U.S. Army to shut down NMU’s ROTC program

The ROTC has been scheduled to be shutdown. The decision by the U.S. Army has created some confusion at NMU.

The ROTC program has been apart of the school for more than 40 years. It’s one of 13 programs in across the country to be closed. The program has graduated nearly 400 students from Northern since it first began in 1969. There are currently 65 ROTC cadets.

Northern officials say they are just as surprised as they are confused with the Army’s announcement.

“It’s upsetting and it’s distressing. There has been absolutely no communication whatsoever with the army regarding this decision. So there has been no dialogue whatsoever regarding the reasons for this, or the rational or justification for this. That program has been very nicely integrated in the academic programming that we have here on campus. We have always been very supportive of that program. I have always believed they had good leadership in the program. We have always been very proud of the cadets that get commissioned each year through the program. So this quite a shock,” Provost and Vice President of academic affairs Dr. Paul Lang said.

The university plans to appeal the elimination of the Army’s ROTC program. NMU administrators say the program has a high level of military service and is provided at a very low cost.