Petition for Equal Representation and Democratic Reform in the Review of ROTC
After the recent repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy that
discriminated against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
individuals in the military, Columbia University reintroduced the
question of whether ROTC should be allowed back on campus. Literally a
day after the repeal, the Student Affairs Committee of the University
Senate announced that it would be forming a Task Force to oversee this
discussion in the Spring 2011 semester. Despite the Task-force's claim
that its “top priority is that the student voice is heard. Thus, this
will be a student-driven, not a faculty-dominated process,” the process
in which this decision is being made has been unacceptably undemocratic.
Apart from soliciting opinions from a minority of students on campus,
the university has barely provided enough information or time for the
campus to seriously discuss and reflect on what the re-introduction of
ROTC on campus will mean for the Columbia community.
We, the undersigned, demand that:
1) The Columbia
University Administration and the University Senate fully disclose facts
and details related to the effects of bringing ROTC
with regards to off-campus recruitment.
2) All students and faculty at Columbia University be considered to
gauge the opinions of the campus community, not solely students in CC,
BC, SEAS, GS, or SIPA.
3) The opinions of all alumni, not just wealthy potential donors,
be considered if at all by the Senate.
4) There be full disclosure of any negotiations that may have
already
occurred between the military and Columbia administration regarding
ROTC.
5) The Columbia University Administration and the
University Senate postpone the decision on whether ROTC should be
allowed back on campus until the 2011-2012 academic year. This will the
Columbia Community sufficient time to adequately discuss and debate
whether ROTC should be allowed back on campus.
Please include your school affiliation.
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