University of Virginia Library

Rare Meetings

For some reason, a large number
of these committees, faculty and
administrative rarely meet. In fact
some do not meet at all. The ROTC
Affairs committee, chaired for the
past two years by professor
Hamilton of the Biology
Department did not meet at all last
year and as of this date no meeting
has been scheduled. It is hard to
believe that with all the controversy
surrounding the presence of ROTC
units on university campuses and
the questions, concerning the
contracts between the schools and
the Department of Defense that
there have been no matters
appropriate for discussion by this
group.

The ROTC Affairs committee is
a good example of the failure of the
committee to carry out its
designated role. During the debate
carried on by the College faculty
about credit for ROTC courses it
was repeatedly claimed by
supporters of credit that the
committee created by the College
faculty and headed by Professor
Selden of the Economics
Department was engaging in an
inquiry only into the academic
aspects of the program and that if
the matter-was removed from the
jurisdiction of the College and given
solely to an administrative
committee, all the other issues
could be aired with a perspective
broadened by the more diverse
membership on the latter
committee.

Yet, since the adoption of that
position by the College faculty, no
meeting of the ROTC Affairs
committee has been held and no
discussions on the myriad issues
involved has occurred. A clearer
abdication of responsibility cannot
be found.