Report of the Task Force on Military Engagement
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Report of the Task Force on Military Engagement March 4, 2011 Submitted to the University Senate for Review and Commentary Task Force on Military Engagement Ron Mazor, CC ’09, Law ’12, Co-Chair Roosevelt Montas, Associate Dean, Center for the Core Curriculum, Co-Chair James H. Applegate, Professor of Astronomy Peter J. Awn, Dean of the School of General Studies Mollie A. Finkel, Nursing ’12 Alexander C. Frouman, CC ’12 Julia B. Hirschberg, Professor of Computer Science K. Scott Saverance, SIPA ’11 Tim T. Qin, Engineering ’13 Contents 1 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 4 2 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Mandate ...................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Description of the Reserve Officers Training Corps ................................................... 5 2.3 History of ROTC at Columbia ................................................................................... 6 2.3.1 Pre-1968 ................................................................................................................ 6 2.3.2 1969 Mansfield Committee (a.k.a. The Joint Committee on NROTC) ................ 7 2.3.3 1974-1976 Tien Special Committee ....................................................................... 8 2.3.4 2003 Survey ........................................................................................................... 9 2.3.5 2004-2005 Senate Task Force ................................................................................ 9 2.3.6 2008 Referendum ................................................................................................. 11 2.4 Description of Process ............................................................................................... 11 2.4.1 Task Force Formation ......................................................................................... 11 2.4.2 Hearings ............................................................................................................... 12 2.4.3 Survey .................................................................................................................. 13 2.4.4 Statements ........................................................................................................... 13 3 Major Findings ................................................................................................................ 14 3.1 Summary of Student Survey ..................................................................................... 14 3.2 Issue Summaries of Hearings and Statements ........................................................... 17 3.2.1 Discrimination ..................................................................................................... 17 3.2.2 Views of the Military ........................................................................................... 18 3.2.3 Opportunity and Diversity .................................................................................. 18 3.2.4 Financial Considerations ..................................................................................... 19 3.2.5 Intellectual Diversity and Academic Freedom .................................................... 19 3.3 Current Military Engagement at Columbia .............................................................. 20 3.3.1 Yellow Ribbon Program (Veterans) .................................................................... 20 3.3.2 Military Recruiting .............................................................................................. 20 3.3.3 Academic Programs ............................................................................................. 21 3.3.4 Military Research ................................................................................................ 22 3.4 ROTC at Peer Schools .............................................................................................. 22 3.4.1 Brown University ................................................................................................ 22 3.4.2 Cornell University ............................................................................................... 22 3.4.3 Dartmouth College .............................................................................................. 22 3.4.4 Harvard University / Massachusetts Institute of Technology ............................ 22 3.4.5 Princeton University (excerpted) ........................................................................ 23 3.4.6 University of Pennsylvania .................................................................................. 23 3.4.7 Yale University .................................................................................................... 23 Page 2 of 227 4 Statement of the Task Force ........................................................................................... 24 5 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... 25 Appendices ......................................................................................................................... 26 Appendix I: Structure and Questions of the Student Survey ......................................... 26 Appendix II: Detailed Results of the Student Survey .................................................... 27 Appendix III: Statements Received from Students ......................................................... 35 Appendix IV: Statements Received from Faculty and Staff .......................................... 90 Appendix V: Statements Received from Alumni ........................................................... 107 Appendix VI: Transcript of the Public Hearing of February 7, 2011 ............................ 137 Appendix VII: Transcript of the Public Hearing of February 15, 2011 ......................... 161 Appendix VIII: Transcript of the Public Hearing of February 23, 2011 ....................... 194 Page 3 of 227 1 Executive Summary In the wake of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, the Task Force on Military Engagement was constituted with a mandate to inform the Columbia community and facilitate a debate, with a view toward providing the University Senate with adequate information to revisit policy regarding Columbia’s relationship with the U.S. military, with a particular focus on the question of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. To that end, the Task Force conducted a broad three-pronged process involving public hearings, the receipt and publication of written statements, and a targeted survey. Out of 11,629 eligible students, 2,252 completed the survey. Transcripts of the hearings and the e-mail record can be found in Appendices III-VIII. The hearings and statements frequently touched on issues of discrimination, perceptions of the military, opportunity and diversity, financial considerations, and intellectual diversity and academic freedom. A synopsis of these may be found in Major Findings: Issue Summaries of Hearings and Statements. The opinion survey was administered to students of Columbia College, the undergraduate population in SEAS, the School of General Studies, Barnard College, and the School of International and Public Affairs—schools that have had any level of ROTC participation in the last five years. The survey revealed that 60% of students who responded approved of “a return of ROTC to Columbia’s campuses,” and 79% approved of “Columbia allowing the participation of Columbia students in ROTC, whether on- or off-campus.” Further analysis and full details may be found in Major Findings: Summary of Student Survey. Following deliberations on the findings of the survey and of the statements made during the hearings and received via e-mail, as well as additional study on Columbia’s pre-existing military engagement and ROTC’s implementation at our peer schools, the Task Force unanimously formulated findings and recommendations for the University Senate: Our current relationships with the military enrich the Columbia community. Columbia’s relationship with ROTC is an issue of concern and the matter should be addressed formally by the University Senate at present. Columbia should actively support the endeavors of individual students to participate in ROTC programs, whether on- or off-campus. If ROTC is to return to Columbia, the faculty and Deans must retain full jurisdiction over questions of academic credit, appointments, and governance. The Task Force believes Columbia's non-discrimination policy is deeply important to Columbia’s identity and expresses shared values of fostering a tolerant and open community. Page 4 of 227 2 Introduction 2.1 Mandate The repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” by the United States Congress in December 2010 reopened the question of ROTC’s place at Columbia. The historical debate surrounding this issue and its impact on the University was foundation for the University Senate to organize the Task Force on Military Engagement on December 20, 2010, with the mandate to: Provide a report to the University Senate on campus opinion regarding ROTC. Inform the University community about the basic facts and history surrounding ROTC at Columbia. Facilitate debate and discussion about ROTC at Columbia. 2.2 Description of the Reserve Officers Training Corps The Reserve Officers