Collegiate Times

When completing her Virginia Tech application form four years ago, Liz Ford placed a definitive ?X? in the box reserved for appliance in the Corp of Cadets, anticipating a future career in the armed forces. During her first week in the ROTC, however, she collided with an issue that eventually terminated her military aspirations.

?I signed an agreement that said I was not a homosexual, that's fraud ? I knew I would have to hide, but I didn't know I'd have to sign something,? said Ford.

Ford, now the president of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance, views the military's ban on open homosexuals and Tech's disregard of the ?don't ask, don't tell? policy as discrimination to be ideologies that run counter to the values embraced by Tech.

?It's kind of ironic that Virginia Tech is all about non-discrimination ? when they have the military on campus which blatantly discriminates against homosexuals. It's hypocritical,? she said.

Several students and institutions across the nation agree.

Recently a coalition of law schools and professors formed the Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights (FAIR) to sue the government over the issue of military discrimination, specifically the policy of ?don't ask, don't tell.? FAIR argued that the Solomon Amendment - which permits denying federal money if a college does not allow military recruiters equal access to students as other employers - associates colleges with the government's exclusion of acknowledged homosexuals.

On March 6, the Supreme Court voted to uphold the Solomon Amendment, stating that the presence of military recruiters on a campus does not prohibit students from protesting or associate the university with the military's policies.

?I think the Supreme Court in this case came up with a reasonable decision. Just because someone recruits on your campus doesn't mean that you endorse, support or condone all their policies,? said university provost and vice president for academic affairs Mark McNamee.

Army ROTC Colonel Christopher St. Jean said Tech students have tremendous access to military information and recruiting opportunities.

?We are here everyday as a resource available to the students of Tech who may have the propensity to pursue a career as an officer in the military. In addition to that local (recruiters) often come to campus,? St. Jean said.

St. Jean explained that another link also exists through Career Services.

Military recruiters, along with all employers seeking access to Tech students through Career Services, must follow certain established policies.

Career Service's associative director of employer relations Kimberly Ware said Tech abides by the ethical standards set forth by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, which highlights three fundamental ideals: maintaining an atmosphere conducive to students and employers, maintaining a fair and equitable recruiting process and supporting students.

?That's what we try to live by,? Ware said. ?I'm not saying it's the best thing in the world, but we try.?

Ware also added that students need to investigate all possible career opportunities in order to make informed personal decisions.

Tech environmental design and planning Ph.D. student Nicholas Kiersey and junior economic major Devin Stone have allotted a great deal of time investigating the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in order to protest recruiting on campus. Last year, prior to a CIA recruiting seminar, Kiersey and Stone hosted a teach-in to illustrate some of the policies they believe questionable. Both students were disappointed in the outcome of the Supreme Court case. ?Our stance on the ruling is that Virginia Tech has an obligation to uphold the Principles of Community and to develop a safe, inclusive environment for its students. Allowing organizations to recruit whose discrimination against the freedom of speech of gay and lesbians is to take a significant bite out of the worth of the Principles of Community,? Stone said.

Kiersey said his problem with the ruling the is having the threat of losing federal funding.

?Any university would hate that threat of losing federal money being held over them. That's blackmail, clean simple blackmail,? said Kiersey.

Regardless of Tech's inclusive principles, the Supreme Court limited the university's mobility.

?I guess to a large extent, I don't see this as an issue we now have much to say about, and I don't see it as a large problem,? McNamee said.