The HRPC does not challenge Harvard's right to invite a member of the Military Services to give a course on military or foreign policy. But in the case of the ROTC programs, Harvard is not inviting an individual whom it feels is an expert on military history and policy, but rather is inviting the Defense Department to establish Departments of Military Science, Naval Science and Aerospace Studies and to staff them with military personnel who are to serve a tour of duty for the express purpose of training future officers.

In the normal Harvard appointment procedure, a group of experts in the field (most of whom are not Harvard Faculty members) judge the qualifications of an individual after an Academic Department has recommended him for tenure. In the case of ROTC appointments, the instructor is recommended by the Defense Department, and Harvard may only approve or disapprove the selection.

It seems obvious that Harvard never meant to and never did establish the Departments of Military Science, Naval Science, and Aerospace Studies with the full privileges of Academic Departments. All candidates for the A.B. degree must complete at least 13 1/2 non-ROTC course, all Faculty appointments for ROTC personnel are non-tenured, and ROTC Departments may not recommend degrees. Further, it seems that the ROTC Units view themselves at ROTC Units,not as Harvard Departments. Harvard has never entrusted the ROTC Units with the full privileges of an Academic Department, nor should it. An externally controlled body which pursues military training goals within the credit structure of the liberal arts program is incompatible with the liberal arts spirit. Credit courses on military matters must be given within the regular structure of Harvard rather than within the military structure of the ROTC Units.

The ROTC Units clearly hold a special status within Harvard. The HRPC recommends that the ROTC status be modified by withdrawing academic credit for ROTC course offerings. This recommendation is not meant to challenge the existence of ROTC programs at Harvard. We do feel, however, that change in the present status is necessary if ROTC is to remain at Harvard and its existence not contradict the basic educational principles of the liberal arts institution.

Withdrawal of Credit

THE PUBLIC LAW requires only that 1) the senior officer of each ROTC Unit hold the rank of full Professor 2) that course offerings be included in Harvard's curriculum and 3) that Harvard and the ROTC Units meet all the stipulations of the contracts between Harvard and the Secretaries of the participating Military Services. The withdrawal of academic credit would not specifically challenge the law, but would challenge the stipulations of the contracts. At the joint consent of Harvard and the Military Services, the contracts could legally be modified.

In accordance with paragraph two of Section 2102, a separate contract is made between Harvard and the Secretary of each Military Service participating in the ROTC program. Among the conditions required by contract, but not specifically by law, are the following:

* Harvard is to establish each ROTC Unit as an academic and administrative Department.

* Harvard is to grant credit toward a degree for completion for ROTC courses.

* While the law requires that ROTC courses be include in the Harvard curriculum and be prescribed and conducted by the Secretaries of the Military Services, the Army contract alone specifies that the Military may prescribe and conduct their courses only with Faculty approval.

* Harvard has the right to approve or disapprove of the assignment of any ROTC instructor and to request the removal of any instructor for just cause.

* The Naval contract specifies that the NROTC Professor be given a place on Harvard's major administrative board and receive the same privileges as other Department heads. The Army contract requires that a member of the Department of Military Science be given a seat on any Faculty committee whose jurisdiction includes ROTC.

* Harvard should, in general, promote the programs' purposes, and aid the Units in meeting maintenance quotas, and to encourage students in the programs of complete those programs.

If credit for ROTC courses were withdrawn, what would become of ROTC at Harvard? There is no specific legal requirement that ROTC courses be granted academic credit towards the A.B. degree. Though the contracts specify that academic credit is to be granted, there is no legal reason why the contracts cannot be amended. It has in fact proved possible to amend the Army contract to waive, in a given year and with the permission of the Secretary of the Army, the requirement that 100 members be enrolled in the basic course whenever the basic course is given.

It is difficult to determine how the Military Services would respond to the withdrawal of credit. According to information presented by the Harvard Undergraduate Council in its fact sheet, Major Folk of Air Force ROTC "was of the opinion that a loss of academic credit would mean a loss of prestige and participation, and the eventual withdrawal of AFROTC."