ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603220076
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
The inaugural class at the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership will graduate from the program, even if the U.S. Supreme Court rules that Virginia Military Institute must admit women, VWIL's director said Thursday.
The 38 women in VWIL's first class of cadets ``know their education is guaranteed for four years,'' Brenda Bryant said after a speech to the Richmond Bar Association.
Bryant said the second class, of about 40 cadets, will be entering in the fall.
``They all have questions about [the VMI case] ... and we talk about it,'' Bryant said. ``Several of them went to the Supreme Court'' to watch attorneys argue the case, she said.
VWIL was established at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton as an alternative to VMI after the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave VMI three options: admit women; abandon public financial support; or set up a comparable program for women at another institution.
The women's program passed muster with the 4th Circuit, but not with the Justice Department, which pressed for U.S. Supreme Court review.
After a six-year battle with VMI, the Justice Department in January asked the high court to force the state-supported school in Lexington to admit women and argued that VWIL's program is unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this year.
``I hope [the Justice Department] loses,'' VWIL cadet Kim Primerano of King George said. ``I want it to stay all male. Essentially, it would be another Virginia Tech'' if VMI admitted women.
Primerano, 18, said she enrolled at VWIL because she wanted to experience a rigorous military program. Its single-gender education has also forced her to become more focused, she said.
``I'd rather some days have a regular college life,'' she conceded, but said she and other so-called ``Sister Rats'' interact with male cadets during classes and ROTC drills at VMI's campus in Lexington. She hopes the VWIL program leads to a commission with the Navy.
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