Health Services
An annual fee, included among the fixed fees listed elsewhere in this catalogue, provides for routine medical and psychological care. The Post Hospital houses the Office of Cadet Counseling and the VMI Infirmary. Counselors are available by appointment for a wide range of issues that college students confront. A physician and a nurse practitioner are available to attend to the medical needs of cadets. The infirmary is staffed by nurses who are on duty all the time while cadets are present during the fall and spring semesters. The infirmary allows for observation, isolation and treatment of routine illnesses and injuries. In case of serious illness, serious injury, or when surgery is required, arrangements are made for the necessary treatment off Post. Diagnostic tests or treatment which cannot be done at the VMI infirmary are not included in the annual fee and are the responsibility of the cadet. The Institute does not assume responsibility for the expense of caring for injuries sustained by students while training for or participating in intramural or club athletic events, the military program, clubs, or similar activities. VMI does provide accident insurance for cadets which will cover up to $5,000 for accidental injuries incurred while participating in VMI sponsored and sanctioned activities. This insurance policy will be secondary to any medical coverage provided by families. VMI strongly recommends that cadets be covered by a primary insurance policy provided through their families or purchased from an insurance company independent of the Institute.
Dismissal and Other Penalties
In the interest of good order and discipline, the Institute reserves the right to dismiss, suspend, or otherwise penalize any cadet who does not properly adapt to the life and work of the college. Among the offenses that are considered seriously subversive of high standards of character and conduct and, which may result in dismissal, are disobedience of orders, combinations against authority, hazing, uncivil or disorderly conduct, use or possession of alcoholic beverages within the limits of the Institute or in a way to bring discredit to the Corps, absence without leave, habitual neglect of academic or military duty, and unauthorized use of explosives. Any use or possession of unauthorized illegal drugs or unauthorized possession, distribution, or use of prescribed drugs is a dismissal offense. Any conviction of an honor violation is a dismissal offense.
Demerits, restriction to post limits, and penalty tours are assigned for infractions not so serious as to merit dismissal or suspension, and demerits alone are assigned for minor offenses. An excessive accumulation of demerits is regarded as failure or inability to adjust satisfactorily to the military requirements and may result in suspension or dismissal.
Transcripts of cadets dismissed for disciplinary reasons and transcripts of cadets dismissed for honor violations are correspondingly annotated.
Cadets dismissed for disciplinary reasons may petition to be readmitted after being absent from the Institute for one year.
FERPA/Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:
(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the Institute receives a request for access.
Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Institute official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the Institute official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
(2) The right to request amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
Students may ask the Institute to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the Institute official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
If the Institute determines not to amend the record as requested by the student, the Institute will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
(3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the Institute in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the Institute has contracted (such as the National Student Clearinghouse, non-faculty adviser, attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Visitors; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a honor court, disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Virginia Military Institute to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605
Virginia Military Institute complies with FERPA regulations and guidelines. For an up-to-date listing of FERPA policies please visit the Virginia Military Institute website at http://www.vmi.edu/ferpa.
Jeanne Clery Act
(Student Right to Know Information)
The Jeanne Clery Act requires all institutions of higher education to publicly disclose 3 years of campus crime statistics and basic security policies. In addition, federal regulations require disclosure of graduation rates for each institution (overall and for athletes). VMI has chosen to include its sexual harassment and sexual assault policies with this information.
Your personal safety and the security of the community are of vital concern to the Virginia Military Institute. A copy of the Institute’s annual security report is available upon request. This report includes statistics for the most recent three-year period concerning reported crimes that occurred on post, in certain offpost buildings or property owned or controlled by VMI, and on the public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the post. The report also includes information regarding the law enforcement authority of the post police, policies concerning campus security, such as crime prevention, alcohol and drug use, sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, stalking, and reporting of any crimes which may occur on campus. You can obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Office of Communications and Marketing (540-464-7207), Smith Hall, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304.
Loss of Personal Property
The Institute is not responsible for losses of uniforms, equipment, or personal property of cadets, either for items stored during furlough periods or lost during the regular session. The Institute recommends that a cadet’s personal property be insured through extended coverage of the parent’s or guardian’s homeowners/tenant coverage.
Marriage and Parenthood
All VMI cadets must live in Barracks and participate in a demanding and rigorous military program that does not permit attention to the duties implied by marriage or parenthood. Pursuant to resolution by the Board of Visitors 25-January-2014, and General Order No. 7, dated 30-April-2014, any cadet who marries or incurs the responsibilities of parenthood is expected to resign from the Corps. Absent voluntary resignation, should the Institute, in its reasonable judgment, conclude that a cadet is married or has incurred the responsibilities of parenthood; such cadet shall be separated from the Corps, for failure of eligibility. For the purpose of this policy, the responsibilities of parenthood are deemed to begin upon the birth of a cadet’s biological child for whom the cadet has custody, childcare responsibilities, or legal support obligations. A cadet who becomes pregnant can continue as a cadet until it is medically determined that she cannot fulfill the duties and meet the standards expected of a cadet. The cadet is then put on medical leave until fit to return to duty. Any cadet, male or female, who has incurred the responsibilities of parenthood must make legally sufficient arrangements for another individual to have temporary custody and legal guardianship of the child to qualify for readmission.
Motor Vehicles
Cadets are prohibited from owning, maintaining or operating motor vehicles in Lexington and Rockbridge County until the first class year. This regulation, like all others, was adopted for the good of the cadets, and parents must assist in its enforcement by not providing automobiles. Violation of this rule may result in penalty as prescribed by the Blue Book.
Record Updates
Cadets are responsible for keeping their personal records updated while enrolled. Cadet and parent home address changes and changes for emergency contacts must be reported immediately by the cadet to the VMI Registrar’s Office. Address changes may not be made by telephone. Changes in health insurance should be reported to the VMI Hospital.
Release of Directory Information
Virginia Military Institute has designated the following items as directory information: name, affirmation or whether currently enrolled, dates of enrollment, academic major, academic and matriculation year, VMI e-mail address, VMI box number, home address and phone number, degrees received or anticipated, degree date, honors received, photograph, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams. The Institute may, at its discretion, disclose any of these items without prior written consent. It is the responsibility of the cadet to notify the Director of Communications and Marketing in writing within 7 days of the start of the fall semester if he/she does not want directory information released.
VMI reserves the right to deny requests from external companies using the information for commercial gain.
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