By Emmie Amason
The outgoing superintendent of Virginia Military Institute said Thursday that the board’s vote last week not to renew his contract was a partisan decision based on “bias, emotion, and ideology.”
Retired Army Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, the first Black superintendent in the school’s 185-year history, was appointed to the post in 2021. On Feb. 28, the school’s Board of Visitors voted 10-6 not to extend his contract, which expires June 30.
Wins released a statement Thursday defending his record and saying the decision was politically motivated.
[pdf-embedder url=”https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/files/2025/03/MG-Wins-statement-Mar-6-2025.pdf” title=”MG Wins statement Mar 6 2025″]
“My tenure will end because bias, emotion, and ideology rather than sound judgment swayed the board,” he said in a statement released by the school’s communication office. “Their actions undermine the rich legacy of VMI for political gain.”
Marianne Hause, a VMI spokeswoman, said late Thursday afternoon that the board did not have an immediate response to the statement.
The head of one VMI alumni chapter declined comment this week on the board’s decision not to extend Wins’ contract, while three others did not respond to messages.
Wins is a 1985 graduate of VMI and went on to serve in the Army for 34 years. He started out as a field artillery officer and worked his way up the ranks. His list of commendations includes the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal.
He also played on the basketball team at VMI and is one of the top five scorers in school history, according to his bio on the institution’s website.
He was appointed in 2021 amid a state investigation that found the school failed to address institutional racism and sexism, according to the Associated Press.
The first Black cadets graduated from VMI in 1972; the first women entered in 1997, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.