The US Military going to Harvard to recruit?!

[Charean]

There is a law that states that schools will lose federal funding if they ban military recruiting (a law passed in 1996).

So now the military... looking for the best and the brightest... are going to colleges again looking for recruits. Schools such as Harvard, Yale and Georgetown Universities. They are hitting the law centers. Yes, there are protests. They are upset that the military discriminates against gays (because of a law passed in 1993).

Military recruiters were in the basement while civilian recruiters were in easily accessible places. This is changing due to the increasing hostilities with Iraq.

These big schools are getting quite a bit of federal funding, and losing that money would make quite an impact, so they are cooperating.

You can find the whole story here - if you have realplayer.
The story is titled: Pentagon Presses Law Schools on Military Recruiting.
http://news.npr.org/

[Timber Loftis]

It's the Solomon Amendment, see here:
http://www.yalerotc.org/Solomon.html

This law says that schools cannot discriminate against military recruitment on its campus, lest they will lose federal funds. This is commonly referred to as "power of the pocketbook" and is the Fed's best sure-fire win if nothing else is working. Combine that with the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy (a la Clinton 1993), which is *arguably* discriminatory. Mix well, add spice and fairy dust, bake for 3 years at 150 degrees and viola!

This was going on when I was in law school, as well, and some law schools were challenging it (but still complying). The schools are in a pickle: allowing a recruiter on-campus which (again, *arguably*) discriminates could result in lawsuits by students who felt discriminated against. Note that the vast majority of Supreme Court discrimination rulings come from schools and challenges against educational institutions. But, then let's not forget the sexuality is not a legally protected class characteristic under federal law (whereas, skin color for instance is), so such lawsuits might fail. But, in states where the state protects sexuality (Hawaii, VT, AK, FL, others), the school still faces the choice of (a) no federal funding or (b) violating the state's constitution. Luckily, the states have not pressed the issue against their schools thus far.

Law schools, like all schools, favor military recruiters. Government jobs are the cream of the crop as far as they're concerned. And, getting students employed is why law schools exist, right? Plus, losing the federal $$$ at a *school* destroys half the budget. So, even in VT, whose law school is about as earthy-tree-hugger-hippy-gay-friendly-liberal as you can get, the recruiters were allowed on campus. In prior years, the schools would let recruiters recruit, but only at off-campus locations.

For issue advocacy on the topic, see http://www.aacrao.org/federal_relations/issues.htm and look halfway down the page.

[ 10-31-2002, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

I hope they stay away from USM [img]tongue.gif[/img]

*goes off to practice military commands, just in case*

[antryg]

I was hoping Harvard would keep recruiters out. If recruiters are allowed on campus and have easy access to students you know that they would try to recruit them. Our military has enough problems without the threat of Harvard grads.

Originally posted by Charean: There is a law that states that schools will lose federal funding if they ban military recruiting (a law passed in 1996). Why on earth would the Clinton administration pass that law? So now the military... looking for the best and the brightest... are going to colleges again looking for recruits. Schools such as Harvard, Yale and Georgetown Universities. They are hitting the law centers. Yes, there are protests. They are upset that the military discriminates against gays (because of a law passed in 1993). Military recruiters were in the basement while civilian recruiters were in easily accessible places. This is changing due to the increasing hostilities with Iraq. These big schools are getting quite a bit of federal funding, and losing that money would make quite an impact, so they are cooperating. You can find the whole story here - if you have realplayer. The story is titled: Pentagon Presses Law Schools on Military Recruiting. http://news.npr.org/

I don't see the problem. I think the students should quit whining, these are recruiters NOT conscriptors draging people off against their will. If you don't want to talk to them your free to do as you please. Sheesh. Is there a preceived problem that maybe the recruiter might actually say something that someone might agree with and freely join the US military? Heavens..the horror of it all... [img]smile.gif[/img] guess I don't see the what the problem is. The schools let the military set up a couple of tables ehre and there and fr that they get millions of tax dollars...sounds ok to me.

I might also point out that as Timber said, the power of the pocketbook is how the feds do most things. Like how they coerce states to adopt certain speed limits on the highways (or face loosing federal money) Or how they enforce certain environmental laws (or loose federal funding) see the trend there? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 10-31-2002, 01:15 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

Originally posted by antryg: I was hoping Harvard would keep recruiters out. If recruiters are allowed on campus and have easy access to students you know that they would try to recruit them. Our military has enough problems without the threat of Harvard grads.

I found that quite amusing

[Charean]

Oddly enough, I don't see anything wrong with having the recruiters there. They aren't dragging them away against their will, so why not treat them like civilian recruiters? After all, the choice does belong to the student, and there is nothing wrong with more choices.

I am hoping the student has the common sense to figure out what they want to do.

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by Charean: Oddly enough, I don't see anything wrong with having the recruiters there. They aren't dragging them away against their will, so why not treat them like civilian recruiters? After all, the choice does belong to the student, and there is nothing wrong with more choices. I am hoping the student has the common sense to figure out what they want to do.

Discrimination is the key, if you'll see my post. Believe me, very few schools out there, especially those in states where sexuality is a protected class characteristic, would allow a private recruiter on campus who had a written policy stating: "If you are gay and we know it you can't work here." In those states that protect sexuality, it's tantamount to saying "You can't work here if you're black."

But, this is exactly the "don't ask, don't tell" policy the armed forces has, as established by Clinton. Therein lies the conflict.

I'm not saying I agree. To this very day, I continue to court the federal armed forces regarding employment. DOJ, EPA, US Attorneys, JAG, all of these are *Very* presitigious in my field.

As well, I'll gladly defend the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on philosophical grounds with anyone who'd like me to. In fact, I was almost railroaded off a newspaper I worked for once regarding my stance on this policy and the Solomon Amendment.

Just out of morbid curiosity Timber [img]smile.gif[/img] Do you see why the military is loathe to allow open homosexualtiy in its ranks? Not askin if you agree, just if you can see the point they have.

I will also say that when you Join the US military you actually are giving up many of your rights granted under the constitution. This is due to the nature of what Militaries are. The military cannot be compared to the Xerox company or the IBM company. It exists and must function under a whole seperate set of rules. (I am alwyas surprised at how many people don't realize that you give up rights to join).

[/)eathKiller]

Well i'm glad I go to an out-in-the-middle of nowhere college now...

+ i'm doign my part for the government on a base already! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Hopefully it wont come to a draft though, because of all of the people in the Reserves...