A bill that once proposed a sweeping overhaul of governance at Virginia Military Institute has been significantly rewritten and is now advancing in the General Assembly with the support of VMI leadership.
House Bill 1374, sponsored by Del. Michael Feggans, was originally introduced as a proposal that would have dissolved VMI’s board of visitors and transferred oversight of the state military college to the board of another institution. That version of the bill drew strong opposition from alumni and local community members and stalled in committee earlier this session.
A substitute version adopted by the House Education Committee removes the governance transfer entirely and instead focuses on restructuring the composition of VMI’s board of visitors.
Under the amended bill, the board would remain intact but would be subject to new statutory requirements governing who may serve. The legislation limits the number of alumni who may sit on the board from 12 to eight; increases the minimum number of non-alumni Virginia residents from four to six; removes a requirement that four board appointees must be nonresidents of the commonwealth; and requires that at least five of the 16 governor- appointed members have senior-level U.S. military experience. The bill defines that experience as enlisted service at the rank of E-7 or above or commissioned service at the rank of O-5 or higher, including retired or honorably discharged members.
The changes would apply only to future appointments, and the bill specifies that no current board member would be removed to bring the board into compliance.
VMI Superintendent David J. Furness testified in support of the amended bill before the House Education Committee earlier this month.
“HB 1374 now focuses on the structure and makeup of the board members and no longer grants oversight of VMI to another school’s board of visitors,” Furness said in a statement issued Feb. 11 on VMI’s website. “The amended bill keeps intact VMI’s Board of Visitors and will allow VMI’s board to continue to provide experienced, non-political oversight that is focused on the Institute’s mission and unique educational model.”
Furness also credited Feggans with engaging directly with the Institute before offering the substitute. “I am appreciative to the patron of the bill for the time he spent listening to cadets during his visit to Lexington and his willingness to engage with the Institute,” he said, adding that he looked forward to continuing to work with lawmakers.
The House Education Committee reported the amended bill on Feb. 16, the same day it was read a second time and engrossed. Delegate Feggans’ office did not respond to a request for comment from The News-Gazette.
HB 1374 is one of numerous VMI-related bills under consideration this session. House Bill 1377, which would create a task force to study VMI’s governance, funding, and culture, has been referred to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, but has seen no new movement in recent days. House Bill 22, addressing sexual assault reporting exemptions, was recently referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Health.
