Other ROTC participants agree.

"It's a farce to say that the University is paying for ROTC," says Brian J. Shortsleeve '95, who is in Marine Corps ROTC. "It pays out $133,000 per year and brings in about $500,000 in scholarships from it."

Non-financial support

Another question Rudenstine's report leaves intentionally vague is the fate of non-financial ROTC support.

This includes symbolically-charged gestures like allowing ROTC cadets to use Harvard facilities for commissioning ceremonies and listing ROTC graduates in Commencement Day publications.

Rudenstine's statement does not mention these activities. The Verba report recommends that Harvard end all non-financial support of ROTC.

If Harvard continues to allow such non-financial support, ROTC opponents say, it will violate the University's non-discrimination policy.

Verba says that despite Rudenstine's silence on the issue, he has faith the University would end the non-financial backing.

"My guess is the University will follow our recommendation, but I'm not certain," Verba says. "Our committee recommended removing all support by the University and [not doing so] would, I think, be inconsistent [with Harvard's non-discriminatory policy]."

Gerace says his group will likely call for a firm policy against the non-financial support.

"I expect that the Committee to End Discrimination by Harvard will release a statement early next week asking [the Faculty] to implement the recommendations of the Verba committee that relate to commissioning ceremonies, the listing of ROTC graduates in commencement day publications and the notification to all prospective and current students of ROTC's discriminatory practices," Gerace says.

It is unclear whether FAS or the Corporation actually has the power to change the Commencement procedure, but students who oppose Harvard's ties to ROTC argue that it is the University's responsibility to change the policy, no matter who has the final word.

Even as ROTC opponents call the Rudenstine plan a promise to continue University support for a program that discriminates against gays, the president writes that he does not condone the military's policies on homosexuals.

"We should, however, take another step toward making clear that Harvard's continued involvement with ROTC does not imply University endorsement of the present federal policy toward ROTC service by gay and lesbian students," the report says.

But for Gerace and other activists, the report's recommended actions--or lack thereof--speak louder than Rudenstine's protestations.

"The University does not need to imply endorsement of ROTC," Gerace says. "It explicitly gives its support through the payment of the MIT fee."