With a federal judge's blessing, Mary Baldwin College and Virginia Military Institute are ready to consummate what one lawyer called "a marriage of convenience" that keeps women out of VMI.
U.S. District Judge Jackson Kiser approved a plan to establish a military-style program for women at Mary Baldwin that is similar to the one for men at VMI.The legal battle began four years ago when the Justice Department sued on behalf of an unidentified Virginia woman, claiming the exclusion of women at the 155-year-old state-supported school is discriminatory.
Kiser initially ruled for VMI, but his decision was overturned by an appeals court, which gave the state the option of setting up a similar program for women.
Cadet John Donley Adams at VMI said there were "high-fives" of approval outside the guard room when Kiser's decision was announced over a loudspeaker Saturday night.
"VMI, as a single-sex institution, is a wonderful thing," said Adams, a junior from Richmond. "I'm also happy for the young ladies, because the leadership program is going to be a great experience for them."