ROTC: Little Interest in the Pentagon

The matter of Dartmouth and ROTC appears to be winding down, as least as far as the military is concerned. At their meeting in mid-April the Trustees learned that the Defense Department has "little interest on its part in establishing a modified Princeton-type or off-campus plan here or elsewhere in the near future." This information was embodied in a report by Professor Gene Lyons, chairman of the ROTC study committee, and Professor James F. Hornig, assistant dean of the faculty and "fact-finder" for the committee, who had gone to Washington at Trustee request to explore the possibilities of restoring ROTC.

Summarizing their discussions with the Defense Department, Lyons and Hornig said that

• While the military forces are likely to remain at the two million man level, there is actually an officer surplus. As a result, students who are completing ROTC training are not all being commissioned at the present time, and there is serious consideration being given to terminating ROTC at institutions with low enrollments.

• Simultaneously there are a number of colleges and universities that have applied for new ROTC units and are on the waiting list. The Army, moreover, appears reluctant to extend the Princeton Plan to Dartmouth or, indeed, to any other college.

• There is, however, within the Department of Defense active consideration of off-campus options. Budgetary limitations and the large effects of manpower requirements on the Defense budget are leading to a consideration of new and innovative ways of recruiting a broadbased officer corps. In essence, what is being considered is the extension of the Marine Platoon Leaders' program to the other services.

• There is at present an off-campus option which could already be available. It is possible for students from one college to take ROTC training at another college under a cooperative arrangement made between the institutions. In such cases, a student who wishes to enter ROTC might take military training on a campus other than his or her own under mutually-agreed arrangements between the two institutions.

The Trustees will take a determining vote on ROTC in June; in the meantime they have authorized that "active explorations" Department be continued.