An Update to the Community

Dickinson President John E. Jones III '77, P'11, sent this message about the ROTC program to the campus community yesterday:

To the Dickinson community:

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer months and staying safe.

Recently, we received a letter from the Department of the Army notifying us that beginning in the fall of 2026, our ROTC program will merge with Shippensburg University and become an extension of that program. According to the notification, the decision was made as part of larger efforts to reduce the federal civilian workforce.

It is important to note that Dickinson’s program will operate as usual during the 2025-2026 academic year. Any changes will take place after the spring 2026 semester concludes.

While we don’t have all the details of what this future change may mean, the letter indicates that Dickinson ROTC students will continue to attend ROTC classes on our campus and graduate and commission on time.

I also want to assure you that Dickinson remains committed to our longstanding ROTC program, which has been and will continue to be a point of pride for our college.

Our ROTC program was established in 1952 and celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022. For nearly 75 years it has remained an important part of the Dickinson experience, and we will continue to support ROTC in the years ahead.

We will share more information as we have it. Be assured that Dickinson ROTC students will continue to “take the mountain,” just as generations before them have done.

Sincerely,

John E. Jones III '77, P'11
President

Published July 8, 2025