NROTC deserves housing
Last Wednesday at Senate, two Rice Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps midshipmen brought forth their request for on-campus housing to voting members of the Student Association. They presented what Elliot and I considered a logical argument, and yet they were met with opposition and doubt. Weston Ruths, a junior midshipman, explained their rigorous morning routine, which requires them to report to training at 5:30 a.m. most days of the week. He also explained the ROTC requirement for all midshipmen to choose a STEM major, and as a result, the majority of the midshipmen have extensive engineering coursework on top of their ROTC training. Ruths pointed out that there are currently 10 midshipmen in the ROTC program at Rice, two to five of whom would ordinarily be kicked off campus on any given year. Given their difficult and demanding training schedule, being off campus proves to be challenging and leaves them with an unhealthy amount of sleep deprivation.
Despite these facts, SA members were critical of the resolution. Recently, EMS was guaranteed housing all four years to reduce response time in the event of an emergency — a tangible benefit for the Rice community. In response, the ROTC presenters aligned themselves more closely with athletes in terms of morning routine, to which the SA responded that several athletes voluntarily choose to live off campus; nevertheless, the option still remains for these athletes.
One of the greatest concerns of the SA was that this resolution would set a precedent for other groups to request guaranteed housing. In our opinion, to oppose this bill as a potential slippery slope situation is an unreasonable and specious argument. We should instead view this bill as a distinct case with specific goals rather than a general trend of groups that seek housing. Furthermore, without a direct benefit, the SA do not believe ROTC deserve guaranteed housing any more than any other organization. We were surprised by the lack of appreciation on the SA’s part for the service that the ROTC provides for the Rice community and nation. With so few members in this organization, the impact of this resolution would be minimal.
In truth, the only affected parties by this resolution would be two to five sophomores or juniors who are supposed to be kicked off campus and are randomly selected to reclaim on-campus status. We would be shocked to find a student unwilling to give up his or her spot for a year for the future military heroes who will protect this country. While we understand that there is no immediate benefit for the Rice community, these men and women deserve the best training possible, as they will one day protect our lives. Letting them live on campus is the least we can do considering they will be fighting for our country eight years after graduation.
This resolution is an opportunity for the Rice community to thank ROTC and the military for their unwavering service. We hope that our opinion inspires other Rice students to mention this issue to their college presidents and governments.
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