LEXINGTON, Va., Feb. 3, 2022—As one of the top public liberal arts colleges in the country, the First Amendment of the Constitution and free speech are a vital part of Virginia Military Institute’s civic education and VMI wholly supports its cadets' First Amendment rights to free speech.  VMI in no way seeks to inhibit or restrict any cadet’s right to exercise free speech through any and all available venues to include producing, editing or contributing to any publication, whether or not it is affiliated with, or supported by VMI.

In May 2021, VMI and the VMI Alumni Agencies first became aware that a newspaper titled “The Cadet” was being circulated on the VMI post during commencement. A single alumnus was the driving force behind this publication. The newspaper has in its tagline, "The Independent Voice of the Corps and Alumni since 1871" and describes itself as "an independent student publication created by cadets and alumni independent of VMI." Despite any such assertions through the use of the VMI acronym and unauthorized use of VMI’s trademarked logos and marks, The Cadet newspaper is in no way affiliated with or authorized by the Virginia Military Institute, the Corps of Cadets, or the VMI Alumni Agencies.

In addition, the paper has no affiliation with the previously published “V.M.I. Cadet” or any newspapers published by the Virginia Military Institute as a cadet club activity between 1871 and 2016. Articles and opinions appearing in the current version of The Cadet are those of the authors and do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Virginia Military Institute, the Corps of Cadets, or the VMI Alumni Agencies. Furthermore, any solicitation of funds, advertisements, subscriptions, and donations do not support any programs authorized by the Virginia Military Institute, the Corps of Cadets, or the VMI Alumni Agencies and are not subject to any of VMI's rigorous policies with respect to accountability.

Office of the Chief of Staff
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