Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Act has little effect on military relations at U. Nebraska
By Lucas Jameson
Daily Nebraskan (U. Nebraska)
03/10/2006

(U-WIRE) LINCOLN, Neb. — On Monday the Supreme Court upheld the Solomon Act, which requires colleges that accept government funding to allow military recruiters to be on campus. The law also states that any university that refuses to accommodate recruiters could forfeit its funding.

And while some students and professors at schools such as Yale University are still up in arms about the decision, it has had little impact on military relations and recruitment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The case — Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights — stemmed from several university professors and students opposing military recruitment on campus because of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy for homosexuality.

"It's not changing anything that we're doing," said Larry Routh, director of career services at UNL.

Routh said career services looks at the military just like any other employer, and military recruiters usually make appearances at career fairs.

"We haven't ever really had any problems with recruiters," he said.

But Routh didn't think the controversy of the Solomon Amendment would end with this case.

"There's always going to be issues," he said.

Sgt. Nicholas Johnson, a U.S. Army reserve recruiter, said the case would not affect the recruiting station on campus, as the army has good relations with UNL.

Recruiting strategies include calling students on phone lists, conducting presentations in classes, attending career fairs or simply walking through the community and talking to people, Johnson said.

Jordan Farrester, a UNL junior English major, said he felt the ruling would further separate private and public universities.

"It seems a bit imperial," he said, adding that just because the federal government gives money to the universities doesn't mean the military should have the right to come on campus.

There are some restrictions to what the military can do to recruit. But Johnson said as long as recruiters don't interfere with classes and go through the proper channels, there are no problems. Also, if a student wishes to be removed from a calling list, recruiters must oblige.

"A lot of people mistake us for being too intrusive, but if people tell us they aren't interested, we'll leave them alone," Johnson said.

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