Alumni and Friends of VMI:
Number of Cyber Corps Subscribers: 611
Link to The Cadet: For those interested in
checking out The Cadet newspaper online go to the following
address: http://www.vmi.edu/cadet/.
Not sure how often it's updated.
Items of Interest: In cruising the Electronic
Turnouts lately I've noticed several interesting topics of
conversation.
1) Alumni sending up cadets: I guess I
didn't realize this, but if an alumnus sends up a cadet to the
GC, etc. the penalty is double.
2) Alumni letting rats out of the ratline:
A couple weeks ago it seemed that some alumni were letting rats
of the ratline. The commandant intervened and asked them (told
them?) to discontinue this practice. Rationale is the ratline is
administered by the First Class and only they have such
authority. This issue generated some lively debate among the
Electronic Turnout contributors.
3) Alumni in Barracks: I believe that
alumni will shortly be allowed back in barracks. However, and as
I understand it, the alumni must sign in and must have an escort.
If anyone knows anything different, please let me know and I'll
pass along the clarification.
4) Appearance of the Corps: I'm hearing
from some folks that Corps appearance is poor. Others tell me the
Corps looks good. I was at the Institute a couple weeks ago and I
thought the Corps looked OK (not great, not horrible). I will
have to offer my personal opinion, however, that I'm not wild
about the addition of the extra companies. I think it makes the
companies look too small when on parade (even if you account for
the fact that the rats haven't been assimilated).
5) Delinking of the Electronic Turnouts:
I was told that the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association
voted to remove the link to the Electronic Turnouts from the
Alumni Association home page. I believe the delinking was to have
taken place Oct. 1. Not entirely sure what the reason was.
Recent Article: The following article recently
appeared in the Roanoke Times. I do not know if they have spell
check software which should have picked up the misspelling of
superintendent.
Sunday, September 26, 1999
VMI superintendant used state resources to write two
books
Prosecutor pores over book deals
Council members were concerned the investigation could muddy the
public's understanding of academic publishing.
By MATT CHITTUM
THE ROANOKE TIMES
A Lexington prosecutor's investigation into the Virginia Military
Institute superintendent's use of state resources to write two
books isn't complete, but it's already brought reactions from the
highest echelons of state government.
The first resistance came when an assistant attorney general who
is a VMI graduate issued a letter that questioned Commonwealth's
Attorney Gordon Saunders' pursuit of the matter.
Then on Thursday night, the State Council of Higher Education of
Virginia passed a resolution reaffirming its support for state
college faculty members who publish scholarly works.
Both actions came after Saunders said on Sept. 17 that he was
looking into the books -- for one of which Josiah Bunting III was
paid $50,000 personally.
Saunders said Bunting used state telephones and shipping services
to deal with his publisher and agent, and used institute staff to
type and edit his manuscripts.
The assistant attorney general, Ashley Taylor, said the law
clearly allows what Bunting did. Taylor's informal opinion was
requested by the president of VMI's board of visitors.
The Council of Higher Education's resolution encouraged college
faculty "to research and publish, and to use their support
staff in advancing such scholarly and laudable activities."
The resolution cited state law that directs each state college to
set its own policy regarding the use of resources.
The resolution was "not directed at the Bunting thing in and
of itself," said Paul Nardo, a spokesman for the Council of
Higher Education , but it was prompted by news of Saunders'
investigation.
"That kind of got them exercised," Nardo said. Council
members were concerned the investigation could have a chilling
effect on scholarly research and about public understanding that
academics publish books using college resources all the time.
The resolution was introduced by Tom Farrell, vice president of
Virginia Power, who first disclosed that he is married to the
sister-in-law of Richard Cullen, the former attorney general who
is Bunting's attorney.
Two other higher education council members who are lawyers at
Cullen's firm, McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, recused
themselves from the vote, Nardo said.
Saunders declined to comment on the resolution.
The council's resolution also notes that it's public policy in
Virginia for public colleges to encourage their faculty to
research and write books and articles, and it's common for the
authors to retain the copyrights.
Scholars stay on top of their field by writing about it,
defenders of the practice say. Whatever resources scholars use,
colleges are repaid several times over in prestige from having
their faculty publish books.
"Bunting's reputation is a jewel in the crown for VMI,"
said Larry Sabato, University of Virginia professor, political
pundit and author of 21 books. "He's published a good deal.
That's free publicity for VMI."
But it's difficult to place Bunting's books squarely within the
bounds of academic publishing.
The $50,000 Bunting received, for a book documenting his idea of
the Utopian American college, is extraordinary in academic
publishing. Most academic books are on specialized topics and
publish only a few hundred copies.
Even for a book with popular appeal, "for an academic to get
$50,000 advances is highly unusual," said Bob Denton, an
author and communications professor at Virginia Tech. "Can
the average academic get that? No."
Nancy Essig, director of the University Press of Virginia, which
publishes only academic books, said the advances she pays are
typically $500 to $1,000.
Bunting's supporters say the book, while not scholarly research,
is academic in nature and in line with his job.
Bunting's other book -- an as-yet unpublished novel about a
prep-school girl who develops an eating disorder -- seems less
clearly related to his job as head of the college.
On the surface, the books look like cases of using public
resources for private profit, but in Virginia, state law gives
special privilege to colleges in that regard.
Each college sets its own policy. So whether Bunting did anything
wrong is up to the board of directors he serves.
Virginia's law on the matter dates to 1986, and commands each
state-supported college in Virginia to promulgate its own
copyright and patent policy, based upon guidelines provided by
the State Council of Higher Education. It also provides for the
state agencies to take a cut of the profits from scholarly work.
Most college policies on copyrights note that under the Federal
Copyright Act, when an employee develops something copyrightable
within the scope of his employment, the employer owns it. But the
policies go on to state that in most cases, the college will not
assert its right of ownership in order to encourage scholarship.
However, the policies typically leave the college the option of
asserting its interest under certain conditions.
Generally, if significant college resources were used in
producing the book or other publication, and it could potentially
have commercial success or generate sizable royalties, the
college expects to share in the profits.
The definition of "significant use of resources" varies
from college to college. At Radford University, the bar is set at
$10,000. At some other colleges, including UVa, it's decided on a
case-by-case basis.
At UVa, the university is more interested in patents, which are
generally more lucrative, said Dave Hudson, associate vice
president for research and public service. It's very rare for UVa
to take an interest in a copyright.
UVa has not taken a cut of the profits from Sabato's commercially
successful books, "Feeding Frenzy" and "Dirty
Little Secrets."
"I suppose we try to err on the side of promoting
scholarship, while protecting the university's resources at the
same time," Hudson said.
The policy and practice are the same at Virginia Tech. Faculty
are free to use college resources as long as what they are doing
is within the scope of their employment, spokesman Larry Hincker
said. As long as an engineering professor is writing about
engineering, there are no problems.
The situation becomes murky, however, when the publication isn't
so clearly related to the professor's specialty.
"The university has no reason to expect to own my work if I
wrote a brownie recipe book," Hudson said. But in turn, the
school wouldn't expect him to use university resources to write
the book, he added.
"If I write a novel, they certainly didn't hire me to write
a novel, so I probably shouldn't be writing it sitting here at my
desk," he said.
Bunting's novel about the girl with the eating disorder would
seem to stretch the limits of his job as head of VMI, but Bunting
also holds a position on the faculty as a professor of
humanities, and has taught three literature courses at VMI.
"From a public relations standpoint, it can't help but
benefit VMI and enhance the image of the school," VMI
spokesman Mike Strickler said.
But should VMI expect to own the copyrights or share the profits
of that book?
VMI's copyright policy is 10 years old and makes no specific
mention of significant use of resources. It provides in general
for copyrights to be retained by the author.
There are a few examples of VMI sharing in a royalty or refusing
financial resources for the publication of a book.
For a 1978 book by a faculty member, VMI agreed to pay for part
of the book's printing and in return took ownership of the
copyright and shared the royalties with the author.
In the last few months, VMI unwittingly paid $3,750 to help
publish a book by a faculty member, but the faculty member
retained the copyright, documents provided by VMI show. VMI's
business officials objected and, on the advice a deputy attorney
general, recovered the money from the publisher.
A VMI board member has since suggested that VMI set aside funds
to help with publications.
Whatever has been the practice at VMI, however, the decision
ultimately rests with the board of visitors, which sets the
policy.
Board president Bruce Gottwald has made his feelings on the
question clear already.
Bunting's "authorship has been consistent with board policy
and is in total compliance with state law," he said last
week.
VMI Football: Keydets were trounced by
Georgia Southern 62 - 0 yesterday. I think Georgia Southern is
ranked number one in 1-AA.
Other Football Stuff:
Tuesday, September 28, 1999
Watching VMI more fun from other side
By MARK BERMAN
THE ROANOKE TIMES
This time, Ted Cain was on the winning side of a lopsided VMI
game.
Cain, who was fired as VMI's head coach in November, is now the
receivers and tight ends coach at Furman. Cain's new team
squashed his old one 58-0 on Saturday night in Greenville, S.C.
"It's the same offense that we were running at VMI. We're
just executing it a lot better here at Furman," Cain said
with a laugh Sunday.
Furman (2-1 overall, 1-0 Southern Conference), which dumped
William and Mary 52-6 two weeks ago, piled up 546 yards of total
offense to VMI's 103. The Keydets (1-3, 0-2) have lost 24
straight games to Division I-AA foes.
It was the Keydets' first shutout loss under coach Cal McCombs;
they were shut out four times under Cain the past two years.
"I don't think it's who's coaching there or who the players
are or if they're running the I-formation or the flexbone. They
need to do some things to help the team win," said Cain, a
Furman graduate who also was a Paladins assistant from 1977-85.
"I just hope VMI modernizes a little bit to give those
players and coaches a chance to win, just do some of the things
the academies have done and even The Citadel -- they've made some
changes in their military-type system."
Cain was 1-20 at VMI before being fired with one game left in the
1998 season.
"I was just very disappointed I didn't get to stay any
longer to try to see the task through and very upset about being
let go with one game left in the season," he said.
"That's usually held for gross misconduct legally or morally
or NCAA-wise and that was not the case at all. That bothers
you."
VMI plays host to Georgia Southern (3-1), the top-ranked team in
The Sports Network I-AA poll, at 1 p.m. Saturday.
---------------
DAVIDSON SWEEPS TITLES AT VMI CROSS COUNTRY
INVITATIONAL
VMI's Joe Smith and Rachel Love top Keydet finishers
LEXINGTON, Va. -- The Davidson College men's and women's cross
country teams captured the men's and women's tiltes at the VMI
Invitational held Saturday at Rockbridge County high school in
Lexington, Va.
The Davidson men's team finished with 46 points while VMI and
James Madison tied for second place with 52 points each. Davidson
runner Brent Ferrell finished first place completeing the 8k
course in a time of 26:33.9. College of Charleston runner Mike
Aiken finished second place 19 seconds behind at 26:52.8 and
VMI's Joe Smith (Livermore, Ca./Livermore) was the highest Keydet
finisher finishing third at 27:24.0.
The Davidson women's team finished 33 points, while VMI finished
in second place with 41 points followed by College of Charleston
who finished third with 48 points. Davidson runner Lucy
Billingsley completed the 5k course in a time of 19:35.6. VMI's
Rachel Love (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) finish second place at 19:56.8
followed at third place by College of Charleston's Holly Munnis
at 20:05.4
---------
September 25, 1999
For Immediate Release
EDWARDS' HEADER LIFTS VMI IN SUDDEN DEATH
LEXINGTON, VA -- Freshmen Eric Edwards' (Fredericksburg,
Va./Fredericksburg Christian) header one minute into the second
overtime was the lone goal in VMI's 1-0 double overtime victory
over UNC Asheville.
Edwards' goal, the first in his career for the Keydets, came off
an indirect kick from Tony Conway (Reading, England/Erleigh
School). In the game that featured great play by both
goalkeepers, Andrew Heath of UNC Asheville and Steve Swann
(Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) for VMI stopped numerous shots in the
match.
With the win VMI improves to 5-2 for the season, while UNC
Asheville falls to 3-4. VMI will next face the defending Southern
Conference Champions, UNC Greensboro on Wednesday September 29 at
4pm at Patchin Field on the post of the Virginia Military
Institute.
Scoring by halves | 1 | 2 | OT | 2OT | F | W-L-T |
VMI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5-2-0 |
UNC Asheville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3-4-0 |
© Virginia Military Institute. All rights reserved. . VMI
Sports Information Office.
-------
September 30, 1999
For Immediate Release
DUNAWAY'S TWO GOALS LEADS UNC GREENSBORO OVER VMI 4-2
LEXINGTON, Va. -- Sophomore Mike Dunaway scored twice to help UNC
Greensboro overcome a 2-1 second half defecit to defeat VMI 4-2
in a Southern Conference match today at Patchin Field on the post
of VMI.
Dunaway opened up the scoring at the 39 minute mark of the match,
when his shot sailed over the outstretched arms of Keydet
goalkeeper Steve Swann. The match remained at 1-0 until VMI
senior Ian Doyle (New Port Richey, Fla./ River Ridge) scored his
first career goal at the 53rd minute of the match off an assist
from Eric Edwards (Fredericksburg, Va /Fredericksburg Christian).
VMI took the lead at 2-1 when senior Paul DeRose (Williamsburg,
Va./Lafayette) scored at the 55th minute of the match off an
assist from Jason Seagle (Richmond,Va./Clover Hill). UNC
Greensboro tied the score at 2 when Mike Dunaway scored his
second goal on the afternoon at 69:51. The Spartans re-took the
lead less then a minute later when Chris Goos scored at 70:18 in
the match. Justin Wisdo scored the final goal of the match off a
feed from Goos. The time of the goal was 82:13.
VMI MF Paul DeRose '00 gave VMI the lead with his 2nd half goal
With the win, UNCG improves to 6-4 overall, 3-0 in the Southern
Conference. With the loss, VMI falls to 5-3 overall, 0-1 in the
Southern Conference. VMI will next face Appalachian State on
Saturday, October 2 at 11AM at Patchin Field.
Scoring By Halves | 1 | 2 | F | W-L | (SC W-L) |
UNC Greensboro | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6-4 | (3-0) |
VMI | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5-3 | (0-1) |
A Taste of Fall at the Institute: Check out
the following for a bit of Institute nostalgia. Enjoy.
http://users.erols.com/thigginb/calendar/1998cal.htm
Hey, that's it for this week.
Yours in the Spirit,
RB Lane '75
Last Updated: October 11, 2009
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