Rose-Hulman Rifle Team Forced To Shut Down - Speak Out INGO

[mk2ja]

Ever since I graduated from Rose, I've been telling the folks from the alumni office who call asking for donations that I will not be providing donations until I see improvements in the firearms policy on campus. With this news, it is now time I make sure that gets all the way back to the school president. It is important that the administration is aware of the fact that there are many of us withholding contributions as a result of this decision and their self-defense policies in general.

 

[mk2ja]

I sent an email to the president and CC'd two members of his cabinet, the SVP Robert Coons and the VP of Student Affairs Pete Gustafson. I noticed the president is an instrument-rated pilot, so I threw in a couple aviation terms.

Dear Mr. Conwell:

It has come to my attention that you recently announced the end of the Rose-Hulman Rifle Team, and this compels me to speak out. Rose-Hulman has been scud-running this matter, and with this news, it's entered IMC on a VFR flight plan. Now’s the time to right the ship.

Since my time as a student living off campus, the Institute’s policy against adults licensed to carry weapons for self-defense doing so while on campus has troubled me. Despite being vetted by the Indiana State Police and receiving training to be competent with my tool, campus policy rendered me vulnerable, stripped of the most effective means of self-defense.

One day while I was on campus, a friend for whom I’d been an SA used a gun to commit suicide in a campus parking lot. As I mourned his decision to leave this world, I wondered what might have happened had he decided to use his gun against anyone else first, since all students, staff, and administrators had been rendered defenseless, unable to protect ourselves in a moment of greatest distress and need. What a terrible, dangerous, and irresponsible policy to disarm those who are willing, able, vetted, and trained to stand up for innocence and protect life!

This unnerving, foolish policy convinced me that I would withhold alumnus contributions until such a time as the policy is improved. I actively encourage my fellow alumni to do the same. I have made this clear to the Alumni Office in response to cold calls and letters for donations. But has the message stopped there?

I must ensure the message is received by you and the administration, too. There are many of us like myself who are compelled to stand up for what is right, to preserve the security of all within our society, and it is morally unjust—I say again, morally unjust—for the administration to deprive not only those like me of the ability to do so, but to deprive the campus body as a whole of the protection and safety we would provide.

The decision to terminate the Rifle Team, despite its long heritage and disproportionate success, for reasons unsubstantiated or even conflicted by other sources, suggests this may be only a measure to move towards greater political correctness and away from steadfast dedication to what is right and wise during tough times.

Former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels advised in his commencement address to my class that this nation needs educated individuals, people with the critical thinking and problem solving skills developed by science and engineering backgrounds such as ours, to take a greater role in directing the course our nation takes. Political correctness is not the right direction. Neither is a defenseless campus. Right this ship. Take us back to clear skies.


Very Respectfully,
mk2ja
First Lieutenant
United States Marine Corps
Naval Air Station Pensacola
(Computer Science Class of 2009)

 

[24Carat]

I wonder what resources the school expends for their scuba instruction and gratis trips to local quarries, Florida and the Caribbean for dive adventures?

 

[rob63]

I received a reply from Mr. Conwell, he paints the NCAA as the bad guy.


[FONT=&quot]Thanks for your note. I appreciate your sentiments and thoughts. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]There were two primary rationale behind my decision.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]First of all, unfortunately, is a cost/benefit analysis. I suspect that Jason LaBella, in his note to you, indicated that the rifle team totally accounted for the costs in the program. That really is not the case and we are facing some unknown but I believe are going to be significant cost issues that are coming up with respect to the team.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The larger issue deals with the direction the NCAA is going with respect to sports like rifle. At this time, there are approximately 25 rifle teams across the country which include (I believe) 3 Division III schools that still have a rifle team. All indications are that the Rifle team will have to abide by rules that are dramatically different than the ones which govern their competition today, effectively making the sport extremely more difficult to maintain.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]As a result, I chose to take the path of having a defined end to the team rather than having it end through competitive attrition and the requirement to abide by onerous rules.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Again, thanks for writing. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Jim Conwell[/FONT]

 

[searpinski]

I wrote them an email. That's extemely unfortunate.

 

[chipbennett]

All indications are that the Rifle team will have to abide by rules that are dramatically different than the ones which govern their competition today, effectively making the sport extremely more difficult to maintain.

Citation needed, Mr. President.

 

[jwh20]

If you're a Rose alumni, you know they regularly call asking for money and I usually give. But tonight I received a call and I politely told them how disappointed I am with the new president of the institute and his no-firearms policy on campus which makes Role-Hulman students easy targets to bad guys and the decision to discontinue the rifle team which to me smacks of PC.

I encourage any other alumni to follow suit and to also spread the word among their circle of alumni friends. I personally new Matt Branham who was the previous president since he was a classmate but his predecessor was a short-timer. He was also an outsider like the current president and didn't understand the unique values of Rose-Hulman students. He lost the support of the alumni and was asked to resign. That can absolutely happen again as the #1 job of a college president is fundraising! At any college especially one like Rose alumni support is vital!

 

[bwframe]

Noble effort you folks are making!
As a suggestion, should you make some obvious media company CC's in your correspondence to the admins? Terre Haute and Indy?

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

What NCAA Rule? Total horsesh!t answer.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I received a reply from Mr. Conwell, he paints the NCAA as the bad guy.


Thanks for your note. I appreciate your sentiments and thoughts.


There were two primary rationale behind my decision.

First of all, unfortunately, is a cost/benefit analysis. I suspect that Jason LaBella, in his note to you, indicated that the rifle team totally accounted for the costs in the program. That really is not the case and we are facing some unknown but I believe are going to be significant cost issues that are coming up with respect to the team.

The larger issue deals with the direction the NCAA is going with respect to sports like rifle. At this time, there are approximately 25 rifle teams across the country which include (I believe) 3 Division III schools that still have a rifle team. All indications are that the Rifle team will have to abide by rules that are dramatically different than the ones which govern their competition today, effectively making the sport extremely more difficult to maintain.

As a result, I chose to take the path of having a defined end to the team rather than having it end through competitive attrition and the requirement to abide by onerous rules.

Again, thanks for writing.

Jim Conwell

I got the same response and respectfully asked for the specific rule change and the specific cost factor that was causing the decision. Without these specifics people are going to draw their own conclusions.

 

[JettaKnight]

Citation needed, Mr. President.[/COLOR]

Exactly.

I haven't heard anything like this coming out of Purdue.

 

[magus]

PEWPEW-Purdue? Couldn't resist. I wasn't a shooter there, but I did learn to put the pointy-end of a sword through someone and why the 21' rule is very real thing.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Here's the rule change packet: http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2014-15 NCAA Rifle Rules Packet.pdf

I found nothing remotely describing cross-divisional competition changes.

Searched the NCAA website and still can not find what he's talking about.

 

[Bapak2ja]

If you're a Rose alumni, you know they regularly call asking for money and I usually give. But tonight I received a call and I politely told them how disappointed I am with the new president of the institute and his no-firearms policy on campus which makes Role-Hulman students easy targets to bad guys and the decision to discontinue the rifle team which to me smacks of PC.

I encourage any other alumni to follow suit and to also spread the word among their circle of alumni friends. I personally new Matt Branham who was the previous president since he was a classmate but his predecessor was a short-timer. He was also an outsider like the current president and didn't understand the unique values of Rose-Hulman students. He lost the support of the alumni and was asked to resign. That can absolutely happen again as the #1 job of a college president is fundraising! At any college especially one like Rose alumni support is vital!

I have been a regular supporter of RHIT since my son enrolled there. It is an excellent institution, and they were very generous and helpful with my son's education. However, I will take this same action regarding future support for the school. I disagree with the so-called gun-free-zone. It results only in making it easy for evil people to harm RHIT students. Now, ending an excellent firearms training program that would prepare our young men and women to defend themselves, their communities, and our nation, is too much to accept or understand.

No further contributions until this is changed. Of course, I am only a small donor; they will not miss my contribution. If enough of us take a stand, we may bring about some changes.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Citation needed, Mr. President.[/COLOR]

I got the standard coach-is-a-liar and NCAA-is-the-bad-guy response, so I returned and asked for the specific NCAA rule change or a link where I can find it. I told him I searched the NCAA website and asked several coaches in other sports - no one knows of any such rule change coming down.

 

[Bfish]

I live near by, and my dad knows the president. I will mention to him to talk to him when he has the chance and see if he can't pump him for some more information... I have never been to one of their matches but if they get it up and going I will gladly go and support any up and coming events!

 

[Bfish]

To be honest I am around Rose frequently, and I was unaware that they had a team. If money is the issue, I would think they could fundraise in the community or easily find local business sponsors with as many gun stores we have around here, on top of just other local business that I feel would support them. I feel like it should be petitioned or something if it's beyond the almighty dollar and if its just money I feel it can be solved. It would be nice to get a strait answer!

 

[M67]

I got the standard coach-is-a-liar and NCAA-is-the-bad-guy response, so I returned and asked for the specific NCAA rule change or a link where I can find it. I told him I searched the NCAA website and asked several coaches in other sports - no one knows of any such rule change coming down.

Have you called the NCAA to see what their response was?

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Have you called the NCAA to see what their response was?

I have not personally. The coach did and they didn't know what he was talking about.

 

[KittySlayer]

First of all, unfortunately, is a cost/benefit analysis...
...we are facing some unknown but I believe are going to be significant cost issues that are coming up with respect to the team.

If the cost are unknown then how can the president determine that they are significant?

In addition, as the president of a smaller college I would think it is his responsibility to push back when the NCAA and other governing bodies make rules that are unfair to smaller colleges. After all, shouldn't he be supporting the student athletes which represent the small college he is president of.