Inside Senate Rejects Motion for ROTC Ultimatum
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CTHE TUFTS DAILY1 Medford. MA 02155 Tuesdav. October 16.1990 Vol XXI. Number 26 Mayer defends DOD anti-gay policy Senate rejects motion by CONSTANTINE ATHANAS “I’ve already talked to the analogy did not hold because Senior Staff Writer Trustees about this and there is sexual preference does not affect for ROTC ultimatum President Jean Mayer said not going to be any action,” Mayer a person’s ability as a soldier. Sunday that the University will said. After Mayer spoke, the Senate Mayer also said that ROTC Urges letters to Defense Department continue to accept Reserve Offi- approvedan alternate motion that can be compared to any other by CONSTANTINE ATHANAS cer Training Corps scholarships called for a letter writing cam- extracurricularactivity, since the senior staff writu despite the Department of De- paign to the Defense Department. participating students receive no The Tufts Community Union fense’s exclusionary policy to- In his speech before discus- grade or credit, but added that the Senate passed a resolution Sun- ward gays, lesbians, and bisexu- sion of the motion, Mayer said “fact that it paystheir tuition is an day supporting the continuance als. that the University “did not cre- added benefit.” of Rmeofficer Training Corps During Sunday’s meeting of ate the policies of the Depart- In response, Pansing pointed scholarships at Tufts and calling the Tufts Community Union ment of Defense... and the deci- out that the University has a non- on members of the community to Senate, Mayer fielded questions sion of the University is to stay discrimination policy that con- explore ways to combat the De- from senators and concerned stu- out of this.” flicts with the policy of theROTC fense Department’s policy against dents, discussing several issues The University currently ac- program. gays in the military. cepts scholarships for ROTC Senators and from both P including the social policy, the Mayer discusses social policy students future of the crew team and a cadets, but Tufts eliminated the Senator Harlan Tenenbaum said ROTC and the Tufts Lesbian, Gay, Senate resolution regarding the program after a faculty vote in that Tufts is not doing its best to and Bisexual Community wran- ROTC program. 1969. Tufts ROTC cadets receive provide “a happy atmosphere” gled for more than two hours over . When asked for his personal their training at the Massachu- for the student body and asked the harm of the discriminatory opinion on discrimination against setts Institute for Technology. Mayer what the Administration policy and the importance of the gays in the military, Mayer said Mayer said ROTC is not really plans to do to increase campus ROTC aid offered to students. “there is something to be said discriminatory, but weeds students activities. Last week, Senator Wally Photo by Denise Drowe about the policy and something out of the selection process on a Mayer said one of the major Pansing proposed a motion to the ROTC member Doug Atkins to be said against it.” qualification basis. problems about the social life Senate that would have called on Pansing said. He said that the possibility of As a comparison, he said that across the nation’s campuses is the University to put forth a two- During the open forum por- sexual attraction among the ranks though his height prevents him alcohol-related incidents. “Your year deadline for the Defense tion of the meeting, TLGBC would be ruinous to morale, add- from playing basketball for the generation seems to think they Department to revoke its present member Sharon Wachsler read a ing that he would not oppose a Celtics, he does not consider can’t have a good time without policy of discrimination. If the TLGBC press release stating the policy barring women and homo- himself discriminated against. drinking,” he said. department had not withdrawn its group’s unified support of a pro- -4,’ sexuals from command positions Tufts Lesbian, Gay, and Bi- Mayer said that he finds prob- policy after two years, the Uni- posal to change the discrimina- during wartime. sexual Community member See MAYER, page 6 versity would have stopped ac- tory policy of the Defense De- “When you’re in a war, the Wayne Hoffman said that Mayer ’s cepting ROTC scholarships. partment. most important thing is to win the Pansing’s motion was defeated Wachsler said that support for war. Anything deleterious to lead- and the alternate motion, proposed a motion to banROTC is a“moral ership should not be allowed,” by Senator Carl Hrycyszyn and imperative,” not just a fiscal matter Mayer said. calling for a letter-writing cam- concerning financial aid. She said Mayer said that if he had had paign, passed 16-9-1. that the TLGBC is not anti-ROTC, women in his infantry unit during Pansing said that “it was really but is against the Defense De- the time he was an officer in terrible” that the Senate Dassed partment’sdiscriminatorypolicy, World War 11, he would not have Hry-c-yszyrfs lmtiolT- 4h&egroupwould like to see sentthem intoasituationin which called it “completely worthless.” abolished. they had a 90 percent chance of “In my original speech I cov- Also during the open forum, losing their life. ered every objection they had -- ROTC member Doug Atkins spoke “I would not have treated apparently they weren’t listen- in favor of the ROTC program. women the same way as I treated ing ... passing Carl’s [Hrycyszyn] He said that banning ROTC at 1my men,” he said. motion was a token vote of confi- see SENATE, page 5 Mayer’s statements preceded dence to the gay community,” ?- discussion of a resolution pro- posed by Senator Wally Pansing. The motion, scheduled to be dis- Photo by Denise Drower Students plan protest cussed later at the meeting, called University President Jean Mayer, speaking about the Defense on the University to threaten to Department’s policy barring gays from the military said ‘When of Barnum and Bailev stop accepting ROTC scholarships you’re in a war, the most important thing is to win the war. 4 in two years if the discriminatory Anything deleterious to leadership should not be allowed.” by KRIS MUFFLER tion, based in Somerville. CEASE policy remains in effect. Dailv Editorial Board is expected to send 10 to 15 people to join ARM tomorrow night. ARM posted flyers on campus last week to promote the issue of circus animals. The fliers pro- tested the captivity of animals and read, ‘The greatest show on earth... is not so great for the animals.” “There is simply no justifica- tion for animal entertainment; it doesn’t even provide food, re- search results or warmth,” Vile said. The organization, which Vile co-founded in the fall of 1987, has organized other campaigns in the past few years involving ani- mal rights, Vile said. Some of these projects included an Ani- mal Awareness week with lec- Committee. “The big thing that is current Problems facing the world ARM President Kim Ockene tures on different aspects of the Inside happening in the world is the CommUitY,’’ he said. said that the group organized the issues and a series of films about op-Ed p. 3 reconciliation of the superpow- ~~eptfiVeY-,theso~~protest after hearing the circus animals. ............................ ers.” Union has agreed to reduce nu- was coming to Boston. In addition, ARM sponsored a Finally, someone besides a member “If you will read the text you of the Administration defends the Ad- clear and c~~~ntionalarmed “Our group felt that it just wasn’t regional conference in 1988 that ministration’spsition on budget cuts. will see we are tallring mainly forces, settle regiona1 right to use animals as entertain- representatives of many New about international policy,” she conflictsinAfrica,AsiaandLatin ment,” she said. “These animals England colleges attended. The FeaturedAr .................... p.7 said. Americas and its forces endure horrible living conditions, program included workshops, Consolidated sends a message to The committee’s citation said from Afghanism. harsh treatment to get them to films and speakers,Vilesaid. Last some unsuspecting music fans and the the ‘‘WOpes (GhCheV) my leaders praised perform tricks, and they are taken year there was an Exploration Boston Ballet fails to impress. has brought about in Soviet soci- the award, but Several said they from jungles at a rapid rate. It’s a class taught to freshmen on this ety has also helped promote inter- hoped it would lead to even fnOre horrible life.” issue. Sports......................... pp. 8-9 national trust” freedom in the Soviet Union. Ockene said that ARM would “It’s an ignored issue,” Vile The elements got the best of the Jum- The committee said Gorbachev “If thisprize contributes to *e be joined by another local animal said. “If people knew, they’d want bos as they wentdown in defeat in every had made many contributions to see NOBEL, page rights group, the Coalition to End it to stop.” She said that all are _game they played. the “dramatic changes” in East- Animal Suffering and Exploita- welcome to join the protest. THE TUFTS DAILY Tuesdav. October 16.1990 rHE TUFTSDAIL’J Letters to the Editor Lauren Keefe Administration does we are heard. per semester are taught by instructors in Editor-in-Chief the department. This feat is accomplished not protect everyone Tom Clark A’9 1 on a shoestring budget consisting of only Managing Editor: Anna George Laura DuBrule A’92 one full-time professor. This is cost effi- To the Editor: Associate Editors: Geoff Lepr, David Saltzman . Jere Halligan A’9 1 ciency at its best. If our government was 'reduction Managers: Beth Geller. Markus Muelle Speaking before the Tufts Community Union Senate on Sunday, Oct.