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EXCLUSIVE: A army school in Pennsylvania has turn out to be the primary college within the nation to supply to affix President Donald Trump‘s Compact for Educational Excellence in Schooling after seven intellectual colleges declined to take part.
Valley Forge Navy School despatched a letter on Tuesday to Dr. David Barker, the Trump administration’s assistant secretary for postsecondary schooling, expressing its want to be a part of the compact.
“On behalf of Valley Forge Navy School, we’re writing to specific our want and honor to be the primary army school to assist you and our Commander in Chief, President Donald J. Trump, by signing the Compact for Educational Excellence in Larger Schooling,” the letter says. “We share the Compact’s dedication to advancing academic high quality, entry, and accountability throughout American establishments of upper studying, and we’d be honored to take part on this necessary nationwide initiative.”
College students in army uniforms stroll on the campus of Valley Forge Navy School in Pennsylvania on an unknown date. (Courtesy: Valley Forge Navy School)
The college is a two-year junior school based in 1935 that gives an early commissioning program for officers within the U.S. Military, the Military Reserve and the Nationwide Guard. College students graduate as army officers, and 98% of them switch to different schools to finish a four-year diploma after attending. The college additionally provides a “Citizen Chief Program” for civilians who need the construction and self-discipline of a army establishment.
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“Our mission—to coach, prepare, and encourage the leaders of tomorrow—aligns naturally with the Compact’s objectives of selling institutional excellence and getting ready college students for significant contributions to society,” the letter to the Trump administration says.
The compact’s ideas embody merit-based admissions and hiring practices no matter race, intercourse, political orientation, ethnicity and nationality, and a dedication to freedom of concepts and “abolishing institutional items that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence in opposition to conservative concepts.”Â
It additionally asks universities to acknowledge organic intercourse for the aim of athletics, restrooms and locker rooms, calls for political neutrality in increased schooling, and features a measure about collegiate monetary accountability and a few limits on admissions for international college students.
In change for participation, the administration is providing preferential federal funding to universities who be a part of the compact.
Valley Forge Navy School college students kneel in entrance of a Blackhawk helicopter on an unknown date. (Courtesy: Valley Forge Navy School)
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Among the colleges mentioned that they really feel their missions are already in keeping with the compact’s stipulations. Others mentioned they assume the compact would undermine educational freedom.
However Valley Forge Navy School has a distinct opinion.Â
“Participation within the Compact would offer precious alternatives for collaboration, shared studying, and steady enchancment,” the Valley Forge Navy School letter continues. “We’re notably desirous to contribute to discussions on management schooling, scholar resilience, and pathways from two-year packages to four-year establishments. These are areas wherein Valley Forge has developed efficient practices and measurable outcomes that would profit peer establishments.”
“Please take into account this letter an expression of Valley Forge Navy School’s full assist and enthusiasm for the Compact’s goals,” the letter says.
An aerial shot of the Valley Forge Navy School campus in Pennsylvania taken on an unknown date. (Courtesy: Valley Forge Navy School )
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It’s signed by Marine Corps Col. Stuart Helgeson, who’s the president of Valley Forge Navy School, and John English, a Marine Corps veteran himself, who serves as the varsity’s board chairman.
“We’re a small, personal establishment, so if it might permit us — and we now have some hefty visions and objectives to revamp elements of the campus to develop a few of our packages — and if this can be a approach we may assist do this, we thought it was a great factor to do,” Helgeson instructed Fox Information Digital.
“We’re not chasing down authorities cash from the Division of Schooling,” mentioned English. “We’re not chasing down college students from abroad to pay exorbitant quantities of tuition to form of maintain your school going. That is the present mannequin in increased schooling. We’re completely completely different with a really particular mannequin of constructing officers for america army. And as Colonel Helgeson likes to say, he is over there creating warriors.”
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The Trump administration solicited suggestions from 9 colleges, some public and a few personal, nationwide. A suggestions deadline was set for Oct. 20. Not one of the schools signed the compact, with MIT, the College of Arizona, Brown College, Dartmouth School, the College of Pennsylvania, the College of Southern California and the College of Virginia declining to take part.
The Valley Forge Navy School chapel with pink timber blossoming. (Courtesy: Valley Forge Navy School)
Vanderbilt College and the College of Texas at Austin have been noncommittal on the proposal.
“A few of these schools and universities are petrified of their very own shadow,” English mentioned, noting that they may worry blowback from college students, college and donors. “They do not know the place they are going and the way they’re main. Ours may be very, quite simple. We’re making officers and warriors to serve in america army to maintain this nation protected.”
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Each males famous that the varsity already meets the necessities stipulated within the compact.
Helgeson mentioned that at Valley Forge, partisan politics will not be a consider college students’ schooling or professors’ lectures. The college prides itself on nonpartisanship, and is strictly centered on graduating army officers to allow them to additional their very own educations and serve the nation.
“Why are you letting politics get in the best way of furthering your establishment?” Helgeson requested rhetorically.
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He listed among the objectives his school is attempting to fulfill, together with increasing its NSA-certified cybersecurity program and a brand new drone piloting initiative.
“We need to construct out labs,” he mentioned. “We need to proceed to make these packages higher so our nation can obtain these youngsters on the highest coaching out there. And if this enables us to get on board and be eligible, then why would not we?”
Learn the complete letter: Cellular customers click on right here
