UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 14, Page 2
December 9, 1993
Faculty Senate approves status of AFROTC

     At its Monday meeting, the University Faculty Senate awarded permanent
status to the Air Force ROTC program by a vote of 34 in favor, 21 against
and 4 abstentions.
     The program has been operating under provisional status since 1982.
Seventy-five students are enrolled this year. An Army ROTC program already
holds permanent status at the University.
     During the debate, several senators expressed concern that courses and
scholarships offered by the AFROTC exclude homosexual students, and,
therefore, the program violates the University's non-discrimination policy.
Hilton Brown, Harriet Baily Professor of Art Conservation, read a letter
from the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Concerns Caucus asking that the senate not
give permanent status to the Air Force program and urging the senators to
disestablish all ROTC programs.
     Lt. Col. Richard Martel told the senators that, of the 16 credit hours
offered by AFROTC, only the "Leadership Laboratory" course is limited to
those students who can be commissioned in the Air Force. After establishing
that the "Leadership Laboratory" is a numbered course in the undergraduate
catalog, Frank B. Murray, dean and H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Educational
Studies and Psychology, said, "My concern is that we not perpetuate these
injustices. It is just not possible for us to have a University course that
excludes on the basis of sexual orientation."
     Expressing "distress" that the University Faculty Senate "is trying to
take over problems of the U.S government," Sen. Gordon Bonner, associate
professor of finance, said many scholarships at the University were
restricted to blacks or certain ethnic backgrounds and, as a former
serviceman, he thought university-trained officers were necessary for the
military.
     When asked if ROTC was required at land-grant schools, John
McLaughlin, president-elect of the senate, read from the Morrill Act,
establishing such schools. The text mentioned only military tactics and so
was deemed "unclear."
     A follow-up resolution then was offered to inform students in the
1994-95 undergraduate catalog that military restrictions based on sexual
orientation might "prevent a student from participating in field training
and/or becoming a commissioned officer."
     An amendment suggested by Maj. John Cooper of the Army ROTC program
was more general, stating "that not all students may qualify" for ROTC
scholarships and a commission in the armed forces. The resolution and
amendment were tabled until the February meeting in expectation that
mutually acceptable language will be found for the course descriptions and
any restrictions posed by the U.S. Department of Defense will be clarified.
     In other business, the senate passed a revision of the Faculty
Handbook, allowing it to conform to the new Federal Family and Medical
Leave Act.
     Senate President Bonnie Scott announced the creation of a new ad hoc
committee on the Freedom of Expression in Public Events, to be headed by
Robert Brown of the honors program.
                                                  -Cornelia Weil