THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 19, 1995 TAG: 9508190074
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Four Richmond-area students looking forward to starting the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership next week have kept an eye on Shannon Faulkner's experiences at The Citadel.
They don't like what they see.
``I think it's very embarrassing for women in general, and I think it's especially embarrassing for the VWIL class,'' said Jennifer L. Vergne.
``I think her getting sick when she went up there is just not cool. I think she probably should have worked out a little more and been ready for it,'' Vergne said.
Faulkner, The Citadel's first female cadet, and four male cadets became ill while training in 100-degree heat Monday.
The others were treated and released from The Citadel infirmary, but Faulkner was taken to a hospital for tests Thursday.
Friday, Faulkner quit the school, citing health concerns.
While the courts forced the South Carolina school to admit Faulkner to its cadet corps, a challenge to Virginia Military Institute's all-male, tax-supported status has been satisfied with the court-approved VWIL program at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton.
Janet V. Kreckman, a St. Gertrude graduate, thinks it's ridiculous that Faulkner got in The Citadel to begin with.
``She didn't pass the physical. They wouldn't have made an exception for a guy. They shouldn't have made an exception for her.''
She admitted some sympathy for Faulkner. ``I feel bad that she's worked so hard and she's not up to par. She's not the right thing,'' Kreckman said.
``I felt bad for her and kind of embarrassed for her,'' said Lee Ann Williams.
``But I don't see why she had to raise such a fuss about going there.''
Williams, a Godwin High School graduate, said, ``I think maybe she should have waited around a little bit for something designed for a woman's endurance, like VWIL,'' which she called a great alternative.
Sherri L. McCracken said women aren't meant for a program as strenuous as The Citadel's ``because women are so different than the men.''
Faulkner hasn't gone through as much as the men have, McCracken said, ``but she's having problems already.''
McCracken, a Manchester High School graduate, noted that Faulkner didn't have to shave her head for the ``knoblike'' appearance of a traditional Citadel cadet. ``She's not fully committed if she's not doing everything.''
The 42 students in VWIL's charter class will be required to meet military physical fitness standards for women, said Nan Rothwell, assistant director.
Vergne has been running track and climbing bleachers all summer to get ready for the VWIL fitness requirements but admits to still being ``scared to death.''
None of the four would want to go to Virginia Military Institute.
``It's an all-guy school. They have their own traditions,'' said Kreckman. ``Let it stay that way.''
Said Vergne, also a Godwin High School graduate, ``I think it's great (Faulkner) broke the barrier, but I think all-male schools should remain all male. I don't have a problem with VMI or The Citadel.
``It seems like a lot of people I've talked to think we're brutes or something and like want to go to VMI,'' Vergne added. ``That's not true. I think we really just want a better education.''
Said McCracken, ``I hope everything goes well with the VWIL program. If it works well, maybe The Citadel could get a program like that later on.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo\
Jennifer L. Vergne will start the Virginia Women's Institute for
Leadership's charter course soon. She thinks Shannon Faulkner's
experience at The Citadel is ``embarrassing.''
by CNB