An Absence of Service

11 September 2008 Townhall column "An Absence of Service" by Austin Byrd.  Note:  Byrd, a sophomore at Columbia and a Marine Corps trainee, notes the upcoming presidential candidates' forum on national service and writes "Columbia University has shown a glaring lack of service for 40 years, following its ban of ROTC from its campus in 1968.  How can one discuss fulfilling service to one’s nation without considering what is one of the vital forms of fulfillment, that of military service?  ... In what moral calculus could one’s sexual orientation ever trump the monumental gift of citizenship in and open, free, and safe society?"  He also notes "Even small gestures, such as waiving the Physical Education requirement for students involved in training could have a positive cultural impact at Columbia."

Obama and McCain Remarks at ServiceNation Summit Forum

11 September 2008 Congressional Quarterly transcript "Obama and McCain Remarks at ServiceNation Summit Forum".  Note:  Both Senator McCain and Senator Obama discussed ROTC.  McCain brought it up himself, saying "And frankly, we’re here in a wonderful institution. I’m proud that my daughter graduated from this school. But do you know that this school will not allow ROTC on this campus? I don’t think that’s right. Shouldn’t the students here be exposed to the attractiveness of serving in the military, particularly as an officer?  ...  I would hope that these universities would re-examine that policy of not even allowing people who come here to represent the military and other Ivy League schools and then maybe they will be able to attract some more."  Senator Obama was asked by moderator Richard Stengel "your alma mater, invited President Ahmadinejad of Iran to be here last year, but they haven’t invited ROTC to be on campus since 1969. Should Columbia and elite universities that have excluded ROTC invite them back on campus?"  Obama replied "Yes. I think we’ve made a mistake on that.  I recognize that there are students here who have differences in terms of military policy. But the notion that young people here at Columbia or anywhere, in any university, aren’t offered the choice, the option of participating in military service, I think is a mistake.  That does not mean we disregard any potential differences in various issues that are raised by the students here, but it does mean that we should have an honest debate while still offering opportunities for everybody to serve, and that’s something that I’m pretty clear about."

Why McCain, Time, and Obama Are Wrong About ROTC

11 September 2008 ObamaPolitics.com blog item "Why McCain, Time, and Obama Are Wrong About ROTC".  Note: Wilson, author of Barack Obama: This Improbable Quest, points out the lack of parallelism between Columbia's hosting of an appearance by Iranian President Ahmadinejad and Columbia's decision not to host ROTC programs since one involves speech and the other involves setting up an educational program.  He suggests alternatives for reconciling university norms with the ROTC Vitalization Act of 1964.  An ROTC program at Princeton already implements many such approaches.

Student Leaders Work to Expand ServiceNation Event

9 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Student Leaders Work to Expand ServiceNation Event".  Note:  Outside the 11 September presidential candidate forum at Columbia there will be "student groups managing voter registration, information booths to encourage community service, and bins for canned food donations. In addition to music and an open mic, organizers will set up a photo montage of students involved in community service". 

ServiceNation Announces Columbia University to Host "ServiceNation Presidential Candidates Forum"

3 September 2008 Columbia University press release "ServiceNation Announces Columbia University to Host "ServiceNation Presidential Candidates Forum": Presidential Candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will Kick-off the Two-day Summit on Civic Engagement and Public Service on Sept. 11".  Note:  The 9/11 timing, the setting at Columbia and the inclusion of military veterans make it likely that the ROTC issue will be discussed.  As noted in the ServiceNation press release, "the public is encouraged to submit on-topic questions for the candidates at http://tinyurl.com/6jmhd5".

Invaluable Vets

Spring 2008 Columbia Owl article "Invaluable Vets".  Note: Columbia "boasts the largest number of vets in the Ivy League".  Provost Alan Brinkley said “The opposition to ROTC was based on the military’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy that violates our own anti-discrimination rules...  I don’t believe those who opposed ROTC on those grounds had any animus towards veterans or the military.”

Military Men Reflect on Careers, Motivations

26 February 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Military Men Reflect on Careers, Motivations".  Note:  The Hamilton Society, an undergraduate military advocacy group, sponsored a program in which recent veterans described their experiences in the military.  Air Force Staff Sergeant Jason Kimberling said “I’ve walked through a lot of villages in Afghanistan where the Taliban has come through and cut the hands off all the children... When you see those things, it’s pretty clear in my mind the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. I know why I’m there.”  Photos are at this link.

Columbia University Hamilton Society "Why We Serve" Event

25 February 2008 Columbia University Hamilton Society "Why We Serve" Event.  Note:  Photos from the even described the next day in a Columbia Spectator article.

Keep Columbia Out of the War

8 February 2008 Columbia Spectator column "Keep Columbia Out of the War" by David Judd.  Note:  Judd writes that it is a "black mark" on Columbia that a tenth of a percent of its endowment is invested in defense contractors, and "by maintaining its investments, Columbia does not maintain its neutrality. It has chosen to own a piece of the war".  He argues that Columbia should not support ROTC since the mission of the military "currently centers on a disastrous occupation".

Candidates, Cadets Wrestle With ROTC Presence

4 February 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Candidates, Cadets Wrestle With ROTC Presence".  Note:  The article discusses how to create an atmosphere supportive of ROTC at Columbia, from increasing the number of ROTC students to pleading with the military ‘Please take us seriously—we want to serve.’

Spectator Letter to the Editor

31 January 2008 Columbia Spectator "Letter to the Editor" by Aries Dela Cruz.  Note:  The vice president of the Columbia Queer Alliance criticizes the Spectator editorial that took a position on ROTC rather than following "Spec’s intended role as an objective instrument of campus media" and upholding "fundamental values of equality and justice".

Note From the Editor

31 January 2008 Columbia Spectator "Note From the Editor".  Note:  The editor clarifies that the 29 January editorial "was intended to convey the belief that Columbia should meet the needs of all its students. This includes the needs of those who desire to enlist in the ROTC program—but this also includes the needs of those who believe ROTC violates basic human rights."

ROTC, Not DADT

29 January 2008 Columbia Spectator editorial "ROTC, Not DADT".  Note:  Columbia's student newspaper called for the return of ROTC to campus, arguing that "the military has too integral a role in American culture and society to be summarily banned from campus... to deny the military access to campus outright disengages Columbia from military issues and renders the University largely irrelevant in discussions of how issues like DADT should be addressed."  See letter on 31 January and a note from the editor on 31 January.

ROTC Policy Opens Columbia to Awkward Comparisons, Criticisms

28 January 2008 Columbia Spectator column "ROTC Policy Opens Columbia to Awkward Comparisons, Criticisms" by Josh Hirschland.  Note:  Hirschland observes that "student and administrative actions have made it easier for those from outside the University to caricature it as anti-American" and "Columbia may have to adapt to changing circumstances or risk irreparable damage to its standing".

Bring ROTC back onto Columbia's campus!

22 January 2008 Young America's Foundation ad "Bring ROTC back onto Columbia's campus!" in the Columbia Spectator.  Note:  The quotes are from the Las Vegas Democratic presidential debate.

The Democratic Debate in Las Vegas

15 January 2008 Federal News Service transcript "The Democratic Debate in Las Vegas".  Note:  Moderator Tim Russert asked "There's a federal statute on the books which says that, if a college or university does not provide space for military recruiters or provide a ROTC program for its students, it can lose its federal funding.  Will you vigorously enforce that statute?" Senator Clinton said "Yes, I will...  I think that everyone should make available an opportunity for a young man or woman to be in ROTC, to be able to join the military and I'm going to do everything I can to support the men and women in the military and their families."  Russert followed-up by asking "Of the top 10 rated schools, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, they do not have ROTC programs on campus.  Should they?" and Clinton responded "Well, there are ways they can work out fulfilling that obligation. But they should certainly not do anything that either undermines or disrespects the young men and women who wish to pursue a military career."  To the same question about ROTC Senator Obama responded "Yes. One of the striking things, as you travel around the country, you go into rural communities and you see how disproportionally they are carrying the load in this war in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan. And it is not fair. Now, the volunteer Army, I think, is a way for us to maintain excellence."  Senator Edwards also responded affirmatively but switched immediately to discuss veterans' issue.  None of the candidates mentioned the "Don't ask, don't tell" law cited by these universities in banning ROTC. 

Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony at Columbia University.

2 December 2007 Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony at Columbia University.

Myth and Reality of University Trusteeship in the Post-Enron Era

14 November 2007 Fordham Law Review 76: 955-79 "Myth and Reality of University Trusteeship in the Post-Enron Era" by José A. Cabranes.  Note:  Judge Cabranes, a trustee of Columbia University, notes how "trustees play no significant role even on major questions relating to the external relations of universities to the government that subsidizes them in so many ways, for example, whether a university should offer its students the opportunity to participate in reserved [sic] officers’ training corps (ROTC) programs.  The usual playbook is this: Trustees are informed by presidents that, for a variety of political or academic reasons, the faculty would find the return of ROTC intolerable and that any action to the contrary by trustees would make the president’s own position within the university untenable. Given the power of the faculties, the president is probably right. In any case, trustees will be reluctant to make the president vulnerable in the polity he knows far better than they."

"Why Columbia Needs the Marine Corps and Vice Versa

29 October 2007 Columbia Spectator column "Why Columbia Needs the Marine Corps and Vice Versa" by Michael Christman.  Note:  A 2000 engineering graduate joined the Marines and urges others to do the same.  "How can Columbia hope to produce the next generation of American leaders if it refuses to walk a mile in the shoes of those of whom we ask the most?"

ROTC Presence Is Not a Free Speech Issue

4 October 2007 Columbia Spectator column "ROTC Presence Is Not a Free Speech Issue" by Rebecca Evans.  Note:  Evans observes "We certainly did not, and will not, invite Ahmadinejad to set up a campus-based institution intended for recruitment and training... A more apt and pressing statement is this: if Columbia truly cares about questioning the ideologies and actions of those with whom it disagrees, it will welcome a military or government official who would be willing to speak to—and be spoken to by—the Columbia community".

Speech by Senator John McCain at the Hudson Institute

27 September 2007 speech by Senator John McCain at the Hudson Institute.  Note:  McCain noted that the Iranian president was welcomed at Columbia but ROTC was not, and said "Harvard and other great American universities remain closed to ROTC, whose graduates represent the bulk of the officers commissioned into our Armed Forces each year.  Some academic elites may not like ROTC, and they are free to voice their objections.  But they are wrong, and I stand with the many graduates of these institutions who for years have been trying in vain to bring ROTC back to their campuses."

Fox News interview with Columbia student Kelley Victor-Gasper '09

24 September 2007 Fox News interview with Columbia student Kelley Victor-Gasper '09.  Note:  Victor-Gasper, a Marine corps officer candidate notes the irony of Columbia's welcoming of Iranian President Ahmadinejad and banning of ROTC from campus.  He notes that the ROTC ban is a protest against US law about homosexuality in the military, yet Ahmadinejad's regime executes people for homosexuality.

Fox & Friends Interview with Ted Graske Jr., Chairman of the Columbia Alliance for ROTC

22 September 2007 Fox & Friends Interview with Ted Graske Jr., Chairman of the Columbia Alliance for ROTC.  Note:  Graske discussed the irony of Columbia hosting Iranian President Ahmadinejad and banning ROTC from campus.

Lee Bollinger, Tough Guy

21 September 2007 Wall Street Journal editorial "Lee Bollinger, Tough Guy".  Note:  The Journal criticizes Columbia for hosting the Iranian president, yet not allowing ROTC

Columbia University: Ahmadinejad Yes, ROTC No

20 September 2007 Weekly Standard column "Columbia University: Ahmadinejad Yes, ROTC No" by William Kristol.  Note: Kristol contrasts hosting a talk and question period by the Iranian president with Columbia's prohibition of ROTC based on its campus.  

Columbia's Priorities

20 September 2007 Wall Street Journal "Best of the Web Today" item "Columbia's Priorities" by James Taranto.  Note:  Taranto embellishes William Kristol's point about the Iranian president and ROTC by noting that Iran executes people for homosexual acts.

Outrage Builds Over Ahmadinejad Visit to Columbia

20 September 2007 New York Sun article "Outrage Builds Over Ahmadinejad Visit to Columbia".  Note: Mr. McCain said "A man who is directing the maiming and killing of American troops should not be given an invitation to speak at an American university. Rather than rolling out the red carpet for the leader of a terrorist-sponsoring regime, Columbia should be welcoming the Reserve Officers' Training Corps back on campus to honor the men and women who put their lives on the line every day defending our freedom."

Wall Street Journal letter by Shane Cotner

7 September 2007 Wall Street Journal letter by Shane Cotner.  Note:  Responding to an article about the role of alumni in university governance, Cotner wrote "Dartmouth alumni are fortunate to have a man like T.J. Rodgers to represent their views, and a mechanism that allows those alumni to elect leaders like him to its board of trustees. As an alum of Columbia, my views have no comparable representation of which I am aware. When I hear about Columbia pursuing policies such as the banning of ROTC, and its lack of punishment for students who abuse conservative speakers, I realize I have no recourse whatsoever."

Letter from Columbia University School of General Studies Dean Peter J. Awn inviting members of the armed services to apply to Columbia

30 May 2007 Letter from Columbia University School of General Studies Dean Peter J. Awn inviting members of the armed services to apply to Columbia.  Note:  Dean Awn wrote that "the experience and talents that these students bring to Columbia enhance immeasurably the academic discourse in the classroom" and announced Columbia's new military-veteran Web site: www.columbia.edu/cu/gs/military.

Bring back ROTC

27 May 2007 Washington Times editorial "Bring back ROTC".  Note:  "It's time for Harvard, Columbia, Yale and other schools to heed what President Bush said last week: "It should not be hard for our great schools of learning to find room to honor the service of men and women who are standing up to defend the freedoms that make the work of our universities possible." It's time to give ROTC a chance."

New York Sun reader comment "Observations on the commissioning select ROTC students in the White House" by Paul E. Mawn

18 May 2007 New York Sun reader comment "Observations on the commissioning select ROTC students in the White House" by Paul E. Mawn.  Note:  The head of Advocates for Harvard ROTC responds to the previous day's article and wrote that universities "need diversity which is also based on opinion and provides a climate of tolerance and acceptance for undergraduates who believe in duty, honor and country"

Redeeming Columbia

18 May 2007 New York Sun editorial "Redeeming Columbia".  Note:  Citing Columbia's rejection of ROTC in 2005 and the ROTC commissioning of Columbia student Bret Woellner, the Sun wrote "a generation or so hence the shame of Columbia will be lessened, its honor redeemed by the fact that Lieutenant Woellner made his choice, got up early, did his drills, learned to lead, and, in the East Room of the White House, stepped forward to accept a commission from the Congress in a time of war."

Remarks by the President at Joint Reserve Officer Training Corps Commissioning Ceremony

17 May 2007 Remarks by the President at Joint Reserve Officer Training Corps Commissioning Ceremony.  (Video here)  Note:  President George W. Bush said "All of you have made many sacrifices to receive your commission. Yet some of you have had to endure even greater hardships -- because your universities do not allow ROTC on campus. For those of you in this position, this can require long commutes several times a week to another campus that does offer ROTC, so you can attend a military class, participate in a drill. Most of all, it means living a split existence -- where your life as a cadet or midshipmen is invisible to most of your fellow students.  Every American citizen is entitled to his or her opinion about our military. But surely the concept of diversity is large enough to embrace one of the most diverse institutions in American life. It should not be hard for our great schools of learning to find room to honor the service of men and women who are standing up to defend the freedoms that make the work of our universities possible. To the cadets and midshipmen who are graduating from a college or university that believes ROTC is not worthy of a place on campus, here is my message: Your university may not honor your military service, but the United States of America does. And in this, the people's house, we will always make a place for those who wear the uniform of our country."  Among the officers sworn in at the ceremony were Erik Sand of Harvard, Diana Clough of Stanford and Bret Woellner from Columbia.

Bush says ROTC has a place on campus

17 May 2007 Associated Press article "Bush says ROTC has a place on campus".  Note:  "Three of the officers in the White House ceremony came from schools that don't allow ROTC on campus, including Harvard University, Stanford University and Columbia University. Bush saluted their extra sacrifice."

Gates Commissions ROTC Cadets at White House

17 May 2007 United States American Forces Press Service article "Gates Commissions ROTC Cadets at White House".  Note:  "A change in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act allows the president, vice president or secretary of defense to administer the oath of commission or enlistment".

White House Commissioning Ceremony

17 May 2007 United States Department of Defense photos "White House Commissioning Ceremony".  Note:  One of the photos is of U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with graduating Harvard ROTC student Erik Sand and his mother.  More photos here and here.

Bush Assails Colleges That Shun ROTC Units

17 May 2007 Chronicle of Higher Education News Blog item "Bush Assails Colleges That Shun ROTC Units".  Note:  The Chronicle notes that in addition to colleges that ban ROTC there are colleges where there is no ROTC program because the Pentagon concluded that there were "poor prospects of finding good recruits".

Bush Rebukes Universities On ROTC Ban

17 May 2007 New York Sun article "Bush Rebukes Universities On ROTC Ban".  Note:  "Yesterday's ceremony featured a diverse group of cadets from all 50 states and included a graduate student at Columbia, Bret Woellner, who was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army.  The president's statement took officials at a few leading universities aback. Spokesmen at NYU and Harvard and Yale universities, which also do not offer ROTC on campus, did not respond publicly.  Riaz Zaidi, president of Columbia's Hamilton Society, a military group, said the president's words were "gratifying."  Mr. Zaidi, a cadet in the Fordham ROTC program, said that while he thought the military should reconsider the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, Columbia should reinstate the officer-training program regardless."  See response by Paul E. Mawn, head of Advocates for Harvard ROTC

Bringing the Military to Columbia

19 March 2007 Columbia Spectator column "Bringing the Military to Columbia" by Matt Sanchez.  Note:  Sanchez describes discussions with Columbia officials about healing the rift between Columbia and the military.

Indoctrinate-U

16 March 2007 film "Indoctrinate-U".  Note:  According to the film maker Evan Coyne Maloney, "about 5 minutes or so in the film" is material dealing with ROTC "near the end of the film. A number of people have told us they feel it is the most infuriating footage in the film." "The segment discusses both ROTC and military recruiters on campus, and the various efforts to bar them from campus. We have footage from San Francisco State, U.C. Berkeley, Columbia and Hobart. U.C. Santa Cruz, Yale.... We get right inside the protests themselves, some of which were quite nasty. All of this is discussed in the context of what sorts of views are welcome on campus (Ward Churchill, for example) and what is not (quite literally, the American flag, which was actually removed from a number of campuses immediately following the September 11th attacks). It packs quite an emotionally powerful punch."

ROTC retreats from American cities

25 February 2007 Intel Dump Blog item "ROTC retreats from American cities".  Note:  Blogger Phillip Carter discusses the 22 February WSJ article and many respond, including sources for the original article.

A Retreat From Big Cities Hurts ROTC Recruiting: Though Army Seeks More Ethnic Officers, It Shuns Northeast

22 February 2007 Wall Street Journal article "A Retreat From Big Cities Hurts ROTC Recruiting: Though Army Seeks More Ethnic Officers, It Shuns Northeast" (free link with the article attributed to AP here).  Note: By having few ROTC programs in big cities, the military is missing out on recruits who have familiarity with foreign cultures and languages. One of the offices said of New York City "There were times when I felt like I was back in Iraq. There were people dressed in those man-dresses that they wear in Iraq. The women had veils. I know I shouldn't say this, but it made me want to look for IEDs".  Some additional material is at this free WSJ link.  See 25 February Intel Dump blog item for discussion.

When Anti-war is Anti-peace

15 February 2007 Columbia Spectator Op-Ed "When Anti-war is Anti-peace" by Eric Chen GS'07.  Note:  One of the leaders of the ROTC and veterans' movements at Columbia observes how anti-war sentiment is undermining nation-building. Through an error, a non-final version of this article was published.  The version that was suppose to be published is here.

Comments on Prof. Ruth Wisse's article "Gliberalism"

28 January 2007 Comments on Prof. Ruth Wisse's article "Gliberalism" by Prof. Allan Silver.  Note:  Silver, a sociology professor at Columbia and a a leading proponent on the faculty for return of ROTC to Columbia, suggests that both the universities and the country's leadership could do better to create an atmosphere conducive towards return of ROTC to elite universities.  His comments were prompted by Prof. Wisse's 27 January article in the Wall Street Journal.

Military Recruiting at Barnard's Activities Fair 2007

24 January 2007 Military Recruiting at Barnard's Activities Fair 2007

No Shame in Service

22 January 2007 Columbia Spectator op-ed "No Shame in Service" by Sean Wilkes CC'06.  Note:  The recently graduated head of Advocates for Columbia ROTC quotes Lt. Gen. Sir William F. Butler, who warned that "The nation that will insist upon drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking by cowards."

Military Academy

18 January 2007 The New Republic column "Military Academy" by Anthony Grafton.  Note:  A Princeton professor notes that Princeton has more connections to the military than many other elite colleges, and recommends that "We who teach young men and women need to know more about what we ask some of them to do on our behalf and what it takes to do their jobs".

Wall Street Journal Op-Ed "Gliberalism"

27 January 2007 Wall Street Journal Op-Ed "Gliberalism" by Ruth Wisse.  Note:  Professor Wisse, a member of Advocates for Harvard ROTC, cites the ban on ROTC at elite universities as a prime example of an attitude "that leaves to others the responsibility for governance, and arrogates to itself the right to criticize".  See 28 January comment by Columbia Prof. Allan Silver.

Special Web-Only: Interview with Lt. Josh Arthur, CC ‘04

15 January 2007 The Eye (Columbia Spectator) article "Special Web-Only: Interview with Lt. Josh Arthur, CC ‘04" Matt Mireles.  Note:  Arthur, recently graduated from Columbia and ROTC, describes how he decided to serve in the military.

Columbia's Student Soldiers

8 January 2007 The Morningside Post (official blog for Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs) blog video item "Columbia's Student Soldiers". Note: Columbia Provost Alan Brinkley said "We're not a particularly attractive campus for ROTC because we don't have space, and the level of interest among our students would probably be relatively low and the Pentagon has not asked us to host an ROTC unit, so its not as if we've refused"