NROTC midshipmen request on-campus housing
The Student Association opened discussion on guaranteed on-campus housing proposal for Rice Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps midshipmen at its meeting on Jan. 14.
The proposal, introduced by Jones College Senator Chris Sabbagh and midshipman Second Class Weston Ruths, cites the intensity of the NROTC program as a central reason for requesting guaranteed on-campus housing.
“Midshipmen dedicate significant amounts of time and effort to develop the life-preserving skills necessary for a Navy or Marine Corps officer so that they can serve a grateful country,” the proposal states.
According to the proposal, midshipmen may be called at any time to stand watch over the naval science building over the course of a 24-hour period of time, and start every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 5:30 a.m. with early-morning warfare seminars, physical training and combat drills. The proposal recommends reserving on-campus housing for all midshipmen to facilitate their completion of the program at Rice and honor their commitment to the country.
Ruths, a Jones College junior, compared the proposal to similar policies guaranteeing housing for EMS and athletes.
“What distinguishes a group that gets on-campus housing is a demanding lifestyle and a service to the Rice community,” Ruths said. “EMS is on call 24/7, athletes have to be up in the morning working out, and both are an integral part of the Rice community. The same can be said for midshipmen. We live a different lifestyle involving early morning workouts and lectures and adherence to certain rules, and we serve Rice and the country as a whole.”
However, Duncan College senior Brian Baran said he sees a distinction between NROTC students and those involved in EMS, who reside on-campus as a direct benefit to public safety in maintaining fast response times.
“I absolutely respect the service of students in the NROTC program and recognize that their participation comes with a demanding time commitment and schedule,” Baran said. “However, my position on guaranteed on-campus housing is that it should be reserved for those students who would be unable to fulfill the obligations of their office or position without living on campus. While it would be convenient for NROTC midshipmen to live on campus, they are able to fulfill their duties even if they live off campus.”
Baker College Senator Nitin Agrawal said he faced similar concerns during debates over the REMS guaranteed on-campus housing bill.
“As one of the main writers for the REMS In-Charge/In-Charge Trainees Guaranteed Housing legislation, I faced similar issues that the NROTC legislation is currently facing,” Agrawal said. “One thing I was asked about during the REMS legislation revolved around specific time commitments of IC/ICTs. I did not feel that I was able to grasp the true time commitment from the NROTC presentation during the SA meeting.”
Ruths said Rice’s NROTC students spend roughly eight to 10 hours per week performing NROTC duties.
Midshipman First Class Ricardo Marquez said the issue of scholarships further complicates the situation.
“There is a new scholarship fund that covers room and board for midshipmen that demonstrate financial need,” Marquez, a Baker College senior, said. “This is the first year it [has been] implemented and it does not cover off-campus housing.”
As the NROTC program consists of roughly 10 students each year, the proposal would only guarantee housing for three to six individuals across campus, according to Ruths.
Sabbagh, a sophomore, said on-campus housing is an appropriate means of recognizing NROTC students’ service to the country.
“They are providing a dangerous and important service to the country and we should thank them accordingly,” Sabbagh said. “These ‘thank yous’ are present in the real world. For example, uniformed military members board commercial airplanes first. This is an analogous situation.”
Ruths said he hopes those who have questions or feel strongly about the legislation will discuss the issue with him, Sabbagh or their SA representative.
“No matter if the legislation passes or not, I know the Rice community will always be supportive of our endeavors and appreciate men and women who serve in our nation’s defense,” Ruths said.
The SA will put the proposal to a vote during the Jan. 28 meeting.
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