With little debate, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences overwhelmingly approved a motion yesterday urging the Board of Trustees to discontinue the College's Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
The vote came in the second half of yesterday's faculty meeting. It followed a speech by Dean of Faculty James Wright about the ways to "preserve and enhance" Dartmouth's unique status as an institution that combines aspects of both a college and a university.
Speaking to more than 100 faculty members in attendance, Wright mentioned the need for more competitive faculty compensation, new facilities for the Mathematics and Psychology departments and the continuation of efforts to encourage the development of the sciences at Dartmouth.
ROTC
After Wright's 30-minute speech, Religion Professor Hans Penner, the chair of the agenda committee, presented the motion calling for the discontinuation of ROTC in April.
The motion said ROTC is inconsistent with the College's equal opportunity principle because homosexuals cannot openly display their sexuality without fear of being removed from the program.
The College's equal opportunity principle states, "Dartmouth does not discriminate on the basis on race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran in its programs, organizations and conditions of employment or admission."
In 1991, the Trustees said they would discontinue the ROTC program in two years if the Defense Department did not change its policy prohibiting homosexuals from serving in the military.
"In 1991 the Trustees took a moral stance that the support, direct or indirect, that the College gives to the ROTC program violates our commitment to equal opportunity," English Professor Peter Saccio said.
Encouraged by President Bill Clinton's promise to allow homosexuals in the military, the Board last year decided to extend the two-year deadline until this April.
But Saccio said the Congressional compromise passed last summer, which allows homosexuals to serve in the military but requires them to keep their sexual orientations and practices quiet, is still at odds with the College's policy.
"Twice the Trustees have delayed action in hopes that the issue would be resolved by the political process at the federal level," Saccio said. "No longer should Dartmouth sacrifice its own ethical position."
Saccio was one of three faculty members who spoke in support of the motion. He said the ROTC program provided few benefits to the students or the College.
Religion Professor Susan Ackerman told the faculty that if they did not pass the ROTC motion, then they would be demonstrating to students that it is acceptable to not adhere to the College's principles.
Ackerman pointed to an almost-unanimous Student Assembly vote last term asking the Trustees to continue the ROTC program at Dartmouth.
"At least these members of the Student Assembly have come to believe that segments like the principles of equal opportunity are not principles, but only guidelines," Ackerman said.
In a voice vote, only two faculty members sided against the motion. College President James Freedman said the Board will take notice of the faculty's position.
"I know that the Board has always been very sensitive to the faculty's views," Freedman said. Freedman noted that it is hard to predict the results of the Board's vote because five new members have joined it since the discussion of ROTC in 1991.
WRIGHT
In his speech, Wright spoke about Dartmouth's competition with other Ivy League schools for top students and faculty and said the College should be proud of the results.
He said in order to "preserve and enhance" Dartmouth's academic position, the College must find ways to increase faculty salaries and other forms of compensation.
"I believe that faculty who contribute significantly to the scholarship of their field and who sustain and enhance our institutional strength need to be assured, independent of individual market factors, that Dartmouth values them," Wright said.
He also told faculty members that differences in departmental salaries did not mean that one department was more valued than another. Instead, he said market forces determined compensation.
"Budgets reflect costs, not value," Wright said. "Money is not a report card proclaiming their relative worth to Dartmouth."
Wright said the College also needs more academic facilities and recommended the construction of a new classroom building north of Baker Library.
The faculty applauded Wright when he mentioned constructing new Psychology and Math buildings to replace Bradley and Gerry Halls.
Wright talked extensively about the need to enhance science programs at the College, both at the undergraduate and graduate level.
"The challenge for us is to improve our record in the sciences but not at the expense of failing to meet the needs of our programs in the humanities and social sciences," he said.
