Beginning of the End


TERM END. Since no definite order has been received ASTU men from the campus, it should be anticipated that work will continue to the end of the term. Following the policy of last term, no special schedule for final examinations will be made. Any examinations desired by the instructors must be given during the regular class periods. All calls work will continue to the close of Friday, March 31.

[Extracted from OSC Bulletin No. 20]

Officials Confirm News of Reduction
Officials Suppose Basic to Complete Term Before Leaving

Press reports of the impending reduction of the ASTP to about one-fifth of unit's present strength have been confirmed by war department orders to Oregon State college officials, although details are still lacking as to exactly the effect of the orders here.

A conference yesterday of leaders of the program here with President A. I. Strand brought out the following points:

1. Men in basic courses, totaling 500 here, are to be returned to other active duty "before April," which is the end of the term on this campus. Officials here presume this will' mean the completion of the term by most of these men, though this is not certain.

2. Advanced engineering units are to be continued. Oregon State had 533 men enrolled in advanced courses this term, though some have been called already. About 36 are due to be graduated at the end of this term, leaving from 225 to 250, which is the minimum number of army students in prospect for next term. OSC has move advanced engineering students enrolled than does any other institution in the Ninth Service Command.

A possibility exist that smaller advanced engineering units elsewhere may be combined which could mean bringing more here where the teaching record has been pronounced excellent by army inspectors. Another possibility is the retention in the advanced work of some men finishing their basic this term, though this is not indicated nor expected.

3. Official orders received here list "certain foreign language groups" among those to be kept in training, in addition to advanced engineering, medical and dentistry groups mentioned in press dispatches. This may or may not apply to the unit here which now numbers 227, about half of the men being due to finish at the end of this term. If the two-terms are allowed to complete the work, more than 100 additional soldier students will remain next term.

Teaching Staff Affected

The effect or the sudden change in policy on the teaching staff was also discussed yesterday. President Strand made it clear, however, that any instructor now hired for a definite period will not be released in advance regardless of the changes in the program. Most have been engaged by the term or until July 1, rather than on a month-to-month basis and all commitments will be met. Dean E. B. Lemon, director of military programs here, returned yesterday from attending the Central Association of University and College Business Officers in Chicago where extensive discussion of ASTP business relationships was held. Army officials there indicated that fair treatment of the institutions in cases of sudden halting of all or parts of the program is definitely contemplated.

No Warning Given

None of the officers attending that session apparently had any advance warning of the order that came out the day of adjournment, said Lemon. Plans were also discussed for handling the increasing number of rehabilitation students from the armed services, Dean Lemon reports. Some government officials estimated that the total number will reach about 70,000 within a year, or half the number now in the AST program {Extracted from the Daily Barometer campus newspaper}

OREGON STATE COLLEGE
Army Specialized Training Program
Office of the Coordinator
BULLETIN NO. 21
March 18, 1944

1. Definite information concerning the status of the ASTP has been received. All soldiers now in attendance, except 120 in electrical and mechanical engineering, will be transferred from the campus between March 28th and 31st inclusive.

2. Because each soldier has considerable work to do in arranging his transfer, all ASTP class work, except for the 120 who are to remain, will end at the close of Thursday, March 23.

3. Final grades for all men who are to be transferred are to be filed in the Registrar's office by Tuesday March 21. The inconsistency of this action is recognized, and we -are merely complying with the request of the army.

4. The 120 men who are to continue advanced engineering will be selected and the names announced not later than Tuesday, March 21.

5. The 120 men selected to continue in engineering will proceed with regular class work until the close of' the term, Saturday, April 1.

6. Faculty load sheets for the month of March need not reflect the above changes but may be compiled in the same manner as if all of the work had continued to March 31.

BE IT KNOWN THAT THIS CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTION HAS BEEN AWARDED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT TO Oregon State College FOR THE TRAINING OF SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM DURING WORLD WAR II

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