LEXINGTON, VA – VMI has nothing to hide - that’s the message from Superintendent Lt. General David Furness.
This comes as the general assembly takes a closer look at one of Virginia’s most historic - and most scrutinized - institutions.
10 News Anchor Abbie Coleman sat down with Furness for a wide-ranging conversation about the institute and the controversy surrounding this legislation.
“I don’t fear a fair and balanced investigation of what we’re doing,” Furness said.
Those words come as one of two controversial bills involving the Virginia Military Institute clears the House, with the support of VMI Superintendent Lieutenant General David Furness.
House Bill 1377 would create a task force to review the institute. Furness’ support, a sharp contrast from when the proposal was first introduced.
“The most significantly dangerous piece of language is taking away state funding. I told him if he [Del. Dan Helmer] took that language out, I would support the bill,” Furness said.
Furness says the legislative process has been a balancing act -protecting the institute while working with lawmakers.
“At the same time I’m trying to get something very dangerous and an existential threat to VMI out of a bill, I’m also trying to build goodwill that I can be a partner in this and not just push back on every idea,” he said.
Under the amended bill, the task force would examine campus culture and assess whether changes recommended in a 2021 state investigation have been made - including efforts to address racism, sexism, sexual harassment and assault, and to move away from confederate traditions.
“You’re confident, that the changes that have needed to be made have been made, or are in progress?” Coleman asked.
“Right, I am. I think that’s a true statement. We have made tremendous progress. My predecessor [Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins] completed 34 out of 32 recommendations out of the Barnes and Thornburg investigation, and the rest of them are ongoing,” Furness said.
The second bill, which has not yet passed the House, proposes dissolving VMI’s board.
“The bill that would put us under Virginia State [University] is a bad idea, and we’ve said so publicly,” Furness said.
He says the two institutions’ missions don’t align.
“There doesn’t need to be this draconian; you’re over here with people who don’t know about VMI, and have little understanding of what goes on here,” he said.
Still, Furness says transparency - not resistance - is his strategy.
“Delegate Feggans is going to be on post tomorrow, and we’re gonna roll out the red carpet and show him everything he wants to see. Maybe he comes away from that experience will say, ‘You know what, we don’t need this,’ and the bill goes away,” he said.
Furness also tells me he’s met three times with Governor Abigail Spanberger, and says she’s been supportive of his concerns.
“I trust her, even though some people, my barrage of emails, says I shouldn’t, that’s not the case. I think she’s a straight shooter and I’m a straight shooter,” he said.
As lawmakers continue to debate VMI’s future, Furness says his goal is to prove the institute should be judged by who it is today - not who it once was.
“Maybe it was this school at one time in the distant past, but it’s not that way today,” he said.
You can watch the full interview here: