The recent extension of the Solomon Amendment threatens to increase the strain between traditionally liberal universities and the U.S. military. The amendment's extension calls for the halt of federal funding from a number of departments if a college refuses to let the military recruit on campus.
Private colleges and universities pride themselves for their autonomy from the government, which gives them the ability to disagree with government policies without punishment. The Solomon Amendment threatens this by punishing institutions that take issue with the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy towards homosexuals. Many universities, including Tufts, have anti-discrimination policies that protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Colleges and universities have been in conflict with the military since the Vietnam War era. Tufts' policy barring ROTC on campus stems from this period, and violent anti-war demonstrations appeared at campuses across the country. Since then, students interested in ROTC have traveled to MIT to take part in its ROTC program. Tufts does not bar its students from participating in the military, without outright supporting the armed forces' policies that conflict with those of the University.
These policies are well within the rights of the universities. Likewise, the government can create a policy it thinks will help find more soldiers when supplies are short. The Solomon Amendment extension, however, will cause further resentment towards the military and its efforts to recruit on campus. Forcing private institutions to comply with military recruitment will find more protestors than soldiers.
The government is using the heaviest tool it wields with private universities -- the promise of funding. Schools that wish to obtain federal money to study the development of nuclear energy or methods to improve transportation will have to comply with the new regulations. Yet, these studies are not directly related to the military. Why should their financial support be linked to military support?
The vast majority of colleges and universities, including Tufts, do allow the military to recruit on campus. A few law schools do not allow military recruitment but even then, the military was not completely blocked off to students. At the University of Pennsylvania, interested law school students could still find military jobs through the University's career services office. Universities are not closing their doors to the military en mass; the government is overacting with this recent extension of the Solomon Amendment.
Bribing institutions is not an effective way to find sincere support and new soldiers who want to serve. The U.S. armed forces are strained with stagnant occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. New troops and new ideas are needed if Iraq is ever to be stabilized or Osama Bin Laden finally caught. The military needs to work positively with universities to gain the most talented recruits. Requiring universities to allow recruiters on campus will not generate much cooperation, and the military's predicaments will continue to grow.<$>
The armed forces were still an option to students, even though the law school decided to apply its anti-discrimination policy to all recruiters, including the military.
