The Dartmouth Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Organization issued a statement Tuesday night condemning the Board of Trustees' decision to continue the College's ROTC program and calling for it to follow through on promises to pressure the military to change its policy on homosexuals.
The statement reiterates sentiments brought up in Monday's rally to protest the Trustees' decision to keep the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, a program many say violates the College's nondiscrimination policy.
"This decision comes as an insult and an outrage to gay, lesbian and bisexual students ... The Equal Opportunity Policy does not have exceptions; discrimination is unacceptable regardless of circumstances," DaGlo members wrote.
The statement claims the Trustees' decision sends "a message to all gay, lesbian and bisexual students that their rights are less important than alumni donations."
It urges the Trustees to fight the military's current "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which they agree is discriminatory.
DaGlo Co-chair Trevor Burgess '94 stated in a BlitzMail message last night that both DaGlo and the Coalition for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns will work "closely with senior administrators in the near future to encourage positive change."
"DaGLO and [the coalition] are working closely together to turn this very negative event into a positive for gays and lesbians," Burgess wrote.
The statement was sent to The Dartmouth and several senior-level administrators, including College President James Freedman, Dean of the College Lee Pelton and interim Provost Bruce Pipes, and will be sent to the Board.
