2008 Woodie Awards
Supreme Court rules in favor of military recruiting
By: Matt Grover
Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: News
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On March 6, the Supreme Court voted unanimously to uphold the Solomon Amendment. The Solomon Amendment states that no college or university can ban government agencies - especially military recruiters - from coming on its campus to recruit students. Any institution that chooses to ignore this ruling will risk forfeiting any federal money and contracts the school receives.
However, this news won't directly affect Webster University, as the school welcomes military recruiters and government agencies on campus.
"We do allow all government agencies to recruit on campus,"
said O. Ray Angle, Webster's director of Career Services.
Students benefit from Webster's ongoing cooperation in allowing government agencies on campus to recruit. If Webster didn't abide by this ruling, many students would lose their financial aid.
Many student loans and grants are made possible by government funding. This includes financial aid such as Pell grants and Stafford loans. Federal loans allow students the opportunity to go to college without having to pay back the loan until after graduation. Furthermore, the interest rates on federal loans for students are usually lower then bank loans.
"If a government agency wanted to recruit on campus, since we receive federal funds, we have to let them recruit here," Angle said.
According to statistics provided by Webster's Director of Financial Aid John Gruett, approximately 11,500 students - roughly half of the Webster worldwide student population - received some form of federal financial aid during the 2004-2005 school year. The total amount during that time was $132 million.
"This is why universities have to be in good standing (with government agencies)," said Deborah Dey, Webster's vice president of enrollment management. "We want our students to get these loans."
Webster's cooperation with government agencies comes as a relief to students such as junior Rob Higgins, a broadcast journalism major. Higgins said he receives between $5,000 and $6,000 in federal aid and if Webster didn't allow government agencies on campus, he would have to seriously explore transferring to another university.