VMI executive committee approves submission of six‑year plan, general fund requests

The Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors executive committee on an apparent voice vote approved the institute's six‑year plan general fund requests and authorized final technical edits and submission in keeping with state deadlines.

The committee's action, moved by Conrad Garcia and seconded by another committee member, directs the acting superintendent to make any final technical edits and submit the draft plan. Committee members were briefed on six broad request areas that will be refined during summer meetings with the governor's office and legislative staff.

The approved submission package outlines six priority themes: construction and operational planning for CLEA Phase 2; a unified amendment request for the VMS DEP program; funding for mission‑ready facilities including operations and trades staffing for the new aquatic center; a corps‑wide fitness initiative called Forging Fit Leaders that includes a nutritionist and changes to existing general orders; strengthening academic excellence tied to SACSCOC requirements and enhanced teaching support; and continuing funding for initiatives currently supported by Pell‑related grants to preserve recruiting and retention programs.

Dallas, the VMI staff presenter, told the committee the six‑year plan process is governed by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2011 and the state's planning templates, and that the institute has aligned its request with the state's Pathways to Opportunity initiative. Dallas said the submission includes a part 1 data spreadsheet and a part 2 narrative and described the presentation materials as “about 32 pages of documentation.”

On specific items, the committee was told the institute plans to treat a 3% tuition increase as an upper threshold for modeling revenue projections, and that certain baseline percentages for salary and employer health insurance increases are dictated by the state template. The briefing noted the aquatic center will add roughly 50,000 square feet of pool and related space and that VMI has not yet received approved positions to staff long‑term maintenance and operations for that facility; current coverage relies on staff moved from other shops. The presenter identified the staffing request for trades technicians and custodians to support the aquatic center as a high priority.

The Forging Fit Leaders initiative includes proposals for pre‑matriculation screening, a uniform fitness assessment, a fitness improvement program with a nutritionist to support performance and readiness, and the introduction of a fitness‑probation construct analogous to academic probation. The briefing said the institute is exploring whether the nutritionist would be a full‑time position or an augmentation of contract services with the food vendor Parkhurst, and that the intended funding source for some of these efforts is the UMA (unique military activities) budget.

The strengthening academic excellence request bundles several initiatives such as the SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan, expanded internships (including stipend support for unpaid placements), “barracks to boardroom” internship programming, classroom and information‑technology improvements, and a center for teaching and learning to expand faculty instructional capacity. The presenter said an existing grant (amount described in the briefing as about $100,000) is currently used to help cadets take unpaid internships by assisting with housing and other costs.

The committee was given a timeline: the Chev template and instructions were received May 5; the draft submission is due July 3; VMI staff expect to present the draft in Richmond on Aug. 21; OP6 feedback is expected Sept. 1; the Board of Visitors will consider the plan at its Sept. 22–24 meeting; and the final submission is due Dec. 1 to the State Council and to the Division of Legislative Automated Services. Committee members noted the timeline does not align well with the board meeting schedule, which is why this executive committee meeting was convened.

Conrad Garcia moved the motion to approve the proposed six‑year plan general fund requests and to authorize the acting superintendent to make final technical edits; another committee member seconded. The chair called for a voice vote and a member responded “Aye.” The committee approved the motion. The transcript records an affirmative voice vote but does not record a full roll‑call tally.

The presenter thanked committee members for accommodating the meeting outside the usual board schedule and said VMI staff will refine the six priority requests during summer engagement with state officials. The meeting adjourned with remarks thanking departing members Conrad Garcia and Damon Williams for their service.

The committee briefing and approval were limited to endorsing the draft submission and authorizing staff to finalize and file the plan; the transcript does not record any final appropriations or specific dollar amounts for the general fund requests beyond the planning‑level items noted above.