Students Ask Changes For Navy ROTC

Students unhappy with the burden-some course requirements in the Navy ROTC program at Harvard are organizing to petition within the next month for changes in the program.

Airing the grievances of the group, Stephen C. Johnson '64 said yesterday that because the Navy requires seven half courses, "many must take NROTC as a fifth class that often takes just as much time as a regular course."

He noted that in the past several years both the Air Force and the Army have attempted to lessen the burden on cadets by reducing to four the number of required courses.

Few Recruits

It was because of the difference in course loads, Johnson contends, that the NROTC recruited only seven new members this fall, while the Army ROTC got more than 30. "Freshmen frequently told us they didn't have enough time to join our program," he said.

Johnson said that the group will probably recommend that some courses be "streamlined" and other eliminated entirely.

Capt. Edward A. Rodgers, director of the NROTC program here, said that he would "weigh carefully" any suggestions the students make. Although he has no power to reduce the course load, Rogers said he would "send through channels" any suggestions regarding curricula that have merit.

Changes Doubtful

He said, however, that any changes were doubtful because of the "special concept" of the ROTC program in the Navy. "The NROTC gives enough training that graduates are immediately employable in active duty, while the other services require special camp after graduation," he said.

Capt. Rodgers said he did not feel that the course requirements in NROTC were too heavy. He added that he checked the percentage of NROTC students graduating with honors last spring and found it to be almost identical with the College average.

He said that the slight drop in number of recruits this year was due to the recent draft exemption for married men.