University of Virginia Library

Faculty Ends Degree Credit
For ROTC Starting In 1971

By Bill Fryer
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Before the largest turnout of faculty
members since the special sessions to
study the proposed curriculum began, the
College Faculty voted to abolish degree
credit for Reserved Officers Training
Program courses for College students
entering in September 1971 or thereafter.

A committee is to be appointed to
investigate the ramifications of a decision
to remove academic credit and the
possibilities of retaining ROTC on either
a non-degree credit basis or a
non-academic credit basis preserving
"freedom of choice within the context of
our traditional academic values."

This committee which is to be
appointed by David Shannon, Dean of
the Faculty, would make a report to the
College Faculty no later than the April
1970 meeting.

Six proposals were put before the
faculty for their consideration as Dean
Shannon warned the body against "verbal
overkill" over a matter which would
undoubtedly reflect "deeper passions" of
the academic group.

The Dante Germino-Alexander
Sedgwick proposal would have
terminated academic credit for ROTC for
students of the College entering in
September, 1970. Mr. Germino of the
Department of Government and Foreign
Affairs denied that ROTC courses are
analogous to courses in other Schools in
the University.

Courses Set Apart

"ROTC courses are by virtue of their
very design and structure distinguished
and set apart from all other courses in
this University. In contradiction to all
other courses taught in this or
presumably any other university, ROTC
courses are devised and 'prescribed' by a source
outside the University" argued Mr. Germino.
He also noted a divergence between the aims
and procedures of the University and the ROTC
program.

Donald MacInnis of the Department of
Music offered his proposal to do away with
degree credit for ROTC for students entering in
September 1970 as a "humble compromise."
Mr. MacInnis wished that the 120 hour liberal
arts program not be diluted by "non-liberal arts
courses."

Economics professors William Breit and
John Moore, who is also Chairman of the
Curriculum Committee, introduced the
successful motion to abolish degree credit for
ROTC for students entering the College in
September 1971. According to Mr. Breit,
through a committee established by the
motion, alternatives could be discovered which
would permit ROTC to remain in Virginia "in
the context of the liberal arts structure."

Reports Recommendation

Harold Kolb of the English Department
spoke for the majority of the Curriculum
Committee in urging that the Report's
recommendations about ROTC be accepted.
The Committee urged the formation of a
committee to study the ROTC problem and
would allow students to take ROTC for 12
hours of degree credit.

Mr. Kolb denied that ROTC is a moral issue
and noted that the Committee's majority
wanted to keep ROTC on the Grounds. He also
observed that some ROTC courses have merit
of their own "solid intellectual content."

Russian professor Christopher Collins,
representing several other faculty members,
introduced a motion to create a committee to
study the problem and in the meanwhile retain
the present rules that exist. The committee
should examine a wide range of topics and
make a report to the faculty in April 1970.

Colonel Robert Dart, representing all three
branches of the military, felt that the present
rules regarding ROTC were adequate. Wishing
for "a vote of confidence for ROTC at the
University," Colonel Dart noted that although
the faculty is an autonomous body, it has a
"sense of public responsibility" to the nation
and to the State of Virginia. Colonel Dart went
on to defend the program which he termed
"vital to our national defense."

Grades

All three representatives expressed a
willingness to work within the new pass-fail
system, but noted that they would still have to
have grades for internal purposes. Also, they
admitted that after a student had signed his
final ROTC contract, he could not willfully
break it and not be subject to an immediate
draft as an enlisted man.

After much debate and many questions,
Dean Shannon called for a two minute
summation of each of the proposals by their
respective proponents

Final Vote

In the final voting the Germino-Sedgwick
proposal failed 74- 108; the MacInnis proposal
failed 84-97; and the Breit-Moore proposal
passed successfully 98-84. As a result of the
procedure, votes on the other three motions
were not needed.

Dean Shannon indicated that he would soon
appoint a committee as called for by the
motion to study the status of the ROTC
program as far as the College was concerned. In
the meantime degree credit for students
entering the ROTC program in September 1971
would be denied. Students currently enrolled in
the various ROTC programs would, of course,
not be affected by the faculty's action. The
new committee will report back to the College
Faculty on its findings in April of next year.

The faculty will meet Tuesday to take final
action on the proposed curriculum as a whole.
The special sessions have been devoted to the
perfection of the language of the curriculum
rather than its final passage.