A political firestorm has erupted over the future of the Virginia Military Institute’s first Black superintendent, Ret. Maj. General Cedric Wins, with accusations flying that lawmakers attempted to strong-arm the school’s governing board.
But an effort to investigate one legislator has run into resistance from Virginia Senate leaders, who argue that if lawmakers are scrutinized for meddling in higher education, then Gov. Glenn Youngkin should be, too.
Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, signaled before the end of this year’s regular legislative session that it is unlikely his colleagues will launch an ethics investigation against Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, over allegations that she pressured the VMI Board of Visitors regarding Wins’ contract.
U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Botetourt. (Courtesy Photo of U.S. Congress)
The request for the investigation came from U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Botetourt, who accused Carroll Foy of attempting to sway the board’s decision on whether to extend Wins’ tenure.
Surovell dismissed the push for an inquiry, saying it would be hypocritical to investigate Carroll Foy while ignoring Youngkin’s influence over university and college boards he has appointed. The VMI board has 11 Youngkin appointees out of 15 total members.
“If that’s a problem, then I think we also ought to investigate the governor because he does this kind of stuff every day,” Surovell told The Mercury. “The governor has been trying to influence our universities through his board picks and through the budget process for the last three years. If the insinuation is that the General Assembly does not have the right to express its views on the current or future leadership or anniversaries, that’s preposterous.”
Cline’s call for an ethics probe stems from a Feb. 18 letter he sent to the clerks of the House and Senate, alleging that Carroll Foy and other legislators attempted to “pressure” the VMI’s board into approving a long-term contract for Wins. The congressman claimed that some members hinted at legislative retaliation if the board did not comply.
Carroll Foy, a VMI graduate, forcefully denied the accusations, arguing that she never spoke with other members or issued any threats. Instead, she claims that John Adams, the board president, contacted her to discuss VMI’s affairs, including concerns about resistance to having a Black superintendent.
Board members should be solely focused on fulfilling VMI’s mission to “educate and train citizen soldiers who will be the future leaders of battalions and boardrooms,” Carroll Foy said.
Cline’s letter also cited an alleged conversation in which Carroll Foy reportedly told an unnamed board member that the General Assembly’s leadership, which is majority Black, could jeopardize funding for VMI if Wins did not receive a four-year contract extension.
“I am just trying to help VMI. Cedric is African American. The leadership of the General Assembly is African American. Your board appointments and budget amendments are in peril. You can fix this by giving Cedric a four-year contract extension,” Cline, in his letter, quoted the board member as saying.
Carroll Foy pushed back against the allegations, arguing that her conversations with Adams had been “mischaracterized.” She claimed that Adams, a partner with McGuireWoods Consulting, repeatedly told her the board “no longer” wanted a Black superintendent after Wins first took the helm.
Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William. (Photo by Charlie Paullin/Virginia Mercury)
With Wins’ employment publicly questioned, Youngkin’s office has signaled its trust in the board’s decision-making. Christian Martinez, a spokesman for the governor, said in a statement, “The governor appointed experienced and strong members to the Board of Visitors, all deeply committed to VMI and its mission. He has full confidence the board will act in the best interests of the institute and the commonwealth.”
A troubled history
When Wins was tapped as VMI’s first Black superintendent in the institution’s history dating back to 1839, he stepped into a role shaded by controversy. His appointment followed the resignation of Ret. Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, who stepped down amid claims of racism within the institution, as first reported by the Washington Post.
Just months later, a state-commissioned report confirmed that deep-seated racial and gender disparities persisted at VMI.
The investigation, conducted by the consulting firm Barnes & Thornburg at the request of then-Gov. Ralph Northam and state lawmakers and tasked to “investigate the culture, policies, practices, and traditions” at VMI, found that the institute’s culture created “barriers to addressing and solving” race and gender problems.
“Following the developments of 2020 and the arrival of MG Cedric Wins, VMI has taken incremental steps towards a more diverse, inclusive VMI, and it has outlined plans to address the existing culture,” the report stated. “However, many in the VMI community, including senior leaders, perceive no issues or reasons to change.”
Now, as Wins’ contract hangs in the balance, some alumni are voicing concerns about both the institution’s future and the political forces at play.
Shah Rahman, a VMI graduate, said he worries about how the governor’s influence over the board — where a majority of members are Youngkin appointees that could shape Wins’ fate, particularly given the broader political climate surrounding race and diversity.
Among those appointees is Thomas Gottwald, chairman and CEO of the chemical manufacturing company NewMarket Corporation. A major political donor, Gottwald has contributed over $500,000 to Youngkin’s campaign and affiliated groups, including Spirit of VMI PAC, a political action committee composed of alumni, parents and students. The PAC, where Gottwald is the top donor, has been vocal in its opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, urging supporters to “reject the woke assault on VMI.”
In 2022, some critics also challenged the superintendent for his efforts to implement diversity, equity and inclusion reforms and requesting $6.1 million from the state to expand Title IX and diversity offices.
Rahman said he believes lingering resentment over Peay’s departure is also fueling efforts to oust Wins.
“To [potentially] remove this gentleman before he has had a chance to fully see the institution’s strategic plan that he was instrumental in putting together … just because they want their vengeance, it couldn’t be worse for the future of the institute,” Rahman said to The Mercury.
Nominees, funding
As Cline circulated his letter calling for an ethics investigation into Carrol Foy, state lawmakers were in the midst of weighing Youngkin’s nominees for boards across Virginia — including appointments to VMI’s Board of Visitors — and reviewing funding requests for the military college.
In a move that escalated tensions, Senate Democrats blocked nine of Youngkin’s appointees, including two VMI Board of Visitors nominees, Quintin Elliott and John Clifford Foster. They also excluded funding to VMI’s proposed Center for Leadership and Ethics facility — a decision Youngkin viewed as an attempt to pressure the board into extending Wins’ contract, according to the Richmond-Times Dispatch.
Democrats rejected that claim, arguing that the project was cut simply because the state could not afford it in this year’s capital budget.
Despite the funding exclusion, lawmakers approved more than $1.2 million for VMI requests. The budget allocates one-time funds for the Unique Military Activities (UMA) to improve and enhance campus facilities, including purchasing new laundry equipment, expanding the female ward in the infirmary, and outfitting the VMI Regimental Band with new instruments.
On the removal of Youngkin’s nominees, Carroll Foy pointed to remarks from Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, who said that Senate Democrats found the candidates “inconsistent with the expectations, goals and values we had for the work of those boards.”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The concerns over Wins’s job security at VMI have intensified in the wake of another high-profile shakeup involving a Black military leader. On Friday, President Donald Trump fired Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown from his role as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a move that sent shockwaves through military and political circles.
Since taking office last month, Trump and his administration have aggressively dismantled diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, labeling them as “discrimination” and vowing to restore “merit-based” hiring.
In Virginia, Youngkin’s administration has taken a similar stance. His office rebranded the state’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as the Office of Diversity, Opportunity and Inclusion. In 2023, the governor’s chief diversity officer, Martin Brown, made headlines after remarking that “DEI is dead” while speaking at a VMI event.
Democrats have pushed back against Youngkin’s approach, arguing that his administration is failing to uphold state law on diversity policies. Surovell and House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, have sought legal clarification from the attorney general and attempted to address the issue through budget proposals — so far, with little success.
“The superintendent has done everything that the previous Board of Visitors requested of him, and that the General Assembly expects, which is to put the institute first, and for his vision and values to align with the needs, to ensure that VMI is one of the top military colleges in the country,” Carroll Foy said, “And for his effort, now you have a few, well-funded VMI alum who now seek to destroy him.
What’s next
VMI officials have remained silent on the uncertainty surrounding Wins’ future. A spokeswoman for the institute said both Wins and Adams were unavailable for comment regarding his employment status.
Board members are not expected to announce any decision until action is taken. The board’s next scheduled meeting is May 1-3, but a special session could be convened sooner. The board president, the superintendent, a majority of the executive committee, or most board members can call a special meeting if necessary.
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Last summer, the city of Richmond made waves by announcing a $3 million dollar check for its residents to spend as they see fit. Now, the city is handing the reins over to its people, inviting everyone 14 years and older to vote on how that money should be allocated. From April 1 to 15, Richmonders can head to pop-up events around the city or log on to cast their votes for the projects they want to see funded in what the city has dubbed “The People’s Budget.”
Ideas on the table range from improvements to bus routes, tree plantings in underserved areas, and sidewalk enhancements for pedestrian safety, to more region-specific projects, like a “Welcome to Southside” sign at entry points to Richmond’s 8th City Council district, or better trail access to the James River in the 5th District.
Instead of just picking one project, the process uses ranked choice voting, allowing participants to express preference for several initiatives. The People’s Budget initiative, which was led by former city councilor and mayoral candidate Andreas Addison, started with other pop-up events and online solicitation to gather input from residents across the city.
As for the $3 million, it’s being divided across the city with a focus on equity. Isaac Samuels, lead organizer of the People’s Budget, explained that Districts 1, 2 and 4 will each get $200,000, while Districts 3, 5 and 7 will receive $300,000 each, and Districts 6, 8 and 9 will be allocated $500,000. The goal of this varied distribution is to direct funding to areas that have historically been underinvested in, ensuring that all of Richmond’s neighborhoods benefit.
Richmond’s Southside, home to many historically Black neighborhoods, has long faced challenges rooted in systemic inequality. Less tree canopy in these areas leads to higher ground temperatures during hot months, and a history of discriminatory housing policies has contributed to lower home values.
In the 1930s, appraisers marked Black-populated neighborhoods nationwide in red, labeling them “hazardous” for home loans. The lasting impact of these racist practices is still evident today, with each negative appraisal continuing to affect future evaluations and resulting in less local government investment in public infrastructure.
“This is a big milestone for us,” Samuels said.
After months of outreach and community engagement, Samuels is thrilled to reach the voting phase, knowing the projects selected will soon become a reality. With voting ending on April 15, he expects the results to be available by April 21.
From there, the implementation of winning proposals will vary based on which city departments are involved and the procedural steps leading up to any development work.
“We will be tracking it basically like a Domino’s Pizza Tracker on our website, noting every different step that we’re taking,” Samuels said.
Ranked choice voting
Ranked choice voting gives Richmond residents a better shot at seeing their favorite projects come to life. If their top choice doesn’t get enough votes, their other picks may still make the cut, giving them a greater sense of influence over the outcome.
This voting method has gained traction in Virginia in recent years. Former state delegate Sally Hudson carried legislation that was signed into law in 2020, allowing localities to adopt ranked choice voting for city council and board of supervisor elections. Arlington was the first to use it in 2023, and Charlottesville is set to implement it this year.
Richmond nearly became the first locality to adopt it in 2022, but city councilors were still unsure and ultimately voted it down. A major concern was that the law couldn’t be applied to school boards or citywide elections contests like Richmond’s mayor, who, unlike most Virginia localities, is separately elected instead of being a member of the city council.
This year, a bill from Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Fairfax, aimed to expand ranked choice voting, but it was recently vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Youngkin, who used ranked choice voting to secure his victory in the 2021 Republican gubernatorial convention, explained in his veto that more data was needed before expanding the method.
He said doing so at this stage “risks institutionalizing a system that has yet to prove its effectiveness in broader elections.”
However, Hudson, now executive director of Ranked Choice Virginia, argues that Youngkin is overlooking “the growing body of evidence” showing successful ranked choice voting trials.
Arlington has already used it in several elections, and Falls Church and Loudoun county are also considering adopting it. Both Hudson and UpVote Virginia executive director Liz White have pointed to expanding use of ranked choice voting nationwide.
“I definitely see an increase in just people being familiar with it. I think that that, for us, is the biggest measure of progress,” White said. “The more people use it, the more people know about it, the more they like it.”
While more local elections are still waiting for the ability to use this method, White is thrilled to see it applied in Richmond’s People’s Budget.
“There’s more nuance to (residents’) votes and they can provide so much more information with their vote,” White said. “I think that’s really cool.”
To vote online in the People’s Budget, click here. For more details on in-person voting, click here.
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
www.youtube.com – NBC4 Washington – 2025-03-31 20:12:16
SUMMARY: Schools are facing financial struggles after the U.S. Department of Education declined to reimburse COVID-19 relief funds, impacting programs designed to address pandemic-related learning loss. These funds were allocated for initiatives like tutoring, teacher hiring, and school upgrades. Maryland leaders were shocked to learn the government would not reimburse some of these expenditures, which could leave schools without up to $418 million. A study revealed U.S. students are behind in reading and math. Maryland officials are halting further spending while considering legal action, and DC is reviewing the impact on federal grants. Schools may apply for extensions with proof of need.
School officials around the country are figuring out how to pay their bills after the Department of Education announced it won’t pay out hundreds of millions of dollars in promised COVID-19 relief funds. News4’s Aimee Cho reports.
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www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-31 11:32:00
(The Center Square) – A group of federal lawmakers wants to make sure government agencies don’t relocate without first analyzing the impact on workers, taxpayers, and agency missions.
The COST of Relocations Act, introduced by Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., would require federal agencies to submit a cost-benefit analysis to Congress before moving their offices.
The goal is to prevent sudden relocations that could disrupt operations or result in staff losses.
The proposal comes as a response to past agency moves under the Trump administration, including the relocation of two U.S. Department of Agriculture offices from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City, Mo.
A government watchdog later found that those moves caused a major drop in staffing and productivity.
“We must stop the Trump administration’s politically motivated attempts to waste taxpayer dollars by unnecessarily moving federal agencies,” said Subramanyam in a statement.
“Our bill ensures that before any agency is moved, we can protect the American people by doing a thorough analysis based on logic, the best interest of taxpayers, and the agency’s mission,” he said. “These decisions should be based on what’s best for the American people, not political retribution.”
The Government Accountability Office reported that in 2018, USDA relocations led to the loss of over a third of the agency’s permanent full-time staff and a sharp decline in institutional experience. The report said productivity also dropped, with key reports delayed and grants taking longer to process.
“Across government, federal agencies and the civil servants who power them provide essential services for Americans across the country,” Van Hollen said. “Abruptly uprooting those agencies for political reasons not only endangers their critical missions, it’s also a waste of taxpayer dollars. This bill ensures that big decisions like these are made thoughtfully and driven by the best interests of the American people and their tax dollars.”
The legislation would require future cost-benefit reviews to include both quantitative data and qualitative impacts, like employee attrition and the agency’s ability to carry out its mission. These results would be made public and reviewed by the agency’s inspector general.
