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U.S. NEWS Monday 7 February 2022
VMI to change honor system said to expel Blacks more often

LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — advocates" — typically VMI
The Virginia Military Insti- faculty or staff members
tute says it will change its — before and during trials.
student-run honor court to But the attorneys will be al-
make it more fair to cadets lowed only to observe and
as part of a response to a consult their client or their
state-ordered investigation defense advocate during
into racism and sexism at the hearing, not argue the
the school. case themselves.
VMI detailed the reforms in All of the new honor court
a progress report Friday, The changes will go into effect
Washington Post reported. in August 2022, at the be-
The 70-page report, which ginning of the next aca-
the college gave to Gener- demic year.
al Assembly members and The college also said it will
the Virginia secretary of begin retaining "key demo-
education, describes initia- graphic data" to "monitor
tives approved, enacted the fairness of the system."
or begun last year. Those VMI's chief diversity officer,
initiatives included manda- This July 15, 2020, file photo shows the barracks at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va. Jamica Love, will help "fa-
tory diversity, equity, and Associated Press cilitate annual reviews" of
inclusion training for admin- the honor system, the re-
istrators and members of those expelled for honor final report that the college of seven votes. port said.
VMI's Board of Visitors, and code violations. "consider changing" its pol- Another change would al- A state-sanctioned report
changes to the Lexington Twelve out of the 28 VMI icy of allowing convictions low cadets to use pro bono released last year said VMI
school's one-strike-and- students dismissed in those without unanimous verdicts attorneys during their trials. has tolerated and failed to
you're-out honor court sys- three academic years by student juries. VMI used to allow lawyers address institutional racism
tem. were Black. When students But VMI, which received to represent cadets dur- and sexism and must be
Data obtained by the of color were included $21.6 million in state funding ing the proceedings, but held accountable for mak-
newspaper showed Black in the count, the number for the 2021-2022 academ- stopped about a decade ing changes.
students at VMI were ex- of expelled rose to 15, or ic year, reported Friday ago because of com- The 145-page report com-
pelled by the honor court about 54% of the total, that it will continue to allow plaints that the professional piled by an independent
at a disproportionately even though minorities student prosecutors to win litigators prosecuted the law firm at the request of
high rate for the three aca- made up only about 21% cases with non-unanimous system itself and that only the State Council of High-
demic years between the of the student population verdicts. One concession affluent students could af- er Education for Virginia,
fall of 2017 and the spring in that three-year period. the school did make was ford them. said "racial slurs and jokes
of 2020. Though Black ca- Barnes & Thornburg, a law that student juries will ex- Now, VMI will draw up a list are not uncommon" and
dets made up about 6% firm hired by the state to in- pand in size and guilty ver- of pro bono lawyers willing "contribute to an atmo-
of the student body, they vestigate racism and sexism dicts will require nine out of to work with cadet defen- sphere of hostility toward
represented about 43% of at VMI, recommended in its 11 jury votes instead of five dants and their "defense minorities."q

Crossing lines, Manchin endorses Murkowski's Senate campaign

By HOPE YEN appeared with Murkowski of seven Republican sena-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dem- on CNN’s “State of the tors who voted to convict
ocratic Sen. Joe Manchin Union” to promote the val- Trump in his second im-
on Sunday endorsed Re- ues of bipartisanship. peachment trial for his role
publican colleague Lisa “Alaska could only be so in stoking the Jan. 6 Capitol
Murkowski for reelection, lucky to have her continue insurrection. Her reelection
crossing party lines to back to serve them,” he said. bid plays up her credentials
the incumbent from Alaska Murkowski faces GOP pri- as a centrist in the Senate,
who faces a primary chal- mary challenger Kelly Tshi- working across party lines
lenger supported by former baka, who has support to “stand up to any politi-
President Donald Trump. from Trump and Alaska Re- cian or special interest that
The conservative West Vir- publican party leaders but threatens our way of life.”
ginia lawmaker said he has who significantly trails the A member of the Senate
teamed well with Murkows- incumbent in fundraising. since 2002, Murkowski lost
ki in the 50-50 Senate to A Democrat has yet to en- the Republican primary
build bipartisan support for ter the race; the state’s last for her seat in 2010 but ul-
legislation such as President Democratic senator, Mark timately won after launch- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaksa, questions Commerce Secretary
Joe Biden’s infrastructure Begich, lost reelection in ing a successful write-in Gina Raimondo during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
law. He said Alaska and the 2014. campaign. She’s joined on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hear-
ing on expanding broadband access, Tuesday Feb. 1, 2022, on
Senate are well-served with It isn’t the first time that Democrats several times Capitol Hill in Washington.
her in office. Manchin has bucked his on high-profile votes, in- Associated Press
“It’s hypocritical to basi- party’s political operation. cluding opposing Trump’s
cally work with a person In 2020, he endorsed Sen. effort to repeal President as well would support Man- of his party over his reluc-
day in and day out and Susan Collins, R-Maine, in Barack Obama’s health chin, who is up for reelec- tance to back broad cli-
then, when they’re in cy- her reelection bid. Manchin law in 2017 and her 2018 tion in 2024. mate and social safety net
cle, you’re supposed to had indicated last April that refusal to vote to confirm “If he’s running, I’m endors- legislation that Biden envi-
be against them because he would support Murkows- Brett Kavanaugh as a Su- ing him,” she said. sioned would pass with sup-
they have an R or D by their ki if she chose to run again preme Court justice. Manchin has drawn ire port from all 50 Democratic
name,” said Manchin, who this year.Murkowski is one Murkowski said Sunday she from the progressive wing senators. q