assistant secretary of defense frederick pang, however, warned the school that the department of defense would withdraw rotc programs from the school if privatization took place. as a result of this action by pang, congress passed a resolution on 18 november 1997 prohibiting the department of defense from withdrawing or diminishing any rotc program at one of the six senior military colleges, including vmi. this escape clause provided by congress came after the vmi board of visitors had already voted 9–8 to admit women; the decision was not revisited.