The Prospects for ROTC

This unsigned article is from the first issue of Prospect, the magazine of Concerned Alumni of Princeton. Dated Oct. 9, 1972, it is one of the rare mentions of ROTC in the publication.

Annual giving swelled this year. A number of alumni thinking all was well at Princeton, decided to return to the fold. ROTC was coming back and things were looking up. but alumni had not counted on a weak administration, and unfortunately, board of trustees, and their response to campus protests by a small group of radicals. Last spring the University Action Group, a child of SDS, was looking for an issue so that it could again become a "viable" campus group. Although they never rallied more than three hundred people in front of Nassau Hall, the trustees ordered the student life committee to hold an open meeting and hear complaints.

After the committee made its report, the Board decided in June 21 meeting to honor the already signed contract with the Army. The Daily Princetonian reported that Rudenstine had said "campus opinion was the primary issue," meaning that the Trustees were being swayed by referenda of the faculty, students and the University Council, calling for deferrment (sic) of ROTC. Last spring, negotiations were cut off with the Navy and Air Force; an impasse had been reached with the former but there was a "real chance" according to Rudenstine that the Air Force would return.

Since the contract that was signed with the Army allows a one-year notice of cancellation, the University could again throw ROTC off the campus. Thus, the trustees will conduct another major review of the ROTC, with the final? decision coming later this year.

President Bowen announced that John Doar '44, will chair the review committee, aided by Stephen Ailes '33, Eugene Y. Lowe '71, and Phillip H. Schaff Jr. '42. Past experience dictates that the trustees accepted any recommendation given by a study committee. Knowing that, one alumnus commented, "It looks like the deck has been stacked against ROTC." Prospect: will present in future issues information regarding the progress of the committee and Concerned Alumni of Princeton will take an active role in voicing alumni opinion on the matter.

Some radical students were gloating over the report that only nine students were joining ROTC as of September 6, when the Princetonian published its first issue. But the Prince later reported that the membership rolls had risen to 21 and that a total of 50 students had inquired about ROTC It is apparent that interest has not died away on campus ­— and certainly not among the alumni body. The battle isn't over yet. It is not this fact that is most upsetting; it is that there is now a battle at all.