I know they are praying on the rat line. They just can't let any of the senior cadets notice. I'm serious, when they stopeed being subsidized by private contributions and tuition, they opened Pandora's box. The alumni and administration knew of the fallout. Another one bites the dust!
And what do you know about the Rat Line?
The Virginia Military Institute has never been a private institution, it was founded 11 November 1839 at the Virginia State Arsenal in Lexington as a State Military College, a local West Point. West Point (a public institution), from when the first superintendent graduated, and L'Ecole Polytechnique (a French public institution), whence one of the founders, Claudius Crozet graduated were the models for VMI, a combination of military and scientific training, primarily as engineers.
VMI has evolved over the years, and the admission of women, which I opposed, was one of the most profound changes. It wasn't an easy decision, as I know from my Brother Rats who were on the Board of Visitors at the time.
The reasons VMI didn't go private are simple:
1) the money just wasn't there, even with all the "got bucks" alumni agreeing to reach in real deep; and
2) going private would mean VMI graduates would not be commissioned, as ROTC would have been withdrawn.
VMI'70