VMI Community:

As President of the VMI Board of Visitors, I am pleased to provide this overview of the Board’s most recent meeting, held 21-23 September 2025 in Lexington. During our meetings, both as a full Board and in our several committees, we reviewed with faculty, staff and cadets the wide variety of vibrant academic, athletic and military programs underway at the Institute. With this information in hand, our Board must make some important decisions in the near term to ensure the Institute continues to produce educated and honorable men and women prepared to lead our nation in their chosen professions.

First and foremost, it was a pleasure to welcome our 16^th Superintendent, LtGen David Furness ’87, who assumed his duties just one week before our meetings. Already, LtGen Furness and his wife, Lynda, have hit the ground running and we look forward to the Institute beginning its next chapter under their leadership. LtGen Furness has published letters to the Corps and to the Institute community defining his expectations. If you have not already, I strongly encourage you to read them.

Second, the Board discharged its statutory responsibilities to approve the list of recent graduates, the hiring of new faculty and changes to the course curriculum, and Institute budget documents including the 6-year operations plan and the FY ’26 contracting plan. In line with these responsibilities, the Board approved minor changes to its bylaws to ensure compliance with Virginia Code, and restructured its committees to ensure more complete oversight of the Institute’s diverse and complex operations.

In its open sessions, the recordings of which are available for view at vmi.edu, the Board received updates from LtGen Furness and his leadership team on the summer activities at VMI and elsewhere, and the progress of the academic year since Matriculation. The Board also heard from the Class of 2026 leadership, who presented the First Class’ priorities for the year in the Class, Regimental and Honor systems; Parents Council President Phaedra Link, who discussed Parents Council initiatives in recruiting alongside Admissions and welcoming families of new cadets to VMI; and members of the general public.

The Institute is No Ordinary College. The Institute community, as a whole, must continue its focused efforts on attracting young men and women who seek our extraordinary educational experience. As we look for those young people who want the challenge of Don’t Do Ordinary, it is important to keep in mind what the Institute of today produces:

• 97% or more of graduates are employed or in graduate school within 6 months of graduation
• Average $77,00 early career salary for graduates
• 23% of the Corps are Pell-eligible
• VMI commissions more officers each year than any other college, except the federal service academies: after the service academies, VMI is the #1 producer of Army and Marine officers and #3 producer of Navy officers.

Finally, in addition to the generous financial support VMI receives from the Virginia Legislature, we increasingly rely on private financial support to produce these outcomes.  At the same time, NCAA athletics is rapidly transforming and VMI must make its own decisions regarding competitive intercollegiate athletics. Both are challenges to, and opportunities for, our educational model. The Board will continue its focus on these questions when it next meets in Lexington, 29-31 January 2026.

Until then, thank you for your continued support to, and engagement with, the Virginia Military Institute.

 

Sincerely,

James Inman '86
COL, US Army (Retired)
President, VMI Board of Visitors

This letter to the VMI Community outlines the Board of Visitors’ priorities and focus areas as we prepare to welcome a new Superintendent and begin VMI’s 187th academic year. We reaffirm our commitment to VMI’s distinctive three-legged stool, recognizing the importance of Academics, Corps & Military Excellence, and Athletics in the development of 21^st Century Leaders and the whole person. We will continue to emphasize balanced excellence across all three pillars, ensuring each is strong and fully supported. We will operate openly and ensure that our every action and decision reflect the best interests of the Institute and fulfills our fiduciary responsibilities to the Commonwealth and its citizens.

Cadet development remains the heart of VMI and is our primary differentiator. We will continue to support a strong Honor System, together with Regimental and Class systems, as the foundation for building leaders of character. 

In identifying the following priorities, the Board affirms its role of providing strategic direction and oversight to the Administration. We intend to work closely with the Superintendent and leadership team as they operationalize these goals.

Academic Excellence: 

• Explore academic modernization goals, career aligned curriculum pathways, and faculty recruitment/retention strategies.
• Continue to implement enrollment strategies; develop targeted cadet recruitment strategies, improve applicant quality, expand geographic outreach, and work to make VMI increasingly affordable, in-state and out.
• Prepare for and meet and or exceed all standards of SACSCOC Accreditation including the implementation of our Quality Enhancement Plan.

Corps and Military Excellence:

• Elevate standards of discipline and self-governance within the Corps, promoting cadet accountability, professionalism, fitness, and pride in appearance and conduct on- and off-Post.
• Apply the standards equally to all cadets.
• Give cadets the tough challenge they seek and promote “Don’t Do Ordinary.”
• Ensure that VMI’s accountability systems, including discipline and conduct policies, are appropriately rigorous, 24/7, consistently enforced, fair, and aligned with institutional values.

Athletic Excellence:

• Strengthen athletic competitiveness while maintaining full integration of cadet-athletes into Corps life and responsibilities.
• Address the recurring athletics budget deficit by developing a sustainable financial plan.
• Examine the role of competitive Division I participation with input from all stakeholders including conference affiliation in today’s changing environment (NIL, transfer portal, etc.) and its alignment with VMI’s mission and resources.

VMI continues to produce educated and honorable men and women, many of whom go on to serve our country and Commonwealth with distinction. In a world increasingly marked by uncertainty, from geopolitical conflict to domestic division, VMI’s mission to develop citizen-soldiers prepared to defend the nation in times of crisis has never been more vital. Our model has served the Institute well for over 180 years, and we intend to work closely with the Administration to raise the bar so that our model remains effective, relevant, respected and affordable. We remain committed to fostering an environment grounded in dignity, civility, and mutual respect, one in which all are held to high standards and recognized for their contributions.

We recognize that VMI must be its own best advocate, and that we have to do more to tell our story - honestly, proudly, and consistently - to alumni, parents, prospective cadets, faculty and staff, state leaders, and the broader public. Our goal is not just to defend VMI, but to strengthen its reputation and articulate its unique value to the Commonwealth and the nation.

The Board wishes to thank all those who love and support VMI. We welcome your input and remain committed to transparency, collaboration, and earning your continued trust.

Thank you,

Letter from Teddy Gottwald to Sen. Scott Surovell via Email, Dated June 17, 2025

A Message from Teddy Gottwald ’83 to the VMI Community, June 16, 2025