'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Cited In Bollinger's Opposition to ROTC

29 September 2008 New York Sun article "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Cited In Bollinger's Opposition to ROTC". 

Councils Set Details of ROTC Forum

29 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Councils Set Details of ROTC Forum".  Note:  The article states "The current discussion revolves around NROTC specifically because it is not available to Columbia students, unlike the other branches of the corps, which operate programs on nearby campuses."  Although there is a Navy ROTC program at SUNY Maritime in the Bronx, it is Navy policy only to allow students from other campuses if their university has a cross-town agreement with the host NROTC program.  There is no such need for cross-town agreements for Columbia students doing Army or Air Force ROTC at nearby colleges.

USenate Plenary Addresses ROTC, Economy, Brinkley

29 September 2008 Columbia spectator article "USenate Plenary Addresses ROTC, Economy, Brinkley".  Note:  President Bollinger said the University’s 2005 decision on ROTC would only be re-examined if students brought the issue to the Senate.

Allow Freedom for ROTC on Campus

27 September 2008 Wall Street Journal letters "Allow Freedom for ROTC on Campus".  Note:  In response to the 13 September editorial about ROTC at Columbia, one of the letters, by Columbia alumnus and retired Navy commander Edward A. Cook, calls on Columbia University to "allow at least one ROTC office on campus".

ROTC and Relativity

27 September 2008 Chronicle of Higher Education column "ROTC and Relativity" by Stephen Joel Trachtenberg CC'59.  Note:  The former president of George Washington University notes the pendulum swing from the 1960s, when students pushed for excluding ROTC at Columbia, to now, when they are pushing for its return

Pres. Bollinger Weighs In on ROTC Debate

26 September 2008 Columbia spectator article "Pres. Bollinger Weighs In on ROTC Debate".  Note:  Rajat Roy, SEAS ’10 and a University senator for the Engineering Student Council, "said that if [undergraduate] students don’t support the return of NROTC, senators representing them won’t consider it. But he pointed out that graduate students and their senators also have the option of raising the issue to the senate."

Exciting New Details About the NROTC Forums

26 September 2008 BWOG blog item "Exciting New Details About the NROTC Forums".  Note:  The blog of The Blue and White, Columbia's undergraduate magazine, reports that Student Councils will be encouraging the pro- and con- sides on the ROTC to organize and self-select a total of six students who would be representing them at the Columbia and Barnard forums slated for late October.

Lee Bollinger's Policy

26 September 2008 Power Line blog item "Lee Bollinger's Policy".  Note:  The item denounces as sophistry Columbia President Lee Bollinger's reference to the "Don't ask, don't tell" federal law as a "policy of the Defense Department".  It is unclear, however, whether Bollinger was intentionally misleading or just echoing the misleading title of the federal law which refers to itself as "Policy concerning homosexuality in the armed forces".

Letter from American Council of Trustees and Alumni

26 September 2008 Letter from American Council of Trustees and Alumni president Ann D. Neal to the trustees of Columbia University calling for the trustees to reconsider Columbia's ban on ROTC.  Similar letters were sent to the governing boards of Harvard, Yale, Brown and Stanford.

Student Councils Plan To Hold Forums on NROTC

25 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Student Councils Plan To Hold Forums on NROTC".  Note:  The student councils will host an open meeting on 26 September to plan forums addressing the possible return of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps.  "University Provost Alan Brinkley said that he personally would have no problems with ROTC if it repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. But, Brinkley added, the issue may be moot. “It’s very unlikely that ROTC would choose to come back to Columbia because there is just not enough interest in that to justify multiple ROTC units in the city,” he said."  It is not clear whether the contention that DADT is something other than a federal law was made by the Provost or assumed by Spectator.

Statement Regarding ROTC and the Campus

25 September 2008 Columbia University Office of the President "Statement Regarding ROTC and the Campus" by President Lee C. Bollinger.  Note: President Bollinger points out that students already have some ROTC opportunities available at other area colleges, and that current military policy is to aggregate ROTC programs so as to achieve proper scale.  He concludes "it is not at all clear whether a change of policy would have any impact on the current practice of having our students travel to one of the other campus ROTC sites, as do virtually all other students at New York area colleges and many others across the nation."

PrezBo Speaks On ROTC

25 September 2008 BWOG blog item "PrezBo Speaks On ROTC".  Note:  The blog of The Blue and White, Columbia's undergraduate magazine, comments on Columbia President Lee Bollinger's email to the Columbia community about the ROTC issue.  The blog item observes "unfortunately for the NROTC planners, the email also shows that PrezBo has not been paying attention to their efforts. Contrary to Bollinger's claim, there is no Naval ROTC program for Columbia students."  However, this is not correct since President Bollinger did not claim that there is currently a Naval ROTC opportunity for Columbia students; he merely neglected to point out that existing ROTC opportunities are limited to Army and Air Force programs.  Furthermore, making the claim that Bollinger has ignored the Navy part of the issue would require knowledge of all his deliberations, an assertion that is not credible.

Bollinger Defends Campus ROTC Ban in Email

25 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Bollinger Defends Campus ROTC Ban in Email".  Note:  Spectator quotes from President Bollinger's email to the Columbia community about the ROTC issue, which did not mention Naval ROTC specifically, and noted that "student leaders have said they want to deal specifically with NROTC because, unlike other branches of ROTC, it's not an option for Columbia students."

ROTC Public Forums Announced

24 September 2008 BWOG blog item "ROTC Public Forums Announced".  Note:  The blog of The Blue and White, Columbia's undergraduate magazine, published the email from Adil Ahmed CC'09, Columbia College Student Council Vice President for Policy, announcing plans for public forums on ROTC.

Legislate Slow, Homie

24 September 2008 Columbia Spectator Op-ed "Legislate Slow, Homie" by Adil Ahmed CC'09.  Note:  The Columbia College Student Council Vice President for Policy explains the rationale for a student survey on ROTC before the matter is taken up again by the University Senate: "If the survey shows that most students do not support the Navy ROTC, the senate will not even consider it. If there is overwhelming support, then it will surely take precedence on the senate’s agenda."

ROTC Meetings Opening to All Groups; Senators Pushed Out

22 September 2008 BWOG blog item "ROTC Meetings Opening to All Groups; Senators Pushed Out".  Note:  The blog of The Blue and White, Columbia's undergraduate magazine, discusses the process by which student councils are to decide on an ROTC referendum.

Will Ivy League Embrace R.O.T.C. Again?

19 September 2008 Christian Science Monitor article "Will Ivy League Embrace R.O.T.C. Again?".  Note:  The article notes that although it is unlikely that many Ivy League graduates would enter ROTC programs, "the impact on the military, and on the East Coast elite that still struggles with military service, would be enormous".

Attempting to Approach Controversial ROTC Referendum, Student Leaders Wonder Who Should Have a Say

18 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Attempting to Approach Controversial ROTC Referendum, Student Leaders Wonder Who Should Have a Say".  Note:  "The newest push to revisit the ROTC policy was spurred by engineering students who have expressed frustration that the naval ROTC—a route, they say, to recouping college loans—doesn’t operate a program in Manhattan.

Statement on NROTC

18 September 2008 Columbia University College Democrats "Statement on NROTC".  Note:  The statement says that NROTC "has no place in our community or on our campus" as long as the "Don't ask, don't tell" law is in place, and brands the law, passed by a Democratic Congress and signed by President Clinton, as unconstitutional.

ESC Views Proposal For ROTC Referendum

16 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "ESC Views Proposal For ROTC Referendum".  Note:  "A student-referendum protocol that would allow students to vote to express their opinions on controversial issues made its way through the Engineering Student Council Monday night with some resistance."

Columbia Students May Vote on ROTC

15 September 2008 New York Sun article "Columbia Students May Vote on ROTC".  Note:  The article reports that a vote to hold "a student-wide referendum about whether the military program should be allowed ... could come as early as this week."  The article also described the reaction of 7,500 people watching video feed of the 11 September presidential candidate forum at Columbia.  "Mr. McCain was booed by students when he voiced his opposition to the ban, but that when Mr. Obama expressed a similar sentiment, the crowd had a different response.  "Almost everyone's expecting him to say no, because he's on our side, right? So then you heard him say 'yes' and everyone's mouths opened in stunned silence. It was absolutely priceless," Mr. Hirsch said."

CCSC Unveils Student Referendum Process

15 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "CCSC Unveils Student Referendum Process".  Note:  A committee will look into ways to do online surveys of students to gauge approval for matters such as return of ROTC to Columbia.

Obama Flip-Flops on ROTC

15 September 2008 Columbia Spectator op-ed article "Obama Flip-Flops on ROTC" by Hannah Jones.  Note:  The writer, a Columbia College senior, argued that Senator Obama was wrong to suggest that Columbia students don't have a choice about serving in ROTC because they are free to do ROTC off campus and support ROTC verbally on campus.

Duty, Honor, Country… and Columbia: Bringing back the ROTC

15 September 2008 National Review article "Duty, Honor, Country… and Columbia: Bringing back the ROTC" by David J. Feith.  Note:  Feith, a senior at Columbia, recalled the hosting of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by Columbia in 2007.  "The value of engaging with Ahmadinejad, [Columbia President Lee] Bollinger argued, outweighed the costs of sharing a prestigious podium with a murderer of gays (not to mention American troops). Maybe the experience has led Bollinger, who in 2005 voted to uphold the ROTC ban, to reconsider the costs and benefits of sharing a campus with ROTC cadets and drill instructors."

Obama: Right on ROTC

15 September 2008 New Republic column "Obama: Right on ROTC " by Marty Peretz.  Note:  The Editor-In-Chief  wrote that Senator Obama's support for ROTC at the 11 September presidential candidate forum at Columbia "did not surprise me at all. It is an expression of his understanding the essentials of democratic life. That we need a military is axiomatic. That we need a bright and curious military follows from this first principle."  Peretz also wants to know what Senators McCain and Obama think of the "don't ask, don't tell" law.

Student Councils and Groups Meeting to Hold Referendum on ROTC

14 September 2008 BWOG blog item "Student Councils and Groups Meeting to Hold Referendum on ROTC".  Note:  The blog of The Blue and White, Columbia's undergraduate magazine, reports that "representatives from the CC, GS, and SEAS student councils, in conjunction with SGB, the College Democrats, CQA, CPU, the Hamilton Society, and the College Republicans, have been meeting since school began to discuss plans for a student referendum on the return of Naval ROTC to campus."

Obama and McCain v. Ivy League

13 September 2008 Wall Street Journal editorial "Obama and McCain v. Ivy League".  Note:  The Journal described the boos in the audience at the 11 September presidential candidate forum when Senator McCain called for lifting the ban on ROTC at Columbia and the "silence when crowd favorite Mr. Obama (Columbia '83) called the ban "a mistake"".  The editorial asked "if a bipartisan rebuke on ROTC is enough to shame Columbia and the other Ivies into changing their dishonorable act".  See letters on 27 September.

ROTC and the Ivies: The presidential candidates agree that the de facto ban by elite universities should end

13 September 2008 Washington Post editorial "ROTC and the Ivies: The presidential candidates agree that the de facto ban by elite universities should end."  Note:  The Post observes that "the restoration of ROTC at the Ivies might help reconnect two important American subcultures -- elite academia and the military officer corps -- that have grown apart"

Despite Campaign Halt, Event Focuses on Political Issues

12 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Despite Campaign Halt, Event Focuses on Political Issues".  Note:  The article discussed the pro-ROTC statements by Senators McCain and Obama at the 11 September presidential candidate forum at Columbia and interviewed Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden after the event, who agreed that ROTC should be a choice on campus. “I think that there should be ROTC on campus. No one has to show up and sign up. Just as I defended this University’s right to invite Ahmadinejad, regardless of how bad that judgment may have been, how can you say that there should not be an ROTC group here?"

School of War

12 September 2008 WNYC Brian Lehrer show "School of War".  Note: The show played the audio clip of Senator Obama's answer on ROTC at the 11 September presidential candidate forum.  Scott Jaschik, the editor of Inside Higher Education, noted Senator Obama's opposition to the "Don't ask, don't tell" law and observed that "if Obama were able to execute all of his plans, the opposition of many on campus to ROTC units might also evaporate".  He added that "some people are arguing that American society would benefit if more military leaders were educated at places like Columbia".  Robert McCaughey, professor of history at Barnard College and a former naval officer responded to

Obama, All Talk, No Action on Bringing ROTC Back to Campus

12 September 2008 National Review "Campaign spot" item "Obama, All Talk, No Action on Bringing ROTC Back to Campus" by Jim Geraghty.  Note:  Geraghty noted Senator Obama's pro-ROTC remarks at the 11 September presidential candidate forum and wrote "it would have helped if the senior lecturer/professor had ever said or done something about it while he was teaching at the University of Chicago, which kicked ROTC off campus during the Vietnam War ... The University's student newspaper has opined in favor of bringing back ROTC."

Serendipity and ROTC

12 September 2008 Critical Mass blog item "Serendipity and ROTC" by Erin O'Connor.  Note:  O'Connor argues that "the place to protest DADT, which the majority of us can easily see is misguided and wrong, is not ROTC. It would be a great, great thing to see Columbia decide to re-open the ROTC question, not only out of respect for all kinds of service, not only out of respect for Columbia students' desire to see ROTC return, but also out of respect for students' intelligence and freedom of choice."

Fox's Williams falsely suggested Obama has changed position in now supporting ROTC on campuses

12 September 2008 Media Matters for America article "Fox's Williams falsely suggested Obama has changed position in now supporting ROTC on campuses".  Note:  The left-of-center media watch group documents that Senator Obama took an approach to ROTC in a 15 January Democratic presidential debate that was similar to the position that he took at the 11 September ServiceNation forum at Columbia University.

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.