ROTC at Harvard

On the Way Out...

October 16, 1968--After more than a week of debate, the 17-member Undergraduate Council recommends withdrawing academic credit form ROTC and abolishing Corporation appointments for ROTC instructors.

December 12--The Faculty of Arts and Sciences cancels a special meeting to discuss ROTC after more than 100 students stage a sit-in at the meeting hall.

February 5, 1969--The Faculty votes 207-125 to withdraw academic credit from all ROTC courses at Harvard. They vote down a proposal that would allow ROTC courses to reapply for credit individually.

February 21--The Corporation approves the Faculty's resolution, but says it will negotiate with the Defense Department to try to keep ROTC on campus.

April 8--300 students storm the grounds around Presdient Nathan M. Pusey '28's house at 17 Quincy Street, demanding the abolition of ROTC on campus.

April 9--More than 400 students take over University Hall, forcibly removing administrators. Three of their six demands deal with ROTC's expulsion from campus.

April 10--Police raid University Hall to remove the protesters. SDS members vote to strike.

April 17--The Faculty votes to remove credit from ROTC and to make it an ordinary extracurricular activity with "no special privilege or facilities." Included in the resolution is a clause specifying that "the University enter into no new contract or informal arrangement that is inconsistent with this principle."

April 28--The Corporation announces it is "fully committed to carrying out in letter and spirit" the Faculty's resolution.

May 7--Navy ends its ROTC program on campus.

May 30--The Corporation's special committee on ROTC says it is impossible for ROTC to play a purely extracurricular role and recommends phasing it out over a two-year period.

July 24--Air Force announces it will terminate its ROTC program.

August 6--Army announces it will terminate its ROTC program at the end of the next year.

...And Back Again

March 21, 1983--In a non-binding vote, the Undergraduate Council endorses a ROTC student support club, Frineds of ROTC, which would allow interested students to promote knowledge of military affairs through publications, seminars and other events.

April 12--The Committee on College Life approves the Friends of ROTC proposal, giving the club the right to use Harvard's name and on-campus meeting spaces.