Columbia University to Vote on Allowing Military Training Program on Campus

[Chris_]

Columbia University to Vote on Allowing Military Training Program on Campus

NEW YORK —  Columbia University students will vote this week on whether to bring the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps back to Columbia's New York City campus after a 40-year ban.

The Naval recruiting and training program, known as NROTC, offer scholarships in exchange for a commitment to serve. Currently, there are no NROTC cadets at Columbia University.

"There is no Naval ROTC option in Manhattan. The closest option is SUNY Maritime which is not accessible to Columbia students," said Austin Byrd, a junior at Columbia University and a United States Marine Corps officer candidate.

Columbia's ban includes ROTC for all military branches, but this week's vote determines the future of NROTC programs because Columbia students who are Air Force and Army cadets have access to programs at nearby universities.

*snip*

That ban stood until 2005 when Columbia students voted to invite ROTC back. But the University Senate — an advisory group made up of faculty and students — upheld the ban, saying it would stay as long as the Department of Defense continued with its "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy barring homosexuals from openly serving in the military.

Senators, it was reported at the time, felt this policy was inconsistent with the universities' non-discrimination code.

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Ah yes.  Liberals talk about tolerance, freedom and choice, but when it comes to anything they don't like, they do everything they can to ban it for everyone.   

[thundley4]

I still believe that any school that does this should forgo all federal money, which would include government backed loans and grants to students.

[Chris_]

I still believe that any school that does this should forgo all federal money, which would include government backed loans and grants to students.

Yup.  That's how the Feds made the states go to 55 mph speed limits years ago.  They told them they could keep their 75mph limits, but would give up the fed hwy money also.