Army Decides Not To Close University ROTC Programs 

Army ROTC cadets from the University of Northern Iowa are all smiles during a 16.7-mile march at the Northern Warfare Challenge on in February 2023 at Grandad Bluff in La Crosse, Wis. (Sarah Windmueller/U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs) This story has been corrected. The Army will keep nine college officer training programs open for enrollment after announcing in June plans to downsize and cut operations because of the loss of civilian employees supporting the programs. U.S. Army Cadet Command confirmed Monday it will retain the universities where the service expected to close its Reserve Officer Training Program at the end of this school year. Schools expected to close will continue the program as an extension unit, meaning ROTC will operate with a different host institution that is located on a different campus.  “The decision follows a comprehensive review, and consideration of feedback from community leaders and key stakeholders,” Lt. Col. James Delongchamp, spokesman for the cadet command, said in a statement. “There will be no closures of eligible Senior ROTC programs, and current cadets will not be required to transfer to other schools.” One school previously announced for closure, St. Augustine University in North Carolina, will still lose its ROTC program, but it is because of accreditation issues. The campus has struggled to maintain its accreditation status and uphold university agreements and obligations with the Army over the past several years, which led to its ineligibility, Delongchamp said. “Due to these reasons, the Army decided not to retain an ROTC presence at St. Augustine University. All other eligible universities will maintain a ROTC presence,” he said in a statement Tuesday. Nearly 300 students were expected to feel the effects from the reductions announced in June, which involved modifications at more than 70 other universities. This included mergers of administrative and logistical support staff and reclassification that would send students to a college campus outside of where they are enrolled for training. “Merging some host units will allow the Army to retain an ROTC faculty presence, scholarship resources and mutually beneficial relationships with current institutions,” Delongchamp said. “[Cadet command] remains committed to optimizing its structure while preserving access for cadets and other students wanting to participate at campuses the programs are currently offered.” ROTC is offered at roughly 900 campuses nationwide and commissions about 70% of the Army’s officers each year. The nine universities no longer leaving Army ROTC: •California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. •University of Northern Iowa. •Western Illinois University. •Truman State University, Mo. •Elizabeth City State University, N.C. •Clarkson University, N.Y. •John Carroll University, Ohio. •University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. •West Virginia State University. The Army misstated the number of universities that would retain their ROTC programs two months after announcing they were scheduled to close. Nine universities will keep their ROTC programs.


What To Expect From The Ohio State Marching Band This Season: 6 Things To Know 

Your browser is not supported | usatoday.Com usatoday.Com wants to ensure the best experience for all of our readers, so we built our site to take advantage of the latest technology, making it faster and easier to use. Unfortunately, your browser is not supported. Please download one of these browsers for the best experience on usatoday.Com