By MATT CHITTUM
THE ROANOKE TIMES

One of the first women admitted to Virginia Military Institute was kicked out earlier this semester for violating VMI's unforgiving honor code.

A regular quarterly report filed by VMI in federal court noted that one of the women in the class of 2001 was dismissed this semester. VMI spokesman Mike Strickler said only that she was "dismissed for reasons satisfactory to the superintendent."

But a cadet, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of Honor Court matters, confirmed that the woman was drummed out about two months ago for violating VMI's honor code, which says "a cadet does not lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those who do."

It's unclear exactly what the woman did to be dismissed.

The cadet-run Honor Court draws no distinctions between minor and major honor infractions. Charges are investigated by members of the court, which is made up of elected juniors and seniors, and cadets are tried before a jury of other cadets in a secret proceeding. A conviction means immediate expulsion.

The woman, one of the first 30 to enter VMI in August 1997 after the Supreme Court found the public VMI's all-male admissions policy unconstitutional, is not the first to be kicked out for an honor violation. A woman from VMI's second coed class was dismissed for an honor violation but was readmitted, according to the anonymous cadet.

Jennifer Jolin of Monterey, another member of the class of 2001 who quit in March of her first year at VMI, was being investigated by the Honor Court, but charges were never filed. Jolin said she didn't know she was being investigated when she quit.

Another of the inaugural group of women, Angelica Garza of Fort Belvoir, was suspended for a semester for punching the sergeant of the guard in the mouth. Other women have received lesser penalties for violating a ban on sexual contact in the barracks.

Six to 10 cadets, on average, are dismissed for honor violations every year, but a subcommittee of the VMI board of visitors found that some female cadets believe women are being targeted by the honor system. Some male cadets believe the administration has intervened to save female cadets from being charged with honor offenses, the committee's report said.

The committee recommended that the administration "treat male and female cadets the same with respect to disciplinary and honor matters."