ROTC Talks Said To Be Stalled

Despite Harvard's statements that negotiations are underway, an MIT official this week said she knows of no discussions between Harvard and her school regarding the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program.

Last February, Rudenstine told the Faculty that he would delay ending payments to MIT for Harvard students' participation in MIT's ROTC program. A report approved by the Faculty last year recommended that the University end those payments because of discrimination against gays in the military.

According to several faculty members, Rudenstine said he was attempting to negotiate an agreement with MIT to allow Harvard students to continue in the ROTC program without the $120,000 compensation Harvard now pays each year.

"I think the President is still involved in negotiations with MIT, and he convinced the faculty that the delay was warranted," Pforzheimer University Professor Sidney Verba '53 said earlier this spring.

But Sarah E. Gallop, assistant for government relations at MIT, said she was unaware of any formal talks between the two administrations.

"I'm not aware of the Harvard administration negotiating any kind of agreement with the MIT administration," she said. "We've never been formally asked by anybody at Harvard to consider that kind of arrangement."

Gallop is the staff member on MIT's ROTC committee and said she would be familiar with any formal contacts between the two administrations.

"I would know," Gallop said. "It took place in an informal manner if it took place at all."

The absence of negotiations would come as a surprise to some senior administrators. Dean of the college L. Fred Jewett '57 said he had been under the impression that talks were underway.

In May 1990, the Faculty criticized the ROTC program for violating the University's non-discrimination policy because homosexuals are ineligible for participation in the military or Or ROTC.

Currently, Harvard accepts ROTC scholarshipsand pays for its ROTC students to attend mandatoryROTC classes at MIT.

The Faculty called on the University to endHarvard's funding of the ROTC program by 1992.

After the Faculty's two-year deadline hadpassed, however, President Rudenstine establisheda committee headed by Verba to re-examine theUniversity's ties to ROTC.

The Verba committee recommended that unless theDepartment of Defense Changed it policy, Harvardshould stop paying MIT beginning with the Class of1994.

But the committee's report allowed thePresident to delay the decision to cut ties if hesaw fit.

"We have been working toward a resolution thatwould both affirm our policy of non-discriminationand maintain ROTC as an option for studentsattending Harvard," Rudenstine said in February.

But Gallop said the only discussions MIT hashad with the Harvard administration have concernedmutual efforts to end the Pentagon policy.

Gallop said MIT is also reviewing its ties toROTC, and a committee plans to issue a report in1995.

Rudenstine was out of town yesterday and couldnot be reached for comment.

Marc L. Goodheart '81, special assistant toRudenstine, refused to comment on the issue lastweek

Currently, Harvard accepts ROTC scholarshipsand pays for its ROTC students to attend mandatoryROTC classes at MIT.

The Faculty called on the University to endHarvard's funding of the ROTC program by 1992.

After the Faculty's two-year deadline hadpassed, however, President Rudenstine establisheda committee headed by Verba to re-examine theUniversity's ties to ROTC.

The Verba committee recommended that unless theDepartment of Defense Changed it policy, Harvardshould stop paying MIT beginning with the Class of1994.

But the committee's report allowed thePresident to delay the decision to cut ties if hesaw fit.

"We have been working toward a resolution thatwould both affirm our policy of non-discriminationand maintain ROTC as an option for studentsattending Harvard," Rudenstine said in February.

But Gallop said the only discussions MIT hashad with the Harvard administration have concernedmutual efforts to end the Pentagon policy.

Gallop said MIT is also reviewing its ties toROTC, and a committee plans to issue a report in1995.

Rudenstine was out of town yesterday and couldnot be reached for comment.

Marc L. Goodheart '81, special assistant toRudenstine, refused to comment on the issue lastweek