Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 17, 1994 TAG: 9405170122
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The cadet left Monday after being given a special report, a standard VMI procedure wherein cadets accused of wrongdoing have 48 hours to respond, said Mike Strickler, VMI spokesman.
In all, seven cadets, most of them juniors, were suspects in a cheating ring after professors in the department of economics and business noticed irregularities on a test. The professors turned the matter over to the superintendent, Maj. Gen. John Knapp, who then turned the matter over to the all-cadet honor court.
"For whatever reason, I don't know, the honor court deemed it a situation for the superintendent and turned it back over to him," said Strickler.
The highly unusual move caught the eye of cadets, many of whom would have preferred the matter remain within the corps.
"Before 1972, cheating violations always were handled in this manner. In a way, we just went back to an old method, but we would rather have had the honor court take care of it," said John Adams, a third classman, or sophomore.
It's exam week at VMI and graduation is Saturday, so most cadets were busy Monday. The names of the cadets who resigned are becoming general knowledge, but those familiar with VMI's secretive honor court doubt the names of those exonerated ever will be known.
"With any honor offense, it's always a surprise, because you assume a cadet to be honorable," Adams said. "I do know a couple of cadets to be involved, and it was a shock - especially with that number, four."
VMI's single-sanction honor code, which calls for dismissal if a cadet is caught lying, cheating or stealing, also will ensure confidentiality of the three cadets accused of cheating who now will remain in the corps, Adams said.
"If a cadet is going to trial for an honor offense, and if a witness says something, they'd be dismissed for an honor violation. Gossip gets out at VMI about everything in the world, except the honor court," he said.
VMI Alumni Task Force chairman Steve Fogleman, who has been active as the school defends its all-male admissions policy in court, lauded the school for its handling of the cheating situation.
"I'm proud of VMI for dealing with the matter in a straightforward fashion, according to the system," he said.
The board of inquiry that handled the investigation is now adjourned. The probe will not affect the ongoing, in-house review of the single-sanction honor code, which is being conducted as part of the school's sweeping study of its programs in preparation for re-accreditation, Strickler said.
by CNB