Virginia Military Institute catering employees Zandra Boone, left, and Felice Bartle bring hot dinners to cadets in quarantine at the barracks on Wednesday. The evening's meal consisted of chicken, broccoli and mashed potatoes and a box of non-perishable items. VMI has put a comprehensive procedure plan in place for cadets in COVID-19 quarantine.
Virginia Military Institute cadet Hannah White opens the door to her hotel room to a visit from Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, interim superintendent, at right and Sgt. Maj. Tom Sowers. White is in COVID isolation at the Econo Lodge, waiting to return to campus.
Virginia Military Institute Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, interim superintendent, visits quarantined and isolated cadets at the Econo Lodge in Lexington on Wednesday. Wins is accompanied by Sgt. Maj. Tom Sowers, at right. The two ask cadets in COVID quarantine questions about their physical and mental well being and making sure they had enough to eat.
Virginia Military Institute Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, interim superintendent, visits students in COVID isolation and quarantine at the Econo Lodge on Wednesday.
Virginia Military Institute cadets Adam Waites, foreground, and Ethan Watts came down from their quarantine room at the barracks to pick up a hot meal for dinner that was delivered.
Virginia Military Institute catering employees prepare hundreds of meals daily for cadets in COVID quarantine. On Wednesday in Crozet Hall a meal of chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli is being prepped for delivery to area hotels in COVID quarantine and those in quarantine at the barracks. The staff tries to make sure the cadets are well fed and have hefty portions of food because they tend to eat a lot.
Maj. John Casper, associate chaplain. Casper performs welfare checks at Virginia Military Institute meets with COVID quarantined and isolated cadets each day.
LEXINGTON — Swinging open the motel room door, the Virginia Military Institute cadet seemed surprised to find himself face-to-face with his college’s top leader.
“Oh! Hey, how are you, sir?” he asked Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins.
Wins, wearing a mask with the U.S. Army logo, asked the cadet and his roommate for their names, majors and hometowns before inquiring whether they needed anything.
After a brief chat, VMI’s interim superintendent moved down the corridor to the next room.
“I just wanted to make sure you guys were OK,” Wins told another cadet, explaining his presence.
Last week, Wins began daily visits to check on isolated and quarantined cadets. Each day, he visits one of the four hotels where VMI houses cadets who test positive for COVID-19 or who are a contact of someone who has.
Like other colleges and universities, VMI experienced a spike in virus cases this month as students settled in for the spring semester. Unlike other colleges, VMI’s military rigor and spartan living conditions have provided additional challenges. But staff say initial issues — such as quarantined cadets reporting missed meals — have been addressed, and the number of active cases has ebbed in the past week.
“I would suspect we’re doing more for our cadets than what other colleges are doing for their students,” spokesman Bill Wyatt said.
‘All hands on deck’
When cases began to rapidly increase earlier this month, VMI’s staff had to quickly adjust to the large number of cadets who needed to be kept separate from the rest of the Corps of Cadets. What started as about 2% of total cadets in isolation or quarantine on Feb. 1 quickly grew to 26.5% on Feb. 13 and again on Feb. 17, a record high.
“That’s the thing about this pandemic — when it hits you, it really does hit you hard,” said Col. Kevin Faust, deputy commandant for support.
By Sunday, a total of 16.8% of cadets were in isolation or quarantine, a noticeable decline. Slightly less than 7% of those cadets had active cases, down from a peak of nearly 12%, according to the college’s case dashboard.
VMI’s COVID-19 plan was “designed to expand and contract,” Wyatt said. VMI had the space, but it was a matter of manpower, he said. It’s been an “all hands on deck” situation, using all staff members, he said.
In addition to the hotels, VMI uses a house on campus. Cadets whose barracks are quarantined remain in their rooms and use designated bathrooms.
Wins implemented new restrictions Feb. 4 in an effort to curb cases, which included suspending visitation within the barracks, enforcing 10 feet of separation between cadets during physical training, closing campus to visitors and other measures, Wyatt said.
Wins said VMI keeps detailed data on cases and ensures cadets have the care they need.
“I think we’re in a good spot,” he said.
