University of Virginia Library

ROTC - A Correction

We regret that we were in error in
Tuesday's editorial concerning ROTC. The
Schools of Commerce and Education, as well
as the College, award degree credit to
undergraduates for ROTC courses. We stated
that the College was the only school in the
University to do so.

The fact that these schools do allow credit
for ROTC courses should permit the College
Faculty to decide the question solely on its
merit. The law that established ROTC states
only that the institution must award some
sort of academic credit for ROTC courses, not
specifying any particulars. The defenders of
credit for ROTC in the College have said
repeatedly that revoking College credit for
ROTC would force the disbanding of the
units, since the law states that they must leave
a school which revokes all credit.

That argument is unfounded. The College
can act, just as the Engineering School, the
Architecture School, and the graduate schools
have done and refuse to grant credit. So long
as the Commerce and Education Schools, or
either one of them, continue to grant credit,
the ROTC units can stay. If they choose to
withdraw, it will be they, and not the
University, who are failing to live up to the
contract.

In light of this, it seems obvious that those
members of the College Faculty who feared
that removing College credit might lead to loss
of the program entirely need have no such
fears, and can decide the question of credit
for ROTC on its merits. We have no quarrel
with those who maintain that ROTC programs
ought to be available on a non-credit basis for
those students who wish to take them. But if
College credit is withdrawn and the programs
leave, it will be the Department of Defense,
and not the University, which is denying these
programs to the students.