House education panel adopts substitute to change VMI board composition; superintendent backs bill

The House Committee on Education adopted a substitute to House Bill 13-74 on a 12-5 roll call that would change the composition of the Virginia Military Institute's governing board and require a minimum level of senior military experience among members.

The bill's sponsor told the committee the substitute "removes mentions of BSU and focuses on the board of visitors and governance," saying the measure aligns VMI's board with peer institutions and keeps overall board size unchanged while limiting the maximum number of alumni seats. The substitute also requires at least six board members to have senior military experience, defined in the measure by enlisted or officer grade thresholds.

Lieutenant General Dave Furness, superintendent of VMI, appeared before the committee and said he "stands in support of the bill," thanking the sponsor for a recent campus visit and saying the institute has made significant adjustments and ‘‘looks forward to working with the new board structure".

Committee members asked procedural and substantive questions before the roll call. After the vote to adopt the substitute, the committee reported the substitute favorably to the next stage of the legislature.

The committee record shows the substitute was posted online before the hearing and the motion to adopt it passed by voice, with the formal roll call later recording the 12-5 result. The bill will move forward in the General Assembly process for further consideration.