Word: rotc
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...battle over ROTC has always been a clash of values. In the late 1960s, when Harvard students stormed University buildings in an attempt to force ROTC off campus, the clash was over Vietnam and the role of the military in our society. On one side stood those who felt the war was evil and that the military, as the agent of that war, was evil as well. On the other side stood those who felt the military was a necessary institution, and one that should not be denied the contributions of Harvard students...
Their argument was simple: Harvard policy prohibits the University from sanctioning discrimination. Therefore, Harvard is precluded, by its own rules, from funding a discriminatory program such as ROTC. On the other side were those who felt it would be an injustice of its own to disallow Harvard students from participating in the program...
...Rudenstine plan ends direct University subsidies of the MIT-based ROTC program, thus meeting the strict requirements of the Harvard non-discrimination policy. At the same time, to keep the ROTC option open for students, Rudenstine has allowed several University alumni to make voluntary, supposedly unsolicited contributions to cover the costs. Provided there is no difficulty in keeping the funds coming, the effect of the plan should be negligible on current and future ROTC students...
...compromise is not flawless. The distinction between the current payment plan and the new plan is a fine one, and to many will ring false. The University, after all, will retain significant control over the nominally independent ROTC fund. Thus, a good idea, we think, would be to go even further: Harvard could, for example, hand over control of ROTC funds to somebody not directly affiliated with the University--perhaps a Harvard graduate with experience in financial management. This would ensure a clean break between Harvard and ROTC funding, since the checks wouldn't even bear the University's name...
...larger picture, the compromise allows Harvard to state its unequivocal opposition to the gay ban without creating an injustice of its own--depriving students of the right to participate in ROTC. That the military discriminates against gays is not the fault of Harvard students. And Harvard students should not be punished for the sins of our political leaders...