Princeton

After years of demonstrations, referendums and committee reports, Princeton's ROTC program has been stripped of its academic status, but remains as an extracurricular activity.

A trustee committee report issued last week said that the university owes the retention of ROTC "to the country, to the system of government that makes Princeton University possible." So although the Board of trustees will meet tomorrow to consider the question, it is unlikely that what remains of the Army's program will be abolished.

ROTC was established at Princeton in 1919, and reached its peak in 1939 when 350 students enrolled in preparation for World War II.

The first ripple of trouble came in 1969 when the faculty voted to drop academic credit for the course and reduced the status of ROTC "professors" to that of visiting lecturers.

In reaction to the Cambodian invasion and a general university anti-war strike, the faculty voted in 1971 to abolish ROTC. The Army and Air Force withdrew completely, but the Navy stayed until its contract with the university expired in June 1972.

Although ROTC seemed to be on its way out, a Princeton student council narrowly voted to reinstate the program, setting off the debate which is still unresolved.

Amid antiwar occupations of buildings at the college, Princeton's board of trustees voted in 1972 to reinstate the Army's program on a limited basis--without credit or funds.

Since that time, two committees, one composed of students and faculty, the other of trustees, have been reviewing ROTC. Last week both issued their reports.

While the trustees supported the Army's ROTC, the students and faculty concluded that "a strong case against ROTC at Princeton can be made."

Princeton President Bowen has been silent on the issue since he took office last year. His last traceable statement on ROTC indicated, however, that he favors retention of the program as an extracurricular activity.

As for the ROTC program itself, it is operating this year with 26 students and eight staff members.

Harvard

The current New American Movement campaign for a referendum on ROTC at Harvard was provoked by a much-publicized, but brief comment by President Bok last June.

Harvard's conscience, Bok said, depended on the University's "willingness to entertain an ROTC program on terms compatible with our usual institutional standards."