University of Virginia Library

Future Of ROTC At University
Subjected To Faculty Debate

By Donn Kessler
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Tonight the Faculty of the College of
Arts and Sciences will vote on the
recently released committee report on the
Reserve Officers Training Corps. Varied
opinion on this have been received by
The Cavalier Daily.

The report, in brief, proposed that
ROTC courses be given six hours of
academic credit, that ROTC courses be
subject to review by the University
Committee on ROTC Affairs and that
ROTC instructors be able to vote in the
College faculty only on matters
pertaining to ROTC.

Richard T. Selden, a professor the
Department of Economics, was the
chairman of the committee that drafted
the report.

Mr. Selden stated that overall he "was
pleased with the report. It addresses itself
to the problem that concerned the
faculty in December. In addition, it provides a
great deal of useful background information on
ROTC."

Uninformed Criticism

Mr. Selden indicated that he felt that
"relatively few faculty members have
attempted to inform themselves about the true
nature of the ROTC program."

Recent criticism of the committee has dealt
with the committee's intentions and purpose.
Kevin Mannix, Vice President of the Student
Council, stated that he felt that the committee
had gone beyond its charged purpose.

The committee was formed on a motion
approved by the faculty in its meeting on
December 11. That resolution read, in part,
that "a special committee of the College be
appointed to investigate means of retaining
freedom of choice regarding ROTC courses for
our students within the contest of our
traditional academic values.

Non-degree Credit

"This committee should consult with
appropriate officials regarding various
possibilities of retaining ROTC on a non-degree
credit basis."

Mr. Selden stated that the committee had
gone further than it had initially intended. He
gave two reasons for this.

The first reason was, according to Mr.
Selden, that the committee had been criticized
during their open meeting in March for having
too narrow a conception of their purpose. This,
he said, perhaps influenced some of the
members' opinions.

Faculty Vote

Second, the faculty had tabled a motion in
February to strip all ROTC instructors of their
faculty vote. This motion was tabled until the
committee made its report, indicating to the
committee members that the faculty had
wanted the committee to say something
relevant to that issue.

Mr. Selden noted, however, that he felt that
the committee had fulfilled but not
overstepped the purpose of the resolution that
had created it.

John Israel, an associate professor of
history, indicated in The Cavalier Daily recently
that he felt that the committee had not been
completely representative of all of the views of
the faculty. Mr. Israel had felt that the
committee was weighted in favor of ROTC.

Howard Hamilton, a biology professor, and
Christopher Collins, an acting assistant
professor of Russian, were both members of the
committee. Both have had career ties with the
armed forces.

According to Mr. Selden, the committee
"did represent a cross-section of faculty
members who had indicated their support of
ROTC, Furthermore, considering the purpose
of the committee, it did not have to represent a
cross-section of all the faculty members."

Original Supporter

Mr. Selden indicated that he himself had
been one of the supporters of the resolution
moving for the end of degree credit for ROTC.
He stated, however, that he has changed his
mind since then.

"The committee members showed." he
added, "great flexibility in their views and the
discussion proceeded on a highly objective
plane."

Mr. Selden concluded by saying that the
issue is "too emotional to find any quick and
easy solution to it."

Joel Gardner, former president of the
Jefferson Party, stated that he felt that as it
exists now "the ROTC program deserves no
degree credit."

Military Training

Mr. Gardner agreed completely with the
findings of the committee, however, and said
that if ROTC were placed under the
committee's restrictions, it would deserve
academic credit.

Mr. Gardner defended ROTC by saying that
it serves the purpose of allowing students
military training, "so that they don't have to
worry about the draft after college."

Stu Pape, President of the Virginia
Progressive Party, stated that "it is most
unfortunate that the Selden Committee,
claiming to be conducting a limited
examination of the ROTC programs, instead
chose to examine only those aspects of the
programs which would lend to support a
resolution of degree credit."

"A study covering all aspects of ROTC was
not intended by the faculty. The nature of the
motion passed in December, the lack of student
representation on the committee, and the
limited range of faculty viewpoint present,
leave no other conclusion possible. The Selden
Committee has clearly overstepped its charge."