Senate
TO: Fort Wayne Senate
FROM: Carol Lawton, Chair, Curriculum Review Subcommittee
DATE: October 26, 2007
SUBJECT: Proposal for Minor in Military Science
The Curriculum Review Subcommittee has reviewed the proposal for the Minor in Military Science. We voted 7-3 against this proposal and find that further review is required by the Senate. We recommend that this document be committed to the Educational Policy Committee for further review.
The primary reason that the majority of committee members voted against this proposal is that certain IPFW constituencies would be prohibited from completing the Minor due to military policy governing upper level courses in this program. We also find that it is already possible to meet the basic goals of the Minor by enrolling in ROTC courses on this campus. Further, we find that additional IPFW resources would be necessary to provide alternative ways for discriminated constituencies to complete the Minor. The details of our findings are presented below.
1. The courses that constitute the proposed Minor in Military Science follow the curriculum of the Army ROTC. All IPFW students are eligible to take the basic 100 and 200 level courses, but only those students who sign a contract that incurs a military service obligation can enroll in the 300 and 400 level courses. Students in the 300 and 400 level courses must abide by the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy; as such, students who state that they are homosexual or bisexual or who engage in homosexual conduct are prohibited from taking these courses or could face dismissal from these courses if already enrolled. Military policy also prohibits students over age 32, students with disabilities, and students with medical conditions such as asthma from taking the 300 and 400 level courses because they would not be eligible to serve in the military. These policies are in direct conflict with IPFW statements on diversity.
2. According to the rationale stated in the proposal, a Minor in Military Science would allow students to “learn first-hand what it takes to lead others, motivate groups and how to conduct missions as an Officer in the Army” and a student graduating with the Minor “will be commissioned as an officer in the United States Army.” However, these goals can be met by taking the Miliary Science courses already offered on this campus by ROTC instructors and approved for credit toward graduation at IPFW. The presence of a Minor in Military Science is not necessary for the continuation of the ROTC program at IPFW. Further, the awarding of an academic minor in Military Science does not appear to confer any additional benefit to students who complete the ROTC courses and thereby earn commissions in the Army, nor does the absence of an academic minor in Military Science appear to confer any disadvantage for these students in their future military careers.
3. The Department of Defense prohibits non-ROTC students even from auditing 300 and 400 level classes taught by ROTC instructors. If the Minor in Military Science were to be open to all IPFW constituencies, IPFW would need to allocate funding for additional faculty not affiliated with ROTC to teach 300 and 400 level Military Science courses that would be open to non-ROTC students.
In conclusion, we find that the benefit of having the Minor as part of IPFW’s curriculum does not outweigh its potential for discrimination against certain IPFW constituencies and that significant expense would be incurred by IPFW to make the Minor open to all constituencies.
Present Absent
B. Brewer B. Hancock
R. Duchovic G. Hickey
L. Hite (ex officio)
A. Karim
C. Lawton, Chair
A. Livschiz
D. Mansour-Cole
R. Narang
S. Skekloff
C. Sorge
Senate
IPFW
Request for a New Minor
Proposed Title of Minor: Military Science
Department Offering the Minor:
Projected Date of Implementation: Spring 2007
I. Why is this minor needed? (Rationale)
Military Science/Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) is one of the best leadership courses in the country and this minor can be taken as a part of any BS program at IPFW. During classes and field training, Military Science students will learn first-hand what it takes to lead others, motivate groups and how to conduct missions as an Officer in the Army. Upon graduation from IPFW with a minor in Military Science, the graduate will be commissioned as an officer in the United States Army and may serve in the Active Army, Indiana Army National Guard, or the United States Army Reserve.
II. List the major topics and curriculum of the minor.
Leadership, map reading, land navigation, survival skills, written and oral communication skills, military tactics, team development, management, physical fitness, officership, military history, counseling, organization of the Department of Defense.
III. What are the admission requirements?
Academically aligned Freshmen and Sophomores may enroll in the Military Science 100 and 200 level classes without incurring any military service obligation. Scholarship opportunities exist for Freshmen and Sophomores but they will incur a military service obligation in exchange for scholarship benefits. Military Science 300 and 400 level classes may only be taken by academically aligned Juniors, Seniors, or Graduate Students that have been accepted into the upper division program. Students in the 300 and 400 level classes have signed a contract to receive scholarships or other tuition assistance and will incur a military service obligation. Those students that fulfill contracting obligations will be awarded a minor in Military Science.
IV. Describe student population to be served.
All IPFW students will be served by providing an opportunity to take Military Science classes and those meeting contracting criteria may be offered an opportunity to complete the minor and receive a Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.
V. How does this minor complement the campus or departmental mission?
VI. Describe any relationship to existing programs within the university.
This minor can be taken with any existing program. It is anticipated that courses will be taught by Army officers here at IPFW.
VII. List and indicate the resources required to implement the proposed minor. Indicate sources (e.g., reallocations or any new resources such as personnel, library holdings, equipment, etc.).
The United States Army or the Indiana Army National Guard will provide cadre in an Adjunct Faculty status to teach and manage the Military Science classes taught at IPFW. The United States Army will pay all benefits and allowances to the Cadre with no expense to IPFW. Offices for the Cadre are stationed at IPFW and classroom and physical training facilities are required. No additional library resources will be required.
VIII. Describe any innovative features of the program (e.g., involvement with local or regional agencies, or offices, cooperative efforts with other institutions, etc.).
This program will establish an educational partnership with Ball State University Department of Military Science which will provide administrative oversight to the IPFW Military Science program. Local high schools and military units will be poised to provide additional students with the opportunity to attend IPFW who, otherwise, would have been forced to attend another university in the state that offered the Military Science minor. Two, three, and four year scholarships are available.
Curriculum for Minor in Military Science/ Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC)