Local talk radio has alumni guests on a lot about this. Not surprising.
Flipping out about treating people not just equally but not as inferior is all I need to know about this.
The bottom line to me is that this is a state school so they have to go by what the boss tells them - the Governor. Thats how every state employee I know looks at things. Dont like it? Well there will be a new boss in a few years, until then....
VMI cadets are actually under the command of the Governor and a part of the states military structure.
VMI has operated like its apart from other state schools and frankly it worked, they were on their own. The results were notoriously (2nd hand) overtly racist and sexist. Screw them. If you are planning on going into the military it doesnt operate anywhere near like VMI. OH and Im sorry you couldnt get into an actual academy.
I see that recruitment is really down. I couldnt imagine going through that first year BS especially with all the options available now. The payoff is a pretty incredible network of alums. If you graduate and are at least not a dirtbag, you will never hurt for a job.