Thomas Gottwald is now president of the 185-year-old school’s board. The Youngkin appointee will serve through June, when Wins is set to exit.
Gottwald said he did not plan to run for the position again.
Wins, a retired Army major general, officially took over the top spot at VMI during a 2021 investigation into the school initiated by then-Democratic Governor Ralph Northam. The report found racism and sexism to be common at the school in Lexington.
The outgoing superintendent previously said in a statement that the decision to oust him from the job was made through a political lens. Wins’ critics say DEI initiatives he backed resulted in discrimination against white cadets.
The committee to find a new superintendent has met twice with a recruitment firm since March, though a timeline for a new hire has not been set. The group will again meet at the beginning of May to discuss the search.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
