Show I I. I R. R O. O T. T C. C To C.-To To Be or Not to Be Lj fr THAT is the question that has been agitating THAT 1 and considerably so those in charge of the Reserve Officers Training Corps on this c campus Certain announcements coming from the administration administration administration admin admin- as to contemplated action in regard to the unit lInit and the consequent adoption of resolutions ions b by the loc local l post of the American Legion and the Commercial club have brought about thea the I a agitation tatian of this question And the whole matter of the advisability of doing a away way with the unit or of retaining it and having it given due consideration consideration consid consid- seems to hinge on the fact that enrollment enrollment enrollment enroll enroll- ment in in that department has fallen considerably since registration in the fall quarter In fact there remain but about half the number of men in the unit at this time who registered for the work on the beginning of the school year and carried it through h the first quarter at least Ie Out of approximately t 70 men in In n the unit at the time tune of re registration r the number has fallen tor to approximately 90 What is is the reason for the withdrawal of these men from the R R. R O. O T. T C. C That is the question behind the classic question of to be beor beor or not to be be as applied to the military unit on the campus Several contentions have been made both b by the department and b b the administration administration administration admin admin- in explanation of this condition and the contentions made appear to be at great variance It is held that the extreme drop in the dep department department de de- p enrollment shows that the unit is not anted wanted by b the students as a whole or at least th they y are not net illin willing to support it Then also it itis is held that because of the limitation upon the amount of credit hours for which an underclassman underclass underclass- nun man c can n re register ister at this time the R. R O. O T. T C. C is is t placed at al a distinct disadvantage since both the student and the faculty member are led to consider consider consider con- con sider the work of the military department as least essential es when it comes to checking up un of the wor work of the student who is deficient in his school work Because of this attitude it is held that the military class work is the first to be discarded i and as a consequence the enrollment in that department department department de de- decreases and decreases considerably From all observations made it is apparent that each of these contentions accounts for a part of the falling off in the number of students in the department and that both the administration and the department must recognize the relative truth of each others other's contentions That the unit is a distinct advantage from many points of view to the the University of Utah campus cannot be doubted Its value h has s been made most evident to the student body in the many services it has performed for the student association in the assistance given Kiven certain celebrations celebrations tons in h helping g with ith the upkeep of Cummings field feld and in the interest and cooperation of its officers in in student affairs Its value is also made evident to the student bod body Y in in the fact that durY during dur- dur ing ng the junior and senior years of his enrollment in in the the department he receives compensation amounting to from 1 10 o to S 15 15 a month which it must 1 st DC be e. e ac acknowledged rl wl g d is a a decided b boost ost for certain ce students in m their endeavors to secure a college ollege education As to the worth of the work offered and its pl place lace ce and relative value along with other subjects in the curriculum we are not notable notable I able to venture an opinion since it has not been 0 good or bad fortune to come in contact with the I military classes Certainly it is known that some of f the students dropping the courses are known to hold them in disfavor while those who have continued until their theirs junior year are unqualified and hearty in their support of the unit and evenS even S state that the work constitutes some of t the l le best they obtain during the years they have spent on the campus The doing away with an investment of some which figure represents the amount the war department has given the unit in the shape of equipment and the like is a serious matter Without doubt this fact 1 is s realized b by those having the matter under consideration but it is mentioned here to point out to the student body the significance of the affair I It t is hardly i thought possible according to tho those e acquainted with the problem that the board of Regents agents will see fit to even consider the doing doin away with the unit but rather that certain modifications and rulings will wilt be made will permit the unit to prosper during the comin coming years If the administration administration admin admin- iL were to give the department the certain considerations which it desires then it could be definitely proved whether or not the tile students Showed enough interest to warrant the keeping of the unit on the campus Cooperation between the student body bod the administration and the department it appear will wilt in the end be found to be the solution of the problem and also place the R. R O. O T. T C. C on the campus In such a position that its continuance continuance ance from the he standpoint of the student a administration admin admin- min min- and war department will be well war war- ranted If the unit is to be retained then it il cannot cannot cannot can can- not adequately function if held as 45 a a. thing apart from the University and its curriculum And the students must come to appreciate the value of the military organization and realize without their support the unit cannot possibly function If the student body could be brought to firmly and strongly support the department which support it will undoubtedly merit if the regents approve Its retention and this attitude becomes traditional then the support of incoming underclassmen would be assured The d department if we may i venture to say it must also aiso realize that it is giving instruction to students and instruction which should be of a high order and also that I it is part and parcel of the University family even I though its activities may be directed by the war I department Then if the administration does all allin allin in its power to encourage the unit and help it it grow Krow there should be no question as to the advisability advisability advisability ad ad- of the retention of the unit on the Utah campus But if these agencies fail to co cooperate cooperate cooperate co- co operate we can see nothing but that the unit will continue to dwindle and as a consequence the thear war ar department will take the Reserve Officers Training Corps from the University of Utah |