They're not going to like to see women having a little bit of power. Abrams wonders how male rats will respond when a woman upperclassman dresses them down. But, she acknowledged, some upperclassmen still are not at peace with coeducation. Bunting and Bissell themselves say they still struggle with it many days. In the end, though, disrespect from rats will not be tolerated, said Jim Joyner, the commandant who oversees the barracks and discipline.
Students also have strong emotions on the dating restrictions.
Many students say they would never engage in an affair with another cadet, and that many a rat last year swallowed feelings of infatuation for the good of their career and the school. It's almost like a brother-sister relationship. But incoming rat Elizabeth Giles Kelley, of Arlington, said she finds it odd. But I'm not going there to meet a husband. Among the other problems that could arise, say VMI officials, students and alumni, are the increasing difficulty of attracting high-caliber women applicants and the lack of mentors this year for either class of women.