Virginia Senate committee rejects Governor Youngkin's appointees to VMI Board of Visitors

For what may be the first time since the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Board of Visitors (BOV) was established in 1836, a Virginia Senate committee declined to approve two gubernatorial appointees. As confirmed by The Cadet with the Clerk's Office and in the Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS), the Democratic-controlled Privileges and Elections Committee, without explanation, voted not to approve the Clifford Foster '93 and Quinton Elliott '85 by amending SJ275 to eliminate lines 340 through 343 that deleted Mr. Elliott and Mr. Foster replacing Democratic appointees Scot Marsh and Gussie Lord, both supporters of former Governor Northam and the administration's agenda for changing VMI. Committee members included Jennifer D. Carroll Foy '03 who proposed changes to VMI's honor and other systems under the Northam Administration supported by former BOV President and remaining BOV Member Mr. Thomas Watjen. In a 2021 interview for Ms. Magazine Ms. Foy asserted that female cadets at VMI continued to face "male hostility and harassment" 20 years after the Supreme Court case required VMI to become co-ed. "I've hoped that it would have gotten better for the cadets that came behind me," the article quotes her as stating, "I'm very disappointed to find out that it has not." Mr. Watjen was critical of Gov. Youngkin's appointments of both Mr. Elliott and Mr. Forster calling them, in part "I am disappointed in how politicized the board appointment process has become, impacting board experience and continuity" in a public statement after the governor announced their appointments. The rejection of Governor Glenn Youngkin's nominees, Quinton Elliott '85 and Clifford Foster '93, reshapes the Board's composition and its alignment with the governor's policies. As a result, Governor Youngkin's appointees now hold ten of the sixteen Board positions, with four seats remaining filled by appointees from former Governors Ralph Northam and Terry McAuliffe. The decision is viewed as a pivotal moment for the Institute's governance and priorities. Clifford Foster '93 of Richmond, Virginia, is a manager at Raymond James & Associates and has served on multiple boards, including the VMI Club of Richmond, the VMI Alumni Association, and the VMI Keydet Club. Reflecting on his time at VMI, Foster wrote in his senior biography, "I think I have learned what it means to be from VMI. Honor in your words and actions. Friends above self. Never forget who you are, where you are, and how you got there." While on the Board, Foster served on the Athletics, Nominations/Governance, and Audit, Finance, and Planning Committees. Quinton Elliott '85, a distinguished African American alumnus from Urbanna, Virginia, is the Chief Executive Officer of QE2 Consulting and a former Deputy Secretary of Transportation for Virginia. Elliott has an extensive background in state and federal service, having overseen agencies like the Virginia Department of Transportation and served as Chief Deputy Commissioner of VDOT. Additionally, he is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the Virginia Air National Guard, where he commanded engineering units and earned multiple commendations, including the Meritorious Service Medal for his role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Elliott expressed his commitment to serving VMI and its cadets during his tenure on the Board. "I am honored to be selected to serve on the VMI Board of Visitors. Being able to give back and make a positive impact on others' lives is such a rewarding feeling," he said. Elliott prioritized reducing admissions costs, maintaining a strong honor system, and ensuring transparency in governance. "The citizens, including alumni, should be allowed to voice their views openly yet respectfully," he stated. Elliott also stressed, "If the BOV and administration are going to achieve our stated mission there must be strong accountability. We must be strong fiduciaries of all of VMI's resources. We should reevaluate the current metrics used to ensure we are achieving outcomes that guarantee all resources are being used appropriately." In advocating for freedom of speech and viewpoint diversity where all opinions could be heard and given equal weight in decisions Elliott told The Cadet, "The citizen which includes alumni should be allowed to voice their views openly yet respectfully. My goal as a BOV member is to listen to all sides of the issues that come before the board and give fair consideration to all before I make a final vote. I must consider the pros and cons and ask as many questions as needed to ensure I am comfortable with every vote I cast." The General Assembly's rejection follows debates surrounding VMI's approach to governance and its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives with its significant changes to VMI's core systems the Superintendent and his supporters are implementing. In September 2024, the Board voted to rename its DEI Committee to the Cadet and Personnel Affairs Committee, expanding its purview to include health and Title IX compliance while continuing to address diversity matters. Proponents argued this realignment was necessary to maintain focus on cadet welfare and institutional accountability. Critics, however, viewed it as a rollback of previous DEI efforts. Tom Watjen, a McAuliffe appointee and advocate for DEI, voiced concerns during the Board's September 10, 2024 Executive Committee meeting prior to the recent January hearing. "People will look for what's missing from what we've done historically to what we're doing in the future," warning against diminishing the objectives established in 2021, which included fostering a diverse and inclusive environment at VMI indicating there could be issues from "people" he did not name. He cited the 2021 Northam-era objectives to change VMI supported by the administration and the Alumni Agencies as those that must be retained or "I think it's a real bad day if, in fact people believe some of those objectives that we set out 2021 are no longer important to this Board." Those objective are: To create and foster a more diverse VMI; To create and foster a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment for all on post; To assure that we maintain a safe, rigorous process for escalating issues which have even the potential to violate the Code of a Cadet. The rejected appointees' support for merit-based systems, freedom of speech, and transparency reportedly clashed with other Board members and administrative policies implemented under Northam and McAuliffe. The General Assembly's decision underscores growing tensions surrounding VMI's governance and mission. The lack of public statements or a response from Governor Youngkin, the BOV President, VMI's administration, its Alumni Agencies, and the Superintendent, who is Mr. Elliott's Brother Rat, has left many stakeholders questioning the Institute's direction. The Cadet Foundation, an independent organization, expressed concern that this development risks further politicizing the Board and diverting attention from the Institute's founding principles. Other Youngkin appointees for other positions were removed in this highly unusual action by the Committee. The Cadet will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates on their implications for VMI's governance and cadet experience. UPDATE January 26, 2025 Since publication of the original article, the full Virginia Senate met on January 25, 2025 to take up the amendment removing Mr. Elliott and Mr. Foster from the VMI BOV. The Democrat Senate Majority Leader emphasized that the recent inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, necessitated proactive measures to ensure that VMI's leadership aligns with his party's expectations, goals and values for VMI vice that of Governor Youngkin's administration and maintains its commitment to diversity and inclusion.The Majority Leader argued that, "On Martin Luther King Day something happened up in Washington, D.C. that changed the tone of this country, and there was a message sent across the river that norms are out the window, laws are out the window and the Constitution is out the window." Senator Jennifer Caroll Foy, VMI '2003 was the spokesperson for the Democrats' efforts to remove Elliott and Foster from the BOV. The Alumni Free Speech Alliance also called on VMI, The Board of Visitors (VMI & GMU), Secretary of Education, and both the VMI and GMU alumni groups to take action. Those wishing to voice their opinions if the General Assembly should re-instate Mr. Elliott and Mr. Foster or not may contact their Virginia State Representative at: https://apps.senate.virginia.gov/Senator/emailist.php and their State Delegate at: https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php