prominent statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson, who taught at VMI. It hired its first chief diversity officer and created a cultural awareness training program. And it changed a student-run honor court that disproportionately expelled Black cadets, according to The Washington Post. VMI did not accept African Americans until 1968 or accept women until after a 1996 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Some alumni said the changes were crucial for training cadets for the real world and for aligning with the U.S. military's goals at the time. Shah Rahman, a 1997 VMI graduate, told The Associated Press in 2021 he was hopeful about the changes. 'Wins attending VMI as a man of color is an important part of the overall reason for my hope,' Rahman said. But others called the efforts 'woke' or on par with 'critical race theory.' A group called The Spirt of VMI has been particularly critical. It said in 2023 that VMI's DEI efforts sowed division and were designed 'to cow Americans into agreeing with the fundamental premise that white people are inherently and irredeemably racist.' The efforts began to meet some resistance as the political climate changed. For example, VMI changed the name of its DEI office to Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion to match the title of Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's diversity office in Richmond, The Washington Post reported. Youngkin's chief diversity officer also visited VMI's campus in 2023 and said 'DEI is dead.' The school's chief diversity officer, a Black woman, resigned later that year. Last week, VMI's board voted 10 - 6 against extending Wins' contract. It said in a statement that it was grateful for his service 'during some very difficult times.' Wins will step down in June. Sherry Wallace, a VMI spokesperson, said Friday that the board would not be commenting on Wins' statement. In his statement, Wins warned against focusing 'on our distant past believing it will produce tomorrow's leaders of character.'
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
VMI board opted out of extending first Black superintendent's contract
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Retired Army Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins will step down in June from his post as the first Black superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute after the school's board voted on Friday against extending his contract. In a 10-6 vote, the school's Board of Visitors, an advisory group appointed by the governor, opted out of extending Wins' contract after meeting in a closed session shielded from the public. The ouster of Wins, a 1985 alumnus who served more than three decades in the Army, comes in the wake of increased diversity efforts at the school in recent years after a damning report from the state — but also pushback against those efforts by some conservative alumni. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'The BOV is supremely grateful to Major General Wins for his service to the Institute during some very difficult times,' board President John Adams said Friday. 'The foundation he has provided us will ensure VMI continues to fulfill its vital mission of educating future leaders.' VMI had a racial reckoning of sorts in 2021 with the release of the state-sanctioned report, which said VMI tolerated and failed to address institutional racism and sexism and must be held accountable for making changes. The report found that 'racial slurs and jokes are not uncommon' and 'contribute to an atmosphere of hostility toward minorities.' There was an 'outdated' reverence for the Civil War and Confederacy. And a racial disparity existed among cadets who'd been dismissed by the student-run honor court. Sexual assault was also prevalent yet inadequately addressed. 'Although VMI has no explicitly racist or sexist policies that it enforces, the facts reflect an overall racist and sexist culture,' the report stated.
