Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 26, 1969, edition 1 / Page 2
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THE DAILY TARJEL Saturday, April 26, 1969 atlg Star lnl Cadet Answers Cozza's ROTC Queries Page 2 77 Years of Editorial The Purpose A report t proposing the formation of New College to "stress student's interests and development more than subject matter or discipline," was released Thursday by a subcommittee of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Residence Colleges. That proposal is close to the mark in the principles of education which it comprises. "It (New College) will define education as process, not information-as the process of asking questions and seeking answers rather than the accumulation of data," the report stated. The proposal is slated for consideration by the Merzbacher Committee, the administrative Board of the General College, and, ultimately, the Faculty Council. If approved by all three bodies, the proposal calls for implementation of the program by the Fall of 1970. Someone in this University has finally submitted a plan which calls for a program of education in the trih' sense of the word. One is not educated by being programmed, to fit into society, or by learning what history or a particular generation of "scholars" feel one should learn. One is not educated if the values he possesses arc based merely on the experience and values of others. One is educated if his values are his own, if his values are based on his own experiences. A system of education which merely teaches, which does not allow one to learn by following up his own questions cannot be called a system of education in the true sense of the word. Life is inherently meaningless, and our lives can never be meaningful in at least the human sense unless we are allowed to live relatively free lives. Freedom involves a lot of things, one of which is the right to make decisions concerning some basic problems. The curiosity of a small child is quickly perverted, or even destroyed, when it is channeled into legitimate avenues, into established modes of living. There is no we true path, and consequently are all groping about in the dark, trying to find out where we are. A curriculum which helps us establish our own identity is a constructive one. But there is more to the discovery of oneself than merely being programmed. We must be allowed to go off on our own and to discover by trial and error wh.Q and what and where we are. This is the purpose of education. The proposal for the New College is consistent with that purpose. With Integrity Wayne Hurder, a student in this University and a former editor of this newspaper, has, along with 250 other student body presidents and editors, vowed to go to jail rather than submit to draft service in Vietnam. Mr. Hurder and the other student leaders have made a move based on much thought, much courage and much faith. ' We imagine it was with serious consideration of the nature of the war, the draft, and the effectiveness of the American political system that Mr. Hurder came upon his decision. It is a difficult task to Freedom Todd Cohen Chairman J. D. Wilkinson Bobby Newell Dennis Benfield Harvey Elliott Steve Enfield Art Chansky Arlene Jacobson Mike Cozza John Kelly Executive Editor Managing Editor News Editor Arts Editor Associate Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Editorialists Bill Staton Kermit Buckner, Jr. Business Manager Advertising Manager Pete Hatch Night Editor this issue virutally condemn a political system and be willing to face the consequences. Such decisions also involve great courage, the courage to say, "No" to what the majority passes off as Right. It is the courage of the minority in the face of a seemingly blind majority, a majority which happens to have the law on its side. In addition, Mr. Hurder's move was built on faith, the faith that perhaps by some show of thought and courage, by some show of reason and responsibility, change might be brought about where inequity lies. It is the faith, as Mr. Hurder put it, "in the ability of the United States to eventually match her practices with her ideals." Mr. Hurder and the other student leaders have demonstrated a faith in the ideals of this nation, and perceiving practices which deviate from those ideals, have taken a responsible step towards resolving the inconsistency. We can do no less than commend these Americans for their integrity. A Mistake Student Legislature cut the Women's Residence Council's (WRC) budget Thursday night. The WRC had requested $700 to print a Carolina . . JVYq ra en's Handbo ok in co-operation with the Dean of Women's office. Student Legislature refused to appropriate' the WRC funds for a handbook which included women's rules. Joyce Davis, Chairman of WRC, argued for the handbook, saying the Dean of Women's office would pay for the printing of the rules section and the WRC would pay for the "nitty gritty section on facts about the campus and the life of a Carolina woman." But the Legislature believed women do not need a handbook of details about the campus. Men have no such handbook, and the extension of special services to women further imparts an inferior status by assuming they are incapable of caring for themselves, incapable of being independent. The Legislature further contended "neither the WRC nor any other Student Government organization should co-operate with the Dean of Women's office in the printing andor distribution of stringent women's rules which are arbitrarily established by the Administration." We agree with the Student Legislature's action and rationale. Student funds should not be used to print rules dictated by the Administration and with which the students do not agree. But we find questionable the Student Legislature's further action of allocating $400 to the WRC for the printing of polls and other literature. The WRC, in our opinion, has rarely, if ever, represented the women's views or interests on this campus. They have rarely fought for women's rights, but have often begged token rights from the Dean of Women's office. Not until the WRC demonstrates by action that it intends not only to administer polls but also to wage an honest battle so that the women on this campus are not treated as second-class citizens, should it receive funds from Student Legislature. But the WRC has already been allocated $400 by Student Legislature and with that money the WRC can proceed along its accustomed path of ignoring the needs of the women on this campus. By DOxN STREATER As a senior AFROTC Cadet and Corps Commander of the 590th AFROTC Cadet Group, I feel qualified to answer the questions posed by Mr. Cozza in his column of April 18. These questions are recurring ones in the current dialogue about the validity of ROTC and need to be answered. I speak as a student and as a cadet. As a student I value highly the broad education I have gained from the diversified University environment. It is healthy for the nation that people may enter the military from such an educational base. As a cadet, I am grateful to be able to receive officer preparation in the University environment. This provides an officer trainee an invaluable perspective of his role in society as a whole and is one of our best safeguards against militarism. Now to address Mr. Cozza's questions: HOW MUCH CONTROL DOES THE UNIVERSITY HAVE OVER THE QUALIFICATIONS AND HIRING OF ROTC INSTRUCTORS? Air University screens the records of applicants carefully and makes preliminary selections based on an officer's instructor qualifications and his suitability for the particular school. Minimum requirements are a college degree and five years active service. Most men selected have masters degrees or are doing graduate work. The present head of the Department holds a Masters degree; the officer who will succeed him has twenty years' teaching experience. The University has final control over selection and appointment of AFROTC instructors. The College of Arts and Sciences reviews a preliminary selection thoroughly; included in this review are the officer's educational background, his qualifications as an instructor, and his personal history. In addition, the! appointment of the Department head must be approved by the Chancellor. Air University cannot send any officer here if he is rejected by the University Administration. This rejection is not an infrequent occurrence, as some schools have rejected more than a score of officers before settling on one they deemed suitable. WHO-DETERMINES WHAT SHALL BE TAUGHT IN ROTC; UNIVERSITY OR THE PENTAGON? The College of Arts and Sciences must ultimately approve AFROTC curriculum at UN& Air University sets certain course goals, but let me emphasize that these are goals, not rigid course plans. The Department has control over the structuring of its courses just as do Departments in other academic disciplines. The Department may vary its curriculum for experimental purposes or in order to adapt to the nature of the civilian school of which it is a part. Instructors may apportion time and effort spent on the various subject areas of a course as they see fit and easily may broaden the scope of a course. Incidentally, Air University is at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. At Maxwell a board of civilians and officers determine AFROTC course goals and suggest various ways of handling the courses. THE 0TH CAKrooNST TODAM T'M LAUGHtNC HOW DESIRABLE ARE COURSES WHICH ESTABLISH STUDENT RANKS, MAKING ONE STUDENT SUBSER VIENT TO ANO THER ? Subservience implies slavish cringing, and this is not the case. In Corps training . periods and other situations related to training and the orderly running of the unit, some cadets are subordinate to others. This particular social organization exists solely for the purpose of practical leadership training. One can find ranking and subordinating structure in every club, fraternity, or department on campus. In class we are equal as students in the same course. An example of this may be cited: Although the Corps Commander last semester outranked me militarily, he received a course grade which was one letter grade below mine. This was solely due to performance on the final exam. ARE STUDENTS PAID FOR TAKING ROTC, AND ARE THEY PAID FOR TAKING ANY OTHER UNIVERSITY COURSES? AFROTC junior and senior cadets are paid a subsistence allowance of fifty dollars per month, as they are serving in the inactive reserve during their junior and senior years. This is the same pay procedure used for anyone in the Reserves. Cadets are definitely not paid to take the courses. To my knowledge there are no specific courses which provide students immediate monetary gain, although it seems such courses would generate immense popular appeal. HOW DESIRABLE IS AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM WHICH HAS COMMITMENT TO A PERIOD OF SER VITUDE AS A PREREQUISITE? Service is a better word, as officers are volunteers. One commits himself to a period of service in a contract to teach as well as to play varsity sports. Perhaps this question might equally be applied to some scholarship-loan programs. HOW IMPORTANT ARE NON-ACADEMIC SKILLS AND DRILLS SUCH AS MARCHING? These are used in leadership training. The actual content of drill is not so important as the fact that it provides individuals with very real experience in directing and working with people toward the accomplishment of a goal. How many other courses, even in management, provide practical experience in addition to theory? DO ROTC INSTRUCTORS OWE FIRST ALLEGIANCE TO THE IDEALS OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM OR TO THE PENTAGON? ROTC instructors are commissioned officers, and as such take an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution covers academic freedom adequately. To my knowledge, no one takes an oath to the Pentagon. Just for your own curiasity, ask a few ROTC students if they can name instructors under whom they dare not take courses for fear of lowered grades simply because they are enrolled in ROTC. Then tell me about academic freedom! cAGtoons AT MHSGLf SHOULD PERSONAL APPEARANCE AND STRICT UNIFORM CODES BE ENFORCED BY AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM? No, and these standards are not enforced by the academic program, but by Corps Training, the laboratory phase of our program. Just as in drill the content is not so much the goal as is the practical experience in working with people. As officers must be able to lead and direct, they must also be able to accept leadership and direction. ARE ROTC Students afforded the same opportunity to express opinions on political issues at all times-inside and outside ROTC classes-as students not involved in the program? Yes, out of uniform we are students, just like everyone else. In uniform we are cadets and represent the Air Force. In uniform military Dersonnel cannot recklessly give political opinions for or , x against issues, as this would border on militarism. The reason one never hears cadets speaking for such causes as the abolishment of ROTC is that people who zealously promote these causes do not wish to be in ROTC their prerogative. ran, . feFw, T fcUV ,pj ROTC Study Committee Formed To the editor: The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences has asked us to serve as a committee to inquire into academic accreditation for ROTC courses within the University. Our findings are to be reported to the Administrative Board of the College. Although we should' like to report before the end of the current semester, it is unlikely that we shall be able before that time to give the problem the consideration that it deserves, and we shall probably finish our work eariv next fall. The question the Dean has referred to us raises many issues, most of which axe with WHO ny CAgTwJs tfAlVp Ae F . J HUH In class we frequently have free and open discussion on the course material as well as on national issues when pertinent. For any given AFROTC course I have, there has bee n more open discussion and student participation than in any of my other UNC courses. Is this not a sharp contrast to pure lecture classes where students hear a professor's opinion, but can never voice their own. Where is academic freedom there? In summary, let me again emphasize that ROTC and officership are voluntary states of service. I would be among the first to attack a compulsory officer-training program, as it is self-defeating. Since no one is required to take ROTC, does it infringe on the rights of any student or faculty member? Finally, remember that ROC draws students from civilian institutions into the military-and ROTC is the largest single source of Air Force officer procurement. The military is kept representative of the country at large by the Constance entrance and turnover of personnel who are essentially civilian at heart. So whenever someone attacks or defends ROTC, ask him about his firsthand experience. complex. To resolve them calls for the consideration of divergent points of view and a considerable amount of fact-finding. Since many individuals and groups within the University have opinions and information which will be useful to us, we shall be grateful for any communications they may care to furnish. We prefer that these communications be written and signed. The reason for this is that opinions and information given orally are never precisely recorded and sometimes badly misunderstood, and in our deliberations we should like to be able to refer repeatedly to these communications and to be sure that we have them before us in correct form. They may be addressed to any member of the committee. In addition, within the limits of the time available, we are ready to meet with any group that wishes a hearing. E. Maynard Adams, Professor of Philosophy M. Richard Cramer, Professor of Sociology Paul DeWitt, 222 Ransom St. Joseph B. Shedd, YMCA Office George V. Taylor Professor of History, Chairman The Daily Tar Heel is published by the University of North Carolina Student Publication's Board, daily except Monday, examination periods and; vacations and during summer periods. Offices are at the Student Union .Bldg., Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514. Telephone numbers: editorial, sports, news 933-1011; business, circulation, advertising-533-1163, Address: Box 1080, Chapel HilL N.C. 27514 Subscription rates: $9 per year, J $5 per semester. We regret that we can accept . only prepaid; subscriptions. Classified ads are $1.00 per day prepaid. Display rate is $1.25 pert column inch Second class postage paid at U.S. Post O f fice in Chapel Hill, N.C. t
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 26, 1969, edition 1
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