The so-called “militarization” of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, won?t occur if it became a ROTC site, said the director of the ROTC program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore City.
“There?s probably not a campus in the United States that?s less ?militarized? than Johns Hopkins,” said Lt. Col. Kenneth Romaine, director of Hopkins? ROTC program, which began in 1916.
About 20 students at the Catonsville campus attend Reserve Officer Training Corps classes and training at Hopkins.
This could change after the UMBC faculty senate voted this week for a ROTC site at the school. The faculty senate is one of several advisory bodies to the college?s administration, which applies for the school to host a ROTC program.
UMBC Provost Arthur Johnson said a ROTC program at UMBC actually would increase the visibility of cadets and the Army.
Since the Army recently has expanded its mission to commission more second lieutenants, the Army either had to put more resources into the schools with ROTC programs or increase the number of schools with programs, Romaine said.
“There are a lot of schools with programs, but it?s also a high-density area,” said Romaine.
Others area schools with ROTC programs include Loyola College, Morgan State University and the University of Maryland, College Park.
Benefits include more scholarships, public service opportunities and leadership training for students, Johnson said.
There is no firm deadline on when the administration will decide whether to pursue having a host program. The Army has indicated to the college that it wants to start programs this fall.
“If we decide to apply, we believe we have to decide in the next few weeks,” Johnson said.
