THE INSTITUTE REPORT VolumeXVlI January 26, 1990 NumberS An occasional publication of the Public Information Office, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia 24450. Tel. (703) 464-7207. CWo one ought to approach an education ora univf/r­ sity in a spirit that is settled or unquestioning or smug or certain ojanswers or results. "_A. Bartlett Giamatti VMI Moves into Century's Last Decade Ready to Meet Challenges of 21st Century The bewildering array oftechnological changes, the ever­ increasing demands in the market-place, and the shifting, sometimes almost nebulous, lifestyles of this planet's Keeping Abreast of7echnology. VMI students are well versed in the inhabitants, are straining the resources and resourcefulness of latest technical developments, thus helping them prepare for the rapid educational institutions everywhere. changes taking place in thejieltIs ofscience. The decade ofthe 1980s tore by at breakneck speed, giving way to the '90s where predictions about developments in every One of the key requirements to the future success of the field ofendeavor, no matter how incredulous they seem, may program is "Writing Across the Curriculum" that seeks to appear commonplace by the time the year 2000 arrives. ensure that every cadet, no matter how scientific his Institute training, will have the verbal and written skills to communicate VMI is not looking back at past glories or accomplish­ clearly and understandably in whatever profession he chooses ments. Instead, the Institute has embarked on a long-range to pursue in future times. plan to help its graduates not only cope with vast changes in the way we work and live, but to feel at ease in both the scien­ Col. Davis concedes communication - effective tific and cultuml worlds of the future. communication is one ofthe keys to the plan's success in the years ahead. Centml to the goal of the plan spelled out in a lengthy document entitled "Long-Range Academic Plan" is the "We have certain advantages here. Our size enables us to objective of establishing VMI's reputation as the premier communicate with a hundred faculty members and 1300 students, ...wf!re making progress, I think, in convincing all model in the United States of "a college that emphasizes the intellectual, personal, physical, and leadership developments departments that writing effectively is a vital skill and notjust of its students." something for the English Department to handle. We also have a public speaking course all cadets are required to Bringing Out Full Potential take...certainly the opportunity to be informed is present The hallmark of the college's plan will be an educational here," Col. Davis adds. process that seeks to bring each cadet to his full potential "Develop each student to his full potential," is the during his four years at the Institute. watchword. "The key is learning The plan is a hard-nosed com­ how to learn - to leave here with pilation ofa great deal ofstudy and C<Our Goal Is 1b Take This Corps ojCadets significant improvement in reading, academic soul-searching. And Within Those 1300 Students Bring writing, and critical thinking." Col. Thomas W. Davis, VMI's Each oj Them To His Maximum One facet of this effort, Col. acting dean, discounts the possi­ . Potential. " Davis feels, might be to have all new bility some of the plan may be Col. Thomas Davis, acting dean cadets enter the summer tutorial wishful thinking. program, before matriculation of '~t VMI, I have always thought the fall semester. it was more important to aim high "Last summer 120 new cadets in major areas and risk being below the mark, than aim low out of the roughly 400 who matriculated in August came for continually and hit the mark," he pointed out recently to The the summer tutorial progmm. That helped lighten the load for Institute Report. them in the fall because they received full academic credit for "Let's face it," he continued, "we are not going to be a several required courses." Harvard or a Yale, or even a UVA in terms of the avemge SAT, Tutorial Program Helps say of 1350, ofentering classes at those schools. But our goal is to take this Corps ofCadets and within those 1300 students "Ideally, I'd like to see all new cadets come for a tutorial bring each of them to his maximum potential. Wf!re interested progmm before matriculation. Then they wouldn't have to take in developing the individual during his four years here." Continued on page 2 Page 1, The InsCilute Report, January 2.6, 1990 VMI Future Continued/rom page 1 quite the academic load they now take. At VMI, the academic Granted the Institute's long-range plan may be everything load on top of everything else is certainly a challenge." VMI officials and faculty want it to be. What about the money Itwould help, in Col. Davis' opinion, to teach new Institu te to implement it? The funding. Will it be there? enrollees good time-management and self-discipline practices It's true the legislature is going to have to appropriate from the start of their entrance into the college. money for it. Col. Davis emphasizes there's still a need for liberal arts "We can't do it without state support so, obviously, we have students and the Institute is well aware that many business to make our casethat our goals are worthy ...we've got to come organizations still seek them out. up with the resources, but we must realize that the plan cannot "I think it's important to realize when Gen. Knapp talks be achieved solely with state funds. We have to make our case about the need to re-emphasize science and engineering, he to the legislature about some of these specific goals, and we does not mean at the expense, or to the detriment, of the arts. have to complement their funding from private resources, such "We tell our liberal arts graduates there's always a place in as the VMI Foundation," Col. Davis tells the interviewer. their world for an articulate, well-educated person that many The plan makes a strong case that the Institute will be heard institutions such as industries, banks, and financial institu­ from not just today, but a lot of tomorrows as well. tions want and like." Needed - One Commandant of Cadets; Position Now Open For the first time in its VMI Grad Succeeded Parke IS0-years-plus history, VMI is Coming from the U.S. artillery, Lt. Edmund M. Blake, VMI conducting a nationwide 188S, succeeded Parke as the second U.S. Army officer search for a new Comman­ assigned to the Institute. dant of Cadets. In 1893, a third U.S. Army officer came to VMI on assign­ The search, in the main, is ment from the calvary. Lt. Samuel D. Rockenbach, VMI 1889, being conducted by adver­ came back to his alma mater in 1893 as both commandant and tising in periodicals andnews­ professor of applied mathematics. He was later to achieve papers, such as Army Times, lasting fame as the creator of World War I American tank Navy Times, AirForce Times, tactics. The Washington Post, The Richmond Times-Dispatch Down through the years, the custom of service branches lithe Cap Fits ••. VMIo/ficials furnishing a commandant became firmly entrenched, have begun a nationwide search and The News-Gazette. although VMI officials brought up, from time to time, the for a permanent Commandant In the past, the United a/Cadets. Until now, the tradi­ States Armed Forces had feasibility of having the position become permanent. There lion had been/or the Us. Armed were cases in which an officer might be assigned as VMI Forces to appoint a comman­ always furnished a comman­ Commandant and be transferred to another assignment a year dant. VMIofficials/eelaperma­ dant, with all but two since later. nent commandant will serve the 1894 being regular U.S. Army interests 0/the Institute better in officers. However, difficulties The big plus in having a member of the armed services as the years ahead. lay in the fact that these commandant lay in the fact that his branch ofservice paid his officers were rotated to other assignments every four years and salary. the post lacked needed continuity. Under the new system, VMI will pay. VMI is now searching for a qualified person who can be But the wisdom of former VMI Superintendent Brig. Gen. placed as a permanent commandant in charge of all military Scott Shipp is now about to become reality. affairs at the Institute and answerable directly to the VMI About 1907, Gen. Shipp discussed the disadvantages of superintendent. appointing army officers as commandants, whose frequent According to the qualifications listed in the ad, an appli­ service rotation prevented them from knowing the cadets cant must have substantial experience in military affairs, a personally and avoiding the potholes of past mistakes. relevant administrative background, and a strong personal and Quoting the general: "My judgment has at no time wavered professional commitment to higher education. in the conviction that the besLinterests of this institutiorr re­ Apparently, the first army officer to be assigned to VMI quire a commandant permanently attached to the school, and was Lt. John G. Parke, in 1891. The appointment caused a in all respects upon the footing ofother officers. Itis a difficult controversy within the VMI family, because the Institute was subject to deal with. As yet we have never been able to find and looking for an assistant professor of military science, but settle upon an acceptable person to fill the position." Parke's orders explicitly said he would be in charge.