Brown ROTC: A History

November 28th, 2011

1917 Brown establishes ROTC and Department of Naval Science on campus.

1918 ROTC ends after World War I, and Department of Naval Science becomes Department of Nautical Science.

1940 Naval ROTC returns to campus.

1951 President Wriston adds Air Force ROTC.

1967 With the Vietnam War escalating, President Heffner appoints first committee to review campus ROTC programs.

1969 Faculty approves seven resolutions removing academic standing for ROTC and requiring faculty approval for any future changes. Air Force ROTC responds by ending its campus program.

1972 After attempting to work with Brown administration, Naval ROTC abandons its campus program.

1981 Corporation asks President Swearer to look into reestablishing Naval ROTC on campus. A faculty advisory committee recommends against it.

2011 President Simmons appoints committee to review Brown's ROTC policies. Simmons presents findings to Corporation, which approves further conversations with the U.S. Department of Defense.

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Related Issue
November/December 2011